Bainbridge Island is looking at a law to encourage building affordable housing by providing incentives.

But Councilmember Jon Quitslund said the law under consideration doesn’t go far enough. The council will look at it again in a future meeting.

“It looks like we’re doing something but we’re pulling punches in some ways,” he said at the Oct. 10 City Council meeting. “We’re not doing as much as we should.”

He specifically mentioned that the draft law does not include developments done by for-profit or government agencies, which would include the city of BI, which has discussed the possibility of building its own affordable housing.

“Sometimes we need to take a giant step,” he continued. “This is a good-faith effort, but I wish we could be a little more generous. The more we can do the better.”

But the rest of the council was satisfied with the subsidy only being available for nonprofits.

Councilmember Clarence Moriwaki said: “We want to be fiscally responsible. This is low-hanging fruit; something we can do now that can really help.”

Councilmember Leslie Schneider said the city really doesn’t know what it will take to get for-profit businesses to build affordable housing. In the past, they have said they just can’t make it work without some type of incentive.

“We’re just not waiving fees and magically making it easier,” she said, adding the draft law would be a subsidy. The money could be spent on other priorities, but we want “to make this happen.” She added any incentives for for-profit development would need to be different.

“People seem to be nervous about a subsidy,” Quitslund said, adding that everyone who has a mortgage benefits from a subsidy. “Subsidized housing is a good thing needed for the health of the community.”

In explaining the draft law, planning director Patty Charnas said at a previous meeting the council talked about the need to not only have land-use permit fees reduced, but other fees too. So city staff developed a tier system. For example, a project that has housing for those who make 80% of the area median income would have 100% of their permit fees waived.

Those who build four or more of those affordable units would be eligible for up to $30,000 in breaks for other fees that would be paid for by the city through grants or its Affordable Housing Fund.

As the council looks at this further, Quitslund said: “I just want all the incentives we can provide to any builder to include affordable housing in their plans,” as if to say, “We’re not closing the doors to anybody.”

He also again criticized a city code that is “disgraceful and disgusting” regarding optional development. “The sooner we fix that” the better.

During public comments, two people spoke in favor of developing incentives for affordable housing.

Stefan Goldby of the BI Chamber of Commerce said such a move would lead to affordable housing “this community needs quite badly.”

David Swartling of Bethany Lutheran Church, which already has an approved affordable housing project, urged passage of the draft law. He said it would encourage “affordable housing that is on the drawing board.” He said the Housing Trust Fund could be used to spur future projects. “By collaborating together you and I and us can make a difference.”

In a completely unrelated topic made during public comments, Rod Stevens complained about the lack of response from city staff, the city manager’s office and the council itself. He said he brought up something to the Planning Department months ago, and there was no response. “If you want to have concerned citizens you need to follow up and care what we’re doing,” he said. Likewise, he said he tried to get a meeting with Blair King but also has been put off for months. Finally, he said while Quitslund has responded to him Councilmember Michael Pollock never has.

Stevens suggested cutting pay for councilmembers. “Response starts at the top,” he said, adding some members are only there to supplement their day salaries. The city needs to “attract people who genuinely care for the community.”