Washington State Legislative Tracker

Reforms the Real Estate Transfer Tax (RETT), with revenues dedicated for affordable housing. This bill creates a 1% surcharge on the portion of single-family residential property sales price above $3 million. The revenues will be dedicated to the Housing Trust Fund, Apple Health and Homes account, a developmental disabilities trust account, and operations, maintenance and services for permanent supportive housing and affordable rental housing.

Introduction expected soon.

The capital budget funds the Housing Trust Fund, Washington’s major state-level source for affordable housing development. Both the House and Senate capital budgets fund $536 million overall in the Housing Trust Fund, including:

• $215 million for affordable multifamily rental housing.
• $50 million for affordable housing that serves people with developmental or intellectual disabilities.
• $100 million for permanent supportive housing through the Apple Health and Homes program.
• $58 million for affordable homeownership.
• $10.5 million for preserving manufactured home communities.
• $20 million for acquiring and converting property for emergency shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing.
• $50 million to preserve existing affordable housing.
• $25 million for affordable housing benefitting federally-recognized Indian tribes.

Jan 16: Public hearing in the House Committee on Capital Budget at 1:30 PM.

Jan 13: First reading, referred to Senate Committee on Ways & Means. Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means at 4:00 PM

Jan 13: First reading, referred to House Committee on Capital Budget.

This bill aims to expand homeownership opportunities across Washington state, by simplifying construction liability rules to remove barriers to constructing middle housing and smaller dwelling units.

Introduction expected soon.

Expands the definition of affordable homeownership to encompass community land trusts.

Introduction expected soon.

This trailer bill will seek loan forgiveness for Covenant Homeownership Program recipients and increase the area median income level for eligibility, as per the recommendations from the Covenant Homeownership Act Study, which informs the Covenant Homeownership Program. 

Introduction expected soon.

Exempts non-profit affordable housing developments from the sales tax on construction materials.

Introduction expected soon.

Limits rent increases for most tenants to 7% per year. Exempts tenancies in homes built within the past 10 years, or those operated by a public development authority, housing authority, or nonprofit organization where maximum rents are already restricted.

Requires 6 months’ notice for a rent increase of 3 percent or more.

Ensures that fees count as rent for the purposes of calculating an increase.

Limits move-in fees to the equivalent of one month’s rent or less.

Limits late fees to 1.5% of the rent.

Read more about the bill HB 1217.

Jan 22: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Housing at 1:30 PM. Sign in PRO!

Jan 20: Scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Housing at 1:30 PM

Jan 13: Public hearing in the House Committee on Housing at 1:30 PM.

This bill aims to expand housing opportunities by modernizing restrictive parking mandates that drive up the cost of development. In particular, the bill limits parking requirements to no more than 0.5 spaces per home, and to no more than one parking space per 1,000 square feet of commercial space.

Additionally, the bill prohibits cities and counties from requiring parking for:

• Affordable housing;
• Existing buildings undergoing change of use;
• Residences under 1,200 square feet;
• Commercial spaces under 5,000 square feet;
• Senior housing;
• Housing for people with disabilities;
• Facilities that serve alcohol;
• Child care facilities; and
• Commercial spaces in mixed-use projects.

Read more about SB 5184.

Jan 18: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Housing at 10:30 AM. Sign in PRO!

Jan 13: First reading, referred to Senate Committee on Housing.

Create a revolving construction loan fund, to provide steady financing needed to create more affordable homeownership options in our communities. When nonprofit developers can access reliable financing, they can plan long-term, build more efficiently, and create lasting housing solutions.

Introduction expected soon.

Prohibits local development regulations from blocking a permit application for permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, indoor emergency housing, or indoor emergency shelter.

Requires a county or city to approve any permit application for permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, indoor emergency housing, or indoor emergency shelters using an administrative process only.

Read more about the bill HB 1195.

Jan 21: Scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Housing at 4:00 PM. Sign in PRO!

Jan 13: First reading, referred to House Committee on Housing.

Require cities to allow one lot split within residential zoned land, provided that each resulting lot is at least 1,000 square feet. It prohibits lot splits that would require demolition or alteration of housing that has been rented by a tenant within the last year.

Read more about the bill HB 1096.

Jan 23: Scheduled for executive session in the House Committee on Housing at 8:00 AM.

Jan 13: First reading, referred to House Committee on Housing. Public hearing held at 1:30 PM.

Bill Brief highlighting impacts on Black homeownership (Sightline)

The bill prohibits a city or county from denying an affordable housing development, unless the Department of Commerce has certified that its housing element and any related development regulations are in compliance with the housing planning goal under the Growth Management Act.

For the purposes of this “builder’s remedy,” an affordable housing development is defined as a residential development where:

• at least 20% of the units are for rental housing with costs that do not exceed 30% of the income of a household whose income is at 60% of the area median income (AMI);
• at least 20% of the units are for owner-occupied housing with monthly costs that do not exceed 30% of the income of a household whose income is at 80% AMI;
• all of the units are for rental housing with costs that do not exceed 30% of the income of a household whose income is at 100% AMI; or
• all of the units are for owner-occupied housing with costs that do not exceed 30% of the income of a household whose income is at 120% AMI.

Read more about the bill SB 5148.

Jan 24: Scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Committee on Housing at 10:30 AM. Sign in PRO!

Jan 13: First reading, referred to Senate Committee on Housing.

Impose an annual 1% wealth tax on financial assets owned above $250 million, such as stocks and bonds. This tax would affect the richest 700 Washington households and raise an estimated $3 billion per year. Funds would be dedicated for education, affordable housing, disability care, and tax credits for low- and middle-income families.

Introduction expected soon.