Dear Friends and Neighbors,
I am honored to announce I have been named chair of the Local Government Committee. With my colleague Sen. Sharon Shewmake taking over as chair of the Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee, I am excited to turn my attention toward this new position.
Thanks to our welcoming communities, robust economy, and exceptional quality of life, Washington is the eighth fastest-growing state in the country. As we grow, we are faced with the need to build more affordable housing to working- and middle-class people, especially those trying buy their first property or start a family. We must also preserve the natural spaces, livable neighborhoods, and strong local economies that make our state unique. My goal is to balance and facilitate change while making sure we don’t “love Washington to death.”
In Washington, we manage our growth under the legal framework of the aptly named Growth Management Act (GMA) of 1990. That law, originally designed to prevent urban sprawl, has helped Washington avoid many problems experienced by other fast-growing states. Our economic development has been well distributed across the state, farmland and rural areas well protected, and measures to preserve local ecology built into our development process. As we face new obstacles, we update the act. Housing costs are at a crisis level. Addressing that will require reforms to the GMA while keeping its general framework intact.
As chair, it is my goal to help guide Washington through this process of continuous improvement. I will work to strengthen the partnership between the state Senate and local governments to enact responsive, effective development policies that best serve the diverse needs of Washington’s communities, while preserving the environment we love and giving Washington’s cities and county councils the tools and resources they need to thrive.
We have important work to do. Commercial and residential development has never been more important. New businesses strengthen our local economies, helping cities and counties fund education, public works, and essential services. Meanwhile, more housing will bring down the cost of living and offer relief to Washington’s renters and homebuyers. As chair of the Local Government Committee and a member of the Housing Committee, I am committed to finding innovative ways to update zoning laws, streamline inefficient regulations, and incentivize affordable development.
We also have a better understanding now of how development can impact our climate and wildlife. We can, and must, balance the need for greater development with the need to protect our environment and natural resources. Development policies which follow the latest climate science will ensure Washington’s natural spaces, from our shorelines to our prairies, are well protected.
As we head into the 2025-2026 biennium, I am prepared to tackle these challenges alongside my colleagues on the Local Government and Housing committees, working with our local governments to build a bright future for every Washington community.
We’ve Already Begun Pioneering Innovative Approaches to Housing
I’m proud to say our work to bring new solutions to our affordable housing shortage is well underway. Last session, my colleague Rep. Mia Gregerson and I worked to pass a bill allowing the development of co-living housing. Co-living housing provides residents with individual, lockable units that share kitchen facilities for a fraction of the cost of traditional apartments rentals.
Recently, Mayor Bruce Harrell officially signed Seattle’s co-living ordinance, implementing our bill and allowing co-living housing development in Washington’s largest city. With its low rent, co-living can offer young people the option to live in high-demand areas like Capitol Hill, give retirees the ability to age in place among a community of their own, and offer all Seattle residents a new option for affordable, safe, clean housing.
Stay involved!
Remember, your voice is integral to the lawmaking process. As we look toward the 2025 session, I hope you will continue to reach out and share your thoughts.
I look forward to learning more about your priorities; you can send me an email at Jesse.Salomon@leg.wa.gov or call 360-786-7662.
Sincerely yours,