Seattle City Councilmember Andrew J. Lewis (District 7, Magnolia to Pioneer Square) expressed his enthusiastic and unequivocal support for the Third Door Coalition’s plan to reach functional zero chronic homelessness in King County. The Third Door Coalition, a group of business leaders and homeless rights advocates, made an announcement on Tuesday morning about their plans to create 6,500 new units of affordable housing in King County.
“I’ve said from the beginning of my term the only way we will ever find a solution to meet the scale of the homelessness and affordable housing crises is with a plan first, and revenue second,” Lewis said. “This incredible coalition of businesses, non-profits, and the public has provided us with a clear plan. I look forward to working with them to make it happen.”
The plan calls for a public-private partnership to fund an estimated capital cost of $1.6 billion over the next five years. The Coalition also identifies ways to drive down the currently high costs of building permanent supportive housing.
The Third Coalition was founded in 2018 by Co-Chairs Chad Mackay of Fire & Vine Hospitality and Professor Sara Rankin of Seattle University School of Law. Daniel Malone of the Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC) and Paul Lambros of Plymouth Housing serve on its board of directors.
“This group has the credibility to provide Seattle with a data-driven approach to reducing chronic homelessness and expanding housing unaffordability,” Lewis said. “Permanent supportive housing must be the central pillar of our strategy to get people indoors, and the compassionate members of our business community who recognize their role in funding this approach will be remembered for their leadership and spirit of community.”
Councilmember Lewis will announce specific policies to advance the goals of the Third Door Coalition’s recommendations in the coming weeks.