HB 1195 received a helpful amendment in the House Appropriations Committee before being voted out, but the fundamental flaws of this bill remain. Most prominent among them is the provision that flatly prohibits cities from denying an application to build an emergency shelter on any residential parcel.

The second substitute version added a “null and void clause” which states that if specific funding for the bill is not included in the operating budget, the bill does not become law. The Appropriations Committee also added that the Department of Commerce would not be directed to provide the dispute resolution process required in the bill unless funds were appropriated.

While those changes are certainly appreciated, many question why this bill is needed at all. As of 2021, cities are required to allow transitional and permanent supportive housing in all areas where hotels or housing are allowed. Further, cities must allow shelters and emergency housing in areas where hotels are allowed, unless a city allows them along transit proximity corridors instead. And although cities may require reasonable occupancy, spacing, intensity of use requirements, these requirements cannot not prevent the siting of STEP housing.

For those that want to remove the ability of the public to pressure a local decision on a STEP housing project, the bill adds a requirement that cities must review STEP permit applications using an administrative process. That alone is all that is needed to achieve that goal. And, ideally, would only amend the law passed in 2021 (HB 1220) to make that change (Sec. 3 & 4). Instead, the bill proposes an additional, impractical, costly bureaucratic process by adding another section to the Growth Management Act that allows the applicant to waive city requirements and then to have Commerce serve as the arbiter.

AWC continues to oppose this approach and requests that if this bill continues to advance, it should be amended to only contain the changes in sections 3 and 4—adding administrative approval of STEP housing.

HB 1195 was referred to the Rules Committee where it will wait to get pulled to the floor for a vote by all members of the House. Please reach out to your House members to influence this bill.

STEP housing bills on the move

January 31, 2025

Shelters, transitional, emergency, and permanent housing—collectively known as STEP housing—are the focus of a pair of bills that are progressing through the Legislature. 

A substitute version of HB 1195 was voted out of committee. Here is a summary of the changes:

• Prohibits a local comprehensive plan or development regulation from denying or precluding a permit application for STEP housing only if the project is in a residential or commercial zone within an urban growth area that includes or is contiguous with a city.
• Prohibits a city from approving a permit application for STEP housing in any area zoned for industrial use.
• Requires a city or county to review for compliance, rather than approve, any permit application for STEP housing using an administrative process only.
• Extends the time by which a city or county must amend a zoning ordinance or development regulation after a Commerce finding of noncompliance with STEP housing requirements from 60 to 120 days.
• The substitute bill removes the definition and all uses of the term "preclusive effect."

The Senate companion bill to HB 1195 is SB 5497, sponsored by Sen. Emily Alvarado (D–Seattle).

Date to remember

SB 5497 will be heard in the Senate Committee on Housing on Wednesday, February 5 at 10:30 am.

Proposal to require approval of all transitional, supportive, and emergency housing

January 20, 2025

Three years ago the Legislature passed a law (HB 1220) requiring that all cities allow transitional, permanent supportive, and emergency housing and shelters in zones that allow housing and hotels, with an alternative path for shelters near transit. A new proposal amends that law and adds a new requirement to the Growth Management Act (GMA).

HB 1195, sponsored by Rep. Strom Peterson (D–Edmonds), would add the following to the GMA:

• Comprehensive plans, developments regulations, and permit processes must not deny or preclude supportive, transitional, or emergency housing/shelter
• A city must approve a permit for this type of housing unless in critical areas, natural hazard area, or on agricultural, forest, or mineral lands
• If a developer is unable to site this type of housing, they may seek a waiver of requirements from the city citing the standards or permit conditions that are allegedly precluding the housing
• If the city and developer disagree, either may send the issue to Commerce for dispute resolution
• If dispute resolution is unsuccessful than the Commerce must review all relevant documents for compliance
• If Commerce finds the city is noncompliant then shared state revenues are withheld from the city until the city complies
• The developer, at any point, can also request Commerce to review the city’s decision
• Commerce is authorized to create rules for this new authority

The bill also requires cities to process permit application for these types of housing as an administrative action.

Date to remember

HB 1195 will be heard in the House Housing Committee on Tuesday, January 21 at 4 pm.