Housing Developments: Five reasons we’re thankful, plus one more
5 Bills in 1 Session= Better Housing Outcomes for WA!
Well done, advocates! The 2018 legislative session has come to an end, and it was historically good.
To everyone who advocated, we say thank you. Your outreach and persistence led to the passage of 5 bills this session, each with a meaningful and positive impact for affordable housing:
- Document Recording Fee- generated funding for housing and homelessness services has increased and been made permanent with the passage of HB 1570
- A tax on short-term rentals like AirBnBs will fund affordable housing with the passage of HB 2015
- Publicly-owned surplus land will be prioritized for affordable housing development with the passage of HB 2382
- Renters across the state across the state who use publicly administered funds, like Section 8 vouchers or Social Security benefits, received legal protection from source of income discrimination with the passage of HB 2578
- Non-profit affordable housers will not be assessed real estate excise taxes with the passage of HB 2444
You advocated, and your lawmakers listened. Thank them today!
Send a Thank You
Other developments…
- EVEN MORE THANK YOUs to everyone who joined us for our 30th Anniversary Celebration luncheon! It’s an honor to share space with you year after year. Couldn’t attend? You can still support our work here.
- TONIGHT: City of Kent might get proactive about keeping their housing healthy by adopting a proactive rental licensing inspection program. Let them know it’s a great idea!
- City of Seattle’s public hearings on Citywide- Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) continue with Districts 5 & 6 tonight. Interested in supporting MHA? Connect with Seattle For Everyone for details.
- Seattle’s Progressive Revenue Task Force released its final recommendations on an employee hours tax (EHT) after City Council narrowly rejected the first EHT proposal last November.
- City of Bellevue approved $1.8 million to ARCH last week. The funding will support four affordable housing and shelter developments around east King County!
- City of Renton is weighing a rental licensing and inspection program similar to those already in use in Tacoma and Bremerton.
- Residents of the Firs in SeaTac, who have been fighting the sale and pending redevelopment of their mobile home park, got some help from the state budget, but it will be about $8 million short unless other resources come into play.
- Nexus Youth & Families opened a new 24-hour shelter for youth in Auburn. The shelter is reopening after a four-year closure due to lack of funds.
- A new 24/7 shelter for families is coming to Kirkland. The City and its partners in the project hope it will open in 2019.
