Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-Tacoma), vice chair of the Senate Ways & Means Committee for the capital budget, released the following statement in response to the capital budget proposed by Gov. Jay Inslee Tuesday: “I would like to thank the governor and his team for all their work. This budget proposal will be an important foundation to our capital budget writing work this session. I share the governor’s commitment to continuing major investments in affordable housing and completing some of our state’s most important infrastructure projects, like the new Western State hospital, so we can ensure all Washingtonians can get the care and services they need. All three of our state’s budgets face challenges in 2025, but I am confident we ...

OLYMPIA — A bill aimed at increasing affordable housing was signed into law by Gov. Jay Inslee today. Senate Bill 6175, sponsored by Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-Tacoma), represents a collaborative effort to address the pressing need for accessible housing options, particularly for low- and moderate-income households in urban areas. The newly enacted legislation introduces provisions for a sales and use tax exemption, empowering city governing authorities to convert commercial buildings into affordable housing units. This measure comes in response to identified areas of underutilized commercial property and a shortage of affordable housing options in such areas. Under SB 6175, property owners seeking tax exemptions for the conversion of commercial spaces into multifamily housing units must meet specific criteria outlined in ...