Lacey, WA – Congresswoman Marilyn Strickland (WA-10) hosted a Housing Supply Roundtable with regional leaders to discuss the federal policy barriers to build more affordable housing and where public-private partnerships can be strengthened.
“Washington state continues to feel the effects of our local housing crunch, and has an affordability crisis,” said Strickland. “This roundtable brings housing industry stakeholders together as we find ways to build more housing, and make it affordable for people at all income levels.
Roundtable participants included non-profit leaders, local housing authorities, builders, residential real estate experts, and a state senator. Strickland and the group addressed several issues throughout the roundtable, including:
- Expanding and improving the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) to include flexibility for project-based vouchers, support for seniors on fixed incomes, and eligibility updates for students.
- Increasing funding and access to Housing Choice and Emergency Housing Vouchers.
- Preserving and expanding Housing and Urban Development (HUD) programs like the Community Development Block Grant Program (CBDG); and update eligible building materials to include cost-saving materials.
- Keeping tax and charitable giving incentives.
- Extending financing timelines to help fix broader financing issues for housing and condos.
- Address regulatory burdens between state and federal permitting; support zoning, and density reforms like the Missing Middle.
- Encourage more homeownership options, including lot-splitting and federal land lease
models.
Strickland also discussed her upcoming plans to introduce new legislation that will study single staircase reform, to expand and incentivize multifamily housing construction options.
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