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GOP leaders: housing supply bills will ease costs; they warn rent control would reduce supply
Summary
Republican leaders described a package of supply-side housing bills — multifamily incentives, middle-housing and permit reform — and argued that Democratic rent-control proposals would shrink supply and drive developers out of state.
OLYMPIA — Republican lawmakers described a multi-part housing package aimed at increasing density and streamlining permitting, and warned that Democratic proposals for rent control would reduce housing supply and raise costs.
Sen. Keith Gaynor and House members participating in housing committees outlined proposals that include multifamily tax exemptions, middle-housing measures for urban and rural areas, ADU (accessory dwelling unit) allowances outside urban-growth boundaries, and efforts to streamline permitting and expand urban growth boundaries where infrastructure exists.
House and Senate Republicans said those supply-side measures are intended to create more housing units and lower costs, while arguing that rent-control proposals would discourage investment, reduce maintenance by owners and prompt some developers to leave the state. Rep. April Connors and other GOP leaders cited developer feedback that talk of rent control is already slowing construction decisions.
Lawmakers acknowledged some GOP supply bills had not advanced past committees and described ongoing work ahead of the Friday cutoff. They said tenant-assistance proposals and permit-reform efforts were among items discussed but that some bills had stalled in committee.
