By Janice Podsada
Herald Writer
LYNNWOOD —Lynnwood’s current multifamily housing ban means that 120 seniors who might have had a safe, secure home by summer 2002 will have to wait another 18 months, the director of a seniors housing group said this week.
"They are in a variety of situations right now," said Arthur Martin, executive director of the Senior Housing Assistance Group.
"Some are living with their offspring, some are living in substandard housing; they’ll spend another year in that situation," he told the Lynnwood City Council.
SHAG, as Martin’s group is known, is one of the state’s largest nonprofit providers of senior housing. The group provides independent senior housing, with rents based on a percentage of the local average rental rate.
"We look at the rents in the local area, and then we take a percentage of that — ours would be well under that. If the local rate is $600 a month for a one-bedroom, we might charge $450 a month. And we pay all the utilities except for the phone."
Before the six-month ban went into effect April 9, the Lynnwood senior group’s project was No. 1 on the waiting list for state housing bond funding, Martin told council members.
"We fully expected to be funded this September," he said.
"At the time of the ban, we had prepared a complete land use application, all the design drawings, everything you would need for a building permit," Martin said. "It was rejected because of the ban."
In an April executive session, the Lynnwood City Council approved the six-month emergency moratorium on multifamily housing. The moratorium’s intent was to allow for a six-month hiatus, during which time city officials could evaluate the impact of apartments, condominiums and other multifamily housing projects on the city and its services. Because the moratorium was declared an emergency measure, public comment was not taken.
If the moratorium ends as scheduled in October, Martin said SHAG could apply for state housing bonds in January.
If the city approves SHAG’s construction plan, the group could begin building early next year. Seniors could then expect to move into their new homes sometime in fall 2003.
Martin said he talked to the council Monday to set the record straight about the availability of funding. Some council members have been saying that SHAG was not in line for state funding, Martin said.
"When they know there are time limits on these bonds, it tells me that there is no interest in senior housing by some members of the city council," he said.
You can call Herald Writer Janice Podsada at 425-339-3029 or send e-mail to podsada@heraldnet.com.
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