Four Vital Housing and Climate Bills Survive the Washington Legislature
As the legislative calendar winds its way to adjourning sine die (until next year) on Saturday, it’s easy to focus on issues that were lost in the process or ideal bills that did not get out of the legislature. Rent stabilization failed in all forms, as did most tenants’ rights legislation. Bills about transit-oriented development and giving homeowners the right to split oversized lots made it through one chamber but not the other. And all of the bills that did pass were watered down with significant concessions, including the point access building legislation that went from allowing single stair buildings to punting the rulemaking to a study group.
It’s important to recognize that the laws which did pass are impressive. And now we have a firm list of four important measures that will reach the governor’s desk as they have fully completed their legislative approvals.
First, the hard work of Representative Davina Duerr (D – Bothell), the folks at Futurewise, and a host of advocates pushed through a climate bill that was three years in the making. HB 1181 requires all comprehensive plans to include a climate change and resiliency component that shows how jurisdictions will create the green, accessible infrastructure needed to respond to our warming planet. The plans must specifically look at greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, the region’s largest contributor to climate change. In the past, the only time plans mentioned “climate” was to talk about improving the business climate. Considering the Earth’s climate in a comp plan amounts to a sea change just in time to match their rising levels.
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Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) will be allowed throughout the state under HB 1337. The legislation compels cities to permit two ADUs, detached or attached, on all residential lots. The units may be up to 2 stories and 1,000 square feet on any legal residential lot, and the rules have to be in place by July 2024. There are also requirements on dropping parking requirements, impact fees, residency requirements, and multiple ADU provisions.
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https://www.theurbanist.org/2023/04/19/four-vital-housing-and-climate-bills-survive-the-washington-legislature/