Governor Ferguson signs package of housing bills in Everett to expand and speed affordable housing
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Summary
Governor Ferguson signed a set of housing bills at Housing Hope’s HopeWorks Station in Everett that lawmakers and advocates say will expand ADUs in rural areas, speed permitting for supportive housing, enable land banking, require flood-risk disclosures for renters and allow residential use in some commercial zones.
Everett — Governor Ferguson on the grounds of Housing Hope’s HopeWorks Station signed a package of housing bills into law in a ceremonial event with advocates, legislators and Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck, saying the measures are meant to speed construction and preserve affordable homes across Washington.
The bills, seven highlighted by the governor at the event, range from financing and operational flexibility for affordable housing providers to changes in zoning and permitting intended to reduce delays and development costs. Housing Hope CEO Kat Opinah described the site as “a true testament to the power of public and private partnerships,” noting the building includes 65 deeply affordable units, 57 of which serve households exiting homelessness, and a job-training academy on the ground floor.
Governor Ferguson framed the signing as part of an ongoing push to address the statewide housing crisis and to locate some ceremonies where the impacts are felt. “It’s not about just signing bills. It’s about opening doors,” he said, urging community members and sponsors to join the ceremony when their measures were read aloud.
The measures signed and key points announced at the event included:
- Senate Bill 6027 (affordable housing funding): The governor said SB 6027 gives local governments more flexibility to spend tax revenues earmarked for affordable housing — including on operations, maintenance and rehabilitation — and clarifies eligible uses for permanent supportive housing contractors at the Department of Commerce to protect provider networks from federal contract volatility.
- House Bill 1345 (detached ADUs for rural counties): HB 1345 authorizes counties to allow owners in rural areas to build detached accessory dwelling units and includes protections such as standards for water use in rural ADUs, the governor said.
- House Bill 2266 (permanent supportive, transitional and emergency ‘step’ housing): The governor described HB 2266 as creating clear statewide permitting standards to treat these housing types like other residential housing, aiming to speed predictable development across the state.
- House Bill 1974 (land banking): HB 1974 seeks to shorten the time it takes local land-banking authorities, cities and counties to secure land for housing development and support alternative ownership models such as community land trusts and shared-equity approaches.
- House Bill 6327 / Senate Bill 6237 (landlord flood-risk disclosure): In response to recent flooding events, the bills require landlords to disclose flood risks to renters so tenants can make informed decisions about insurance and safety.
- House Bill 2418 (permit review timelines): HB 2418 amends local project-review law to create new permit review timelines for several entities — including special purpose and public utility districts — to reduce delays and provide clarity for builders and local governments.
- Senate Bill 6026 (residential development in commercial zones): One of the governor’s proposals, SB 6026 allows residential development in some commercial zones, limits ground-floor commercial mandates that have been barriers to housing, and aims to capitalize on existing infrastructure to reduce per-unit development costs. Senator Emily Alvarado, the bill’s prime sponsor, said the measure would help “transform vacant storefronts, boarded-up big box stores, and empty strip malls” into homes.
Several sponsors and legislative leaders joined the governor for photos and pen signings; the ceremony followed the tradition of allowing the prime sponsor to sign with a pen provided by the governor. Lieutenant Governor Denny Heck praised the work of advocates and lawmakers and said many items in the governor’s housing action plan have been advanced in the session.
The event was described repeatedly as a ceremonial milestone rather than the end of work: officials emphasized continued action and implementation work ahead, and the governor said staff and officials would be available to answer questions after the ceremony. No roll-call votes or formal legislative actions occurred at the event; the signing marks the executive act completing the bills’ enactment process.