The conscience of the council? The lone NO vote was delivered by Councilmember Jon Pascal with comments celebrated by our members for his “clear explanation,” “rational and broad thinking,” and “common sense and putting true community interests first!”

Source: Council Member Jon Pascal’s Facebook page

My remarks at the City Council meeting tonight on why I was not able to support a new affordability fee on new homes larger than 2,000 sqft.

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Kirkland has long been a leader in housing policy, and we must continue to advance our housing goals thoughtfully and effectively.

From the outset, I’ve raised questions and concerns about additional fees on housing. 

While the intent behind the affordable housing fee is commendable, good intentions alone don’t guarantee good outcomes. Data consistently shows that adding fees to housing increases the overall cost of all housing types. 

As the Master Builders has noted in their letter to council, this proposal comes at a particularly difficult time for the housing market, which is already grappling with disruptions from national tariffs impacting materials, high interest rates, and state-level tax and fee increases.

Currently, builders pay over $70,000 in fees to obtain a Kirkland building permit for an average home. This new fee simply adds to those already substantial costs and disproportionately impacts larger families seeking homes over 2,000 square feet.

I also have several unresolved questions about this legislation. How much revenue will it generate? How will that money be allocated? How many affordable units will this result in? Is the fee proportionate to the benefits it’s supposed to provide? And will it stand up to legal scrutiny if challenged in court?

Although the fee doesn’t take effect until 2027, its impact begins now. Given the long timelines required for property acquisition and permitting, builders must move forward assuming the current fee structure will remain in place. That uncertainty casts a shadow over homebuilding in Kirkland today—not a year and a half from now.

In short, while I appreciate the work of the city manager to provide more certainty to the fee, and Councilmember Tymczyszyn’s amendments to improve the legislation, I’m still wrestling with the fee itself. 

I am uncomfortable supporting a process that has had limited collaboration with home builders, and feels rushed to meet the June deadline. If that means delaying a sizable new affordable housing fee, I am OK with that. Passing incomplete or hurried legislation sets a worse precedent.