The Washington State Legislature wrapped up the 2024 session on March 7th. The end of the session left advocates hopeful and ready for change as our legislators made several investments into the affordable housing and homelessness crisis.
Direct service providers and advocates who have lived experience with housing instability, injustice, and homelessness, along with CFTH staff and partners, advocated for a bold budget to address housing justice and homelessness this year. This was done by communicating with legislators, testifying in committee hearings, and weighing in online in support of or opposition to proposed bills. Clark County had more than 80 advocates share their voices at Olympia this session.
Housing wins include:
- Operating Budget: $60 million to help backfill the projected funding gap from document recording fees. This investment should ensure that state-funded shelter and rapid rehousing programs can maintain their current service levels through next year.
- Capital Budget: $127,539,000 for the Housing Trust Fund, a significant investment for the second year of a two-year budget. This will be added to the $400 million investment made in the biennial budget that was released last year, bringing the two-year total to $527,539,000 for affordable housing for the biennium.
Housing Agenda losses include:
- House Bill 2276 and Senate Bill 6191, collectively known as The Affordable Homes Act, would have created a permanent and dedicated fund source for affordable housing by adding a modest 1% to a new program mirroring the existing real estate excise tax on properties that sell for more than $3.025 million.
- HB 2114 and SB 5961 would have prevented landlords from issuing excessive rent increases. The amended version of HB 2114 would have allowed landlords to increase rent on current tenancies up to 7% every 12 months, set rents at whatever they wanted for new tenancies, and exempt new rental housing units for 10 years after occupancy.
CFTH Public Policy and Engagement Manager Laura Ellsworth shares, “At every turn this legislative session, housing advocates spoke up for true systemic change and permanent investments in stability and affordability for the most basic of human needs – a home. Their voices were strong and powerful. They spoke to lawmakers, they spoke to the media, and they educated the community about what housing justice actually means.
We are grateful that the legislature made significant investments in both the operating and capital budgets this session, and we will be back next session to advocate for further upstream systemic solutions so that everyone in WA has a safe, stable place to call home that they can afford.”
CFTH and community partners are grateful for the funding provided this session, but more work needs to be done upstream and systemically to create a community that solves homelessness and provides a safe, affordable home for everyone regardless of income level. Next year, CFTH hopes to continue pushing for bills that address rent stabilization, longer notice for significant rent increases, and more Permanent Supportive Housing.
Thank you, and Looking Ahead
None of the incredible progress made this year would have been possible without the numerous advocates that took action across Washington, including members of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, Resident Action Project, CFTH board and staff, partners, and representatives from several Clark County nonprofits.
These investments are the result of everyone’s hard work and demonstrate the power of advocacy and organizing. To all of you who participated in this successful legislative session, we say thank you for making your voice heard and continuing to work towards preventing and ending homelessness in our community.
In 2025, CFTH will continue working in conjunction with the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance to improve tenant protections. We will mobilize housing advocates and providers to create laws that help keep people in their homes and make homelessness shorter when it does occur. We all win when everyone has a place to call home!
