Issue link: https://digital.nexsitepublishing.com/i/1523082
A s the Washington State Legislature commenced its 60-day short session in early 2024, there was hope for a "Year of Housing 2.0" with sustained progress on housing issues. Yet, as the session concluded, only a handful of bills addressing housing supply and affordability reached Governor Inslee's desk. Muted success during this year's legislative session was not due to a lack of effort by MBAKS members and staff. Thank you to the members who engaged during MBAKS Hill Day and BIAW's Hill Visit and Legislative Reception. You should take pride in knowing that your involvement and expertise help make home happen. Some Modest Housing Wins Were Achieved HB 2313 Middle Housing Fixes was a trailer bill to HB 1110, and it offers essential technical revisions and clarity, such as eliminating the four-unit cap in defining courtyard apartments, specifying that exemptions of lots from minimum density rules apply only to the areas of the lots with critical features, and stipulating that cities cannot demand more than one off-street parking spot per unit for middle housing on lots up to 6,000 square feet. SB 6015 aims to enhance flexibility in meeting parking standards by allowing tandem parking and shared driveways for new developments. It permits enclosed and unenclosed parking spaces to contribute to minimum requirements and prohibits jurisdictions from mandating garages or carports. Additionally, it caps required space dimensions at 8 by 20 feet, provides for the use of green pavers, and states that cities (6,000+ population) may not require off-street parking as a condition of permitting if tree retention makes it infeasible. HB 1998 legalizes "co-living" homes, small apartments with shared kitchens offering a low-cost housing option, in all urban growth areas that allow at least six multifamily residential units. The bill also prohibits a city or county from imposing certain regulations or restrictions on co-living housing. SB 6120 Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Reform allows local jurisdictions to create their own wildfire risk maps for implementing the WUI code until the Department of Natural Resources finishes its own fire hazard and risk map. SB 5834 Urban Growth Area (UGA) Swaps authorizes a county to revise its UGA during its annual review of proposed comprehensive plan amendments (rather than the periodic update every 10 years) if the revised UGA meets certain criteria. HB 2071 Multiplex Housing requires the State Building Code Council to convene a Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to recommend additions or amendments to rules or codes necessary to apply the Washington State Residential Code to multiplex housing. Looking Ahead to 2025 Sponsors of the failed housing bills have already vowed to bring them back next year, and with a long 105-day session and a host of new lawmakers, their prospects could be better. Some bills that didn't make it this year but we will continue working on include: BY DYLAN SLUDER STATE GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MANAGER, MBAKS Legislature Makes Incremental Strides in Housing Policy 18 master BUILDER | SUMMER 2024 HOUSING ADVOCACY