HB 2270 – Creating a Washington state department of housing

A study for the creation of the Department of Housing.

Sponsors: Morgan, Macri, Peterson, Gregerson, Ryu, Reeves, Callan, Bateman, Ormsby, Street, Cortes, Ramel, Kloba, Wylie, Fey, Leavitt, Donaghy, Thai, Goodman, Mena, Taylor, Duerr, Riccelli, Berry, Reed, Santos, Entenman, Ortiz-Self, Simmons, Bergquist, Stonier, Fosse, Timmons, Chapman, Stearns, Nance, Chopp, Shavers, Slatter, Doglio, Pollet, Tharinger, Walen, Bronoske, Orwall, Fitzgibbon, Davis, Alvarado, Paul

Summary

• The Office of Financial Management must contract with an external consultant to study and help facilitate the transition of state housing programs to a new state agency and identify gaps in current state housing programs. The study must include a review and recommendations on the following issues:
  • a clear mission and vision for the new department;
  • the organizational structure for the new department, including which agencies, administrations, commissions, or other functions of state government should be included, and identification of the reasons why a specific housing function or program is not recommended for inclusion, if any;
  • any gaps in existing rental, transitional housing, senior housing, homelessness, homeownership, and manufactured housing programs provided by the state;
  • estimated costs for the reorganization, including information technology and capital, and potential funding sources;
  • a clear process for managing the reorganization; and
  • measurable benchmarks by which the effectiveness of the new department would be assessed.
• As part of the review, the external consultant must engage with and seek recommendations from the following:
  • the Office of the Governor;
  • the Department of Commerce;
  • the Department of Social and Health Services;
  • the Health Care Authority;
  • the Office of Equity;
  • the Office of the State Treasurer;
  • the Office of the Attorney General;
  • the Housing Finance Commission;
  • the Office of Civil Legal Aid;
  • the Administrative Office of the Courts;
  • the nonprofit housing development industry
  • an organization that represents tenants;
  • homeless shelter operators;
  • representatives of low-income persons;
  • representatives of special needs populations;
  • public housing authorities;
  • the for-profit housing development industry;
• The contract must require the external consultant to submit a report with its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the Legislature by December 1, 2024.