Realtors: More homes will ease prices
OLYMPIA — As Rep. Larry Springer sees it, a big part of the answer to the region’s high home prices is simple: build more homes.
So Springer, along with nearly three dozen of his colleagues in the state Legislature, as well as the state Realtors’ association, are proposing changes to land-use and housing planning under the Growth Management Act. Ease some of the limits and do a better job factoring in the impact of new jobs, they believe, and the resulting additional construction will ease housing prices.
“My goal is simply that somehow we build more housing,” Springer, D-Kirkland, told a House committee Thursday.
“There is a crisis in housing affordability,” said Spokane Realtor Ken Garceau. “It’s the law of supply and demand. You limit the supply and what happens? The price goes up.”
Not everyone agrees with Springer’s proposed solutions.
“The bottom line is these bills do not do anything for affordable housing,” said Stephanie Warden, director of King County’s Department of development and environmental services. “These bills add a lot of bureaucratic additions to what we already need to do.”
“Frankly, the bill does not respect the reality of housing markets,” said Paul Roberts, an Everett city councilman. The problem of costly housing extends up and down the West Coast, he said, not just in Washington.
Enacted in 1990 and 1991, the Growth Management Act directs local cities and counties to adopt comprehensive land use plans and development regulations.
More than a third of the House has signed on as co-sponsor of two of Springer’s proposals.
One, House Bill 1727, would require land-use comprehensive plans to designate build-able land to accommodate population and economic growth. If a city or county adopts rules that reduce the area available for growth, it would have to “recapture that reduced capacity,” in the words of a House bill analysis.
What that means, Springer said, is that a city or county limiting growth in one area could “densify” another area or strike deals with neighboring jurisdictions to allow more housing there.
“Are we trying to protect our industry? Heck, yeah,” said Garceau. “But we need homes.”
Another of Springer’s bills, House Bill 1726, would require counties to factor job growth into land-use planning, as well as demand for retirement and second homes in the area. It would also speed up state projections of that growth.
“Housing follows jobs, it’s a pretty simple equation,” Springer said.
Some city officials said they’re already factoring in such projections as best they can when setting land-use rules.
“We’re doing everything possible,” said Redmond City Councilman Richard Cole. “I’m pedaling as fast as I can because of the increase in our housing (prices). I’m not sure I need this kind of additional help.”