Here are the bills on homelessness that are still alive in the state legislature
As state lawmakers head into the 10th week of the legislative session, several bills addressing the construction of homeless shelters and permanent housing have passed out of the House of Representatives, while attempts to increase funding for affordable housing and rental assistance remain in financial committees.
Here’s a roundup of which bills related to homelessness could still be passed.
1. Homeless shelters, affordable housing and zoning
People who work in homeless response often say that the number one obstacle to building more affordable housing is finding a place to put it.
Whether it’s emergency shelters, safe parking sites, sanctioned tent encampments, or permanent supportive housing, attempts to build housing for people experiencing homelessness frequently run into opposition from neighbors, local businesses, and other community groups, delaying or even deferring projects entirely.
A series of bills proposed by Democrats aim to reduce regulatory obstacles to creating affordable housing and emergency shelters.
HB 1220, sponsored by Rep. Strom Peterson (D-Edmonds), would prevent cities from using zoning to stop homeless shelters or permanent supportive housing from being built in areas zoned for multifamily housing, commercial, or mixed-use zones where short-term rentals are allowed.
It would not require that shelters or supportive housing be built anywhere specific, just prevent them from being indiscriminately banned in zoning districts intended for housing. Other provisions in the bill prod cities to address low-income housing in their comprehensive plans, but stop short of stipulating any specific actions.
Peterson’s bill, which passed the House 57-39 and is scheduled for a public hearing in the Senate Housing and Local Government Committee on March 18, is one of several that addresses the tensions between municipalities trying to build shelters or housing for individuals experiencing homelessness and the cities and neighborhoods where those facilities are sited.
A protracted legal battle is ongoing between the city of Renton and King County, which has operated a Red Lion hotel in that city as a homeless shelter for about 235 individuals since last April. Renton city officials, citing concerns about crime and property damage, have tried to shut down the facility, issuing zoning code violations and threatening fines against King County to get them to relocate the residents, according to an article in The Appeal. In December, Renton City Council passed an ordinance adding restrictions on future homeless shelters — including capping guests at 100 and requiring shelter operators to discipline residents’ off-site behavior — that advocates claim are intended to make shelters unworkable, according to an article in Kent Reporter.
2. Using local sales tax revenue to acquire hotels for housing
King County plans to expand their use of hotels as housing, announcing plans in January to purchase as many as a dozen hotels and turn them into permanent supportive housing.
HB 1070 would facilitate the process of purchasing hotels by clarifying that municipalities can use local sales tax revenue to purchase housing facilities (such as hotels) and operate them for affordable housing or behavioral health purposes. Sponsored by Rep. Cindy Ryu (D-Shoreline), the bill would require counties considering acquiring property to consult with the cities first, and reserve 15% of units for individuals living in or near that city. It passed the House 56-42.
3. Exempting temporary shelters from SEPA appeal
Another bureaucratic process that can bog down shelter projects is appeals under the State Environmental Protection Act (SEPA). Projects must undergo environmental review to get permitted, in some cases requiring a detailed Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Those decisions can then be appealed, delaying projects by months or years, sometimes for reasons other than environmental policy.
SB 5428, sponsored by Sen. Joe Nguyen (D-West Seattle), would exempt certain temporary emergency shelters and “transitional encampments” from the SEPA process, if they include less than 200 beds, do not involve a permanent structure, and are used for no longer than three years. This could encompass sanctioned tent encampments such as Olympia’s Mitigation Site, safe parking lots for vehicles such as those in Seattle and Bremerton, or modular structures such as Seattle’s Navigation Center.
The waiver would only apply to jurisdictions that have declared homelessness to be a state of emergency, which five jurisdictions — Olympia, Seattle, Tacoma, King County, and Thurston County — have already done.
Nguyen’s bill was placed on second reading in the Rules Committee last week, but has yet to receive a vote on the Senate floor.
4. Funding for ongoing rental assistance and tenant legal aid
HB 1277, sponsored by Rep. Timm Ormsby (D-Spokane), would create a new funding source to keep people housed by adding a $100 document filing fee to real estate transactions. County auditors already assess $83 in fees to fund various homeless housing programs.
The additional surcharge would go toward establishing a new rent assistance program managed by the Department of Commerce and designed to outlast the pandemic, serving as a security net for renters who temporarily fall behind on payments and risk losing their homes.
Funding also could support project-based vouchers for nonprofit housing providers, foreclosure prevention, and legal aid for tenants facing eviction.
SB 5160, a separate bill that passed the Senate last week, would guarantee tenants facing eviction the right to an attorney, which would cost an estimated $11.5 million per year, according to a fiscal analysis.
Ormsby’s bill has sat in the House Appropriations Committee for over a month now, but is scheduled for a public hearing on Monday.
5. Taxing Airbnbs to fund affordable housing
Another bill that aims to provide more funding for affordable housing by taxing short-term rentals remains in the Senate Ways and Means Committee, where it has been since Feb. 4. Sponsored by Sen Liz Lovelett (D-Anacortes), SB 5012 would allow cities and counties to levy an additional excise tax of up to 10% on rental units listed on websites such as Airbnb and VRBO.
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