[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6392819,"mediaKeyId","2109057-3377f8dff62e9a78b432f752c6685251","parentId",2109057,"title","Committee hears House Bill 1096 to allow administrative lot splits, cities and mayors voice support and safety concerns","audioSeconds",1458,"startMs",21000,"endMs",1479000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2109057-3377f8dff62e9a78b432f752c6685251&start=21&end=1479","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2109057-3377f8dff62e9a78b432f752c6685251/thumbnail_21000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6392819/Washington/Committee-hears-House-Bill-1096-to-allow-administrative-lot-splits-cities-and-mayors-voice-support-and-safety-concerns","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6392819-e26cd59ac1c5b9d1e76165ce662d63ca/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144139&Signature=aHINdQV2aLCNgTOuQcuFG4~CFaWNAvwSba4CxfyNWHW8B30-a-uILbZe1Paj-~k0Twjzb7DphwId9zb283DW6s6312rm47IkAMYz7EZdEcCM5oGwyXGOjIqzbqPr0DCFfQTa498u6SiNm~IBIVW4EDjvop3JXgjzV09XlRHMttNp97p7ypx5fUMRkebKl1o8ZWibNQDyvwMKQgrN8B7ql9EKVQJkkFl0My0gtCeQ3ORyxq1s5B4iavGnFcxkxeMVrNLsKoI1YkSa8lLJrvZpVJzLnNXEbqy8LLwIGgoH8k1BKt4vmPKptMn3xs~JdgH8ZLKle90wnAXEV~gUtnUspA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House Housing","date","2025-01-13T00:00:00Z","article","The House Housing Committee on Jan. 13 heard testimony on House Bill 1096, which would require cities subject to minimum density requirements to include in their short-plat regulations a process for an applicant to seek administrative review and simultaneous approval of a lot split and a building permit for new single-family or middle housing.

The measure is pitched by supporters as a way to speed infill and implement the state’s middle-housing laws; opponents, including several city officials and Mercer Island’s mayor, urged stronger protections for critical areas and more time and guidance for local implementation.

Serena Dolly, staff to the committee, summarized the measure’s core terms: “The bill requires any city, subject to minimum density requirements, to include in their short plat regulations a process for an applicant to seek simultaneous review and approval of a lot split and building permit for new single family or middle housing.” Dolly said the process would allow an administrative decision by a planning director without a public hearing when specified conditions are met.

Representative Andrew Barkis, prime sponsor, told the committee the bill is intended to make it easier to build housing within urban growth areas and to implement prior middle-housing reforms. “This is a bill that is integral and important to that process,” Barkis said, noting stakeholders had revised the bill to address implementation concerns.

Major provisions discussed at the hearing included:
- An administrative (non‑public‑hearing) decision path, reviewed and approved or denied by the planning director.
- A limit that only one new lot may be created through the split.
- Minimum lot sizes: both the parent lot and the new lot must be at least 1,000 square feet.
- A prohibition on administratively splitting a lot that is itself already the product of an administrative lot split.
- A prohibition on imposing a lot-split condition that would reduce the number of dwelling units otherwise allowed on the parent lot; any construction remains subject to existing state and local laws, including the state building code.

Supporters told the committee the change would speed small-scale infill and help homeowners stay in place while creating opportunities to add units. Bill Clark of Washington Realtors said the bill is “a mechanism to build the same number of units that you could build under middle housing, but to have more lots to build them on.” Scott Hazelgrove of the Master Builders Association described lot splitting as “an important tool to provide flexibility, especially on infill.” Ryan Donahue of Habitat for Humanity of Seattle King and Kittitas Counties said the provision could create affordable homeownership opportunities.

Local officials and planning staff urged caution. Salim Nies, mayor of Mercer Island, testified in opposition and warned of safety risks in some jurisdictions, saying, “Please learn from California’s tragedy,” and asking the committee to “reject this bill, and prevent these risks in Washington.” Carl Almgren, community planning manager for Lynnwood, said subdivisions that involve critical areas are not “simple” and recommended excluding parent lots that contain critical areas from eligibility for administrative lot splits. Carl Schroeder of the Association of Washington Cities said the bill has improved but that some subdivision-review elements (tree retention, concurrency, safe routes to school) remain unclear.

Committee members and city witnesses also pressed for an implementation timeline tied to Commerce Department guidance. Several speakers requested at least six months, with one jurisdiction asking that the implementation clock begin when the Department of Commerce issues guidance, not on enactment, to avoid short turnaround times for small cities with limited staff.

No committee vote was taken. The chair closed the public hearing on HB 1096 and invited additional written comments; staff and sponsors said they expect further work and possible amendments as the bill moves through the process.

Background and next steps: the sponsor and multiple witnesses said the bill or related lot-split approaches have been considered in prior sessions and that stakeholders have negotiated changes over the interim. Committee staff and several cities asked for clear Commerce guidance and a reasonable implementation timeline to avoid unintended consequences for local critical-area reviews and appeals.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Housing - 1/13/2025 1:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","The House Housing Committee on Jan. 13 heard testimony on House Bill 1096, which would require cities subject to minimum density requirements to include in their short-plat regulations a process for an applicant to seek administrative review and simultaneous approval of a lot split and a building permit for new single-family or middle housing.","taxTitle","Housing, House of Representatives, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20263,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6392810,"Committee hears House Bill 1217 to cap rent and fee increases at 7% and bar first-year increases; tenants and landlords testify for and against",2977,1802000,4779000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2109057-3377f8dff62e9a78b432f752c6685251&start=1802&end=4779","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2109057-3377f8dff62e9a78b432f752c6685251/thumbnail_1802000.jpg","/articles/6392810/Washington/Committee-hears-House-Bill-1217-to-cap-rent-and-fee-increases-at-7-and-bar-first-year-increases-tenants-and-landlords-testify-for-and-against","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6392810-5aa191ff4b7e094cedf37d9295378c9d/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144139&Signature=ArbVPn2Us9fHHd7WvB8mfu3URpOsA6yRGJW9QfDk7Fo3EW2zoWLRhDKTeTS1kT3JMFXBHYdXUASVL-~EH6s7vvW0-qQr9y6B4-dqFAxWciIGDHrES-Ep0SAgLvCXO4QhIxmpk9a-CdMnrfpoPmbQWefrBtxQCaWdBEKy-NfRBbl~XXtQwxiMxYCXwztYmObUjxCqyP5wgMv~kzaBs8jD9aGw489p0cwNVgz~zjvAG~UOwNzSELgHDLUslpXPFOU5BHKDLu~kKu2o7Nkvi5y1VYe4xuRZHw0-9hcv9aeum3G-dC0mvwaphkNqNW5BAhlWJFoLNRwLomSvm~kZxAzywQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Housing Committee on Jan. 13 held an extended public hearing on House Bill 1217, a proposal to limit rent and fee increases to 7 percent in any 12‑month period and to prohibit rent and fee increases during the first 12 months of a tenancy for units covered by the Residential Landlord Tenant Act and the Manufactured Mobile Home Landlord Tenant Act.

Audrey Vasek, committee staff, said the bill also lists exemptions — including newly constructed dwelling units built within the last 10 years, units operated by public housing authorities or certain nonprofit organizations, certain qualified low-income housing developments, owner‑occupied rentals, and a limited exemption following the qualified sale of a manufactured-home community. Vasek said enforcement mechanisms include attorney general enforcement under the Consumer Protection Act and a private cause of action for damages; the Department of Commerce would be required to create an online landlord resource center and to contract for an independent social-vulnerability assessment of the bill’s impacts.

Representative Emily Alvarado (34th Legislative District), the bill’s sponsor, said rising rents are harming households statewide and argued the measure balances tenant protections with landlords’ ability to invest and make a profit. “No single policy can fix our housing crisis. No bill is a silver bullet but this bill is the single most cost effective way that we can immediately stop the devastating impacts of excessive rent increases on renters and manufactured homeowners in Washington,” Alvarado said. She described caps, notice requirements and exemptions as a “balanced policy” that preserves the ability to set market rent at a new tenancy while restraining year‑to‑year increases.

The hearing drew broad public testimony for and against the bill:
- Tenant and tenant‑advocacy testimony described repeated and large rent increases, housing instability, and impacts on seniors and people on fixed incomes. Stephanie Tidholm described multiple substantial rent increases during her housing history; Joanna Ricks Johnson, a Colville tribal member and disabled veteran, said her family had moved five times in four years because of habitability and rent increases. Tina Hammond, a 64‑year‑old manufactured‑home owner, said a 12% lot‑rent increase last year forced her to cut heating and delay medications.
- Manufactured‑home residents and advocates urged passage. Chris Walker, who lives in a senior manufactured‑home community, told the committee many residents “are on fixed incomes” and asked the committee to “pass bill 1217.”
- Small landlords and some owners raised concerns about cost pressures, including property taxes, insurance, utility and regulatory costs. Kelly Reinhart, a landlord of two duplexes, said modest increases (under 5 percent for her long‑term tenants) have allowed her to operate; she warned that rapid, large increases could destabilize tenants and create frequent vacancies. Property‑management representatives and industry groups urged changes to avoid driving investment to neighboring states with different rent‑stabilization rules.
- Industry groups expressed formal opposition or “respectful opposition.” Riley Benge of Washington Realtors warned the bill’s flat cap could make Washington less competitive for investment versus states with inflation‑linked caps, and the Building Industry Association said the policy could produce inequitable outcomes for people who are not currently stably housed.

Several witnesses, including cities and property managers, asked the committee to clarify how the bill would treat manufactured‑home parks and whether landlords could reset rents to market on turnover when a different tenant signs a new lease or when ownership changes. Property managers raised concerns about steep insurance increases and other external cost drivers that they said could exceed a numeric annual cap.

Committee members asked sponsors and witnesses about data cited in the bill’s intent section (references to U.S. Census Bureau findings on rent increases) and about how the proposal compares to rent‑stabilization regimes in Oregon and California; witnesses noted differences in exemption lengths and indexation provisions. No vote was taken. The committee closed the Jan. 13 testimony and said further hearings will follow; the chair requested additional written testimony from those who could not testify in person.

What’s next: sponsors and opponents said they expect negotiation on details — including the cap formula, exemptions for new construction, manufactured‑home park provisions, notice and fee limits, and enforcement mechanisms — before any committee vote.","House Bill 1217 would limit rent and fee increases to 7% in any 12-month period and bar increases during the first 12 months of a tenancy, with exemptions for new construction, public housing authorities, and certain nonprofit or income-restricted units. Supporters said the bill provides immediate relief for renters; landlords and industry groups ",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6392813,"Committee hears House Bill 1003 on certified-mail service of unlawful-detainer notices, sponsor says bill eases process",317,1475000,1792000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2109057-3377f8dff62e9a78b432f752c6685251&start=1475&end=1792","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2109057-3377f8dff62e9a78b432f752c6685251/thumbnail_1475000.jpg","/articles/6392813/Washington/Committee-hears-House-Bill-1003-on-certified-mail-service-of-unlawful-detainer-notices-sponsor-says-bill-eases-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6392813-10364b5f949bcc311a3ef33d1f643892/orig.mp4?Expires=1771144139&Signature=Qu6xPtZxZzG0BR4fSYuTphf1cNMn4XnC05kkz9H0Qt~a5NjSXo8RSDYh4fzcWzXnn94gD7m6wEtyrSHX3SozaanvAyGSxoSIl-tetceh3fkJXU9YPAhmgdJ81gAVVxK5j7QGBXyC8JPoQS-kcEnFWP8gZnxupUOWbkh3PNnH2AFBBUHGNfKxQEbyviv7BXxRyHIc9ZXPozYMMEEsUUpcdjk66CHIzd30TsBEIIeXz5vnfHqR8OSrTorjTx7doYIf3PuJ2z3h7HrUYDGUN8VO~gwMWCSjIr~QMPrxQCTaNF3fWUEj2sU5E-VwfbIUPtCASZrRWAdktmsj5nVU67covA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Housing Committee on Jan. 13 received a staff report and sponsor testimony on House Bill 1003, a measure to change how notices required under the unlawful-detainer chapter may be served by mail.

Audrey Vasek, committee staff, summarized the proposal: service by mail for unlawful-detainer notices would be considered complete when the notice is deposited with postage prepaid by certified mail posted from anywhere in the state and directed to the last known address of the person being served; when served by mail the bill would require five additional days before a landlord may start legal action based on the notice. Vasek also noted the bill aligns service rules for some Residential Landlord Tenant Act notices with the unlawful-detainer chapter.

Peter Albarno, sponsor and a state representative for the 20th Legislative District, told the committee the bill adds an “additional mechanism” to effect service and said it should reduce costs and logistical burdens for property owners who live outside the county where a property is located. “It provides another process,” Albarno said, and the change also “provides the tenant additional time” when certified mail is used.

Committee members asked staff and the sponsor for clarification about existing service requirements and whether certification changes current rules; staff said the bill does not eliminate existing methods but adds certified mail posted from within Washington as an option and lengthens the notice period when that method is used.

No committee vote was taken. The chair suspended the hearing on HB 1003 and said the committee will continue the hearing on Jan. 14 to allow more testimony.","House Bill 1003 would allow service of unlawful-detainer notices by certified mail posted from anywhere in Washington and extend the notice period by five days. Sponsor said the change eases procedural burdens for landlords and adds protections for tenants; committee suspended the hearing to continue on the following day.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee hears House Bill 1096 to allow administrative lot splits, cities and mayors voice support and safety concerns

Committee hears House Bill 1217 to cap rent and fee increases at 7% and bar first-year increases; tenants and landlords testify for and against

Committee hears House Bill 1003 on certified-mail service of unlawful-detainer notices, sponsor says bill eases process