HOUSE BILL REPORT

REHB 1715

BYRepresentatives Anderson, Winsley, Leonard, Wineberry, Nutley, O'Brien, Rector, Nelson and Brekke

Creating a register of public property available for development of low-income housing.

House Committe on Housing

Majority Report:  Do pass with amendments.  (7)

      Signed by Representatives Nutley, Chair, Leonard, Vice Chair; Winsley, Ranking Republican Member; Anderson, Inslee, Padden and Rector.

House Staff:Kenny Pittman (786-7392)

AS PASSED HOUSE JANUARY 19, 1990

BACKGROUND:

The ability to develop affordable (low-income) housing is limited by several factors including but not limited to the rising cost of land and construction. The development of affordable housing is most effectively provided by combining available public and private resources.

Many governmental bodies and special districts have under-utilized land and buildings that may be suitable to be marketed, sold, leased, or exchanged for the development of affordable housing.  Presently, no central register of under- utilized land and buildings is available on a state-wide basis.

SUMMARY:

A central register of publicly owned property that may be suitable to be marketed, sold, leased, or exchanged for the development of affordable housing is established in the Department of Community Development.  The register is designed to assist developers to locate under-utilized state-owned land and property, and under-utilized land and property owned by governmental bodies and special districts that may be used for affordable housing.

The Departments of Natural Resources, Transportation, General Administration, and Social and Health Services are required to work with the Department of Community Development to identify and catalog the under-utilized state-owned land and property that may be suitable for inclusion on the central register.

All cities, towns, counties, school districts, fire protection districts, port districts, public utility districts, sewer districts and water districts are required to identify and catalog under- utilized land and buildings that may be suitable for inclusion on the central register.

The inventory shall include the location and approximate size of the property that may be suitable to be marketed, sold, leased, or exchanged for the development of affordable housing.

The inventories shall be forwarded to the Department of Community Development (DCD) by November 1, 1990 and every November 1 thereafter.

DCD is required to maintain a central register of public property and have it open to public inspection.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Mike Ryherd, Washington Low-Income Housing Congress.

House Committee - Testified Against:      No one.

House Committee - Testimony For:    One of the problems in developing affordable housing is identifying potential opportunities.  Many public and private developers are not aware of land that may be available.  This bill will be a benefit in developing affordable housing.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None.