Affordable housing bills remain alive in Legislature

Cities may allow up to two accessory dwelling units on all lots with a single-family house, duplex, triplex, fourplex, rowhouse, townhome, or apartment building under a bill that the state Senate approved Wednesday.

The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Marko Liias, D-Lynnwood, would bar cities from requiring off-street parking for ADUs within half a mile of a major transit stop.

Wednesday was the deadline for the Senate and House to pass non-fiscal policy bills that originated in their respective chambers.

Liias said the solutions to the statewide housing affordability crisis will come in many forms.

“One tool in the toolbox to address this challenge is what we call accessory dwelling units. I like to think of them as mother-in-law apartments or backyard cottages. It provides an affordable option for folks without dramatically changing the character of neighborhoods,” he said.

State Sen. Hans Zeiger, R-Puyallup, said Washington is far behind in meeting the demand for housing, but he said Liias’ bill is moving state government too far toward mandating how local governments create more housing.

“I get that there’s some frustration that these housing policies are not being made at the local level. But I think there’s evidence also that there is a lot going on at the local level, and local jurisdictions understand the need to increase housing supply and ADUs are a good way to do that,” Zeiger said.

The Senate voted 31-17 to approve SB 6617, which moves to a House committee.

The House on Wednesday narrowly approved a bill allowing county or city councils to impose a 0.1 percent local sales tax for affordable housing and mental health services. The measure would eliminate the requirement that a majority of the voters in those jurisdictions approve the tax.

The state sales tax rate is 6.5 percent. The rate that local governments tack on to the state rate range from 0.5 percent to 3.9 percent, according to an analysis of the bill by nonpartisan legislative staff.

State. Rep. Beth Doglio said it took three years for Olympia to get voter approval for the 0.1 percent sales tax, which increased the total rate to 8.9 percent.

“That is just simply too long for the crisis that we have, and this bill moves it to a councilmanic authority so that councils have the option, if they choose, to do that. We as a governmental have a responsibility to take care of those who are most vulnerable in our communities,” she said.

State Rep. Bill Jenkin, R-Prosser, said voters should continue to decide whether the tax should be imposed.

“Our problem is the councilmanic authority. We would prefer to see it go to the vote of the people,” he said.

HB 1590, which the House approved 52-46, moves to a Senate committee.

The Senate did not vote on a bill by Wednesday’s deadline that would have required cities to provide higher-density housing in areas zoned for single-family homes. Supporters of the bill call it the “missing middle” — housing intended to fill the gap between single-family houses and large apartment buildings.

The bill’s sponsor, state Sen. Mona Das, D-Kent, said she hopes to take several provisions in SB 6536 and try to amend them into a similar House bill that a Senate committee will consider.

The latest version of the bill would require cities with a population of 15,000 or more to provide for the development of duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, sixplexes, stacked flats, townhouses, and courtyard apartments in areas zoned for detached single-family residences. The requirement would apply to areas within half mile of a major transit stop.

Das said the Association of Washington Cities lobbied heavily against her bill.

“I am committed to housing our houseless neighbors. I am committed to finding a solution to the ‘missing middle.’ I am committed to housing affordability solutions for our state and environmental solutions. There is no lobbyist for folks who are poor,” she said.

This story was originally published February 20, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Affordable housing bills remain alive in Legislature."