"Solution" to affordable housing crisis is dramatically improve public transportation

It's great that the Seattle City Council Considers Ditching "Incentive Zoning" Program. Or it could double-down on the program. Or we could argue about rent control for the next few years here in Seattle and then argue with the State legislature about whether Seattle is allowed to have rent control.

A far more effective and immediate approach would be to dramatically increase public transportation, specifically buses, so that renters can get to lower cost housing.

 

Suburban apartment rents -- Tukwila, Lynnwood, Shoreline, Kent et al -- are much lower than Seattle. Make it easier for people to get from job or entertainment in Seattle to less-expensive apartment in the suburbs . 

 

The only problem? Increasing the number of buses in service would actually cost Seattle tax-payers real dollars. Much easier politically to have task-forces to study affordable housing or to argue about rent control which at worst would transfer costs to someone else.  

 

Counter-intuitive as it may be, the fastest, best way to help people who can't afford higher rents is to massively increase public buses so that they can get to lower-cost housing in suburban cities. 

 

Stop focussing on how to ration limited amount of housing in trendy Capital Hill, Queen Anne, Green Lake etc.

 

Make it easy for people to live in suburbs.