Signed by Governor Jay Inslee

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to concur with amendments and pass a bill that requires the housing goals of the Growth Management Act to include planning for and accommodating affordable housing.

Highlights:

• Defines "emergency housing" as a temporary indoor accommodation for individuals or families who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless that is intended to address the basic health, food, clothing, and personal hygiene needs of individuals or families. Emergency housing may or may not require occupants to enter into a lease or an occupancy agreement (Sec. 6-9).

• Establishes a housing element ensuring the vitality and character of established residential neighborhoods that (Sec. 2-2):

• An inventory and analysis of existing and projected housing needs that identifies the number of housing units necessary to manage projected growth;

• A statement of goals, policies,objectives, and mandatory provisions for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing, including single-family residences, and within an urban growth area boundary, moderate density housing options;

• Sufficient capacity of land for housing, including, but not limited to, government-assisted housing, housing for moderate, low, very low, and extremely low-income households, manufactured housing, multifamily housing, group homes, foster care facilities, emergency housing, emergency shelters, permanent supportive housing, and within an urban growth area boundary, consideration of duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes;

• Adequate provisions for existing and projected needs of all economic segments of the community;

• Local policies and regulations that result in racially disparate impacts, displacement, and exclusion in housing;

• Areas that may be at higher risk of displacement from market forces that occur with changes to zoning development regulations and capital investments; and

• Establishes anti displacement policies, with consideration given to the preservation of historical and cultural communities as well as investments in low, very low, extremely low, and moderate-income housing; equitable development initiatives; inclusionary zoning; community planning requirements; tenant protections; land disposition policies; and consideration of land that may be used for affordable housing.

• Requires adequate provisions for existing and projected needs of all economic segments of the community, including (Sec. 2-2.d):

• Incorporating consideration for low, very low, extremely low, and moderate-income households;

• Documenting programs and actions needed to achieve housing availability including gaps in local funding, barriers such as development regulations, and other limitations;

• Consideration of housing locations in relation to employment location; and

• Consideration of the role of accessory dwelling units in meeting housing needs.

• Requires identification of local policies and regulations that result in racially disparate impacts, displacement, and exclusion in housing, including (Sec. 2-2.e):

• Zoning that may have a discriminatory effect;

• Disinvestment; and

• Infrastructure availability;

• Prohibits a code city from banning transitional housing or permanent supportive housing in any zones in which residential dwelling units or hotels are allowed. Effective September 30, 2021, a code city cannot ban indoor emergency shelters and indoor emergency housing in any zones in which hotels are allowed, except in such cities that have adopted an ordinance authorizing indoor emergency shelters and indoor emergency housing in a majority of zones within a one-mile proximity to transit (Sec. 3).

• Prohibits requirements on occupancy, spacing, and intensity of use from preventing the siting of a sufficient number of permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, indoor emergency housing, or indoor emergency shelters necessary to accommodate each city's projected need for such housing and shelter (Sec. 4).

• Requires a county or city governing body that adopts a moratorium, interim zoning map, interim zoning ordinance, or interim official control without holding a public hearing on the proposed moratorium, interim zoning map, interim zoning ordinance, or interim official control, will hold a public hearing on the adopted moratorium, interim zoning map, interim zoning ordinance, or interim official control within at least 60 days of its adoption, whether or not the governing body received a recommendation on the matter from the planning commission or department (Sec. 5).

• Authorizes a city or county to require a new or separate utility connection between an accessory dwelling unit and a utility only when necessary to be consistent with water availability requirements, water system plans, small water system management plans, or established policies adopted by the water or sewer utility provider. If such a connection is necessary, the connection fees and capacity charges must (Sec. 7-12):

• Be proportionate to the burden of the proposed accessory dwelling unit upon the water or sewer system; and

• Not exceed the reasonable cost of providing the service.

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that requires the housing goals of the Growth Management Act to include planning for and accommodating affordable housing.

Highlights:

• Defines "emergency housing" as a temporary indoor accommodation for individuals or families who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless that is intended to address the basic health, food, clothing, and personal hygiene needs of individuals or families. Emergency housing may or may not require occupants to enter into a lease or an occupancy agreement (Sec. 6-9).

• Establishes a housing element ensuring the vitality and character of established residential neighborhoods that (Sec. 2-2):

• An inventory and analysis of existing and projected housing needs that identifies the number of housing units necessary to manage projected growth;

• A statement of goals, policies,objectives, and mandatory provisions for the preservation, improvement, and development of housing, including single-family residences, and within an urban growth area boundary, moderate density housing options;

• Sufficient capacity of land for housing, including, but not limited to, government-assisted housing, housing for moderate, low, very low, and extremely low-income households, manufactured housing, multifamily housing, group homes, foster care facilities, emergency housing, emergency shelters, permanent supportive housing, and within an urban growth area boundary, consideration of duplexes, triplexes, and townhomes;

• Adequate provisions for existing and projected needs of all economic segments of the community;

• Local policies and regulations that result in racially disparate impacts, displacement, and exclusion in housing;

• Areas that may be at higher risk of displacement from market forces that occur with changes to zoning development regulations and capital investments; and

• Establishes anti displacement policies, with consideration given to the preservation of historical and cultural communities as well as investments in low, very low, extremely low, and moderate-income housing; equitable development initiatives; inclusionary zoning; community planning requirements; tenant protections; land disposition policies; and consideration of land that may be used for affordable housing.

• Requires adequate provisions for existing and projected needs of all economic segments of the community, including (Sec. 2-2.d):

• Incorporating consideration for low, very low, extremely low, and moderate-income households;

• Documenting programs and actions needed to achieve housing availability including gaps in local funding, barriers such as development regulations, and other limitations;

• Consideration of housing locations in relation to employment location; and

• Consideration of the role of accessory dwelling units in meeting housing needs.

• Requires identification of local policies and regulations that result in racially disparate impacts, displacement, and exclusion in housing, including (Sec. 2-2.e):

• Zoning that may have a discriminatory effect;

• Disinvestment; and

• Infrastructure availability;

• Prohibits a code city from banning transitional housing or permanent supportive housing in any zones in which residential dwelling units or hotels are allowed. Effective September 30, 2021, a code city cannot ban indoor emergency shelters and indoor emergency housing in any zones in which hotels are allowed, except in such cities that have adopted an ordinance authorizing indoor emergency shelters and indoor emergency housing in a majority of zones within a one-mile proximity to transit (Sec. 3).

• Prohibits requirements on occupancy, spacing, and intensity of use from preventing the siting of a sufficient number of permanent supportive housing, transitional housing, indoor emergency housing, or indoor emergency shelters necessary to accommodate each city's projected need for such housing and shelter (Sec. 4).

• Requires a county or city governing body that adopts a moratorium, interim zoning map, interim zoning ordinance, or interim official control without holding a public hearing on the proposed moratorium, interim zoning map, interim zoning ordinance, or interim official control, will hold a public hearing on the adopted moratorium, interim zoning map, interim zoning ordinance, or interim official control within at least 60 days of its adoption, whether or not the governing body received a recommendation on the matter from the planning commission or department (Sec. 5).

• Authorizes a city or county to require a new or separate utility connection between an accessory dwelling unit and a utility only when necessary to be consistent with water availability requirements, water system plans, small water system management plans, or established policies adopted by the water or sewer utility provider. If such a connection is necessary, the connection fees and capacity charges must (Sec. 7-12):

• Be proportionate to the burden of the proposed accessory dwelling unit upon the water or sewer system; and

• Not exceed the reasonable cost of providing the service.

Full Bill Text