Housing Headlines Inslee's Budget Proposals

OLYMPIA, WA — Gov. Jay Inslee this week outlined his priorities for the 2023-25 budget, highlighting housing and behavioral health proposals ahead of the next legislative session. Lawmakers are scheduled to convene on Jan. 9 and adjourn in late April.

Central to the governor's housing plan is a proposed $4 billion referendum, which would help pay for the construction of 5,300 units, on top of the 2,200 funded in the capital budget, and thousands more in the years to come.

According to the most recent point-in-time count, nearly 13,000 people were living unsheltered at the beginning of the year, up from 10,500 recorded in 2020. Including those living in shelters, more than 25,000 people were without stable housing this year, according to the Office of Financial Management.

According to state estimates, Washington has a housing deficit between 80,000 and 150,000 units, ranking fifth in the nation for under-production. Officials expect Washington will need 1 million new homes built by 2044, including 400,000 for low-income households.

“Our traditional systems for funding housing take an incremental approach, but if there was ever a time we need to move faster, it’s now,” Inslee said. “Homelessness and housing shortages are burdening every community in Washington. We can’t wait decades to build, we need housing now or the numbers of people sliding into homelessness will grow.”

The proposals released this week also include funding plans for expanding mental health services across the state, along with investments to combat climate change and improve habitats for salmon and other native fish.

According to the governor's office, the budget plan contains no increases for general taxes or fees and leaves an estimated $2.6 billion in cash reserves.

>> Read more on Inslee's blog.