LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Gifting $250,000 to Walker John

Please Pull from Consent Calendar: 4K #21-0431

Posted

Dear Mayor Selby and Council Members,

There is an item on your consent calendar that is not "routine" and should be the subject of a public discussion and vote.

Resolution #21-0431 authorizes the sale of 308-310 4th Avenue to Walker John (Urban Olympia 12 LLC) for $50,000.

This resolution should be rejected for at least four reasons:

  1. On May 13, 2016, the City of Olympia paid $300,000 for this building and it is currently assessed at $212,300 by the Thurston County Assessor.  Giving it to Walker John for $50,000 is a gift of at least $250,000 in public funds to Walker John.
  2. Second, the fourth "Whereas" in the resolution justifies this sale in the name "affordable low-income housing."  However, there is no language in the resolution that specifies the exact percentage of units that will be for the low income.
  3. Walker John has zero track record of building "affordable low-income housing."  The only thing he has shown is the capacity to accept 8 year tax exemptions while building apartments in downtown that the majority of residents in Olympia can not afford.
  4. If the City is actually serious about providing this type of low-income housing they should sell the building to the people who know who to do it, The Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI).

Sincerely,

Dan Leahy, Olympia

Comments

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  • RuthApter

    I completely agree. Any sales of properties at below market rate have to come with a contract that lays out low income units, the rates and long term plans. So far the city has completely failed in its tax break on luxury units by Walker John that to date have created zero low income housing. Enough is enough.

    Tuesday, May 4, 2021 Report this

  • AJoytoknow

    Agreed! This is stupid but sadly not surprising as walker John seems to be a favorite pet of the Oly city council. It's shameful! Can't wait till we get to replace them with (hopefully) someone who doesn't just say they want affordable housing (Selby) but actually is willing to make it happen. As is we have a bunch of elected gifters to the town's biggest grifter. Shameful!

    Wednesday, May 12, 2021 Report this