Signed by Governor Jay Inslee

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to amend and pass a bill that requires cities and counties to allow "co-living housing" or boarding houses and multifamily living within one home in urban growth areas in the state of Washington.

Highlights:

• Requires cities and counties planning to allow co-living housing as permitted in urban growth areas that allow at least six multifamily residential units (Sec. 1). 

• Prohibits the city or county from requiring co-living housing to (Sec. 1): 

• Containing room dimensional standards larger than that required by building codes; 

• Provide a mix of unit sizes or number of bedrooms; 

• Provide off-street parking within one-half a mile of walking distance of a major transit stop; or

• Provide more than 0.25 off-street parking spaces per sleeping unit. 

• Requires the department to develop guidance to assist cities and counties on items to include in the study (Sec. 1). 

• Prohibits a city or county from treating a sleeping unit in a co-living housing as more than one-quarter of the dwelling unit (Sec. 1).

Full Bill Text