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Ellensburg candidates propose zoning, incentives and ADU changes to address housing affordability
Summary
Candidates at an Ellensburg City Council primary forum on July evening prioritized housing affordability, proposing inclusive zoning, incentives for developers, expanded accessory dwelling unit (ADU) rules and leveraging local sales tax to attract state and federal funding.
At a candidates forum hosted at the Clymer Museum and Gallery, several people running in Ellensburg's city council primary identified housing affordability as the city's top challenge and outlined different local steps they would take if elected.
Housing dominated candidate responses because it affects residents across income levels, they said, from students and working families to long-term locals. Geraldine O'Mahony, a planning commissioner and former Central Washington University professor, said, “I think Ellensburg's biggest challenge is housing affordability, climate resilience, and economic equity,” and advocated for zoning and development policies that expand affordable housing while protecting renters and working families.
Why it matters: Candidates framed housing as a…
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