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Advocacy


Published on Feb 14, 2025

Bill reduces number of required affordable units for religiously-owned properties

Contact: Carl Schroeder, Shannon McClelland

Existing law requires cities to allow an increased density bonus for affordable housing on property owned by a religious organization; however, this proposal reduces the statutory unit requirement by eighty percent but allows cities to require more.

HB 1859, sponsored by Rep. Osman Salahuddin (D–Redmond), makes the following changes:

  • To qualify for a density bonus, affordable housing developed on property owned by a religious organization must maintain at least 20 percent of the development as affordable housing for low-income households. A planning city or county may establish policies to require a greater amount of affordable housing for a property to qualify for a density bonus.
  • A fully planning city or county, or a city planning under the planning-enabling statutes, must develop policies to implement a density bonus if it receives a request from a religious organization.
  • An entity leasing a property owned by a religious organization is eligible for the sales and use tax deferral for the conversion of a commercial building into affordable housing.

 

Date to remember


HB 1859 is scheduled for a committee vote in the House Housing Committee on Thursday, February 20 at 8 am.

  • Advocacy
  • Affordable housing
  • Land use & planning

 

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