BILL REQ. #:  S-0947.1 

Read first time 02/03/2005.   Referred to Committee on Financial Institutions, Housing & Consumer Protection.

     AN ACT Relating to rehabilitating multiple-unit housing; and amending RCW 84.14.030.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 84.14.030 and 1997 c 429 s 42 are each amended to read as follows:
     An owner of property making application under this chapter must meet the following requirements:
     (1) The new or rehabilitated multiple-unit housing must be located in a residential targeted area as designated by the city;
     (2) The multiple-unit housing must meet the guidelines as adopted by the governing authority that may include height, density, public benefit features, number and size of proposed development, parking, low-income or moderate-income occupancy requirements, and other adopted requirements indicated necessary by the city. The required amenities should be relative to the size of the project and tax benefit to be obtained;
     (3) The new, converted, or rehabilitated multiple-unit housing must provide for a minimum of fifty percent of the space for permanent residential occupancy. In the case of existing occupied multifamily development, the multifamily housing must also provide for a minimum of four additional multifamily units. Existing multifamily vacant housing that has been vacant for twelve months or more does not have to provide additional multifamily units;
     (4) New construction multifamily housing and rehabilitation improvements must be completed within three years from the date of approval of the application;
     (5) Property proposed to be rehabilitated must ((be vacant at least twelve months before submitting an application and)) fail to comply with one or more standards of the applicable state or local building or housing codes on or after July 23, 1995. If the property proposed to be rehabilitated is not vacant, an applicant shall provide each existing tenant housing of comparable size, quality, and price and a reasonable opportunity to relocate; and
     (6) The applicant must enter into a contract with the city approved by the governing body under which the applicant has agreed to the implementation of the development on terms and conditions satisfactory to the governing authority.