Our community is facing a housing emergency. Local workers, families, and young people can’t find homes, while a growing share of properties sit empty most of the year. In fact, more than 15% of the housing in Astoria is classified as vacant or seasonal use.
You are invited to join us on Tuesday, June 17th, at 6:00 p.m. at Obelisk Beer Co. for a conversation with our special guest, Gil Kelley. Gil is an experienced urban planner, having worked throughout the Pacific Northwest, including leading city-wide planning efforts for major metropolitan areas such as Portland and Vancouver, BC.
Under Gil’s leadership in Vancouver, the city adopted many tools to tackle the housing shortage, including a 1.5% tax on Empty Homes, which funds programs aimed at addressing housing affordability and availability challenges. Since the program began in 2017, the city has seen a 54% reduction in the number of vacant properties and has generated over $142 million to support affordable housing initiatives.
Should a fee on empty homes be part of the solution to support housing affordability and choice for full-time residents, families, and workers in Astoria and the North Coast? Join us for an informal discussion as we explore this question and others with Gil, a leader who has been working to address housing challenges for many years.
Also check out other Meetups in Astoria.
