Affordable housing bill progresses to Washington Senate

TRI-CITIES, WA - As the current legislative session in Olympia progresses, a new bill could allow for more affordable housing options in the growing metropolitan area of the Tri-Cities.

H.B. 2003, which is now moving to the Senate after overwhelming bipartisan support, would provide tax exemptions for constructing affordable housing on public land deemed "transition land." The Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) owns more than 7,000 acres of "transition land" that it can't use for timber harvests because of its proximity to existing development. DNR says it can also be challenging for the state to sell or use the land.

Bill sponsor, Representative April Connors told KEPR NEWS, the legislation would allow folks who make below and above the average median income for their area to have the most benefit.

"So if you made 80% of that number and below and then average it out over what you could afford on a mortgage payment, that would tell you the approximate income you would need to make to get to that spot," said Rep. Connors, who represents the 8th District of Washington. "So this works with 80 percent or below on some cases, however, it goes all the way up to 115 percent, which would be more like workforce housing."

Connors says her proposal aims to encourage lessees of these public lands to build affordable housing units. Her legislation would exempt these affordable housing projects from the state's 12.84% leasehold excise tax when they commit to renting or leasing the housing units to low and moderate-income households.

"Many of the parcels of land owned by DNR were given to us when we established statehood," Rep. Conners stated in a press release following the passage of her bill in the Washington state House of Representatives. "Some of these smaller parcels, including 100 acres right in Pasco, are located inside cities and towns close to other homes and infrastructure."

Washington will need 1.1 million new homes over the next 20 years, according to the Washington State Department of Commerce.

This weekend, Rep. Connors and other lawmakers from the 8th District (Rep. Stephanie Barnard and Sen. Matt Boehnke) will be hosting a virtual town hall to discuss bills such as HB 2003 that are going through the legislature and to talk to constituents.

Folks who are interested in registering for the Zoom-hosted event can do so, here.