By Aneesa Grant, The Seattle Medium
The Seattle Renters’ Commission is looking for community members to serve on the board of the newly established Seattle Social Housing Developer, a Public Development Authority (PDA) that will be responsible for developing, owning, and maintaining social housing in Seattle.
Initiative 135, a citizen-initiated measure approved by Seattle voters on February 14, 2023, established the Seattle Social Housing Developer. Social housing under this initiative will be publicly owned and financed mixed-income housing, removed from market forces and speculation, and built with the express aim of equitably and affordably housing people.
The Seattle Renters’ Commission will initially appoint seven of the 13 board members who will oversee the Seattle Social Housing Developer in the coming weeks. Per the terms of the initiative, the board members appointed by the Seattle Renters’ Commission must include at least one member who has experienced housing insecurity, at least one member who has experienced financial eviction, and at least one member who has been displaced. Additionally, the board members should represent a range of incomes, including three members living at 0-50% Area Median Income (AMI), two members living at 50-80% AMI, and two members living at 80-100% AMI.
The Charter for the Seattle Social Housing Developer PDA provides full details on the roles and responsibilities of the board of directors. Prospective board members should expect to spend up to 20 hours per month in their role.
Interested individuals should complete the online application by Friday, March 31 at 11:59 p.m. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the Seattle Renters’ Commission will contact applicants who advance in the application process to coordinate next steps.
For more information, please visit our website. If you have any questions or would like to request language access services, please email don_src_liaison@seattle.gov.
