Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has unveiled a sweeping plan to invest $80 million in a new “anti-gentrification and reparations fund” aimed at countering decades of discriminatory housing practices. The fund, tied to his upcoming 2026 budget, would help families with down payments and housing costs while addressing the deep impacts of redlining and racial covenants that blocked Black residents from homeownership. The proposal faces scrutiny as the city battles a budget deficit and political tensions ahead of the mayor’s re-election fight.
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Reparations Fund Proposal
Mayor Harrell’s announcement came as part of a gradual rollout of his 2026 budget. He said the $80 million initiative would target families impacted by racist housing covenants and redlining, helping them secure homeownership in a city that has grown increasingly unaffordable. “We have to recognize some realities about this city,” Harrell said. “We have to acknowledge how unaffordable Seattle has become.” The plan still requires City Council approval.
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Largest Housing Investment
Alongside the reparations fund, Harrell proposed giving the city’s Office of Housing $350 million. This would represent the largest single allocation for affordable housing in Seattle’s history, though inflation-adjusted it is roughly equal to 2024’s levels. The money will be sourced from the 2023 housing levy, developer fees, and a payroll tax on large corporations. Harrell stressed that the funding will support both the stabilization of struggling affordable housing projects and the construction of new units…