OLYMPIA… Washington State Senate Republicans today unveiled a bold new housing strategy aimed at tackling the growing housing affordability crisis, partly by making it easier to build homes.
The details of the package of legislation called Housing Solutions Washington will be announced at the virtual joint legislative Republican leadership media availability at 9:15 a.m. Viewers can watch the event live on TVW.
“We’re facing an urgent housing affordability crisis, and Housing Solutions Washington is our roadmap to fix it,” Sen. Keith Goehner, R-Dryden, the ranking member on the Senate Housing Committee. “The 18 bills in the package are about overcoming the biggest barriers to increasing our housing supply.”
The initiative outlines three key legislative strategies to address the root causes of the crisis while offering sustainable, market-driven solutions for all Washingtonians. It focuses on density issues, alternatives to rent control, and the innovative potential of kit homes to provide affordable housing options for residents across the state.
“Housing Solutions Washington will create more housing, lower costs, and empower our builders to do what they do best, produce new homes. This isn’t about government mandates – it’s about reducing bureaucracy and opening the door for new opportunities in housing development,” said Goehner.
The first pillar of the package seeks to address local zoning laws and other restrictions that limit the ability to build more housing in urban areas. By promoting increased density in select neighborhoods, Republicans aim to allow more affordable and diverse housing options to be built, from multifamily units to mixed-use developments. This legislation would give local governments and the building community the flexibility to build more homes.
In response to the challenges that rent control measures present to both renters and property owners, Housing Solutions Washington introduces innovative alternatives that encourage affordability without stifling investment. The proposed laws will focus on incentivizing property owners to provide long-term affordable housing through tax credits, subsidies for sustainable building practices, and the creation of new financing models to keep housing accessible for all income levels.
The third pillar of the package advocates for the adoption of kit homes – prefabricated homes that are quicker and cheaper to build. By reducing construction costs and time, kit homes can help lower housing prices and provide affordable, durable housing options in both rural and urban communities. This legislation will streamline regulatory processes for kit home construction and encourage their use as a viable solution for first-time homebuyers and families seeking affordable housing.
Housing Solutions Washington is not a one-size-fits-all approach, but a flexible, comprehensive plan designed to empower home builders, developers and local communities.
“The density issue continues to drive the crisis,” explained Goehner. “Housing Solutions Washington would loosen restrictions on building middle housing outside incorporated areas. It would also encourage counties to allow detached accessory dwelling units (ADUs) outside of the urban growth area. This would help provide housing for rural people to age in place, provide housing for caregivers, and help stabilize housing in rural communities.”
Democrats have offered rent control again this year as a means of keeping rents and the rate of evictions down. Republicans do not support rent control as it’s shown to create unintended consequences. “As we heard in committee testimony, areas that implemented rent control policies end up with fewer available rental properties, which is the opposite of what we need to solve the housing crisis in Washington” said Goehner. “It discourages developers from building new rental units and it motivates landlords to convert rental units into condominiums or other types of housing that are not subject to rent control.”
LISTEN: Washington State Senate Republicans are launching a robust effort to
tackle the housing affordability crisis. Tracy Ellis explains.
Senate bills included in the package:
DENSITY
- SB 5470 (Goehner)
- SB 5471 (Goehner)
- SB 5529 (Gildon)
- SB 5659 (Goehner)
- SB 5660 (Goehner)
- SB 5679 (Dozier)
- SB 5729 (Gildon)
- SB 5732 (Braun)
- SB 5733 (Braun)
- SB 5747 (Wilson, J.)
- SB 5748 (Wilson, J.)
- SB 5749 (Wilson, J.)
HOUSING PROVIDER AND TENANT PROTECTIONS
CREATIVE SOLUTIONS
READ MORE ABOUT HOUSING SOLUTIONS WASHINGTON
Find out more about the Housing Solutions Washington at www.src.wastateleg.org.
Watch today’s media availability at 9:15 a.m. on TVW at www.tvw.org.