In addition to the major housing bills this session focused on authorizing specific types of housing in specific land use zones, dozens of other bills intend to boost housing production by focusing on process rather than style. Here’s a status update on those scheduled for a hearing this week—and some are on the fast track to get out of committee.

Building code reform

SB 5491, sponsored by Sen. Jesse Salomon (D–Shoreline), allows for multifamily housing units of a certain height to be served by a single emergency exit. The bill:

• Authorizes cities to adopt building codes for multifamily housing units served by a single exit under certain conditions.
• Requires cities that intend to adopt building codes for multifamily housing units served by a single exit to meet certain criteria prior to adoption.
• Requires the State Building Code Council to adopt, by rule, standards to allow for up to five stories of multifamily housing units to be served by a single exit no later than July 1, 2026, and make standards available for local adoption.

Permitting and inspection reforms

SB 5058 exempts buildings with 12 or fewer units in two or fewer stories from certain standards which play into the condominium liability challenges. These units would be exempt from:

• A requirement to submit a building enclosure design document.
• Obtaining a building enclosure inspection during construction or at sale.

HB 1293 focuses on SEPA reform and design review. It’s on the fast track to get out of committee this week. You can read about the bill in our previous article.

SB 5290 was originally the Governor request bill to provide grants to cities for permitting improvements and technical assistance. The Senate also added the permit timeline reform bill that was a result of the GMA Roadmap process.

SB 5412 would implement two recommendations of the AWC Housing Solutions Group: providing a categorical SEPA exemption to residential developments that are consistent with a city comprehensive plan and restricting design review to objective standards applied administratively.

Growth Management Act reform

Two bills would implement growth management task force legislative recommendations:

• HB 1425, the annexation funding bill, got the support it needed to pass the House. No changes were made on the House floor, so the committee amendments are still current. This bill is paired with HB 1293 on the committee schedule.
• SB 5457 is aimed at small cities. It would allow cities and towns with fewer than 500 people to opt out of the Growth Management Act comprehensive plan review and revision requirements under certain circumstances. It’s a bit of a unicorn as it has not received a single amendment.

Dates to remember

SB 5491 is scheduled for public hearing in the House Committee on Housing Committee on Monday, March 20 at 1:30 pm.

HB 1293 and HB 1425 are scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs Committee on Tuesday, March 21 at 8 am. Both bills are scheduled for a vote in the same committee on Thursday, March 23 at 10:30 am.

SB 5290, SB 5412, and SB 5457 are scheduled for public hearing in the House Local Government Committee on Tuesday, March 21 at 10:30 am. Both bills are scheduled for a vote in the same committee on Friday, March 24 at 10:30 am.

SB 5058 is scheduled for public hearing in the House on Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, March 22 at 8 am.