HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 EHB 1824

                       As Passed House

                       March 17, 1993

Title:  An act relating to publicly owned lands and buildings.

Brief Description:  Authorizing conversion of surplus public property to use for affordable housing.

Sponsors:  Representatives Wolfe, Wineberry, Forner, Peery, Reams, Valle, Pruitt, Flemming, Leonard, Talcott, Anderson, J. Kohl, Thibaudeau, Jones, King, Quall, H. Myers, Cooke and Finkbeiner.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Trade, Economic Development & Housing, March 2, 1993, DP;

  Passed House, March 17, 1993, 95-2.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRADE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & HOUSING

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 13 members:  Representatives Wineberry, Chair; Shin, Vice Chair; Forner, Ranking Minority Member; Chandler, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Campbell; Casada; Conway; Quall; Schoesler; Sheldon; Springer; Valle; and Wood.

Staff:  Kenny Pittman (786-7392).

Background:  The ability to develop affordable housing for low-income persons is influenced by several factors.  The cost of land is often cited as a major contributor to rising housing prices.  Land costs include the costs of the raw land, any improvements on the land, and carry costs of the land before construction.

Various techniques to lower the cost of housing have been reviewed by other states and local governments.  One technique involves identifying all land suitable for construction of affordable housing.

In 1990, the Legislature directed the Department of Community Development to work on an inventory of state-owned land and buildings for possible lease as sites for affordable housing.  The departments of Natural Resources, Transportation, and General Administration were to identify and catalog sites under their control and send a copy of the inventory to the Department of Community Development.

Proponents feel that local governments and school districts may have under-utilized land and buildings that may be suitable for the development of affordable housing.  Presently, no central register of surplus or under-utilized land, buildings, or buildings and land is available on a state-wide basis.

Summary of Bill:  The Department of Community Development's central register of publicly-owned property that is available for sale, lease, or exchange is expanded to include surplus and under-utilized land and buildings under the control of the Department of Social and Health Services, and Department of Corrections.

All cities, towns, counties, and school districts are required to identify and catalog surplus and under-utilized land and buildings under their control that may be suitable as sites for affordable housing.  The inventory must include the location, size, and zoning classification of the property.  The initial inventory must be sent to the Department of Community Development by November 1, 1993, with inventory revisions every November 1st.

The Department of Community Development may, upon written request, provide a copy of the inventory of state-owned and publicly-owned buildings and land to parties interested in developing the sites for affordable housing.

The Department of Natural Resources is not required to provide an inventory of surplus or under-utilized land or buildings under its control unless specific funding is provided in the budget.

Fiscal Note:  Requested February 18, 1993.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  The identification of available surplus property would be a benefit to nonprofit developers of affordable housing.  This would make it easier to find available property.  Governmental entities are not required to list property that may be used in the future.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Representative Wolfe, Prime Sponsor (Pro); Mike Doubleday, city of Seattle (Pro); Kurt Creager, Washington Association of Housing Authorities (Pro); Mike Ryherd, Low-Income Housing Congress (Pro); and Jan Teague, Building Industry Association of Washington (Pro).