A Seattle family is filing a lawsuit alongside the Institute for Justice alleging the city's Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program is preventing them from moving their loved ones onto their property in the rapidly gentrifying Central District. The Institute for Justice is a law firm that says it "represents everyday people when the government violates their most important constitutional rights."  The Seattle City Attorney’s office says it does not comment on pending litigation but is reviewing the claims. It says that "in two prior lawsuits constitutional claims were raised against MHA, but in neither case did the court reach the merits of those claims." Anita Adams is a longtime homeowner in the Central District. She says gentrification pushed many of her family members and friends out of her neighborhood, and in 2020, she and her husband decided to build an addition on their property with dwelling units for her children and in-laws. “This was our opportunity to be able to have our children live close to us,” Adams said. “This was our opportunity to have our cultural heritage and the work we've done in the community continue that legacy.” But Adams says as they began to research permitting, they learned their home was in a zone where MHA could be triggered. The MHA ordinance allows for denser building in many, but not all areas of the city while aiming to empower more affordable housing in those zones. The city’s Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) says certain types of development trigger requirements to provide or make a contribution towards affordable housing, with specific exemptions. More details can be found in the land use code here: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT23LAUSCO_SUBTITLE_IIILAUSRE_CH23.58CMAHOAFREDE_23.58C.025APGERE READ THE FULL STORY: https://www.king5.com/article/news/local/seattle-family-files-lawsuit-against-housing-ordinance-central-district/281-abe4b8df-2e2b-4cc3-b887-e4febb665d70