2023 WA Legislative Tracker

Expanded Real Estate Excise Tax (REET), with the revenues dedicated for affordable housing. This bill has two parts:

1) Create a new tier at the state level. A 4% excise tax on the portion of property sales price above $5 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.

2) Create a new local option REET. Allows cities and counties to impose a 0.25% excise tax on property sales. The reveneus will be dedicated to building, acquiring, maintaining, and providing services for affordable housing, both rental and homeownership.

Read the full bill.

Apr 17: Referred to Rules 2 Review.

Apr 14: Passed out of the House Committee on Finance.

Feb 21: Public hearing in the House Committee on Finance at 8:00 AM.

Feb 14: Referred to House Finance Committee.

Feb 10: Passed out of the House Committee on Local Government, referred to House Finance Committee.

Feb 8: Scheduled for a public hearing in the House Committee on Local Government at 8:00 AM.

Feb 7: Scheduled for a public hearing in the House Committee on Local Government at 10:30 AM.

Jan 25: Introduced in the House Local Government Committee.

The bill defines “station areas” as being within a 0.5 mile walking radius of light rail, commuter rail, streetcars and within a 0.25 mile walking radius of bus rapid transit. Within station areas, cities are:

• Prohibited from imposing a maximum density in terms of homes per acre.
• Prohibited from imposing parking requirements, except those dedicated exclusively for individuals with disabilities.
• Required to allow a minimum average Floor Area Ratio of 3 around fixed rail and 2.5 around bus rapid transit.

The bill requires 20% of the additional homes allowed to be affordable at less than 60% of Area Median Income, with a provision to allow cities with an existing inclusionary or incentive zoning program to depart from these requirements.

The bill also creates a competitive grant program to assist with financing affordable housing projects in station areas.

Read the full bill.

Mar 31: Passed out of the House Committee on Capital Budget.

Mar 30: Public hearing in the Senate Ways & Means Committee.

Mar 28: Passed out of the House Committee on Housing.

Mar 16: Public hearing in the House Housing Committee at 8:00 AM.

Mar 1: Passed the Senate, 40-8.

Feb 23: Passed out of the Senate Committee on Transportation.

Feb 13: Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Transportation at 4:00 PM.

Feb 7: Passed out of the Senate Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs. Public hearing held in the House Committee on Housing.

Jan 31: Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs at 8:00 AM.

Jan 19: Introduced in the Senate and referred to Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs Committee.

The Vast Potential of Pairing Transit and Homes in Washington State (Sightline Institute)

Require cities of more than 75,000 people to allow duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes throughout all residential zones. Require those cities to allow sixplexes within a quarter-mile radius of major transit or when at least two of the six homes are set-aside as affordable to people making less than 80% of Area Median Income.

Require cities of 25,000 to 75,000 people to allow duplexes throughout all residential zones. Require those cities to allow fourplexes throughout all residential zones within a quarter-mile radius of major transit or when at least one of the four homes are set-aside as affordable to people making less than 80% of Area Median Income.

Requires cities of less than 25,000 within the contiguous Puget Sound urban growth to allow duplexes throughout all residential zones.

Allows cities to exempt up to 25% of residential lots primarily dedicated to single-detached housing from the above density requirements if those areas are: designated as critical areas; are subject to sea level rise, flooding, or geological hazards over the next 100 years; are within a half-mile of a commercial airport with at least 9 million annual enplanements; and/or are determined by the Department of Commerce to be at risk of displacement or lacking water, sewer, stormwater, or fire protection services capacity.

Read about the bill HB 1110

May 8: Governor signed.

Apr 20: House Speaker signed. Senate President signed.

Apr 18: House concurred in Senate amendments, bill passed 79-18.

Apr 11: Passed the Senate, 35-14.

Apr 4: Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

Apr 3: Passed out of executive session in the Senate Committee on Ways & Means, with amendments.

Mar 31: Public hearing in the Senate Ways & Means Committee at 12:30 AM.

Mar 22: Passed out of the Senate Committee on Housing.

Mar 17: Public hearing in the Senate Housing Committee on March 17 at 10:30 AM.

Mar 6: Passed the House, 75-21, with amendments.

Feb 24: Passed out of the House Committee on Appropriations 25-5, with amendments.

Feb 21: Public hearing in the House Appropriations Committee at 1:30pm.

Feb 10: Referred to House Appropriations Committee & Senate Committee on Ways & Means

Feb 8: Passed out of the Senate Committee on Housing, with amendments.

Feb 7: Passed out of the House Committee on Housing, with amendments.

Jan 25: SB 5190 heard by Senate Housing Committee.

Jan 17: HB 1110 heard by House Housing Committee.

Missing Middle Housing Reform Returns for 2023 Legislative Session (The Urbanist)

Four big housing ideas that could reshape greater Seattle (KUOW’s The Ripple Effect)

Representative Jessica Bateman: A Multifaceted Approach to Housing Policy (Hacks & Wonks Podcast)

The Housing Trust Fund (HTF) assists low and very low-income residents in meeting their basic housing needs. The HTF is funded through the Capital Budget and its funds are used to build and preserve affordable housing throughout Washington state. The HTF is the state’s best tool for ensuring access to safe, healthy, and affordable housing.

Municipal utilities formed under this chapter may waive connection charges for properties used by a nonprofit organization, a public development authority, a housing authority, a local agency, or any other legal entity that provides emergency shelter, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, or affordable housing.

Read the full bill.

Apr 18: Delivered to Governor.

Apr 17: Senate President signed.

Apr 14: House Speaker signed.

Apr 13: House concurred in Senate amendments, passed bill 84-12.

Apr 6: Passed the Senate, 45-1.

Mar 30: Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

Mar 16: Passed out of executive session in the Senate Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs.

Mar 9: Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs at 10:30 AM.

Feb 6: Referred to Senate Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs.

Feb 2: Passed the House 83-15.

Jan 31: Referred to House Rules Committee.

Jan 27: Passed out of the House Committee on Local Government at 10:30 AM.

Jan 24: Public hearing in the House Committee on Local Government.

Updates the definition of affordable housing for the transfer, lease, or disposal of surplus public property to include permanently affordable homeownership models. For affordable homeownership, housing-related costs can be no more than 38% of the household’s income, and total household debt can be no more than 45 percent of monthly household income.

Apr 19: Delivered to Governor.

Apr 18: Senate President signed.

Apr 14: House Speaker signed.

Apr 12: Passed the Senate, 48-0.

Apr 10: Placed on second reading by the Rules Committee.

Mar 24: Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

Mar 22: Passed out of the Senate Committee on Housing.

Mar 10: Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Housing at 10:30 AM.

Feb 28: Passed the House, 97-0.

Feb 14: Passed out of the House Committee on Housing unanimously.

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

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.

Read the full bill.

Mar 9: Public hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee on March 9 at 4 PM.

Feb 14: Public hearing in the House Committee on Finance at 8:00 AM.

Jan. 20: Referred to House Finance Committee and Senate Committee on Ways & Means.

The referendum bonds would not raise taxes, but instead bond against state revenue. It requires voter approval, in addition to legislative approval. Revenues would be paired with regular capital budget funding, and finance a broad range of affordable housing priorities, including the Housing Trust Fund, permanent supportive housing, affordable homeownership, land acquisition, and a transit-oriented housing development partnership program.

Read more: HB 1149 / SB 5202

Feb 1: SB 5202 passed out of executive session in the Senate Housing Committee.

Jan 18: Hearing with Senate Housing Committee held for SB 5202.

Jan 12: Hearing with House Capital Budget Committee for HB 1149.

Housing, homelessness and behavioral health top of Inslee’s budget priorities for 2023-25 (Medium)

Require cities to allow one lot split within residential zoned land, provided that each resulting lot is at least 2,000 square feet and at least 40% of the size of the original lot. It prohibits lot splits that would require demolition or alteration of housing that has been rented by a tenant within the last year.

Read the full bill.

Mar 14: Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs at 8:00 AM.

Mar 1: Passed the House, 94-2.

Feb 6: Referred to Rules Committee.

Feb 2: Passed out of the House Housing Committee and Senate Committee on Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs in executive session.

Jan 26: Public hearing held in the House Housing Committee.

Bill Brief highlighting impacts on Black homeownership (Sightline)

Require landlords to provide at least 180 days’ notice for rent increases over 5 percent. Allow a tenant to terminate a tenancy without penalty for any rent increase over 5 percent. Limits late rental payment fees to $75.

Read the full bill.

Jan 30: Referred to House Rules Committee.

Jan 26: Passed out of the House Housing Committee at 8:00 AM.

Jan 12: Public hearing in the House Housing Committee.

Limit rent increases for most tenants to the greater of 3% or the inflation rate, up to a maximum of 7%. Exempt homes built within the past 12 years and those owned and operated by a public housing authority, public development authority, or nonprofit organization where maximum rents are regulated by other laws or affordable housing requirements. Prohibits differential treatment based on whether tenancy is month-to-month or longer term. Restricts rent for new tenants if the prior tenant was evicted, but otherwise does not restrict rents after vacancy.

Read the full bill for HB 1389

Feb 24: Passed out of the House Committee on Appropriations, with amendments to expand the exemption for affordable housing.

Feb 22: HB 1389 scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Appropriations at 1:30 PM.

Feb 9: Passed out of the House Housing Committee, referred to the House Appropriations Committee.

Jan 24: Public hearing in the House Housing Committee.