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Public commenter urges higher MHA fees, living wage and mixed‑income housing
Summary
At the Land Use Committee public comment, a speaker identified as Steve urged raising Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) fees, argued current fees are too low, said higher fees would speed housing production because payments can be delayed until occupancy, and called for living‑wage policies and more mixed‑income development.
Seattle — Dec. 17, 2025 — During the Seattle City Council Land Use Committee's public comment period, a speaker identified only as Steve urged the city to raise Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) fees, arguing the current fees are "so, so low" and that higher fees would help deliver affordable housing more quickly.
Steve said one problem is timing: MHA payments are often tied to an occupancy permit and therefore may not enter affordable‑housing programs until years after building permits are issued. He told the committee that payments sometimes do not arrive for "2, 3, 4, maybe even 5 years," and urged changes so housing funds reach projects earlier.
Steve also said Seattle should avoid homogenization and encourage mixed‑income developments that spread households across neighborhoods. He suggested that complementing higher MHA fees with living‑wage policies could help residents afford higher local costs. These remarks were made as part of general public comment and were not followed by a staff response or a motion recorded on the public record during the committee meeting.
