AWC has been updating members on the progress of HB 1220. The bill addresses housing-related planning and contains
two sections (section 3 & section 4) with broad ranging preemptions of local authority on siting emergency shelters, emergency housing, and permanent supportive housing. We have worked to find a compromise on these preemption sections because
we support the other sections of the bill.
Despite our efforts, the bill sponsors of HB 1220 appear to be moving forward with an approach that includes a preemption that would prevent cities from prohibiting emergency homeless shelters and other associated facilities in commercial,
mixed use, and multi-family zones where short term rentals are allowed. Given the structure of the bill, this preemption will implicate primarily single-family neighborhoods. As cities have pushed to allow more “missing middle”
housing types such as duplexes and triplexes in traditional single-family zones, those zones could be construed as "multifamily" under this bill which would subject those areas to this preemption.
AWC urges you to contact your House members and express your opposition to this bill if the preemptions are maintained.