Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has unveiled three bills to aid her goal of adding 1,000 new shelter beds this year.
The bills would give more leeway to use land for transitional housing, make funding available, and expand the number of people allowed in transitional encampments.
Seattle bill would cut red tape for leasing encampment land
CB 121184 would make it easier for the city to lease land for transitional encampments by giving the Director of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) broader signing authority and allowing the city to pay market rate.
Under the current code, the cost per square foot is capped, and the FAS director is not allowed to sign a lease agreement if the land exceeds 18,000 square feet. The ordinance would increase the square-foot limit to 65,000 square feet and allow a market-rate rental for land, according to the bill summary…