OLYMPIA – Two key housing bills sponsored by Sen. Marcus Riccelli (D-Spokane) will receive public hearings on Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. in the Senate Housing Committee.
Senate Bill 5884, the ‘Pavement to People’ bill, expands the sales and use tax deferral program to encourage redevelopment of vacant and underutilized urban property such as surface parking lots into housing. It would require the projects to primarily provide multifamily housing, with affordability requirements ranging from 20% to 50% of units affordable to low or moderate-income households, depending on project type and location. The bill would expand upon a successful program adopted in Spokane and parking redevelopment legislation passed in 2022.
Senate Bill 5885 would require cities and counties to allow increased density for affordable housing developments on land owned or controlled by religious organizations. The legislation would ensure long-term affordability by requiring at least 50% of units are reserved for low-income households. It would lower construction costs through a temporary sales and use tax exemption.
The hearing will be streamed live on TVW.
