The Governor-request bill to increase homeless sheltering capacity received significant amendments in committee and now focuses on a capacity assessment across local jurisdictions.
HB 2649, sponsored by Rep. Cindy Ryu (D–Shoreline), received a striker amendment in committee, removing all the original bill’s provisions. In its place, the amended bill now does the following:
- Requires counties with a population greater than 40,000, and cities with a population of at least 15,000 located within those counties, to:
- Report to the Department of Commerce (Commerce) by December 1, 2021, with a list of all parcels within the jurisdictions that are zoned, suitable, and potentially feasible for development of additional shelters, sanctioned camping capacity equivalent, affordable housing designed to serve persons with disabilities, permanent supportive housing, and behavioral health facilities;
- Identify for each parcel the number of expected units or capacity for services, the type of facility that could be developed, and any populations that could not be served;
- Include an assessment of surplus public property; and
- Provide the department with an assessment of the ability of the listed parcels to address certain regional housing needs.
- Directs Commerce (if the total capacity zoned, suitable, and potentially feasible is not adequate to meet the region's needs) to convene the cities, county, and the local homeless housing task force to develop a plan to address the gap and report to the Legislature on the barriers by December 31, 2022.