Cities and counties planning under the Growth Management Act (GMA) must include a housing element in their comprehensive plans. The GMA housing goal directs local governments to plan for and accommodate housing affordable to all economic segments of the population, promote a variety of residential densities and housing types, and encourage preservation of existing housing stock.
To guide local governments in updating their comprehensive plans and regulations with respect to a housing element, Commerce has developed the following guidance and resources.
- Establishing Housing Targets for Your Community (Book 1) (PDF)
- Guidance for Updating your Housing Element (Book 2) (PDF)
- Guidance to Address Racially Disparate Impacts (Book 3) (PDF)
- Overview of new housing element requirements and projected housing needs (PDF)
Expanded Housing Checklist (Word) – This optional checklist provides the framework Commerce regional planners will use to review periodic update housing submissions.
Housing Element Examples – Commerce’s EZView webpage includes examples of the new housing elements requirements from submissions Commerce has received.
GMA Statutes
- Growth Management Act Housing Goal — RCW.26.70A.020(4)
- Growth Management Act Housing Element — RCW 36.70A.070(2) and WAC 365-196-410
- Affordable Housing Incentive Programs — RCW 36.70A.540
HAPT
Housing for All Planning Tool (HAPT)
The Housing for All Planning Tool (Excel) includes countywide housing need projections and three methods for allocating housing needs to individual jurisdictions.
STEP
HB 1220 (2021) requires jurisdictions to update their development regulations with respect to emergency shelters, transitional housing, emergency housing, and permanent supportive housing (STEP).
To assist cities and counties in integrating effective STEP planning into local regulations, Commerce worked with Abt Associates and the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) to develop a portfolio of new STEP guidance documents and tools including:
- State of the Practice Report (PDF) to summarize state and federal regulations, existing local practices and best practices for the siting and development of STEP.
- Model Ordinance, User Guide and Best Practices Report (PDF) to help local jurisdictions develop their own ordinances.
- Four case studies (PDF) on successful local implementation of STEP
- Communications toolkit to help jurisdictions communicate the benefits, challenges and best practices associated with STEP
An additional toolkit to support communications around Permanent Support Housing can be found on the Permanent Supportive Housing Toolkit webpage.
Webinar
Commerce hosted a webinar to present the STEP model ordinance materials on July 24. Review the webinar presentation at the following links:
Drop-In Hours
Commerce will be hosting STEP office hours twice per month to assist planners, elected officials and the public. Join us on the second and fourth Thursday of each month from 3-4 p.m.
- Register (Zoom) for the second Thursday of the month meeting.
- Register (Zoom) for the fourth Thursday of the month meeting.
Dispute Resolution
In 2024, the Legislature set aside funds to support dispute resolution between local governments and service providers attempting to site supportive housing and emergency housing facilities. Commerce has hired a dispute resolution contractor to mediate STEP siting and permitting disputes. Please see the Housing Dispute Resolution Plan for details, including when dispute resolution is available, who can request dispute resolution, and the process for requesting dispute resolution.
Definitions and background
The following resources explain what the four STEP types are and what laws govern their regulation:
- Supportive Housing Types Review Checklist (Word) – This checklist is intended to help local governments review and prepare codes that regulate STEP types.
- Supportive Housing Types (PPT) – Provides an overview of STEP housing types and supports for jurisdictions undertaking this work.
- Recording of presentation on Supportive Housing Types (Vimeo) – the recording starts at 1:07:30.
For more information on STEP, please contact Laura.Hodgson@commerce.wa.gov or at 360-764-3143.
CLIHP
Coordinating Low-Income Housing Planning (CLIHP) grants support activities that plan for and accommodate housing that is affordable for individuals and families earning less than 50 percent of the area median income.
See the GMA Grants webpage for more information and application materials.
Other housing resources
In 2021, the Washington Legislature changed the way communities are required to plan for housing. House Bill 1220 (2021) amended the Growth Management Act (GMA) to instruct local governments to “plan for and accommodate” housing affordable to all income levels. This significantly strengthened the previous goal, which was to encourage affordable housing.
The amended law also directed the Department of Commerce to project future housing needs for jurisdictions by income level and made significant updates to how jurisdictions are to plan for housing in the housing element of their comprehensive plans. These new changes to local housing elements include:
- Planning for sufficient land capacity for housing needs, including all economic segments of the population (moderate, low, very low and extremely low income, as well as emergency housing and permanent supportive housing).
- Providing for moderate density housing options within Urban Growth Areas (UGAs), including but not limited to duplexes, triplexes and townhomes.
- Making adequate provisions for housing for existing and projected needs for all economic segments of the community, including documenting programs and actions needed to achieve housing availability.
- Identifying racially disparate impacts, displacement and exclusion in housing policies and regulations, and beginning to undo those impacts; and identifying areas at higher risk of displacement and establishing anti-displacement policies.
- Guidance for Updating Your Housing Element (March 2021) (PDF)
- Watch the MRSC webinar on Housing Elements (Vimeo)
- Download the MRSC presentation on Housing Elements (PDF)
- Guidance for Developing a Housing Action Plan (June 2020) (PDF) – This guidance provides information on community and stakeholder engagement and a suite of strategies for increasing housing supply and diversity.
- Watch the MRSC webinar on HAPs (Vimeo)
- Download the MRSC presentation on HAPs (PDF)
- Guidance for Developing a Housing Needs Assessment (March 2020) (PDF)
- Establishing Housing Targets for Your Community (Housing Need Projections and Allocation)
- Updating Your Housing Element with HB 1220 (2021) Requirements (Land Capacity and Making Adequate Provisions)
- Racially Disparate Impacts, Displacement and Exclusion in Housing
In 2023, Commerce leveraged funding from the Legislature to compile data for local governments completing the racially disparate impacts, exclusion, displacement and displacement risk analysis work required under the new housing element requirements. The following resources are available to support jurisdictions:
Racially Disparate Impact (RDI) Data Toolkit
This RDI Data Toolkit provides local jurisdictions with a base level of data to use in their analysis, particularly in identifying racially disparate impacts and exclusion.
- Data is available for 2024, 2025 and 2026 jurisdictions (EZview website).
- Data for 2027 jurisdictions is forthcoming.
Statewide displacement risk map
Outside of the Central Puget Sound area, there is no widely available displacement risk map local governments may use to understand displacement risk. Commerce has developed a draft statewide displacement risk map for public review through September 2023.
- DRAFT Statewide Displacement Risk Map (ArcGIS map)
- Displacement Risk Map webinar recording (Vimeo) and presentation (PDF)
- DRAFT Displacement Risk Data (Excel) used in the map
- Commerce and PSRC Displacement Risk Maps Comparison Memo (PDF)
Examples of RDI analysis from 2021-2023 grantee work
During the 2021-2023 biennium, the Legislature funded a middle housing grant program in the Central Puget Sound region for cities to use towards middle housing planning. The grant included a requirement to analyze racially disparate impacts, displacement and exclusion. Example analyses performed by grantees will be loaded under the “Equity Displacement and Exclusion” section on this EZView webpage.
The EZ View Website on Housing Affordability provides a range of resources useful for local government housing planning including financial resources, data and studies.