We are wrapping up the 2025 legislative session with a bang. This turned out to be a huge year for housing policy. We are so appreciative of everyone who took part in our Growing Together campaign this year!

Let’s take a look at our advocacy by the numbers, and get into all the good news we have to celebrate.

Grassroots Advocacy by the Numbers

• • 5 bills passed ❗
  • 16,318 emails sent to legislators
  • 1,381 people took action
  • 41 legislator meetings on Lobby Day, and 30 constituents that participated

A Slate of Housing Wins

Y’all it’s hard to overstate the good news on our priority housing bills this year. Three of our top priorities passed, along with two support bills. Increased supply, stability in rent costs, and more connected, walkable neighborhoods are on their way to our communities.

Transit-oriented Development, HB 1491

Over the next twenty years, Washington’s population is projected to grow by more than two million people- we need thoughtful, climate-friendly housing and land use planning now. HB 1491 will increase new development near transit-centers, helping to decrease car-dependent sprawl that leaves people stuck in traffic while driving up carbon emissions. This bill also includes housing affordability requirements, making sure that more Washington families can afford to live near where they work, near convenient public transit, and live a more car-lite or car-free lifestyle.

Futurewise has worked on this bill for the past three sessions, and it’s a huge victory to get it across the finish line this year.

Rent Stabilization, HB 1217

While Washington urgently works to increase our housing supply, families still need solutions to help keep them in their homes, now. Unpredictable, unregulated rent increases are outpacing incomes, pushing people out of their homes and communities. HB 1217 will cap annual rent increases at 7% + CPI (Consumer Price Index), with a total cap at 10%. It also limits move-in fees, requires more notice of rent increases to tenants, and creates enforcement mechanisms and penalties to ensure compliance by landlords and property managers. Nearly 40% of Washington households are renters, and this will bring some needed cost relief to families all across the state. 

HB 1217 was one of the toughest fights in the legislature this year, but in the very final days a deal was struck and this bill made it through. This success is thanks to an incredible, dedicated coalition of advocates– big shout-out to our partner, Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, for their tireless efforts to make this bill happen. And thanks to the hundreds of you that took action and didn’t let up the pressure on this.

GMA Compliance, HB 1350

The Growth Management Act is a critical planning tool that helps cities and counties plan for things like land use, population growth, and permitting. Futurewise has been deeply engaged in the GMA for a long time, and in recent years we’ve helped update it to include environmental justice provisions and requirements to plan for climate change impacts (HB 1181- more in our 2023 legislative wrapup).

This year, after some big updates in prior years, the legislature did a little bit of cleanup and closed some loopholes. HB 1350 will make sure that all counties and municipalities are brought under the same requirements, providing consistency for GMA planning statewide.

Housing Accountability, SB 5148

The State Legislature has passed major housing policies in recent years and legislators want to be sure that these policies are implemented and actualized to their fullest potential (shout-out HB 1110, addressing missing middle housing!). So SB 5148 is a more technical enforcement bill that will make sure cities and counties are complying with existing policies in their own comprehensive plans, and that they’re expanding affordable housing options and modernizing land use regulations.

Parking Reform, SB 5184

Excessive and unnecessary parking spot mandates for MFH developments are one of the obstacles keeping us from building more affordable housing. This year, our partners at Sightline Institute led the charge on reforming these requirements, and we’re excited to see this partner priority on the Governor’s desk for signature.

Notably, nearly 40% of renter households in Washington own one or zero cars, yet minimum parking space to housing unit ratios in most of the state are at least one, sometimes two, parking spaces per unit. This increases the cost to build and eats up unnecessary space, especially for housing near public transit (you’ll notice this bill pairs wonderfully with our TOD bill– yay for multi-pronged, complimentary solutions!). Check out KUOW’s piece to learn more about this bill.

More Work to do on Rural Housing Solutions

Addressing Washington’s housing crisis in rural areas requires a balance of protecting farmlands and our natural resources, while giving folks more housing options and protecting the ones we already have. We hosted a Rural Housing Roundtable on this topic in February, where we talk about the ins and outs of possible solutions for rural communities, combating sprawl, and keeping rural areas rural.

Rural DADU’s, HB 1345- did not pass

HB 1345 would have allowed detached accessory dwelling units (DADUs) in rural areas with restrictions and accountability in place. While the bill included some good things, ultimately we chose not to fully support it because it didn’t have quite enough protections for farms, or natural resources like water and greenspaces. While this bill didn’t pass, we look forward to continued partnership with our legislators to work on housing affordability solutions for rural communities that promote smart growth and protect our lands and environment.

Community is what it’s all about

We started this year not quite sure how this long session would go, some of our priorities looked like long-shots (and they were). But we’re ending on a super high note, and our team is reflecting on some of the great events and advocacy that happened this year. Our digital Sprouts & Shouts campaign was a success, we made over 1,000 contacts to legislators within a single week-of-action; and at our in-person Lobby Day in Olympia, 30 constituents spent the day meeting with legislators, and sharing our stories face to face.

Growing Together was a fitting name for our advocacy campaign this year because it’s exactly how we feel about community engagement- thank you for being a part of it.