SHB 2848 -
By Committee on Consumer Protection & Housing
Strike everything after the enacting clause and insert the following:
"NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 84.14 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) Beginning in 2009, cities with property owners taking an
exemption under this chapter, as well as counties within which such
cities exist, may establish a voluntary contribution program. Each
year, county treasurers, with the assistance of cities subject to this
section, shall notify property owners taking an exemption under this
chapter: (a) Indicating the property owner's exempt value and exempt
amount under this chapter for the calendar year; (b) describing the
contribution program under this section; and (c) requesting the
property owner to make a voluntary contribution under this section in
any amount designated either to the city or to the county within which
the property is located. A county treasurer must distribute amounts
collected under this section to the appropriate city, cities, or county
designated by the property owner. A city or county receiving a payment
under this section must deposit the money in a new or existing
segregated account to be used for the housing-related purposes
described in subsection (2) of this section. A city or county may
match amounts contributed by property owners.
(2) Moneys received under this section must be used exclusively for
activities that provide housing opportunities for very low-income
households with incomes at or below eighty percent of the area median
income. Eligible housing activities include:
(a) Acquiring, constructing, or rehabilitating housing projects or
units within housing projects, including units for homeownership,
rental units, seasonal and permanent farm worker housing units, single
room occupancy units, transitional housing units, supportive housing
units, and homeless shelter units;
(b) Operating and maintaining housing projects or units within
housing projects, including emergency homeless shelters, youth
shelters, transitional housing, and permanent housing;
(c) Providing rental vouchers for persons who are homeless or in
immediate danger of becoming homeless;
(d) Providing services to prevent homelessness, such as emergency
eviction prevention programs and including temporary rental and
mortgage assistance to prevent homelessness;
(e) Providing temporary services to assist persons leaving state
institutions and other state programs to prevent them from becoming or
remaining homeless; and
(f) Renting and furnishing dwelling units for the use of homeless
persons.
(3) Any county receiving moneys as a result of the program created
in this section must provide annually to the appropriate city in which
a donor property is located: The total amount received, the affordable
housing activities funded, and the outcomes of those activities.
(4) For the purposes of this section, "exempt amount" means the
aggregate tax rate multiplied by the assessed value exempt under this
chapter for the year.
(5) This section expires December 31, 2013.
Sec. 2 RCW 84.14.100 and 2007 c 430 s 10 are each amended to read
as follows:
(1) Thirty days after the anniversary of the date of the
certificate of tax exemption and each year for the tax exemption
period, the owner of the rehabilitated or newly constructed property
shall file with a designated authorized representative of the city an
annual report indicating the following:
(a) A statement of occupancy and vacancy of the rehabilitated or
newly constructed property during the twelve months ending with the
anniversary date;
(b) A certification by the owner that the property has not changed
use and, if applicable, that the property has been in compliance with
the affordable housing requirements as described in RCW 84.14.020 since
the date of the certificate approved by the city;
(c) A description of changes or improvements constructed after
issuance of the certificate of tax exemption; and
(d) Any additional information requested by the city in regards to
the units receiving a tax exemption.
(2) All cities, which issue certificates of tax exemption for
multiunit housing that conform to the requirements of this chapter,
shall report annually by December 31st of each year, beginning in 2007,
to the department of community, trade, and economic development. The
report must include the following information:
(a) The number of tax exemption certificates granted;
(b) The total number and type of units produced or to be produced;
(c) The number and type of units produced or to be produced meeting
affordable housing requirements;
(d) The actual development cost of each unit produced;
(e) The total monthly rent or total sale amount of each unit
produced;
(f) The income of each renter household at the time of initial
occupancy and the income of each initial purchaser of owner-occupied
units at the time of purchase for each of the units receiving a tax
exemption and a summary of these figures for the city; ((and))
(g) The value of the tax exemption for each project receiving a tax
exemption and the total value of tax exemptions granted;
(h) The amount voluntarily contributed to the county treasurer by
property owners under section 1 of this act;
(i) The amount designated to the city, the activities funded by the
city with the moneys acquired under section 1 of this act, and the
outcomes of those activities; and
(j) The amount designated for the county, the activities funded by
the county with the moneys acquired under section 1 of this act, and
the outcomes of those activities.
(3) This section expires December 31, 2013."
SHB 2848 -
By Committee on Consumer Protection & Housing
On page 1, line 2 of the title, after "exemption;" strike the remainder of the title and insert "amending RCW 84.14.100; adding a new section to chapter 84.14 RCW; and providing expiration dates."
EFFECT: Cities may, but are not required to, establish a voluntary contribution program.