Affordable Housing Advisory Board (AHAB)

Periodically, AHAB works with a wide range of stakeholders to produce a report on the current status of affordable housing with recommendations for future actions to support the development of additional affordable housing. 

• 2025 Affordable Housing Progress Update (Box) – This report provides updated housing affordability data for Washington with data from state and federal sources.
• 2023 – 2028 Affordable Housing Advisory Plan (PDF) – A new Affordable Housing Advisory Plan for 2023 – 2028.  
  • Watch the 2023-2028 Housing Advisory Plan Overview Presentation
  • 2023 County and Urban Area Housing Needs Profiles (Box)
• The 2020 Advisory Plan was postponed; the following studies were submitted in lieu of a full report:
  • Assessment of the Housing Needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians in Washington (Box)
  • Washington Farmworker Housing Needs Assessment (Box)
• 2015-2020 Housing Needs Assessment (PDF) – A comprehensive review and forecast of affordable housing in Washington.
  • 2015 Housing Needs Geographic Profiles (PDF) 
• 2010-2015 Affordable Housing Advisory Plan (PDF) – Five-year housing policy advisory plan.

The 2022 Legislature passed Chapter 165, Laws of 2022 (ESSB 5758), an act relating to condominium conversions and directing the Affordable Housing Advisory Board (AHAB) to “review the subject of condominium conversions and provide a report to the legislature on issues relating to both homeownership opportunities and impacts to tenants.”

Study requirements

AHAB was required to submit a report to the Legislature by Dec. 1, 2022, that includes:

• An assessment of the current housing market and affordability of condominium conversions, especially for first-time homebuyers
• Statutory, regulatory, financial, or other barriers to condominium conversions as a viable source of housing supply for first-time home buyers;
• Impacts to tenants caused by the conversion of multifamily buildings to condominium ownership, and the adequacy of programs and resources for tenant rental relocation and other assistance
• Programs in other states using condominium ownership as a first-time homeownership opportunity, including those focused on employer-specific programs for certain public service occupations in high-cost areas
• Specific areas in counties subject to the buildable lands reviews and evaluation program where condominium conversion could provide first-time home buyer opportunities close to light rail, express bus service, or other forms of mass transit
• Condominium association concerns, including board accountability, fee collection, effective communication, representation regarding covenants, lien and foreclosure fairness, and insurance claim impartiality

Project committee members

Commerce selected a diverse group of people representing the many perspectives and backgrounds of the condominium and multifamily housing community.

• View the project committee roster (Word)
• View the committee meeting documents
  • Aug. 24, 2022 Committee Meeting Documents (on Box)
  • Sept. 21, 2022 Committee Meeting Documents (on Box)
  • Nov. 16, 2022 Committee Meeting Documents (on Box)

Consultant

Commerce selected a consultant team to help coordinate the work group efforts and draft the report. ECONorthwest, in collaboration with BDS Planning & Urban Design, led this important work, which included gathering data, conducting analysis, organizing and facilitating the workgroup discussions, and ultimately producing a report that was submitted to the Legislature.

Resources

• Review of condominium conversions in Washington (PDF) 
• Enabling Legislation (PDF)
• Project Committee Roster (Word)
• City of Seattle Condominium Conversions
• City of Seattle Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance
• Affordable Housing Advisory Board (AHAB)
• Homeownership Disparities Workgroup
• Summary of Public Comments (PDF)

Contact

Kirsten Jewell, Housing Policy Manager
Kirsten.Jewell@commerce.wa.gov

• 2023 Annual Report (PDF)
• 2022 Annual Report (PDF)
• 2019 Annual Report (PDF)
• 2018 Annual Report (PDF)
• 2017 Annual Report (PDF)
• 2016 Annual Report (PDF)
• 2015 Annual Report (PDF)
• 2014 Annual Report (PDF)
• 2013 Annual Report (PDF)
• 2012 Annual Report (PDF)
• 2011 Annual Report (PDF)