Choosing to Stay

Editor’s Note: This month’s guest editorial is by Ruby Holland, a Leschi resident who is resisting the changes that upzoning can bring.

Displacement is predicted to be high in the Central District because of the upzoning that is expected to occur this year. Please be aware that voluntary displacement is already occurring in the CD. Many times, parents of children previously priced out of the CD, pass away or move to assisted living facilities. The children of that resident, who have already moved elsewhere, find that their best option is to sell the property. This will continue and will provide lots of properties for developers wishing to rebuild, yet this is not addressed here.

This article is for the many CD homeowners whose property is in the upzones who do not wish to be displaced. We want you to know that you do have options to do whatever is right for you and your family. We want you to make your decision from strength, not fear. This article is also for any of us struggling with rising property taxes.

Why stay in the CD? Below are responses from people in the CD, as well as some who have been displaced:

• We are close to everything: Parks, fishing and boating activities, downtown.

• As we age, we need to be close to hospitals and other amenities for seniors.

• We need sidewalks to walk on, which many suburbs do not have.

• As we age, we stop driving. Public transportation is better in Seattle than in the suburbs.

• Houses are getting scarce in the suburbs.

• Traffic is bad and getting worse.

When we talk about ways to stay in our homes we are talking about ways to pay for an increase in property taxes. Here are some strategies: