Rantz: Want to park in Seattle? That’ll cost you $335 a month. Thanks, Democrats!

I’ve been thinking about purchasing a car. But then I found out how much parking would be in my apartment building. And, as is usually the case, Seattle Democrats are to blame. They don’t want me, you, or anyone to purchase a car.

​The exorbitant cost of parking in downtown Seattle has reached a tipping point, with monthly fees soaring to levels that rival, and in some cases surpass, car payments. In my own apartment building, tenants are asked to pay a staggering $335 per month for a parking spot — and it doesn’t even come with a personal masseuse, a morning cappuccino, or weekly car washes and detailing.

This maddening situation is a direct consequence of Democratic policies that have systematically dismantled parking requirements for new developments while simultaneously reducing the availability of affordable street parking.

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Seattle Democrats purposefully made car ownership unaffordable

In 2012, Seattle made a decision to eliminate parking mandates for new residential developments near transit corridors. Then the city updated mandates to just two spots per unit.

This policy shift was intended to promote public transportation use and bikes, while reducing a reliance on personal vehicles. However, the practical outcome has been a massive reduction in available parking spaces for residents who still depend on cars or want them for daily activities. Developers, no longer obligated to include parking in some of their projects, opted to maximize residential units at the expense of parking facilities, creating a parking scarcity in densely populated neighborhoods.

Of course, aggressive urbanists are still unhappy because the city (barely) acknowledges cars just might be necessary and preferable to taking the dangerous Seattle bus.

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I thought Democrats cared about affordability

While promoting public transportation and reducing car dependency are commendable goals, the implementation of these policies has been haphazard and dismissive of those who still prefer personal vehicles.

The city ran carshare services out of town by making it too difficult to operate. They raise street parking on a whim, while killing scores of spots for bike lanes no one uses. And while they push us onto King County Metro, they do nothing to keep us safe.

The lack of mandatory parking in new developments for each apartment, coupled with the reduction of affordable street parking options, has created a supply-demand imbalance that places an undue financial burden on residents. But please, Seattle Democrat, tell us how you care about the housing affordability issue.

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