After the longest bill debate of the session and once the dust settled, the state took a step forward in supporting individuals suffering from homelessness.

HB 1570 from Rep. Nicole Macri (D-Seattle), is a priority bill for AWC as we encourage the Legislature to give local communities tools to address conditions on our streets. The bill eliminates the sunset date on the preeminent shared funding source for these purposes and makes permanent the document recording fee used to provide housing and supports to the homeless. Even more importantly, the bill would allow counties the ability to raise the fee by a maximum of an additional fifty dollars in support of homeless housing needs. This would represent almost a doubling of available resources to any region that chose to use this tool. The bill was passed out of the House by a narrow 51-47 margin.

The funding is the primary source of funding for helping individuals suffering homelessness in our communities. Without the passage of this bill, and the fee were to sunset in 2023, funding would be reduced by seventy five percent and would cause the most vulnerable individuals in our community to become homeless.

The bill would allow counties the ability to raise the fee by a maximum of an additional fifty dollars in support of homeless housing needs. The county option would allow counties the flexibility needed to address the increase in property values. The increase is a vital component to ensure that those in most need have supports available to them.

This bill is a big priority for cities, one that we’ve been working on in recent years. We are pleased to see it pass the House and look forward to working to do the same in the Senate.