Updating GMA Housing Elements
This webpage contains guidance on planning for housing under the Growth Management Act (GMA), including the new requirements established by House Bill 1220 (2021).

Planning for Housing in Washington State
In 2021, the Washington Legislature changed the way communities are required to plan for housing. House Bill 1220 (2021) amended the Growth Management Act (GMA) to instruct local governments to “plan for and accommodate” housing affordable to all income levels. This significantly strengthened the previous goal, which was to encourage affordable housing.
The amended law also directed the Department of Commerce to project future housing needs for jurisdictions by income bracket and made significant updates to how jurisdictions are to plan for housing in the housing element of their comprehensive plans. These new changes to local housing elements include:
- Planning for sufficient land capacity for housing needs, including all economic segments of the population (moderate, low, very low and extremely low income, as well as emergency housing and permanent supportive housing).
- Providing for moderate density housing options within Urban Growth Areas (UGAs), including but not limited to duplexes, triplexes and townhomes.
- Making adequate provisions for housing for existing and projected needs for all economic segments of the community, including documenting programs and actions needed to achieve housing availability.
- Identifying racially disparate impacts, displacement and exclusion in housing policies and regulations, and beginning to undo those impacts; and identifying areas at higher risk of displacement and establishing anti-displacement policies.
Guidance Materials and Tools
To guide local governments in updating their comprehensive plans and regulations with the new housing requirements, Commerce developed the following guidance, projection tools and training webinars:
Final Guidance
- Establishing Housing Targets for Your Community (Book 1) (PDF)
- Guidance for Updating your Housing Element (Book 2) (PDF)
- Guidance to Address Racially Disparate Impacts (Book 3) (PDF)
Housing Projections and Tools
- Final projected housing needs are available in the Housing All Planning Tool (HAPT)
- March 2023 housing guidance update with summary of the final housing need projections (PDF)
Webinars and Trainings
- Establishing Housing Targets for Your Community (Housing Need Projections and Allocation)
- Updating Your Housing Element with HB 1220 (2021) Requirements (Land Capacity and Making Adequate Provisions)
- Racially Disparate Impacts, Displacement and Exclusion in Housing
- Talking Race for Planners (May 24, 2023)
Support Materials for Racially Disparate Impacts, Exclusion and Displacement Work
- In 2023, Commerce leveraged funding from the Legislature to compile data for local governments completing the racially disparate impacts, exclusion, displacement and displacement risk analysis work required under the new housing element requirements. The following data is or will soon become available to support jurisdictions:
Racially Disparate Impact (RDI) Data Toolkit: This RDI Data Toolkit provides local jurisdictions with a base level of data to use in their analysis, particularly in identifying racially disparate impacts and exclusion.- Data is available for 2024 jurisdictions.
- Data for 2025-2027 jurisdictions is forthcoming.
- Statewide displacement risk map: Outside of the Central Puget Sound area, there is no widely available displacement risk map local governments may use to understand displacement risk. Commerce has developed a draft statewide displacement risk map for public review through September 2023. Commerce encourages feedback on this statewide displacement risk map at the webinar or by email to laura.hodgson@commerce.wa.gov by September 29, 2023.
- DRAFT Statewide Displacement Risk Map
- Displacement Risk Map webinar recording (Vimeo) and presentation (PDF)
- DRAFT Displacement Risk Data (Excel) used in the map
- Commerce and PSRC Displacement Risk Maps Comparison Memo (PDF)
- Examples of RDI analysis from 2021-2023 grantee work: During the 2021-2023 biennium, the Legislature funded a middle housing grant program in the Central Puget Sound region for cities to use towards middle housing planning. The grant included a requirement to analyze racially disparate impacts, displacement and exclusion. Example analyses performed by grantees will be loaded under the “Equity Displacement and Exclusion” section on this EZView webpage.
Supportive Housing Types: Sections 3 and 4
HB 1220 (2021) also requires jurisdictions to update their development regulations with respect to transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, emergency shelters and emergency housing. The following resources are available for your planning needs:
- Supportive Housing Types (PPT) – Provides an overview of the new requirements, more information about these supportive housing types, what local governments have done in response, and considerations and supports for jurisdictions undertaking this work.
- Recording of presentation on Supportive Housing Types (Vimeo) – the recording starts at 1:07:30.
Coming Soon: Model Ordinance for Supportive Housing Types
In 2023, Commerce will begin work to develop a model ordinance for transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, emergency shelters and emergency housing, as well as a best practice guide for local governments as they plan for these housing needs. More information will be posted as it is available.
For more information on supportive housing, please contact Mary.Reinbold@commerce.wa.gov or at 509-638-5449.
Other Housing Resources
Housing Survey – December 2022
Housing and homelessness were the top two issues that Washington residents named in a 12-county survey conducted by Commerce and the Puget Sound Regional Council in late 2022. The majority of respondents in every county wanted to see more diverse housing and more affordability, including some types of multi-unit housing in single-family zones.
- Housing Survey Report (PDF) *Updated January 26, 2023
Housing Guidebooks
- Guidance for Updating Your Housing Element (March 2021) (PDF)
- Watch the MRSC webinar on Housing Elements (Vimeo)
- Download the MRSC presentation on Housing Elements (PDF)
- Guidance for Developing a Housing Action Plan (June 2020) (PDF) – This guidance provides information on community and stakeholder engagement (Chapter 2) and a suite of strategies for increasing housing supply and diversity (Chapter 4)
- Watch the MRSC webinar on HAPs (Vimeo)
- Download the MRSC presentation on HAPs (PDF)
- Guidance for Developing a Housing Needs Assessment (March 2020) (PDF)
WCRER Housing Data
RCW 36.70A.610 directs the Washington Center for Real Estate Research to provide easy access to housing data for local governments in Washington. The Housing Market Data Toolkit provides data for all cities over 10,000 population, and for all counties in the state. This data can be used as a source of information during the preparation of housing needs assessments, developed as part of local comprehensive plans.
A Peninsula Planners’ Forum on February 22, 2021 (Vimeo) shared more information about the housing data and how to use it to understand your community’s housing market. Information on the Housing Market Data Toolkit starts at 1:16:00 and information on how to use this and other data to determine your community’s housing needs starting at 2:27:10. The PowerPoint presentations for the webinar can be found on the Regional Planners’ Forum webpage, under the “Past Regional Planning Forums” heading.
Affordable Housing Advisory Board Data
The Affordable Housing Advisory Board (AHAB) is currently finalizing the state’s 5-year progress report towards meeting statewide affordable housing needs.
Additional information in these draft materials includes a statewide analysis of housing market trends in Washington State, an assessment of the current and projected housing needs of Washington State residents, barriers to affordable housing, public engagement findings, actions local governments are taking to support housing production and affordability, and AHAB’s policy recommendations to the legislature.
Housing Memo Available
Commerce’s Housing Memo: Issues Affecting Housing Availability and Affordability (PDF) addresses barriers to housing production and affordability in Washington. It also provides tools aimed at assisting local governments in improving housing affordability. The memo was requested by the 2017 Legislature’s E2SSB 5254 as part of an update to the Buildable Lands Program and is relevant to cities and counties statewide.
Housing-Related Grants
Connecting Housing to Infrastructure Program
The Connection Housing to Infrastructure Program (CHIP) has been renewed in 2023 to provide approximately $55.5 million to fund sewer, water or stormwater improvements and/or waived system development charges for new affordable housing projects. Please visit the CHIP webpage to learn more about program requirements.
Housing Action Plan Grants
The Legislature appropriated $5 million in funding in both the 2019-2021 biennium and the 2021-2023 biennium for cities planning under the GMA to adopt new Housing Action Plans (HAPs), implement actions from adopted HAPs, or adopt code changes to encourage more housing in their communities.
- 2021-2022 list of award recipients (PDF)
- 2019-2020 list of award recipients (PDF); summary of outcomes from 2019-2020 grant (PDF)
Examples of work performed by the HAP grantees and resources for those looking to encourage more housing in their communities under the actions in RCW 36.70A.600 are available on our Housing EZView webpage. See the tabs titled “Housing Action Plans” and “HB 1923 Code Changes.” For information on the HAPI program, please contact Laura.Hodgson@commerce.wa.gov or 360-764-3143.
GMA Requirements for Planning for Housing
Cities and counties planning under the Growth Management Act (GMA) must include a housing element in their comprehensive plans. The GMA housing goal calls for promoting a variety of residential densities and housing types, planning for and accommodating housing affordable to all economic segments of the population, and preservation of existing housing stock.
The GMA also set standards such that certain classes of housing and residents are to be treated equally. This includes housing for the disabled (RCW 36.70A.410), family daycare providers RCW (36.70A.450) and manufactured housing (RCW 35.21.684).
Statues and Resources
- Growth Management Act Housing Goal – RCW.26.70A.020
- Growth Management Act Housing Element – RCW 36.70A.070(2) and WAC 365-196-410
- Affordable Housing Incentive Programs – RCW 36-70A.540
- EZ View Website on Housing Affordability
Quick Links
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Contact
Laura Hodgson, Senior Planner
Email: Laura.Hodgson@commerce.wa.gov
Phone: 360-764-3143