Washington Policy Center: On Monday March 13, the Spokane City Council passed a series of fee increases on new housing construction, including a water connection fee increase on multi-family units from $18,000 to $470,000. There was also a 300% increase for residential water connections and an almost 250% increase in transportation fees with estimates showing the impact fee could be as high as $7,500 per home.
Now it seems, due to public outrage at the massive fee increases, the council has, at least temporarily, reversed its position and reduced the amount of the increases until early 2024.
In a 6-1 vote Monday, the council reversed course and significantly reduced the increases.
In a housing crisis, increasing development fees will not increase housing availability and reduce costs. The cost of increased fees will be passed onto the home buyer as higher home prices. Developers will be less incentivized to cover the cost of the fees during construction of the home and housing starts will decline as a result. MORE
That ‘low-income housing’ sure is profitable! For somebody.
Maybe they’re attempting to fund reparations, illegals and their pocket.
Here a fee, there a fee, everywhere a fee fee!
Left Coast Dan
MARCH 29, 2023 AT 12:11 PM
“That ‘low-income housing’ sure is profitable! For s̶o̶m̶e̶b̶o̶d̶y̶ Democrats.
No reason to build a house, if I were to move to that area, I’d buy something already standing – unless they put on a purchasing fee – sales tax. Washington or Oregon isn’t in the cards for me.
We refer to it as the Homeless Industrial Complex here in Washington State. There isn’t any aspect of it that isn’t utterly and completely corrupt. Including and especially the “non-profits” that serve as fronts for the Democrat and Republican establishment’s money laundering operation.
The contractors are in on it and funnel money back to the politicians of both Parties
From $18,000 to $470,000.
Seems about right.
As a lifelong Spokane resident our current City Council sucks. We have a decent Mayor in Mayor Nadine Woodward but there are too many Seattle type wannabees on the council right now. And God forbid if our current Mayor loses her reelection bid because Lisa Brown her opponent is a far left loonie who would make things far worse. I don’t want to see Spokane and Eastern Washington go over the deep end like in Seattle and Portland.
Just another leftist shithole, it’s to be expected….
Yew knoww whut they say:
Shitholes gotta Shithole!
Aaaaaannnnd their motto is:
We’re not happy ’till you’re not happy!