Issue Position: Affordable Housing

Issue Position

Almost everyday, I hear that there is not enough affordable housing in our district. I'm very concerned that teachers, police officers, nurses, firefighters, baristas, and all those who serve our community cannot actually afford to live in our community. Our state government, in partnership with cities and other local jurisdictions, can and should do more to promote smart housing development in our towns and cities. We can promote more affordable housing options through smarter local land use policies and incentives

My opponent, however, has not taken action to increase affordable housing and voted AGAINST:

A Source of Income Housing Non-Discrimination Policy (HB 2578)

I know we can do better. Stronger collaboration between state and local planners can lower the costs of doing business, create a more efficient real estate market, and provide a wider array of options for buyers and renters across the income spectrum.

I will partner with my colleagues and seize opportunities to deploy legislative authority and resources to help localities plan and accommodate affordable housing development through improved land use and zoning policies.

My five step "Washington State Affordable Housing Development Plan" will:

Ensure that counties and cities are assessing their housing needs for the future; We must ensure that localities are regularly assessing their housing needs and zoning appropriately to accommodate expected growth.
Provide incentives to local communities to zone for new affordable and middle-income housing, and support those efforts with financial and technical assistance; Many communities lack the expertise and wherewithal to exercise their zoning authority in ways that would stimulate needed development.
Reduce regulatory requirements that increase costs and stifle development; By identifying ways to reduce the cost of development, particularly through reducing regulatory requirements or by making it easier to build lower- and middle-cost housing, we can help local communities promote the development of sufficient housing.
Expand Washington State's Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE); Increasing the ability to exempt or abate property taxes can be an important tool for jurisdictions to promote the development of affordable and workforce housing. Currently, this local property tax exemption is available only in relatively compact, mixed-use neighborhoods with adequate infrastructure and transit options. We can expand this exemption in both time and availability to better support smaller cities and towns across the state like Oak Harbor.

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