'Homes For WA' Housing Choice Bill Fails To Clear Legislature

OLYMPIA, WA — An effort to address Washington's housing crises by loosening zoning restrictions has failed to pass the state legislature.

HB 1782, also called "The Homes for WA Act", would have re-legalized the construction of duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes in specific locations— and allowed for even more construction near busy transit sites. As sponsor Rep. Jessica Bateman (D-Olympia) explains, the goal was to address the state's housing and homelessness crises by making it easier to build and maintain affordable housing options.

“Housing costs continue to skyrocket faster than wages can keep up. Families frequently spend half or more of their income simply to keep a roof over their heads,” Bateman said. “These costs are unsustainable and mean a growing number of Washingtonians are at risk of falling into homelessness. This is especially true for members of the Black and Indigenous communities, people of color, the LGBTQ community, seniors, people with disabilities, and low-wage workers.”

Single-family zoning, which restricts development to only allow single-family detached homes, is a hot button issue in Washington. Critics argue that the restriction severely undercuts housing supply, raising rent, housing costs and fueling homelessness. HB 1782 aimed to address the problem, requiring cities with 20,000 or more residents to allow construction of duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes in single-family zoning, The Urbanist reported. Areas within a half-mile of a "major transit stop" like a ferry terminal, bus rapid transit line or link light rail station, would also need to upzone to include sixplexes, townhouses and other middle housing.

Similar legislation recently passed in Oregon and California, and Gov. Jay Inslee specifically requested HB 1782 as a way of following in their footsteps and addressing housing demand.

“Increasing ‘middle housing’ opportunities will make it easier for most working folks, like teachers and health care workers, to live within the communities they serve," Inslee said. "It will also help seniors to age in place and help us address spatial segregation and community equity.”

Unfortunately for Inslee and other supporters, HB 1782 did not make the legislature's self-imposed deadline Tuesday. In response to the news, Bateman took to Twitter to thank housing advocates for their efforts, promising to continue the fight for more housing options.

"We don’t have time to waste. The housing crisis is being felt in every corner of our state, impacting families on all ends of the income spectrum. Land use is inextricably linked to our ability to mitigate climate change," Bateman said. "Unfortunately, philosophic beliefs about “local control” are crippling our ability to take this necessary step. There is a real disconnect that limits fully appreciating the impact of our housing crisis & the necessary urgency of taking action."

The Homes for WA Act was far from the only bill left on the cutting room floor. In a similar vein, HB 1904, which would have required landlords to give their tenants six months notice before any rent hikes of 7.5 percent or greater, also failed to advance, The Seattle Times reported.

Housing advocates did get one success story this week, however, via House Bill 1660. That bill, which squeaked by the deadline on a 50-48 vote in the House of Representatives, aims to boost housing supply and lower rents by making it easier to build accessory dwelling units (ADUs) — like backyard cottages and mother-in-law units.

“We are not building enough homes to keep up with demand in this state,” said sponsor Rep. Sharon Shewmake (D-Bellingham). "“One of the cheapest and environmentally friendly ways to build more housing is by making use of existing space – building on top of a garage, in a basement, or in a backyard."

The ADU bill aims to address barriers to construction, and would require Growth Management Act plans to allow for ADUs within urban growth areas. In 2017, California passed similar legislation encouraging ADU development, which resulted in a twelvefold increase in ADU permitting requests.