HomeMy WebLinkAbout2022-05 SKHHP state leg priorities_signed
South King County has seen some of the highest increases in rent and home sale prices.
Without preserving and building more affordable and attainable housing, families will continue to
be displaced from their neighborhoods and forced further from their jobs and communities.
The following state legislative priorities focus on legislation that will positively impact South King
County communities by increasing housing stability, preventing displac ement, authorizing local
affordable housing tools and revenue options, and providing funding for affordable housing
INCREASE HOUSING STABILITY AND PREVENT DISPLACEMENT
Support the establishment of statewide rental and vacant property registration
program for the purpose of inventorying both tenant-occupied and potentially available
rental housing, for the benefit of landlords and tenants.
Provide funding support for tenants’ Right to Counsel program and pre-eviction
legal aid. Right to Counsel provides low-income tenants a free lawyer in eviction court.
Pre-eviction legal aid is an anti-displacement strategy and can prevent cases from
entering the court process.
LOCAL AFFORDABLE HOUSING TOOLS AND REVENUE OPTIONS
Authorize local option Real Estate Excise Tax (REET) for affordable housing and
displacement prevention. Addressing the affordable housing needs cannot be solved
without vastly increasing the funding for affordable housing. A local REET option will
provide critical local funding resources necessary to preserve affordable housing and
help counter displacement in South King County.
Amend surplus land dispossession policies to support homeownership. Expand
the use of public property for the purposes of affordable housing to moderate -income
households by allowing a public benefit purpose to include both affordab le rental
housing and permanently affordable homeownership.
Provide planning resources and support to help local governments plan for more
diverse housing supply and prevent displacement prevention by implementing
best practices and policies that ensure planning for housing at all economic segments.
FUND AFFORDABLE HOUSING
Fully fund the Washington State Housing Trust Fund and authorize new sources
of funding that do not disproportionately burden low-income households, and support
continued affordable homeownership investments.
South King Housing and Homelessness Partners
Washington State Legislative Priorities 2023
South King Housing and Homelessness Partners (SKHHP) is a coalition of 11 jurisdictions in South King County working
together and sharing resources in order to increase the available options for South King County residents to access affordable
housing and to preserve existing affordable housing stock.
South King Housing and Homelessness Partners
25 W. Main Street
Auburn, WA 98001
info@skhhp.org
Contact:
Auburn | Burien | Covington | Des Moines | Federal Way | Kent | Maple Valley | Normandy Park | Renton | Tukwila | King County