Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Washington committee hears mixed views on HB 2,266, a bill to expand step housing access
Summary
Supporters told the House Housing Committee HB 2,266 would remove local barriers and speed delivery of shelters and permanent supportive housing; city officials warned the bill as drafted would strip critical operational tools and create safety and funding issues. Committee held broad testimony and asked for draft amendment language.
Supporters of House Bill 2,266 told the Washington House Housing Committee on Jan. 20 that the bill is necessary to stop local barriers from delaying or blocking step housing projects.
"We do not have enough deeply affordable housing for the amount of people who need it, and we are not building fast enough," said Sarah Dickmeyer of Plymouth Housing, which she said operates nearly 1,500 permanent supportive housing units. Dickmeyer testified that hidden discretionary approvals, duplicative permitting and late‑stage changes had delayed projects and sometimes prevented financing from being used.
Jim Morishima, staff to the committee, summarized the bill as requiring cities and counties to allow step housing in any non‑industrial area and to apply the same standards to step housing that apply to other permitted residential uses, with limited exceptions such as setbacks and stormwater rules. Morishima said the…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
