Fort Lawton, council says open space and affordable housing here can’t work together.

Unlike their earlier pass on an important vote earlier this week (the nightclub ordinance), the city council did decide to vote on whether to replace the vacated barracks at Fort Lawton with open space or affordable housing. Their decision, bring on the open space.

However, in addition to receiving criticism from housing advocates, the city council was also called to task by the Port for a different decision the city made on a similiar project. The Times reported, 

Officials with the Port of Seattle and the city of Burien said Seattle’s plans are hypocritical. Seattle officials had intervened when the Port wanted to tear down 162 affordably priced units at the Lora Lake apartments in Burien this summer.

Port Commissioner John Creighton said Wednesday, “I find it disappointing that they raise this issue and request that another jurisdiction [Burien], that has a higher percentage of affordable housing, go to bat to save housing when they’re not prepared to do the same.”

Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis responded,

City officials said the Capehart housing is inappropriate for low-income residents. “It’s isolated in the park and there are no services or transit,” said Deputy Mayor Tim Ceis.

Wow, Tim doesn’t get around much. Believe it or not, there are even low-income residents in suburban and rural areas who obviously find ways to get around.