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2019 House Bill 1923: Increasing urban residential building capacity
Introduced by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (West Seattle) (D) on February 6, 2019
Referred to the House Environment & Energy Committee on February 6, 2019
Substitute offered in the House on February 21, 2019
Requires cities planning fully under the Growth Management Act (GMA) to take certain actions to increase residential building capacity and housing affordability.
Referred to the House Appropriations Committee on February 22, 2019
Amendment offered by Rep. Joe Fitzgibbon (West Seattle) (D) on March 13, 2019
Makes increased residential building capacity and increased housing affordability elements of the act optional, rather than mandatory. (2) Makes the updated housing element of the act optional, rather than mandatory. (3) Removes sections related to: definitions; Department of Commerce certification of updated housing elements of comprehensive plans; minimum parking requirements; subarea plans under the State Environmental Policy Act; expanded uses for funds in the Growth Management Planning and Environmental Review Fund; siting of permanent supportive housing; and impact fees. (4) Removes $100,000 planning grants. (5) Removes ineligibility for funding from certain fund sources for cities that do not take certain actions under the act.
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on March 13, 2019
Amendment offered by Rep. Matt Shea (Spokane Valley) (R) on March 13, 2019
Adds an additional option that cities may adopt to increase residential building capacity, related to identifying questions on the environmental checklist prepared pursuant to the State Environmental Policy Act that are adequately addressed by a locally adopted ordinance, development regulation, land use plan, or other legal authority, pursuant to RCW 43.21C.460.
The amendment passed by voice vote in the House on March 13, 2019
Amendment offered by Rep. Matt Shea (Spokane Valley) (R) on March 13, 2019
Requires a city that chooses to or is required to update the housing element of its comprehensive plan to fully fund certain specified obligations before it may provide government-subsidized housing without taxpayer consent. Provides that no penalties, sanctions, or award of damages may be imposed against such a city if it does not provide funding for government-subsidized housing.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the House on March 13, 2019
Received in the Senate on March 18, 2019
Referred to the Senate Housing Stability & Affordability Committee on March 18, 2019
Amendment offered in the Senate on April 1, 2019
Requires, rather than encourages, cities over 20,000 in population to select at least two or more actions to increase residential density by December 31, 2022. (2) Adds forming or joining existing subregional partnerships with neighboring jurisdictions to implement and promote affordable housing programs as an action item a city may select to increase residential density. (3) Adds a 20 percent density bonus for all residential development projects when at least 10 percent of the total units within the project are provided as affordable housing as an action item a city may select to increase residential density. (4) Encourages cities under 20,000 in population to take one or more action items to increase residential density. (5) Amendments to development regulations and other nonproject actions taken by a city to add residential density requirements are exempt from appeals under SEPA, rather than categorically exempt from SEPA. (6) Directs the Center for Real Estate Research at the University of Washington, in collaboration with the Housing Finance Commission and the Office of Financial Management, to produce a report every two years compiling housing supply and affordability metrics for each city planning under the GMA. (7) A city that has complied with requirements to take at least two actions to increase residential density is eligible to apply to the Department of Commerce for a one-time grant of $100,000. (8) Encourages cities to prioritize creating affordable, inclusive neighborhoods and consider displacement. (9) Modifies parking requirements for certain affordable housing units that are affordable to very low-income or extremely low-income individuals near transit locations. (10) Removes the requirement for cities over 500,000 regarding notice of scoping for a nonproject EIS related to a subarea plan. (11) Removes the requirement for cities over 500,000 to analyze whether an adopted subarea plan will result in displacement or fragmentation of certain populations. (12) A city may not prohibit permanent supportive housing in areas where multifamily housing are permitted. (13) Adds a null and void clause if specific funding is not provided in the budget, including an amount not less than $100,000 per city subject to residential density requirements. (14) Authorizes a city to adopt a housing action plan to encourage additional affordable and market rate housing as an alternative to adopting two action items to increase residential building capacity. (15) Limits impact fees to less than $50,000 for any single- family residential unit.
Referred to the Senate Ways & Means Committee on April 2, 2019
Amendment offered in the Senate on April 9, 2019
Requires cities with a population greater than 40,000, planning under the Growth Management Act (GMA), to take at least two actions to increase residential building capacity by April 1, 2021. ? Exempts amendments to development regulations made to implement actions to increase residential building capacity from appeals under the State Environmental Policy Act. ?Directs the Center for Real Estate Research at the University of Washington to produce a report every two years compiling housing supply and affordability metrics for certain cities planning under the GMA. ? Authorizes a city complying with residential building capacity actions to be eligible for a one-time grant of $100,000 from the Department of Commerce. ?Imposes a $2.50 document recording surcharge for five years of implementation costs, and thereafter the funds may be used for permanent supportive housing.
Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on April 9, 2019
Amendment offered by Sen. Patty Kuderer (Bellevue) (D) on April 13, 2019
Removes the requirement for cities with a population between 20,000 and 40,000 to take at least 1 action and cities with a population over 40,000 to take at least 2 actions to increase residential building capacity by April 1, 2021. (2) Encourages cities planning under the Growth Management Act to take actions to increase residential building capacity. (3) Removes the option for cities to require more than one on- site parking space per two bedrooms in certain multifamily zones near fixed guideway transit stations to comply with requirements to increase residential building capacity. (4) Removes the option for cities to form or join existing subregional partnerships to promote affordable housing to comply with requirements to increase residential building capacity. (5) Removes the option for cities to authorize at least a 20 percent density bonus when at least 10 percent of the units are provided for affordable housing to comply with requirements to increase residential building capacity. Code Rev/RB:amh 18 S-4105.1/19 (6) Removes the requirement that if a city only chooses 2 actions it may not select options to increase density near rail and bus only, unless those options are in different geographic areas. (7) Exempts specific ordinances, amendments to develop regulations, and other nonproject actions taken by a city prior to April 1, 2021, to increase residential building capacity from appeal under SEPA or legal challenge under the Growth Management Act. (8) Removes the exemption for actions a county may take to increase residential building capacity from appeals under SEPA. (9) Directs the Department of Commerce to develop criteria to ensure grant funds are awarded proportionate to a city's effort and potential to increase housing supply. (10) Authorizes the Department of Commerce to award grants in excess of $100,000 for applications with extraordinary potential to increase housing supply or regulatory streamlining. (11) Clarifies a city may receive grant funds for developing a housing action plan. (12) Adds that the initial Washington Center for Real Estate Research report must be completed by October 15, 2020, and must include the percentage of cost-burdened households and data relating to actions cities have taken to increase residential building capacity. (13) Modifies the minimum residential parking requirements for certain low-income, senior, and disabled households from two to one space per bedroom or three-quarters space per unit. (14) Removes the restriction that a local ordinance may not charge a higher per unit impact fee for multifamily than for single- family residential construction. (15) Removes the restriction that a local ordinance may not impose more than $50,000 for an impact fee. (16) Specifies that of the amounts received from the $2.50 surcharge, sufficient funding must be provided for the Washington Center for Real Estate Research study. (17) Removes a null and void clause requiring specific funding for costs to increase residential building capacity identified in section 1 of the act.
The amendment passed by voice vote in the Senate on April 13, 2019
Amendment offered by Sen. Guy Palumbo (Maltby) (D) on April 13, 2019
Modifies certain municipal zoning parking requirements near transit service for housing units for seniors or people with disabilities from one space per bedroom to no minimum requirement. Clarifies that the parking restriction applies to housing units constructed after July 1, 2019.
The amendment passed by voice vote in the Senate on April 13, 2019
Amendment offered by Sen. Shelly Short (Addy) (R) on April 13, 2019
After July, 2024, limits the document recording fee to cities and counties with populations of 75,000 or greater.
The amendment failed by voice vote in the Senate on April 13, 2019
Received in the House on April 18, 2019
Failed by voice vote in the House on April 18, 2019
Received in the Senate on April 22, 2019
Received in the House on April 24, 2019
Signed by Gov. Jay Inslee on May 9, 2019