The living room views of the wealthy should not be prioritized over the lives of the poor

Seattle is currently undergoing the process to increase housing capacity but the Mayor's current One Seattle Plan upzone does not go far enough. It severely limits the locations and amounts of denser housing which will cause more displacement, more poverty, and more homelessness. It does this because the mayor has decided wealthier homeowners are more important and more deserving of the freedom to live where they want.

If an upzone does not adequately meet the needs of our city, more people will be displaced by rising rents and taxes. Seattle's diversity will decay as, like San Francisco, rising housing prices will force out anyone who doesn't work an high paying office job. This will disproportionately effect queer people and people of color.

In addition, businesses will suffer as the rising cost of living will force minimum wage increases. Also, the need for housing being fulfilled by surrounding cities will lead to more environmental damage from longer commutes and more deforestation from sprawl. 

The mayor and city council need to stop their attack on affordability if they want to be re-elected. San Francisco should be seen as a warning as what happens if you prioritize protecting the views of the wealthy over the lives of the poor.

Demands:

1. Expand the size of neighborhood centers
2. Increase the number of neighborhood centers such that it is consistent with the 2022 OPCD Scoping Report
3. Widen the frequent transit line upzone to include the full block on either side of the bus line
4. Increase the density limitations of NR zones
5. Eliminate LR1 and LR2 zones and consolidate into what is currently LR3
6. Eliminate parking minimums