HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 SHB 2220

                       As Passed House

                      February 12, 1994

Title:  An act relating to housing authorities.

Brief Description:  Appointing commissioners for housing authorities.

Sponsors:  By House Committee on Local Government (originally sponsored by Representatives Wolfe, Brumsickle, Ogden and H. Myers).

Brief History:

Reported by House Committee on:

Local Government, January 28, 1994, DPS;

Passed House, February 12, 1994, 91-0.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Majority Report:  The substitute bill be substituted therefor and the substitute bill do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives H. Myers, Chair; Springer, Vice Chair; Edmondson, Ranking Minority Member; Reams, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Dunshee; R. Fisher; Horn; Moak; Rayburn; and Zellinsky.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.  Signed by 1 member:  Representative Van Luven.

Staff:  Steve Lundin (786-7127).

Background:  An inactive housing authority exists in every county, city and town, which can be activated if the county, city or town governing body adopts a resolution declaring the need for the housing authority and making certain findings.

Housing authorities construct, acquire and operate housing projects for low income persons and administer contracts for housing assistance payments to low income persons under federal laws.  Housing authorities may issue revenue bonds to finance their projects but may not issue general obligation bonds or impose taxes.

The governing body of a housing authority is a five-member board of commissioners appointed by the mayor of the city or town, or county legislative authority, to staggered five-year terms of office.  A housing authority commissioner may not be an officer or employee of the county, city or town that activated the housing authority.

Summary of Bill:  Restrictions on the designation of housing authority commissioners are altered.  One commissioner in a housing authority of a county with a population of 175,000 or less, as of the 1990 federal census, is allowed to be an employee of a separately elected official of the county, other than the governing body.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

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

Testimony For:  We need people with knowledge of low income and affordable housing, but the way the law is currently written prohibits many individuals from being considered for the position.  This grants greater flexibility to smaller counties.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  Chris Lowell, Housing Authority of Thurston County; and Norman McLoughlin, Association of Washington Housing Authorities.