HART recommends ways to address affordable housing crisis
On June 6, Director Bonlender joined a cross-divisional team from Commerce’s Growth Management Services and Community Services and Housing, and members of the Governor-appointed Affordable Housing Advisory Board (AHAB) in presenting Governor Inslee’s office with eight recommendations for reducing barriers to middle and low-income housing production in Washington state.
The recommendations represent the initial findings of the Housing Affordability Response Team (HART), which was convened at the request of the governor. Over four months, the team examined how existing zoning and planning, permitting, development, financing and construction processes can be improved to increase affordable housing construction.
HART recommendations underscore the need for a multi-disciplinary, collaborative response to the affordable housing crisis in Washington. They range from providing broad-based education to local jurisdictions to pursuing specific statutory and regulatory changes intended to reduce development costs.