Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Housing Affordability topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Edgewater officials flag affordability concerns with state's 'Live Local' law as housing projects move forward
Summary
City staff said a US 1 proposal using the state's 'Live Local' law could produce apartments considered 'affordable' under county AMI rules but effectively market-rate in Edgewater; staff said the law allows a 75% tax abatement at 120% AMI, potentially pricing one-bedrooms at about $1,900/month under current market conditions.
City staff at the comp-plan kickoff described several housing proposals and cautioned that state incentives can produce units labeled "affordable" that do not match local incomes.
Ryan Solstice described a US 1 development that is proceeding under the state's "Live Local" statute and would include 162 apartments plus a gas station, car wash, fast-food and general retail. He warned that the state program uses county-level Area Median Income (AMI) as its baseline and provides a 75% tax abatement for projects certifying affordability at 120% AMI. Because Edgewater's median household income is lower than the county average, Solstice said the law can result in units that are technically "affordable" under the state program but are priced at market rate for Edgewater residents; he gave an example that a one-bedroom renting at $1,900 a month could qualify under the law.
Separately, staff described other senior- and special-needs housing proposals under review, including Edgewater Village BPUD (272 independent-living units, 45 build-to-rent villas and a 169-bed assisted-living facility) and other PUD amendments and reactivations such as Edgewater Lakes ("Strawberry Fields"), Aspire on Flint Cemetery Road and Riverfront Estates.
Solstice emphasized that many projects were entitled or submitted before the city's moratorium and that entitlements and PUD terms constrain the city's ability to change project outcomes. He encouraged residents to attend workshops to discuss housing goals and whether the city should revise land-use standards or incentives.
