HOUSE BILL REPORT

HB 1130

BYRepresentatives Wineberry, Appelwick, R. Meyers, Locke, Phillips, Anderson, Jacobsen, Nelson, Todd, Dellwo, Crane, Belcher, Wang, H. Sommers, Rector, O'Brien, Winsley, P. King, Brumsickle and May

Providing a procedure for counties, cities, and towns to eliminate neighborhood blight.

House Committe on Judiciary

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  (18)

      Signed by Representatives Appelwick, Chair; Crane, Vice Chair; Padden, Ranking Republican Member; Belcher, Dellwo, Hargrove, Inslee, P. King, Locke, R. Meyers, Moyer, H. Myers, Patrick, Schmidt, Scott, Tate, Van Luven and Wineberry.

House Staff:Pat Shelledy (786-7149)

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY FEBRUARY 9, 1989

BACKGROUND:

The Urban Renewal Law is a comprehensive law that allows cities to find that certain areas in the city are "blighted" areas.  An area is blighted if for one or more of several reasons, the area is conducive to ill health, crime, constitutes a menace to public safety or is an economic or social liability.  The local governing body must find that an area is blighted and that the city's acquisition and redevelopment is in the interest of the public.  The city may purchase the property from the owner or obtain the property through condemnation and then may develop the property according to the urban renewal plan.  The urban renewal law appears to apply to "areas" rather than individual land parcels or buildings.

The Urban Renewal Law applies to cities, not counties.

SUMMARY:

SUBSTITUTE BILL:  Cities and counties can acquire by condemnation property that is a "blight" on the surrounding neighborhood.  A blight is any property or building that has not been lawfully occupied for more than a year and is or has been associated with illegal drug activity during the previous 12 months.  The local government must adopt a resolution declaring the property a blight in the neighborhood.  The government can then acquire the property, sell it, or improve it in the public interest.  The government has powers necessary to effectuate the act, including the power to enter the land to make appraisals and borrow money.

The bill applies to counties as well as cities.

SUBSTITUTE BILL COMPARED TO ORIGINAL:  The original bill had a broader definition of a "blight" on the neighborhood including property that does not comply with local safety codes, is unsanitary, is associated with drugs or is otherwise a threat to public safety.  The substitute bill adds a requirement that an official's entry onto the blighted property be done to minimize the inconvenience of the property's occupants.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Doug Jewett, Seattle City Attorney.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    Abandoned homes are frequently used for illegal drug trafficking.  This bill will assist cities stopping drug trafficking.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.