Gov. Jay Inslee signed a slate of housing bills Monday, capping a legislative session many lawmakers took to calling the “year of housing.”
Many of the bills are aimed at boosting the supply of homes in a state where it’s expensive and sorely needed.
Washington will now allow multifamily housing in many more neighborhoods, encourage people to develop accessory dwelling units, and streamline development regulations, among other policies. The overarching effort to smooth regulatory barriers, like zoning and permits, to building housing garnered bipartisan support.
“We are attacking this problem at its root, which is the lack of housing in the state of Washington,” Inslee said.