Tuesday night, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray said he would like to double the city's housing levy, a property tax citizens have paid for more than 30 years to fund affordable housing.



The current levy, which voters approved in 2009, collects $145 million over seven years. Voters will choose whether to renew the levy this year, at a rate proposed by the mayor.



In 2015, this levy rate was such that someone with a $500,000 house would have paid about $71 for the year.



"Perhaps as a city, there is nothing more important that we can do this year, than to pass this levy," Murray said.



The director of the city's office of housing, Steve Walker, said the program is the envy of other big cities. Hardly any other place has a local funding source for housing like Seattle. Officials from as far as New Zealand have visited to see how it works.



"The levy itself is still seen as sort of the darling around the country," Walker said.



Walker said he and housing officials from the nation's most expensive cities often meet to discuss solutions, and none of them have a levy like this.



The levy funds buildings where low-income residents can pay reduced rent, as well as buildings for those just coming out of homelessness to live and receive services. The funds also help people who apply for one-time rent assistance.



Since 2009, the housing levy has contributed to about 2,000 new units of affordable housing. Since the levy's start in 1981, about 12,000 new affordable units have been made.



The buildings are often constructed by affordable housing developers. For every $1 of levy money, the city is able to leverage $3 from other agencies for the project.



The levy is targeted to help the homeless, but also those making low wages, up to 60 percent of area median income.



That equates to a single person making up to about $37,000 or a family of four making up to about $54,000.



To convince those who may be doubtful of throwing more money at the problem, Walker said, "I think it's stepping back and thinking about what is the Seattle that people want to see."



He said voters have consistently shown they are interested in having a diverse city, where people of all backgrounds and income levels can live.

