30 Day Comment Period: HB 1337 – Draft Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Guidance

30 Day Comment Period: HB 1337 – Draft Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Guidance

Commerce Growth Management Services (GMS) has updated our HB 1337 Draft Accessory Dwelling Unit Guidance (PDF), this time with requirements reflecting recent session law HB 1337. We are opening a 30-day comment period on the new guidance with comments due by June 15, 2023. Recently passed in the 2023 legislative session, the intent of HB 1337 is to further ADU construction, and increase the variety of housing types and housing…

Final guidance to address racially disparate impacts in comprehensive plans

Final guidance to address racially disparate impacts in comprehensive plans

The Washington State Department of Commerce has released its final guidance to address racially disparate impacts in comprehensive plans. The new guidance provides a recommended methodology and checklists to help jurisdictions demonstrate that they have taken the steps to satisfy the new Growth Mangement Act (GMA) requirements in RCW 36.70A.070(2)(e-h). In 2021, the Washington State Legislature changed the planning requirements for housing through House Bill 1220 (HB 1220) (PDF). These…

Washington state will need more than 1 million homes in next 20 years

Washington state will need more than 1 million homes in next 20 years

More than half of the homes are needed for residents at the lowest income levels OLYMPIA, WA — The Washington State Department of Commerce today released its final housing needs projections, which show the state needs to add 1.1 million homes over the next 20 years, and more than half of them need to be affordable for residents at the lowest income levels. Based on census data and the Office…

State survey: Most people say housing is #1 issue

State survey: Most people say housing is #1 issue

Housing costs/rents, homelessness and overall cost of living top list of most important problems facing Washington state in new survey by Department of Commerce and Puget Sound Regional Council OLYMPIA, WA — Housing and homelessness topped a list of 12 issues in a new survey that asked Washington state residents to rank their top two problems facing the state. The Department of Commerce partnered with the Puget Sound Regional Council…