On October 13, the 10 candidates running for seats in the Bellevue City Council discussed how they would tackle the city’s housing and affordability issues in a forum hosted by the Eastside Housing Equity Coalition.
It will be no easy feat for whoever wins. With the median home sale price sitting at just under $1.5 million, Bellevue is one of the least affordable places to live in the state, outstripping Seattle by a wide margin.
Up for election in Bellevue are:
- Position 1: Paul Clark and (appointed) incumbent Vishal Bhargava;
- Position 2: Naren Briar and incumbent Conrad Lee;
- Position 4: Pradnya Desh and incumbent Jared Nieuwenhuis;
- Position 5: Matthew Rish and (appointed) incumbent Claire Sumadiwirya, and
- Position 6: incumbent Mayor Lynne Robinson and Nicole Myers.
The Urbanist has endorsed Bhargava and Sumadiwirya.
Community health and stability through anti-displacement
All candidates agreed that the city needed more affordable housing, but they didn’t all agree on how to best go about creating said affordable housing.
