Addressing our growing housing crisis

Dear friends and neighbors, 

We’re halfway through this year’s legislative session and that means we’re staying busy on the House floor ahead of the March 8 cutoff. I’m thrilled to say my HB 1724 passed the House unanimously! This important bill will help address our behavioral health workforce shortage by lowering unnecessary barriers and getting qualified practitioners into the field quickly and safely. 

I also wanted to share a quick update on some of the work my colleagues and I are doing to ensure every resident in our state has a place to call home. With a shortage of between 140,000-250,000 homes, we must address our growing housing crisis by expanding our housing supply, stabilizing costs for families, and providing support for affordable housing & first-time homebuyers. 

Increasing middle housing supply: HB 1110, which I introduced, increases the middle housing supply by allowing more diverse housing options in residential neighborhoods, depending on city size. These changes will be focused on neighborhoods near amenities and frequent transit.

Transit Oriented Development: SB 5466 provides development targets within ¾ of a mile around light rail and bus rapid transit station areas and gives local jurisdictions flexible tools to meet these targets in ways that reflect the unique characteristics of their communities.

Easing barriers to accessory dwelling units: HB 1337 requires cities and counties to allow ADUs in urban growth areas (UGAs) and prohibits certain regulations that hinder ADU construction.

Residential housing regulations: HB 1167 requires the development of preapproved middle housing plans. It also tasks the state building code council with coming up with recommended changes to bring multiplex housing code in line with one- and two-unit housing code, making it easier to build triplexes, quads and other multiplex housing options.

Protecting tenants from excessive rent increases: HB 1389 stabilizes residential rent increases by tying rental rates to the rate of inflation or 3 percent, whichever is greater, up to a maximum of 7 percent. The bill also applies the consumer protection act to the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act. 

Notification of excessive rent increases: HB 1124 requires a 6-month notice for rent increases over 5% and creates predictability for renters and landlords alike. There is an exemption for rental agreements with income-based rental rates.

Covenant homeownership: HB 1474 establishes a covenant homeownership account and program to provide down payment and closing cost assistance to Washingtonians who have been targeted by deliberate systemic, racist and discriminatory housing barriers.

Tax exemptions for family homes serving people with developmental disabilities: HB 1265 establishes a property tax exemption for properties owned by nonprofits that are used as adult family homes for folks with DDs to increase and stabilize housing supply opportunities.

Washington has consistently upheld the right for individuals to make their own reproductive health choices and we will not go back. In fact, House & Senate Democrats are moving forward by strengthening protections for abortion providers, increasing access, and reducing costs. 

This week, the House passed bills to protect patients and providers here in Washington from hostile actions by other states (HB 1469); ensure Washington providers cannot be disciplined for providing reproductive & gender-affirming care to their patients, regardless of where their patients reside (HB 1340); and block websites and apps from collecting and sharing health data (HB 1155).The Senate also passed SB 5242, the companion to my HB 1115, to prohibit co-pays and deductible requirements for anyone seeking an abortion.

Reproductive care will remain accessible, available, and affordable here in Washington! 

For almost 40 years, the WA Award for Vocational Excellence scholarship has been helping students pursue career and technical education with real-world, hands-on learning. This is a great way to keep education costs down for our students as they start their journey to a high-demand, family-wage career. 

The deadline to apply is March 17, so visit wtb.wa.gov/wave today!

It is an honor to represent you at the Capitol. Please stay in touch and follow my legislative Facebook page for all the latest updates. 

Best wishes,