One thing that is true about politics and advocacy and non-profits is also true about any business: you have to pay the bills. That means raising money and adding some value. The work that Seattle For Growth has done over the last 6 years has been singular in this state and region. There really isn’t any group out there that advocates across new housing development, rehabilitation of existing buildings, and rental housing. Our mission has been pretty simple, more housing of all kinds everywhere for people of all levels of income. I wish it was that easy. But it isn’t. I wrote about why at Forbes last week. We’re either going to fight back or just accept that people will complain about housing prices and government will make it worse in the name of making it better. Here’s the latest and our request.

Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) — This measure passed earlier this year and will now tax each and every new square foot of housing to fund non-profit housing that is averaging $350,000 per unit. I am hearing from builders and developers small and large with fees ranging from $100,000 to $3 million that they can’t pay. We said MHA would make projects infeasible, and when they could be feasible it would be because rents and prices would go up. It’s happening.