H-0324.1

HOUSE BILL 1343

ByRepresentatives Kloba, Walen, Berg, Duerr, Taylor, Ramel, Simmons, Bateman, Reed, Gregerson, Doglio, Pollet, and Macri

AN ACT Relating to providing local governments with options to grant rent relief and preserve affordable housing in their communities; adding a new chapter to Title 84 RCW; and creating a new section.

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

(1) Families, senior citizens, and workers with limited financial resources are likely to experience fewer housing choices;

(2) Affordable housing is a necessary component of strong, thriving neighborhoods;

(3) Limited income household renters should have the opportunity to live in homes in neighborhoods close to major infrastructure investments like transit, quality schools, and vital services like health care, grocery shopping, and employment;

(4) Community members with critical occupations, senior citizens, and families are struggling to afford rent around the state;

(5) Rising rents are causing the displacement of low-income households, very low-income households, and long-time community members; and

(6) Communities need a wide range of local tools to create healthy, affordable homes and address affordable housing needs.

(1) "Governing authority" means the local legislative authority of a city or county having jurisdiction over the property for which an exemption may be applied under this chapter.

(2) "Health and quality standards" means guidelines as adopted by the governing authority that may include height, density, public benefit features, number and size of proposed development, parking, income limits for occupancy, limits on rents or sale prices, and other adopted requirements indicated necessary by the city or county. The required amenities should be relative to the size of the project and tax benefit to be obtained. The property must comply with one or more standards of the applicable state or local building or housing codes on or after July 23, 1995.

(3) "Household" means a single person, family, or unrelated persons living together.

(4) "Multifamily housing" means a building permanently affixed to the ground having two or more dwelling units not designed or used as transient accommodations and not including hotels and motels.

(5) "Owner" means the property owner of record.

(6) "Permanent residential occupancy" means multifamily housing that provides rental occupancy on a nontransient basis. This includes rental accommodation that is leased for a period of at least one month. This excludes hotels and motels that predominately offer rental accommodation on a daily or weekly basis.

(7) "Very low-income household" means a single person, family, or unrelated persons living together whose adjusted income is at or below 50 percent of the area median income adjusted for family size, for the county in which the project is located, as reported by the United States department of housing and urban development.

(2) In order to qualify for a property tax exemption under this chapter, housing units must be:

(a) Rented at below market rent levels, as determined by the applicable area median income as reported by the United States department of housing and urban development; and

(b) For multifamily dwellings permanently affixed to the land, affordable to very low-income households and part of a building that is at least 25 years old.

(3) Annual household income requalification is not required after initial qualification, except in the case of a change or substitution of adults living in the unit.

(4) The governing authority may establish income or rent thresholds other than those indicated in subsection (1) of this section where it determines that such an adjustment is needed to serve the particular needs of very low-income renters in multifamily units in the community.

(5) Rent levels for qualifying affordable housing units, including any mandatory fees for tenant-paid utilities that are required as a condition of tenancy, may not exceed 30 percent of the income limit for the very low-income multifamily housing unit.

(2) The exemption provided under this chapter is in addition to any tax credits, grants, or other incentives provided by law to increase the rental affordability.

(3) The exemption in this chapter does not apply to any nonqualifying portions of a building or land.

(4) The governing authority must provide local taxing districts in the designated exemption area notice and an opportunity to be heard prior to establishing an affordable housing incentive program under this chapter.

(1) A minimum of 25 percent of residential units in a multifamily property subject to tax exemption must be affordable as described in section 5 of this act. A governing authority may require that more than 25 percent of the units in multifamily housing buildings are affordable to address local market conditions. Up to and including the midpoint, the percentage requirement may be rounded down to the nearest whole number of units;

(2) Qualified affordable units must be comparable in terms of quality, living conditions, and mix of unit types to market rate units in the building;

(3) At least 90 percent of the total residential units of a multifamily structure permanently affixed to the ground must be occupied by tenants at the time of application;

(4) The qualifying property must be part of a multifamily residential or mixed-use, both residential and nonresidential, project;

(5) The multifamily, mixed-use property must provide for a minimum of 50 percent of the space in each building for permanent residential occupancy;

(6) If a multifamily or mixed-use property has dedicated less than 100 percent of its total square footage to qualifying units, only a proportional share of the land beneath the building footprint is subject to the exemption under this chapter; and

(7) The property owner must enter into a contract with the city or county agreeing to terms and conditions required to satisfy eligibility criteria of the affordable housing incentive program.

(2) The property must be inspected for compliance with subsection (1) of this section prior to awarding the tax exemption under this chapter and thereafter, as established by the governing authority. The governing authority must deny an application for tax exemption for failure to comply with health and quality standards as described in section 4 of this act.

(a) Particular targeted areas that present particular risk or displacement or that provide unique affordable housing opportunities near community infrastructure such as transportation or public schools; and

(b) Properties of a particular size, unit type, or mix of unit size or type that present special antidisplacement opportunity for very low-income household tenants.

(2) The governing authority must adopt and implement standards to be utilized in considering applications and making the determinations required under this chapter. The standards must include:

(a) An application process and procedures;

(b) Guidelines and requirements as described in section 8 of this act;

(c) An inspection policy and procedures to ensure the property complies with housing and health and quality standards;

(d) Income and rent limits as required under section 5 of this act;

(e) Documentation submittal requirements necessary to establish income eligibility of households in affordable housing units; and

(f) Fees required of the applicant in order to process the application and monitor compliance with eligibility criteria. Such fees must be commensurate with the cost anticipated by the governing authority to administer this chapter.

(1) The applicant must apply to the city or county on forms adopted by the governing authority. The application must contain the following:

(a) Information setting forth the grounds supporting the requested exemption, including information indicated on the application form and other requirements specified in the governing authority's adopted exemption program;

(b) A description of the project, including the floor plan of units and other information requested;

(c) A statement that the applicant is aware of the potential tax liability involved when the property ceases to be eligible for the incentive provided under this chapter; and

(d) A certification of family size and annual income requirements in a form acceptable to the governing authority for designated affordable housing units;

(2) The applicant must verify the information provided in the application by oath or affirmation; and

(3) The applicant must submit a fee, if any, with the application as required under this chapter.

(2) If the application is approved, the governing authority must issue the owner a certificate of tax exemption. The certificate must contain a statement specifying that the property satisfies the requirements of this chapter. The governing authority must submit a copy of the certificate to the assessor no later than August 1st of the year before the exemption is to be applied.

(3) If the application is denied, the governing authority must state in writing the reasons for denial and issue notice to the applicant by regular or certified mail to the applicant's last known address, or by other means reasonably calculated to provide notice, within 10 days of the denial.

(4) An applicant may appeal the governing authority's decision to the governing authority or its designated agent within 30 days after receipt. The appeal must be based upon the record made before the administrative official or commission, and the burden is on the applicant to show that the governing authority's decision is not supported by substantial evidence.

(2) The owner must file an annual report with the governing authority's designated official indicating the following:

(a) Family size and annual income for each tenant living in a designated affordable housing rental unit, and a statement that the property is in compliance with affordable housing requirements described in section 5 of this act;

(b) A statement of occupancy and vacancy;

(c) A schedule of rents charged in market rate units; and

(d) Any other information required by the city or county to determine compliance with program requirements.

(3) A governing authority that issues certificates of tax exemption under this chapter must report annually to the department of commerce the following information:

(a) The number of tax exemption certificates granted;

(b) The number and type of units in building properties receiving a tax exemption;

(c) The number and type of units meeting affordable housing requirements;

(d) The total monthly rent amount for each affordable and market rate unit; and

(e) The dollar amount of the tax exemption issued for each project and the total dollar amount of tax exemptions granted within the city or county.

(a) Additional real property tax must be imposed on the property. This additional tax is the difference between the property tax paid and the property tax that would have been paid if the property had included the value of the nonqualifying improvements, for each of the prior six years during which the exemption was in effect;

(b) Additional interest is owed upon the amounts of the additional property tax at the same statutory rate charged on delinquent property taxes, calculated from the dates on which the additional tax would have been payable without the tax exemption;

(c) A penalty is owed in the amount equal to 20 percent of the additional property tax imposed under this section; and

(d) The additional tax, interest, and penalty are declared to be a lien on the real property and attach at the time the property or portion of the property is removed from the tax exemption program. The lien has priority to, and must be fully paid and satisfied before, a recognizance, mortgage, judgment, debt, obligation, or responsibility to or with which the land may become charged or liable, except that the lien is of equal rank with liens for amounts deferred under chapter 84.37 or 84.38 RCW. The lien may be foreclosed upon expiration of the same period after delinquency and in the same manner provided by law for foreclosure of liens for delinquent real property taxes. An additional tax unpaid on its due date is delinquent. From the date of delinquency until paid, interest must be charged at the same rate applied by law to delinquent ad valorem property taxes.

(2) Upon a determination that a tax exemption is to be canceled for a reason stated in this section, the governing authority or authorized representative of the governing authority must notify the taxpayer, shown by the tax rolls by certified mail, and the assessor, of the determination to cancel the tax exemption. The owner may appeal the determination within 30 days of the date of the notice by filing a notice of appeal with the clerk of the governing authority, specifying the factual and legal basis upon which the determination of cancellation is alleged to be erroneous. The governing authority or its authorized agent may hear the appeal. At the hearing, all affected parties may be heard and all competent evidence received. The burden is on the taxpayer to show that the governing authority's decision is not supported by substantial evidence. After the hearing, the decision maker must affirm, modify, or overturn the decision to cancel the tax exemption based on the evidence received. An aggrieved party may appeal the decision of the deciding body or officer to the superior court. The governing authority must also notify the assessor of the final disposition of the appeal.

(3) The assessor must annually value the exempt and nonexempt portions of the property and improvements as necessary to permit the correction of the rolls in accordance with this section.

(1) The legislature categorizes this tax preference as one intended to induce certain designated behavior by taxpayers, as indicated in RCW 82.32.808(2)(a).

(2) It is the legislature's specific public policy objective to preserve quality and healthy affordable housing where housing options, including quality and healthy affordable housing options, are severely limited. It is the legislature's intent to provide an exemption from ad valorem property taxation for residential improvements and land qualifying under chapter . . ., Laws of 2023 (this act) and to provide incentives to property owners to preserve affordable housing units for very low-income households.

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