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A new state law that will require cities to expand where housing can go for people experiencing homelessness will become effective in about a month.
The law states that cities must allow transitional housing and permanent supportive housing where residential units or hotels are allowed. Cities must also allow indoor emergency shelters and indoor emergency housing where hotels are allowed.
Additionally, local governments cannot put restrictive standards, conditions or requirements for these types of housing (also known as STEP housing). Local governments can apply “objective development regulations,” including density limits and height restrictions, according to the final bill report.
Local governments can also enter into good-faith negotiations or contracts with agencies “to establish additional and reasonable requirements pertaining to health and safety protocols,” according to the report.
Gov. Bob Ferguson signed the law March 27. It will take effect June 11.
“The people that need this housing are in your communities right now. Sometimes they’re hidden. Sometimes they’re in plain sight. We know that they’re there, and we can do something about it,” 21st District Rep. Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds, told the My Neighborhood News Group (MNNG).
Peterson introduced the law, also referred to as House Bill 2266. He said the bill has been three years in the making after he had a conversation with a provider operating a men’s shelter, during which a city was trying to “shut it down.”
“This was a shelter that was already open, doing big work and making an impact on a lot of lives,” Peterson said. “As I talked to more people, I found more instances of cities really trying to work around some of the state laws that we had already passed.”
Peterson said the new law sets a baseline for developers who want to build supportive housing.
Mountlake Terrace Mayor Steve Woodard told the MNNG that the City’s Comprehensive Plan already addresses some of the items outlined in the law. He said he is excited to see the state push forward something the City is already exploring or making concrete decisions around.
“As the City continues preparing for expected population growth, I am heartened to see that often marginalized populations … are considered and intentionally welcomed in our community,” Mountlake Terrace City Councilmember Sam Doyle said.
Edmonds City Councilmember Vivian Olson said the law is better than when it was first introduced. Olson wrote in a letter to the editor earlier this year that bills including HB 2266 would negatively impact the “quality of life and economic vitality” of the city.
“It’s easy for the state to require us to make these changes, but they’re not the ones that are going to deal with it when it comes down,” Olson said.
Limiting where certain types of housing can and cannot go allows cities to better protect its community, Olson said. She also said she supports housing first but does not support “decoupling housing from the aid” or not having any preconditions such as being sober.
“I really want us to be able to balance the rights and the needs of all of our community members,” Olson said.
“We have not yet had the opportunity to fully evaluate the impacts of Washington State House Bill 2266 or the changes that will be required to bring our local codes into compliance by June 2028,” said Edmonds Mayor Mike Rosen. “This legislation introduces significant new requirements, and it’s important that we take the time to carefully understand how those provisions interact with our existing development regulations.”
Housing Hope CEO Kat Opina said there is a “severe and growing shortage” of supportive housing across the region. The law removes unnecessary local barriers and ensures housing can be built where they are needed, she said.
“HB 2266 reflects the kind of bold, system-level change required to ensure every Washingtonian has a safe, stable place to call home,” Opina said.
Cocoon House CEO Joe Alonzo said “NIMBY-ism and unclear policies” have made affordable housing projects difficult to develop in local jurisdictions. The law will help expedite projects and provide better clarity, he said.
“Our hope is that the result will be increased housing in a wider variety of zones, helping individuals and families move into safety more quickly,” Alonzo said.
The Housing Authority of Snohomish County (HASCO) said in a statement: “While our operations are not focused on STEP housing, HASCO readily sees the shortage in its availability in Snohomish County and supports a healthy housing continuum, from market rate housing to housing for those struggling.”
Bobby Thompson, executive director of the Housing Consortium of Everett & Snohomish County, said the law aligns with some of the housing bills the Legislature passed in 2021, and that it is “a huge win.”
Angelica Relente is a Murrow News Fellow covering housing and related issues in South Snohomish County for the My Neighborhood News Group. Contact her at [email protected].
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