Housing supply/GMA

AN ACT Relating to creating greater accountability for increasing 1
the supply of housing consistent with growth management; amending RCW 2
36.70A.011, 36.70A.020, 36.70A.115, 36.70A.210, and 36.70A.345; and 3
creating a new section. 4
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:5
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. (1) The legislature finds that Washington 6
continues to struggle with a housing availability crisis. In 2023, 7
the department of commerce estimated that Washington will need more 8
than a million new homes over the next 20 years to keep pace with 9
expected population growth. Other analyses, such as the William D. 10
Ruckelshaus Center's "Pathways to Housing Security" final report, 11
recommend that Washington should improve coordination in the various 12
sectors of the housing system to carry out long-term strategies that 13
will confront the daunting housing challenge.14
(2) The legislature further finds that the growth management act 15
provides for enforceable accountability measures, growth management 16
hearings board review, and other sanctions that may be used to ensure 17
the goals of the act are accomplished. By adapting these 18
accountability mechanisms to include a greater emphasis on housing 19
supply, the legislature concludes that the growth management act can 20
S-0022.1
SENATE BILL 5732
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Braun and Dozier
Read first time 02/12/25. Referred to Committee on Housing.
p. 1 SB 5732
become a better tool for encouraging counties and cities to plan for 1
more housing to be built. 2
(3) The legislature therefore determines that the following 3
specific policies will increase the likelihood that Washington will 4
make progress toward meeting the housing goals of the growth 5
management act and enhance the ability of Washington residents of all 6
income levels to secure housing that meets their needs:7
(a) Direct counties to foster land use patterns that will provide 8
an abundant supply of housing in rural areas; 9
(b) Specify that the housing and permit goals of the growth 10
management act require closing the housing availability gap while 11
continuously tracking progress toward increasing housing supply, 12
including by monitoring and tracking permit applications to ensure 13
that the housing goal is being measured and will be achieved;14
(c) Clarify that counties and cities planning under the growth 15
management act must ensure that their comprehensive plans and 16
development regulations provide sufficient land to accommodate new 17
housing developments; 18
(d) Require countywide planning policies to monitor and track 19
progress toward permitting new housing to address housing crises at a 20
regional level; and 21
(e) Provide for sanctions when a county or city fails to track or 22
make progress on increasing housing supply pursuant to the housing 23
goal of the growth management act. 24
Sec. 2. RCW 36.70A.011 and 2002 c 212 s 1 are each amended to 25
read as follows: 26
The legislature finds that this chapter is intended to recognize 27
the importance of rural lands and rural character to Washington's 28
economy, its people, and its environment, while respecting regional 29
differences. Rural lands and rural -based economies enhance the 30
economic desirability of the state, help to preserve traditional 31
economic activities, and contribute to the state's overall quality of 32
life. 33
The legislature finds that to retain and enhance the job base in 34
rural areas, rural counties must have flexibility to create 35
opportunities for business development and housing . Further, the 36
legislature finds that rural counties must have the flexibility to 37
retain existing businesses and allow them to expand. The legislature 38
recognizes that not all business developments in rural counties 39
p. 2 SB 5732
require an urban level of services; and that many businesses in rural 1
areas fit within the definition of rural character identified by the 2
local planning unit. 3
Finally, the legislature finds that in defining its rural element 4
under RCW 36.70A.070(5), a county should foster land use patterns and 5
develop a local vision of rural character that will: Help preserve 6
rural-based economies and traditional rural lifestyles; encourage the 7
economic prosperity of rural residents; foster opportunities for 8
small-scale, rural-based employment and self -employment; permit the 9
operation of rural-based agricultural, commercial, recreational, and 10
tourist businesses that are consistent with existing and planned land 11
use patterns; be compatible with the use of the land by wildlife and 12
for fish and wildlife habitat; foster the private stewardship of the 13
land and preservation of open space; provide an abundant supply of 14
housing for residents of rural areas; and enhance the rural sense of 15
community and quality of life. 16
Sec. 3. RCW 36.70A.020 and 2023 c 228 s 1 are each amended to 17
read as follows: 18
The following goals are adopted to guide the development and 19
adoption of comprehensive plans and development regulations of those 20
counties and cities that are required or choose to plan under RCW 21
36.70A.040 and, where specified, also guide the development of 22
regional policies, plans, and strategies adopted under RCW 36.70A.210 23
and chapter 47.80 RCW. The following goals are not listed in order of 24
priority and shall be used exclusively for the purpose of guiding the 25
development of comprehensive plans, development regulations, and, 26
where specified, regional plans, policies, and strategies:27
(1) Urban growth. Encourage development in urban areas where 28
adequate public facilities and services exist or can be provided in 29
an efficient manner. 30
(2) Reduce sprawl. Reduce the inappropriate conversion of 31
undeveloped land into sprawling, low-density development.32
(3) Transportation. Encourage efficient multimodal transportation 33
systems that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and per capita 34
vehicle miles traveled, and are based on regional priorities and 35
coordinated with county and city comprehensive plans.36
(4) Housing. Plan for and accommodate housing affordable to all 37
economic segments of the population of this state, promote a variety 38
of residential densities and housing types, close the housing 39
p. 3 SB 5732
availability gap while continuously tracking progress toward 1
increasing housing supply, and encourage preservation of existing 2
housing stock. 3
(5) Economic development. Encourage economic development 4
throughout the state that is consistent with adopted comprehensive 5
plans, promote economic opportunity for all citizens of this state, 6
especially for unemployed and for disadvantaged persons, promote the 7
retention and expansion of existing businesses and recruitment of new 8
businesses, recognize regional differences impacting economic 9
development opportunities, and encourage growth in areas experiencing 10
insufficient economic growth, all within the capacities of the 11
state's natural resources, public services, and public facilities.12
(6) Property rights. Private property shall not be taken for 13
public use without just compensation having been made. The property 14
rights of landowners shall be protected from arbitrary and 15
discriminatory actions. 16
(7) Permits. Applications for both state and local government 17
permits should be processed in a timely and fair manner to ensure 18
predictability. Applications must be monitored and tracked to 19
demonstrate measurable progress toward accomplishing the housing 20
goals of this section.21
(8) Natural resource industries. Maintain and enhance natural 22
resource-based industries, including productive timber, agricultural, 23
and fisheries industries. Encourage the conservation of productive 24
forestlands and productive agricultural lands, and discourage 25
incompatible uses. 26
(9) Open space and recreation. Retain open space and green space, 27
enhance recreational opportunities, enhance fish and wildlife 28
habitat, increase access to natural resource lands and water, and 29
develop parks and recreation facilities. 30
(10) Environment. Protect and enhance the environment and enhance 31
the state's high quality of life, including air and water quality, 32
and the availability of water. 33
(11) Citizen participation and coordination. Encourage the 34
involvement of citizens in the planning process, including the 35
participation of vulnerable populations and overburdened communities, 36
and ensure coordination between communities and jurisdictions to 37
reconcile conflicts. 38
(12) Public facilities and services. Ensure that those public 39
facilities and services necessary to support development shall be 40
p. 4 SB 5732
adequate to serve the development at the time the development is 1
available for occupancy and use without decreasing current service 2
levels below locally established minimum standards.3
(13) Historic preservation. Identify and encourage the 4
preservation of lands, sites, and structures, that have historical or 5
archaeological significance. 6
(14) Climate change and resiliency. Ensure that comprehensive 7
plans, development regulations, and regional policies, plans, and 8
strategies under RCW 36.70A.210 and chapter 47.80 RCW adapt to and 9
mitigate the effects of a changing climate; support reductions in 10
greenhouse gas emissions and per capita vehicle miles traveled; 11
prepare for climate impact scenarios; foster resiliency to climate 12
impacts and natural hazards; protect and enhance environmental, 13
economic, and human health and safety; and advance environmental 14
justice. 15
(15) Shorelines of the state. For shorelines of the state, the 16
goals and policies of the shoreline management act as set forth in 17
RCW 90.58.020 shall be considered an element of the county's or 18
city's comprehensive plan. 19
Sec. 4. RCW 36.70A.115 and 2017 3rd sp.s. c 16 s 1 are each 20
amended to read as follows: 21
(1) Counties and cities that are required or choose to plan under 22
RCW 36.70A.040 shall ensure that, taken collectively, adoption of and 23
amendments to their comprehensive plans and/or development 24
regulations provide sufficient capacity of land suitable for 25
development within their jurisdictions to accommodate their allocated 26
housing and employment growth, including the accommodation of, as 27
appropriate, new housing developments and the medical, governmental, 28
educational, institutional, commercial, and industrial facilities 29
related to such growth, as adopted in the applicable countywide 30
planning policies and consistent with the twenty-year population 31
forecast from the office of financial management. 32
(2) This analysis shall include the reasonable measures findings 33
developed under RCW 36.70A.215, if applicable to such counties and 34
cities. 35
Sec. 5. RCW 36.70A.210 and 2022 c 252 s 6 are each amended to 36
read as follows: 37
p. 5 SB 5732
(1) The legislature recognizes that counties are regional 1
governments within their boundaries, and cities are primary providers 2
of urban governmental services within urban growth areas. For the 3
purposes of this section, a "countywide planning policy" is a written 4
policy statement or statements used solely for establishing a 5
countywide framework from which county and city comprehensive plans 6
are developed and adopted pursuant to this chapter. This framework 7
shall ensure that city and county comprehensive plans are consistent 8
as required in RCW 36.70A.100. Nothing in this section shall be 9
construed to alter the land-use powers of cities. 10
(2) The legislative authority of a county that plans under RCW 11
36.70A.040 shall adopt a countywide planning policy in cooperation 12
with the cities located in whole or in part within the county as 13
follows: 14
(a) No later than sixty calendar days from July 16, 1991, the 15
legislative authority of each county that as of June 1, 1991, was 16
required or chose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 shall convene a 17
meeting with representatives of each city located within the county 18
for the purpose of establishing a collaborative process that will 19
provide a framework for the adoption of a countywide planning policy. 20
In other counties that are required or choose to plan under RCW 21
36.70A.040, this meeting shall be convened no later than sixty days 22
after the date the county adopts its resolution of intention or was 23
certified by the office of financial management. 24
(b) The process and framework for adoption of a countywide 25
planning policy specified in (a) of this subsection shall determine 26
the manner in which the county and the cities agree to all procedures 27
and provisions including but not limited to desired planning 28
policies, deadlines, ratification of final agreements and 29
demonstration thereof, and financing, if any, of all activities 30
associated therewith. 31
(c) If a county fails for any reason to convene a meeting with 32
representatives of cities as required in (a) of this subsection, the 33
governor may immediately impose any appropriate sanction or sanctions 34
on the county from those specified under RCW 36.70A.340.35
(d) If there is no agreement by October 1, 1991, in a county that 36
was required or chose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 as of June 1, 37
1991, or if there is no agreement within one hundred twenty days of 38
the date the county adopted its resolution of intention or was 39
certified by the office of financial management in any other county 40
p. 6 SB 5732
that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 36.70A.040, the 1
governor shall first inquire of the jurisdictions as to the reason or 2
reasons for failure to reach an agreement. If the governor deems it 3
appropriate, the governor may immediately request the assistance of 4
the department of commerce to mediate any disputes that preclude 5
agreement. If mediation is unsuccessful in resolving all disputes 6
that will lead to agreement, the governor may impose appropriate 7
sanctions from those specified under RCW 36.70A.340 on the county, 8
city, or cities for failure to reach an agreement as provided in this 9
section. The governor shall specify the reason or reasons for the 10
imposition of any sanction. 11
(e) No later than July 1, 1992, the legislative authority of each 12
county that was required or chose to plan under RCW 36.70A.040 as of 13
June 1, 1991, or no later than fourteen months after the date the 14
county adopted its resolution of intention or was certified by the 15
office of financial management the county legislative authority of 16
any other county that is required or chooses to plan under RCW 17
36.70A.040, shall adopt a countywide planning policy according to the 18
process provided under this section and that is consistent with the 19
agreement pursuant to (b) of this subsection, and after holding a 20
public hearing or hearings on the proposed countywide planning 21
policy. 22
(3) A countywide planning policy shall at a minimum, address the 23
following: 24
(a) Policies to implement RCW 36.70A.110; 25
(b) Policies for promotion of contiguous and orderly development 26
and provision of urban services to such development;27
(c) Policies for siting public capital facilities of a countywide 28
or statewide nature, including transportation facilities of statewide 29
significance as defined in RCW 47.06.140; 30
(d) Policies for countywide transportation facilities and 31
strategies; 32
(e) Policies that consider the need for affordable housing, such 33
as housing for all economic segments of the population and parameters 34
for its distribution; 35
(f) Policies for joint county and city planning within urban 36
growth areas; 37
(g) Policies for countywide economic development and employment, 38
which must include consideration of the future development of 39
commercial and industrial facilities; 40
p. 7 SB 5732
(h) An analysis of the fiscal impact; ((and))1
(i) Policies that address the protection of tribal cultural 2
resources in collaboration with federally recognized Indian tribes 3
that are invited pursuant to subsection (4) of this section, provided 4
that a tribe, or more than one tribe, chooses to participate in the 5
process; and6
(j) Policies to monitor and track progress toward permitting new 7
housing to address regional housing supply crises. 8
(4) Federal agencies and federally recognized Indian tribes whose 9
reservation or ceded lands lie within the county shall be invited to 10
participate in and cooperate with the countywide planning policy 11
adoption process. Adopted countywide planning policies shall be 12
adhered to by state agencies. 13
(5) Failure to adopt a countywide planning policy that meets the 14
requirements of this section may result in the imposition of a 15
sanction or sanctions on a county or city within the county, as 16
specified in RCW 36.70A.340. In imposing a sanction or sanctions, the 17
governor shall specify the reasons for failure to adopt a countywide 18
planning policy in order that any imposed sanction or sanctions are 19
fairly and equitably related to the failure to adopt a countywide 20
planning policy. 21
(6) Cities and the governor may appeal an adopted countywide 22
planning policy to the growth management hearings board within sixty 23
days of the adoption of the countywide planning policy.24
(7) Multicounty planning policies shall be adopted by two or more 25
counties, each with a population of four hundred fifty thousand or 26
more, with contiguous urban areas and may be adopted by other 27
counties, according to the process established under this section or 28
other processes agreed to among the counties and cities within the 29
affected counties throughout the multicounty region.30
Sec. 6. RCW 36.70A.345 and 2010 c 211 s 13 are each amended to 31
read as follows: 32
The governor may impose a sanction or sanctions specified under 33
RCW 36.70A.340 on: (1) A county or city that fails to designate 34
critical areas, agricultural lands, forestlands, or mineral resource 35
lands under RCW 36.70A.170 by the date such action was required to 36
have been taken; (2) a county or city that fails to adopt development 37
regulations under RCW 36.70A.060 protecting critical areas or 38
conserving agricultural lands, forestlands, or mineral resource lands 39
p. 8 SB 5732
by the date such action was required to have been taken; (3) a county 1
that fails to designate urban growth areas under RCW 36.70A.110 by 2
the date such action was required to have been taken; (4) a county or 3
city that fails to track and make progress on increasing housing 4
supply pursuant to the goals set forth in RCW 36.70A.020; and (((4))) 5
(5) a county or city that fails to adopt its comprehensive plan or 6
development regulations when such actions are required to be taken.7
Imposition of a sanction or sanctions under this section shall be 8
preceded by written findings by the governor, that either the county 9
or city is not proceeding in good faith to meet the requirements of 10
((the act)) this chapter; or that the county or city has unreasonably 11
delayed taking the required action. The governor shall consult with 12
and communicate his or her findings to the growth management hearings 13
board prior to imposing the sanction or sanctions. For those counties 14
or cities that are not required to plan or have not opted in, the 15
governor in imposing sanctions shall consider the size of the 16
jurisdiction relative to the requirements of this chapter and the 17
degree of technical and financial assistance provided.18
--- END ---
p. 9 SB 5732