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Committee reviews bill to have Commerce review local housing plans under GMA
Summary
Senate Bill 5,148 would require the Department of Commerce to review housing elements and development regulations from fully planning cities and counties for Growth Management Act compliance; sponsors and witnesses said the measure aims to make state housing laws more enforceable while opponents flagged workload and local-control concerns.
Senate Bill 5,148, the Housing Accountability Act, was introduced to the House Housing Committee on March 20, asking the Washington State Department of Commerce to review local housing elements and housing-related development regulations to determine whether jurisdictions comply with the Growth Management Act (GMA).
Supporters, led in the hearing by sponsor Senator Bateman and Commerce staff Audrey Vazic, said the bill creates a voluntary early-review option and a mandatory targeted review timeline — requiring review no later than three years after a jurisdiction enacts or updates its comprehensive plan — to ensure that state laws meant to expand housing actually function on the ground. "We don't have any actual mechanisms for ensuring that that housing gets constructed," Senator Bateman told the committee, arguing the measure would provide accountability without relying solely on costly appeals to the Growth Management…
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