HDC Policy Advisory Group November Updates
Hi PAG Members,
In lieu of an actual meeting this holiday week, here is a compilation of key updates of ongoing policy work to keep on your radar for staff guidance and support.
Local Level
South King County:
The South King County Housing Action Plan Framework (HAP) Collaboration of 6 cities that include Burien, Auburn, Tukwila, Federal Way, Renton, and Kent has made great and notable progress. As a reminder, the cities submitted applications for funding through HB 1923 with portions of each funding identified for a collaborative effort to develop a subregional housing action framework. This subregional housing action framework includes a housing context assessment, public engagement, an evaluation of existing housing policies, and recommendations for future housing strategies to increase residential building capacity plan for growth in the South King County Region and participating cities. They also began the next phase of work and are individually engaging stakeholders in creating their city’s Housing Action Plan (HAP). We are looking forward to working with city partners to convene HDC members for city-specific learn at lunch events on either the HAP or simultaneous programs like Burien’s Affordable Housing Demonstration Project. Below are some key dates:
City of Burien
This month, Burien’s Housing Action Plan draft was released for public review. Tonight, November 23rd at 7 pm the City Council will hold a study session on the HAP public review draft with the opportunity to provide public comment.
It will also be discussed at the Community Housing Forum scheduled for December 2nd. Please RSVP to join.
The other cities are engaged in a similar process and varied stages. I am including links to the Renton, Auburn, Federal Way, Tukwila, and Kent where applicable. We will keep you updated on potential dates for webinars once the individual HAP process has advanced for these cities.
East King County
HDC has been working with partners and members working in East King County to build a strong coalition for affordable housing. We have made progress in efforts and now working on a multi-pronged approach that will include an Eastside Housing Round-Table recurring convening of a broad and diverse mix of various sector partners, that will collectively develop a coalition strategy plan. This table will include representatives from sectors including, a coordinated Eastside Affordable Housing Convening of HDC members, strategic allies, and other groups working on ELI and VLI housing. The first meeting of the EAHC will be hosted in December 2020.
HDC will provide staff capacity for this work with support from partners like PLUSH and others as noted for the Round-Table in this slide.
The Eastside work builds on some short-term objective work in the city of Bellevue. This includes advocacy for stakeholder engagement and offering to support by convening members for the 0.1 % sales tax increase implementation plan development (HB1590) and the faith-based properties or land affordable housing incentive(C-1 Strategy implementing SHB1377).On both fronts, HDC has submitted comment letters with recommendations for the city.
Seattle
The city’s budget vote is to set for today, Nov 23 at 2 pm and is open for public comment. Outside of the budget process are two key pieces of upcoming legislation:
Permanent Supportive Housing New Land Use Code: Councilmember Lewis is working on legislation to create a unique type of land use code for PSH with the intent to reduce cost and ensure time savings. Some HDC members have been closely engaged as this has been in the works and we are working on a joint HDC support letter that will be shared for the sign-on opportunity to all. The legislation includes Third Door Coalitions’ recommendations on cost reduction and removing costly space requirements from PSH projects. Some space requirements like Bike parking have in some instances been a sticking point but with some collaborative work with bike advocates a few months ago, we believe we are in a better place.
This legislation could move up through Council Committees in December. If late, it would be considered early 2021.
SHB1377 Affordable Housing on religious organizations' land or properties as an anti-displacement and community resilience strategy. In 2019 faith organizations advocated for the state bill requiring cities to allow additional density for affordable housing on religious organizations’ land. Seattle Planning Department and the Office of Housing have worked on preliminary analysis and potential density options in exchange for affordable housing as guided by the state bill.
The analysis of the land use policy is set to be followed by an Environmental Impact Analysis in the coming weeks. HDC staff will engage members on alternatives in the EIS and recommendations to the city.
Commercial Energy Code Update in Seattle
Seattle is updating its commercial energy code as part of its 2018 Construction Code update. These code changes will be considered by the City Council in January after the city’s budget process is complete. Once approved, the new codes will go into effect in February or possibly March 2021. The energy code revisions will help Seattle reduce fossil fuels in buildings over the next decade.
HDC and Shift Zero are hosting a learn at lunch on December 2nd, at 1 pm for a discussion on how to prepare for and understand the benefits of the Code changes. We plan to review the code(s), benefits, costs and incentives, and technical assistance available for the community, with code and energy experts.
Regional Work
Vision 2050 was adopted by the Puget Sound Regional Council, as a blueprint for growth and transportation investments in the four-county region. As King, Kitsap, Pierce, and Snohomish Counties are projected to add a combined 1.8 million people over the next 30 years, the document will guide investments in infrastructure and focus growth. Key to this work and the next steps are the Countywide Planning Policies (CPPs).
HDC is committed to advocating for the incorporation of robust jurisdictional growth targets into the CPPs. King County has been leading this work and our assessment is there are likely pushback levers and a preference from others to have local city need assessment with assumptions of using a methodology that represents the countywide need and future growth. This may not be as effective as an outright strong jurisdictional growth target methodology at the CPPs level. We have many households on the precipice of homelessness if the targets are weak and do not move us to scaled production of ELI and VLI housing.
HDC, in partnership with PSRC, King County, and Futurewise will host a Learn at Lunch to provide a platform for our members and advocates to learn more about Vision 2050 and Countywide Planning Policies. Please register and join us. Before then you will receive our letter to the Affordable Housing Committee on CPPs for your support and guidance as PAG.
2021 State Legislative Advocacy
We are committed to ensuring our members have the information they need to have an active voice as legislative policies and budgets are crafted and passed each year. January 2021 will be a new landscape as the legislature has never had to operate virtually before. It however opens up access to many who would not normally be able to be in Olympia for the session. We are creating a webpage that will aim to help keep HDC members and affordable housing advocates updated and plugged in on virtual public comment opportunities for some of our 2021 State Legislative Agenda Priority Bills. We will also be hosting a virtual Board Advocacy day pending meeting confirmations and dates. The webpage will be shared with PAG for feedback.
