Two bills with differing approaches to affordable housing received amendments as they passed off the floor and moved to their opposite chambers ahead of cutoff.
HB 1070 – Expanding uses of the affordable housing & related services sales tax & lodging tax
This optional tool to use local sales tax revenue to fund affordable housing and behavioral health facilities was originally enacted by the 2015 Legislature. Last year, the law was amended to include councilmanic authority; this year, the focus of improvement
is on eligible uses of the revenue. As passed the House, the bill:
- Expands the allowable uses to include acquiring a building or land to be used for affordable housing, behavioral health, or related services.
- Requires a county that seeks to acquire a facility using these funds to consult with the city in which the facility is located prior to acquisition and to prioritize 15 percent of the units for those living in or near that city, or those who have
ties to that community.
- Clarifies that affordable housing includes emergency, transitional, and supportive housing.
- Expands the allowable uses of a portion of revenues from the state shared lodging tax to include housing and facilities for homeless youth for King County.
SB 5235 – Removing occupancy requirements from rental housing
The stated intent of the bill is to remove arbitrary occupancy limits placed on rental housing through local zoning laws. To do this, SB 5235 provides an implementation timeline starting in 2024 for cities and counties planning under
the Growth Management Act to adopt or amend ordinances to prohibit owner-occupancy requirements for housing units on the same lot as an accessory dwelling unit and to certain housing subdivisions. The bill also prohibits cities from regulating the
number of unrelated persons occupying a dwelling unit unless required by state law or building code.
Date to remember
HB 1070 is scheduled for public hearing in the Senate Housing & Local Government Committee, on Wednesday, March 10 at 10:30 am.
SB 5235 is scheduled for public hearing in the House Local Government Committee on Wednesday, March 10 at 10 am.