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HomeMy WebLinkAbout2020-06 2021 State Leg Priorities South King Housing and Homelessness Partners (SKHHP) is a coalition of 10 jurisdictions working together and sharing resources in order to increase the available options for South King County residents to access affordable housing and to preserve the existing affordable housing stock. SKHHP supports the following state legislative priorities for 2021: HOUSING STABILITY Support implementation of statewide just cause eviction legislation to improve housing stability and create consistency in information and education. Advocate for additional resources to address housing instability created by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, including rent assistance and foreclosure/eviction prevention assistance. FISCAL FLEXIBILITY Lift the 1% property tax cap. Current revenues are not enough for many cities to support community expectations and priorities and city tax structures are not keeping up with traditional rate of inflation and growing costs. Lifting the property tax increase will allow funding flexibility and preserve critical city services. Authorize property tax-based tax increment financing, with a constitutional amendment if necessary. This will allow cities to access critically needed funding for local economic raise property taxes on residents but allows development to pay for the public infrastructure needed. INCREASE AND PRESERVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING Invest $250 million in the State Housing Trust Fund from the Capital Budget, with $10 million for preservation of affordable housing. Provide direct funding to the South King Housing and Homelessness Partners (SKHHP) Housing Capital Fund. SKHHP partner cities are actively working to establish a mechanism to pool sales tax credit revenues authorized by SHB 1406. State matching funds will provide much needed investment in affordable housing in South King County. INCREASE STATE RESOURCES TO PREVENT AND END HOMELESSNESS Significantly increase state document recording fee specifically increase the document recording fee by $100 to increase state and regional resources to prevent and end homelessness. 2021 South King Housing and Homelessness Partners Washington State Legislative Priorities Contact: Angela San Filippo Executive Manager asanfilippo@skhhp.org Auburn | Burien | Covington | Des Moines | Federal Way | Kent | Normandy Park | Renton | Tukwila | King County