OLYMPIA – Legislation signed into law last month by Gov. Bob Ferguson will remove a financial hurdle for developers working to build more affordable housing in Spokane. 

Senate Bill 5662, sponsored by Sen. Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane), allows the City of Spokane to waive utility connection fees for nonprofit and affordable housing developments.  

“I’m proud to deliver this critical tool that will help organizations like Habitat for Humanity create more affordable housing projects that will positively impact our community,” Riccelli said. “The lack of affordable housing is one of biggest challenges facing our community and this new law will help more people in Spokane build stability and economic security through homeownership. I also want to thank Rep. Natasha Hill for her work in the Housing Committee to make some final important modifications to ensure this legislation will have the intended effect.” 

“Thanks to Sen. Riccelli’s leadership and the support of the Washington State Legislature, SB 5662 is now law and it’s a game-changer for affordable housing,” said Michelle Girardot, CEO of Habitat for Humanity-Spokane. “Last year, Spokane’s facility connection fees skyrocketed, adding over $16,000 to the cost of a Habitat home. For a low-income family, that’s the difference between qualifying for a mortgage or being locked out of homeownership. This bill gives local governments the option to waive those fees, removing a major financial barrier. It’s a practical, high-impact solution that will help organizations like Habitat build more homes and create real pathways to stability for more Washington families.” 

“Thanks to Sen. Riccelli and the Legislature, the passage of SB 5662 will mean a savings of about $100,000 for each large multifamily project and over $16,000 for each low-income homeownership opportunity,” said Ben Stuckart, Executive Director of the Spokane Low Income Housing Consortium. “With all other costs rising and federal funds on the chopping block, this will help the whole industry and benefit Spokane.”  

The bill takes effect on July 27.