Clark County Council advances sales-tax proposal to fund affordable housing, schedules January hearing

Chair Marshall and county staff opened a broad discussion on adopting a 0.1% sales-and-use tax under House Bill 1590 to fund affordable housing and related services outside the City of Vancouver. Jordan Bogie, senior policy analyst, told the council the tax would "raise about $6,400,000 a year for the county" and that state rules require at least 60% of the revenue be used for construction, acquisition or operations of affordable housing and behavioral-health facilities for specified vulnerable populations.

The proposal would apply countywide outside Vancouver city limits because the City of Vancouver has already levied the tax. Bogie said the revenue could be used for new units, upgrades to existing housing, land acquisition for behavioral-health facilities, operations and maintenance costs, and program delivery and evaluation. He described a number of decision points for the council, including whether to set a higher local…