Surplus lands identified for affordable housing

King County Executive Ron Sims today sent the King County Council a list of 52 surplus county properties that have been identified as potentially suitable for the construction of much-needed affordable housing. The lands lie in all parts of unincorporated King County, the suburban cities, and the city of Seattle.

"Some of these lands are held in trust by King County as tax forfeitures, others were bought for use by county agencies but for one reason or another never used," says Sims. "With the dwindling supply of available land that is suitable for housing, we are making every effort to find places where families can have a roof over their heads. We also want to help make housing a reality for younger people trying to buy their first home."

Out of 750 parcels of surplus land owned by the county, 52 parcels were considered potentially suitable for housing and rated good, fair or poor. The lands were identified by staff in the Property Services Division of the King County Department of Construction and Facilities Management, and staff in the Housing and Community Development Program of the Department of Community and Human Services. The evaluation included the collection of information regarding topography, zoning, availability of utilities, and other crucial factors. Site visits were made to those properties with the highest potential for development.