Growing Together: Legislative Update Week 3

Week of January 27 Legislative Update

I’m going to pass it off to Ava to share the introduction for this week’s update! There aren’t many urgent actions this week, but we have some important updates for you. We’ll trade off in the future with sharing the intro. Take it away, Ava!

We now only have 90 days left in the session.This is also about how long it takes for a sunflower to grow start to finish. There is a lot of good that can happen in 90 days. I’ve been reflecting on the bills that we are supporting this year, like rent stabilization and transit-oriented development, and I’m reminded how much what we do now will affect all of our futures. These bills will give more people, like myself, the chance to continue to call Washington our home. There is a lot of steady work and growing together that will need to happen this session to get these bills across the finish line. Events like the upcoming Lobby Day on February 5th are a perfect chance to advocate for these changes both for ourselves and those who can’t (like little sunflower me). I look forward to this session being a great session of growth and important changes with all us as fellow stewards.

– Ava Foley, Campaign Intern

Rent Stabilization – HB 1217/SB 5222

Rent Stabilization, which would put a 7% cap on rent increases each year and provide renters more protections (read the one pager from WLIHA), is on the move!

HB 2117 has been referred to the House Appropriations Committee,which is focused on the fiscal aspect of the bill. Our friends at Washington Conservation Action has a great tool on understanding the legislative process that you can check out here. We can expect a hearing to be scheduled soon. Get ready to sign in PRO again soon.

SB 5222 had its first hearing in the Senate Housing Committee last week, and was packed with 6000+ sign ins and 180+ testifiers signed up.  Thanks for signing in and making your voice heard! This bill will also likely move slower than its House companion, so don’t be surprised if it hangs out here.

Our action for rent stabilization is a little different this week. We need to bring stories to legislators on why rent stabilization will radically improve many people’s lives, and that it is feasible for landlords. If you or people you know are renters and have experienced a rent increase in the past year, please fill out the survey below. We need to share stories with legislators (who are largely NOT renters) what a rent hike means for renters’ lives. If you are a landlord of any size and want to get more involved, please send me an email at [email protected].

Transit-Oriented Development – HB 1491

Your favorite bill is back! Representative Julia Reed dropped HB 1491, our transit-oriented development bill.  HB 1491 would allow more homes near transit, which is especially important as we build more link light rail stations in the Puget Sound Region. This bill is similar to the one we worked on last year, but is just a starting point. There will be many conversations around affordability, specifically with including the MFTE program (a program that incentivizes developers to build more affordable housing) and higher densities.

In the meantime, we need to get the ball rolling and highlight the importance of this issue. HB 1491 is scheduled for a hearing next Tuesday, January 28 at 4pm in the House Committee on Housing. You know what to do– let’s get those PRO sign ins rolling in!

Rural Housing Solutions

Washington is experiencing a housing crisis everywhere, from rural towns to its largest cities. Addressing the housing crisis in rural areas requires balancing protecting farms and our natural resources, while giving folks more housing options and protecting the ones we already have. Check out our housing roundtable in the upcoming events section to learn more.

Photo from the Oregon Department of Forestry

Wildfire Protections – HB 1254

HB 1254, which would help protect homes and rural communities from wildfires by setting new guidelines, like specific building materials and vegetation setbacks for new homes. This bill also helps conserve trees and green spaces by keeping new development too close to forests and other places prone to wildfires. Ava wanted to share her experience growing up in a rural area and the importance of this bill:

“Two summers ago a wildfire came dangerously close to burning down my childhood house and family’s business. I grew up in rural Montana on a family ranch where we have several vacation rentals that were old cabins for loggers. While my father had built and designed our house to be resistant to forest fires, most of the cabins were built during the 1930s and are tinderboxes. The idea of losing my family’s history was terrifying. As we quickly worked to remove brush and prepare the houses as best as possible, we could see the smoke rising up only a mile away. It was a tense week as we packed go bags with sentimental items and waited for the call that we had to evacuate. We got lucky. The winds were favorable and the fire was contained. None of the houses burned, but I know this won’t be the last time a fire threatens my family’s ranch. As wildfires become more and more common, I know I am not the only one who has experienced this type of fear. Bills like this help us to adapt to these new pressures and give even the tiniest peace of mind that our homes will make it through.”

HB 1254 had a hearing in the House Committee on Local Government last week, and is scheduled for an executive session on January 31st. No action is needed at this time.

Rural DADUs – HB 1345

New bill just dropped! It might sound familiar, but it’s a little different; HB 1345 would allow detached accessory dwelling units (DADUs) in rural areas with more protections and accountability in place. Last year’s rural DADU bills allowed second homes without counting them toward population targets, allowing twice the amount of people to live in rural areas, straining resources, roads, and services. Thanks to the advocacy from all of you last year, legislators are responding with improved legislation this year. With HB 1345, rural areas will need to count DADUs in their population targets in their next comprehensive plan updates, which allows more housing flexibility without straining resources.

Futurewise remains committed to our long-time goal of preventing sprawl and overdevelopment in rural areas, and we’re particularly focused on issues related to water availability and wildfire protection.  We’re engaged with legislators this session to try to get a legislative solution that balances these protections and helps rural communities tackle increasing housing costs.

That’s why Futurewise is signing in OTHER on HB 1345 for the hearing on January 27. We do not have a position on this bill yet while we work with stakeholders to address concerns and work toward a solution that works for everyone. No action needed, please stay tuned for more detailed updates.

GMA Compliance – HB 1135

This bill closes a legal loophole that could prevent our legal team from making sure cities and counties are in compliance with new updates to the Growth Management Act. This “no brainer bill” is scheduled for an executive session on January 31, and there will likely be some amendments to clarify the language. No action is needed. This is an important issue that we need to watch, but our other bills will need more outside pressure to move.

Join our Rural Housing Roundtable

For over thirty years, Futurewise has been your voice in Olympia to protect rural lands from development and sprawl. This year is no different, and there are a number of bills we’re tracking that impact rural communities.

To help you understand this legislation, where Futurewise stands on the issues, and how you can make your voice heard, Futurewise is hosting a live Rural Housing Roundtable in a few weeks on our YouTube channel! Tune in to hear from Futurewise Executive Director Alex Brennan, Director of Planning & Law Tim Trohimovich, and yours truly, about what’s on the rural housing agenda in 2025. We’ll dig into the details of these proposed bills and what they mean for rural communities in Washington.

Join us on Wednesday February 12th at 12 PM. Tune in via the Futurewise YouTube channel.

Growing Together: Legislative Update Week 3

Week of January 27 Legislative Update

I’m going to pass it off to Ava to share the introduction for this week’s update! There aren’t many urgent actions this week, but we have some important updates for you. We’ll trade off in the future with sharing the intro. Take it away, Ava!

We now only have 90 days left in the session.This is also about how long it takes for a sunflower to grow start to finish. There is a lot of good that can happen in 90 days. I’ve been reflecting on the bills that we are supporting this year, like rent stabilization and transit-oriented development, and I’m reminded how much what we do now will affect all of our futures. These bills will give more people, like myself, the chance to continue to call Washington our home. There is a lot of steady work and growing together that will need to happen this session to get these bills across the finish line. Events like the upcoming Lobby Day on February 5th are a perfect chance to advocate for these changes both for ourselves and those who can’t (like little sunflower me). I look forward to this session being a great session of growth and important changes with all us as fellow stewards.

– Ava Foley, Campaign Intern

Rent Stabilization – HB 1217/SB 5222

Rent Stabilization, which would put a 7% cap on rent increases each year and provide renters more protections (read the one pager from WLIHA), is on the move!

HB 2117 has been referred to the House Appropriations Committee,which is focused on the fiscal aspect of the bill. Our friends at Washington Conservation Action has a great tool on understanding the legislative process that you can check out here. We can expect a hearing to be scheduled soon. Get ready to sign in PRO again soon.

SB 5222 had its first hearing in the Senate Housing Committee last week, and was packed with 6000+ sign ins and 180+ testifiers signed up.  Thanks for signing in and making your voice heard! This bill will also likely move slower than its House companion, so don’t be surprised if it hangs out here.

Our action for rent stabilization is a little different this week. We need to bring stories to legislators on why rent stabilization will radically improve many people’s lives, and that it is feasible for landlords. If you or people you know are renters and have experienced a rent increase in the past year, please fill out the survey below. We need to share stories with legislators (who are largely NOT renters) what a rent hike means for renters’ lives. If you are a landlord of any size and want to get more involved, please send me an email at [email protected].

Transit-Oriented Development – HB 1491

Your favorite bill is back! Representative Julia Reed dropped HB 1491, our transit-oriented development bill.  HB 1491 would allow more homes near transit, which is especially important as we build more link light rail stations in the Puget Sound Region. This bill is similar to the one we worked on last year, but is just a starting point. There will be many conversations around affordability, specifically with including the MFTE program (a program that incentivizes developers to build more affordable housing) and higher densities.

In the meantime, we need to get the ball rolling and highlight the importance of this issue. HB 1491 is scheduled for a hearing next Tuesday, January 28 at 4pm in the House Committee on Housing. You know what to do– let’s get those PRO sign ins rolling in!

Rural Housing Solutions

Washington is experiencing a housing crisis everywhere, from rural towns to its largest cities. Addressing the housing crisis in rural areas requires balancing protecting farms and our natural resources, while giving folks more housing options and protecting the ones we already have. Check out our housing roundtable in the upcoming events section to learn more.

Photo from the Oregon Department of Forestry

Wildfire Protections – HB 1254

HB 1254, which would help protect homes and rural communities from wildfires by setting new guidelines, like specific building materials and vegetation setbacks for new homes. This bill also helps conserve trees and green spaces by keeping new development too close to forests and other places prone to wildfires. Ava wanted to share her experience growing up in a rural area and the importance of this bill:

“Two summers ago a wildfire came dangerously close to burning down my childhood house and family’s business. I grew up in rural Montana on a family ranch where we have several vacation rentals that were old cabins for loggers. While my father had built and designed our house to be resistant to forest fires, most of the cabins were built during the 1930s and are tinderboxes. The idea of losing my family’s history was terrifying. As we quickly worked to remove brush and prepare the houses as best as possible, we could see the smoke rising up only a mile away. It was a tense week as we packed go bags with sentimental items and waited for the call that we had to evacuate. We got lucky. The winds were favorable and the fire was contained. None of the houses burned, but I know this won’t be the last time a fire threatens my family’s ranch. As wildfires become more and more common, I know I am not the only one who has experienced this type of fear. Bills like this help us to adapt to these new pressures and give even the tiniest peace of mind that our homes will make it through.”

HB 1254 had a hearing in the House Committee on Local Government last week, and is scheduled for an executive session on January 31st. No action is needed at this time.

Rural DADUs – HB 1345

New bill just dropped! It might sound familiar, but it’s a little different; HB 1345 would allow detached accessory dwelling units (DADUs) in rural areas with more protections and accountability in place. Last year’s rural DADU bills allowed second homes without counting them toward population targets, allowing twice the amount of people to live in rural areas, straining resources, roads, and services. Thanks to the advocacy from all of you last year, legislators are responding with improved legislation this year. With HB 1345, rural areas will need to count DADUs in their population targets in their next comprehensive plan updates, which allows more housing flexibility without straining resources.

Futurewise remains committed to our long-time goal of preventing sprawl and overdevelopment in rural areas, and we’re particularly focused on issues related to water availability and wildfire protection.  We’re engaged with legislators this session to try to get a legislative solution that balances these protections and helps rural communities tackle increasing housing costs.

That’s why Futurewise is signing in OTHER on HB 1345 for the hearing on January 27. We do not have a position on this bill yet while we work with stakeholders to address concerns and work toward a solution that works for everyone. No action needed, please stay tuned for more detailed updates.

GMA Compliance – HB 1135

This bill closes a legal loophole that could prevent our legal team from making sure cities and counties are in compliance with new updates to the Growth Management Act. This “no brainer bill” is scheduled for an executive session on January 31, and there will likely be some amendments to clarify the language. No action is needed. This is an important issue that we need to watch, but our other bills will need more outside pressure to move.

Join our Rural Housing Roundtable

For over thirty years, Futurewise has been your voice in Olympia to protect rural lands from development and sprawl. This year is no different, and there are a number of bills we’re tracking that impact rural communities.

To help you understand this legislation, where Futurewise stands on the issues, and how you can make your voice heard, Futurewise is hosting a live Rural Housing Roundtable in a few weeks on our YouTube channel! Tune in to hear from Futurewise Executive Director Alex Brennan, Director of Planning & Law Tim Trohimovich, and yours truly, about what’s on the rural housing agenda in 2025. We’ll dig into the details of these proposed bills and what they mean for rural communities in Washington.

Join us on Wednesday February 12th at 12 PM. Tune in via the Futurewise YouTube channel.

Growing Together Lobby Day Recap

On Wednesday, February 5, Futurewise headed to Olympia for our Growing Together 2025 Lobby Day! Despite the surprise snowfall, it was an action-packed day filled with advocacy and organizing. Read on for the full recap and ways to get involved! … Continue reading →

Marcella Buser
February 11, 2025

Demo Event

Demo event description.

Steve Bozzone
February 10, 2025