Washington's House Bill 1923 is one of a number of bills under consideration this year on the West Coast that attempts to leverage the power of the state for the sake of new development.
Natalie Bicknell reports on the final details of House Bill 1923 in Washington State, which encourages cities to adopt policies that increase density.
The bill enjoyed bipartisan support from the outset, and now awaits the governor's signature, but Bicknell notes that the bill still underwent substantive changes on the way to approval. The key question up for debate is how much power the state should wield in setting minimum urban densities.
While early versions of HB 1923 included statewide mandates, from the beginning its sponsor, Representative Joe Fitzgibbon (D-34th District), sought to differentiate HB 1923 from other minimum density bills by giving local governments the option to select from a menu of options to fulfill their density requirements. Rep. Fitzgibbon hoped that by providing choices, local governments would be more receptive to the bill’s requirements.
However, it became clear to Rep. Fitzgibbon that cities were not going to get on board with a bill that included what some local government officials perceived as unfunded mandates or penalties. As a result, HB 1923 shifted from mandates to incentives, although some provisions, such as protection from appeals for developments that meet certain requirements, will take effect statewide.
Despite those changes and its bipartisan support, the Seattle Times is calling on Governor Jay Inslee to veto House Bill 1923, claiming it is designed to "[please] developers by ending the legal appeals that have slowed down 'citywide' implementation of Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) in Seattle."
The article includes a lot more detail about the final contents of the bill, including "menu of land use actions that cities can select from in order to qualify for up to $100,000 in planning grant assistance."
FULL STORY: Washington Legislature Opts for Incentives Over Mandates to Promote Housing Density in HB 1923
Upzoning Gutted From Colorado’s Statewide Housing Reform Effort
Colorado’s “More Homes Now” bill has been drastically reduced in scope and ambition, showing the contemporary zoning reform movement still has obstacles to overcome.
Montana Passes Sweeping Legislative Package to Rescind ‘California-Style-Zoning’
The Montana State Legislature recently approved a package of zoning reform bills modeled closely on bills approved in West Coast states, including the state of California, in recent years.
Colorado Governor Wants to Preempt Local Zoning Control
Colorado could be the latest state, following Oregon and California, to legislate statewide preemption of local zoning codes to allow for more housing development.
Florida Considers Legalizing ADUs
Current state law allows — but doesn’t require — cities to permit accessory dwelling units in single-family residential neighborhoods.
HUD Announces Plan to Build Housing on Public Lands
The agency will identify federally owned parcels appropriate for housing development and streamline the regulatory process to lease or transfer land to housing authorities and nonprofit developers.
Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?
New Jersey Affordable Housing Law Turns 50
The Mount Laurel Doctrine tasks each city and town with creating enough affordable housing to meet their needs, but half a century after its passage, the law still faces opposition in some parts of the state.
NYC Outdoor Dining Won’t Include Booze — For Now
Hundreds of restaurants will be unable to serve alcohol in their outdoor dining areas this summer due to a delay in permitting.
San Francisco Turns On California’s First Speed Cameras
The city is the first in the state to use automated traffic enforcement to reduce speeding and traffic deaths.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Florida Atlantic University
Institute for Housing and Urban Development Studies (IHS)
City of Grandview
Harvard GSD Executive Education
City of Piedmont, CA
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service
City of Cambridge, Maryland