Resolution in Support of Seattle City Council’s Mandatory Housing Affordability Accelerator and Consideration of an Inclusionary Requirement in Neighborhood Residential Zones

September 16, 2026

WHEREAS, Seattle workers deserve access to housing they can afford near their jobs, families, and communities, but rising housing costs continue to push working people out of the city; and

WHEREAS, the Martin Luther King Jr. County Labor Council represents thousands of workers, including Building Trades members whose livelihoods depend on a strong construction industry and continued investment in housing; and

WHEREAS, declining housing permits threaten both the production of needed housing and good-paying union construction jobs with apprenticeship programs that build careers for local construction workers; and

WHEREAS, Seattle’s Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program is an important tool for producing and funding affordable housing so working people can continue to live in Seattle; and

WHEREAS, appropriately adjusting MHA in-lieu fees can help projects move forward during challenging market conditions while continuing to support affordable housing; and

WHEREAS, declining housing production has reduced MHA revenue, while increased development capacity in Neighborhood Residential zones that are not currently subject to MHA may further shift development away from areas where affordable housing contributions are required; and

WHEREAS, the proposed MHA Accelerator can help move stalled housing projects forward, creating good-paying construction jobs, increasing housing supply, and generating additional City revenue to support essential public services and community priorities; and

WHEREAS, a carefully structured inclusionary housing requirement in Neighborhood Residential zones can support additional affordable rental housing and homeownership opportunities while encouraging continued housing production and greater density; and

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the MLK Labor supports the Seattle City Council’s Mandatory Housing Affordability Accelerator and the Council’s consideration of an inclusionary requirement in Neighborhood Residential zones as tools to increase housing production, expand affordable housing opportunities, generate public revenue, and create good-paying union jobs for Seattle workers.