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Committee considers easing rules for converting existing buildings to housing, including energy‑code carve‑outs
Summary
A bill that would limit local permitting and state energy code triggers for conversions of existing buildings to residential units drew testimony from the bill sponsor and industry representatives, who argued the changes lower barriers to converting underused space into homes.
A substitute House bill to modify local regulation of conversions of existing buildings to residential use was presented to the Senate Housing Committee on March 14.
Staff summarized the bill as adjusting local land‑use regulations and the state building code to make it easier to convert underutilized commercial and other buildings into housing. The staff briefing said cities must amend land‑use regulations within specified timelines and that the bill would prohibit some local requirements (for example, change‑of‑use permits in certain circumstances) and exempt some conversions from the current state energy code under limited conditions.
Representative Amy Walen, the…
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