By Jerry Hall / For The Herald
It’s tough to find a home in cities and towns from Arlington to Everett, from Gold Bar to Monroe.
There are not enough homes of all types for current residents and newcomers, not to mention future generations that will want to work and live here in Snohomish County. This lack of homes, inflation and other economic challenges over the years have all led to a housing attainability crisis. So, while much work remains to address this crisis, I was heartened that the state Legislature this year took meaningful action to help local communities better coordinate and plan in the shared work for more housing choices.
New laws adopted this year will help cities facilitate more housing, such as duplexes, triplexes, and backyard cottages, as well as small condominium projects. These represent the types of homes that more easily fit within existing neighborhoods and provide more housing choices for everyone, from those choosing their first home to older adults seeking to age in place in their community.
New laws will also streamline how local communities track and report on permits for housing construction, supporting public transparency while also making the process more efficient. The Legislature adopted similar reforms for regulations governing public design review of projects and important environmental protections.
Two important strategies help make housing more attainable for everyone. First, we must produce more housing, so more people can find that special place to call home. Second, we must make building housing more efficient in terms of both timeliness and cost. This past legislative session, lawmakers have made meaningful strides for both strategies.
In addition to these smart new policies, the Legislature also increased its investment in the Housing Trust Fund and adopted a bill that will make it easier to use surplus property for affordable housing.
When it comes to lowering barriers to more housing choices, no single solution will make the difference on its own. Taken as a whole, these bills demonstrate a collaborative, coordinated plan for confronting the affordability crisis across our state. But there is so much more work that needs to be done.
With the Legislature on break until early 2024, the work must continue at the local level if we are going to be successful in addressing the housing crisis. It is not enough for Olympia to act; we must all act and work together on the changes ahead.
Planning projects like updating comprehensive plans and implementing policies that follow the state’s Growth Management Act are critical if we are to encourage more housing near jobs so we can protect our green open spaces. They also provide important opportunities for local engagement. Thoughtful planning will ensure we can protect what we value as we build for what is required to help make our communities more affordable not just for us, but for our kids and for the future.
Pairing this local planning work with anti-sprawl measures adopted by the Legislature will help to meet the county’s most pressing housing needs, while reducing pressure on our agricultural and resource lands.
Now is not the time to put up new hurdles to more housing choices, but rather, roll up our sleeves and work together. It is important to note some of these changes have already been happening. Snohomish County government has been a leader on adding middle housing and accessory dwelling units (ADUs) like backyard cottages, and we have seen positive results from these early efforts. The City of Everett recently passed a thoughtful ADU ordinance facilitating this important housing type. Now all cities within the county will have their turn to adopt these measures, and I am optimistic they can be successful.
I am encouraged that local enthusiasm for more housing choices is so visible in nearby communities like Ferndale, where local public servants are giving away Metallica-themed T-shirts for those working to build a new backyard cottage on their property. It’s a small thing, but it demonstrates that the chance to offer more local housing choices can be an exciting opportunity for those charged with overseeing the work.
The work to address our housing crisis does not stop with the passage of positive bills this legislative session. It is only just the beginning. If we are successful, our cities will be more welcoming communities with diverse housing types while also meeting our obligations to provide enough housing for current residents, newcomers and future generations.
Jerry Hall serves on the steering committee for the Coalition for More Housing Choices and is executive director of the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties.
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