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State Land Use Enacted Legislation

Bill # State Year Party Topic

HB 1491

 WA 2025 D Affordable housing incentives and financing, By-right zoning, Declare HOA rules void, Density Increases, Homeowner association rules, Impact fees, Inclusionary zoning, Lands near transit, Minimum parking requirements, Other streamlining, Streamline application, Technical assistance, Workforce Housing

Provided by Furman

Summary

  • Requires cities planning under the Growth Management Act (GMA) to allow new residential and mixed-use development within any station area at certain transit-oriented development densities.
    • At a density of at least 3.5 FAR, on average, within a rail station area and at a density of at least 2.5 FAR, on average, within a bus station area.
  • A station area = all lots within a UGA that are fully or partially within:
    • 0.5 miles walking distance of an entrance to a train station.
    • 0.25 miles walking distance of a stop on a fixed route bus system.
  • If all units are affordable to households with a monthly income that does not exceed 80 percent of area median or are permanent supportive housing, within a station area, an additional 1.5 FAR in excess of the density required must be allowed.
    • Cities must not count multifamily housing units with at least three bedrooms toward FAR limits.
  • Requires that buildings constructed within a station area must maintain certain affordability requirements for at least 50 years. Buildings can be exempted if constructed on an overbuilt lot or if subject to certain affordability requirements.
    • At least 10 percent of all units must be affordable at 60% AMI for rental and 80% aMI for owner-occupied housing.
    • At least 20% of all rental units must be affordable at or below 80% AMI.
  • Requires cities to—and authorizes counties to—approve a 20-year multifamily property tax exemption (MFTE) for multifamily housing within a station area that meets the TOD affordability requirements, unless the city authorizes the current 20-year MFTE program for multifamily rental housing.

Provided by lawmakers

Bill Title

Promoting transit-oriented housing development.

Related resources

Enacted Legislation Related Posts

Research and analysis from the Furman Center on this and related housing policy topics.