EKCC Housing 2020

Unprecedented economic growth and success in the East King County and Greater Puget Sound Region has led to a shortage of housing and a lack of affordability, which must be addressed in this session. We at the East King Chambers Coalition are advocating for all stakeholder groups to join together in a regional collaboration to address this crisis, and work towards action steps to help improve housing options for all.

The East King Chambers Coalition strongly supports increasing housing stock and affordability through the following:

• Remove barriers for new construction of condominiums, as well as conversions of apartment buildings to condominiums through liability reforms. Include all stakeholders, such as insurance companies, contractors/developers, attorneys, and others in the conversation.
• Incentivize workforce housing through state credits and tax incentives, plus housing for developmentally disabled populations.
• Housing and transportation are interconnected. Explore all avenues of relieving congestion on our roads and moving people in a more efficient way.
• Help jurisdictions increase their sewer and water capacity, while ensuring the same high environmental standards we currently enjoy.
• Enact reforms to the Condominium Act that permit the creation of a missing inventory gap in type and price point in our housing supply
• Narrow the definition of actionable damages in condominium construction defect litigation filed against builders, by requiring a demonstration of actual damage; Modify statutory condominium construction warranties to more closely mirror the treatment of new single-family home and apartment construction; Provide safe harbor for volunteer members of Homeowner Association (HOA) boards of directors, where reasonable business judgment has been exercised, when declining to file construction defect litigation against a builder; Require builders be provided with notice of defect and a timely opportunity for consultation, without waiving any purchaser rights or remedies, prior to initiating condominium construction defect litigation.
•  Evaluate surplus State land for the opportunity to create affordable and workforce housing.
• Encourage shorter entitlement processes
• Incentivize all Cities and Counties to allow for more density, including ADU’s, and multi/mixed-
  use near transit and commercial districts.
•  Extend the Multifamily Tax Exemption (MFTE) beyond 12 years and include existing buildings, in addition to new construction
•  The Coalition opposes state-level legislation imposing rental caps.