"Affordability – in both the immediate and long term – are critical goals as our city grows and changes. The affordability commitments in this final version of the Innovation QNS proposal are a testament to and validation of the strategic, consistent push by residents, community leaders and elected officials for responsible development that meets both neighborhood and citywide needs.
"The new level of income targeted affordable units proposed for Innovation QNS was hard fought, and now sets a minimum benchmark to consider moving forward, particularly for this type of development of private land. As we work to meet the current housing and homelessness crisis, we must ensure that we do not exacerbate it by displacing and pricing people from their neighborhoods.
"Under Mandatory Inclusionary Housing, which my office has detailed the failures of and which I voted against as a Council Member, we have to do better than the best of the current bad options, and the work of the last several weeks has led to a better deal. I want to congratulate Council Member Julie Won, and all who continued efforts to get here, for their leadership in helping ensure that Innovation QNS offered this level of affordable, income-targeted housing for a city in desperate need. I hope that the full Council votes to approve the project."
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