The bill amends several sections of chapter 35.83 RCW to add “social housing public development authorities” alongside existing housing authorities and to expand and clarify the powers of state public bodies to aid, cooperate with, provide property, services, or financial support to housing projects. It modifies existing law rather than creating an entirely new chapter, updating provisions that authorize dedication, sale, grant, conveyance, lease, easements, licenses, and other rights; provision of parks, utilities, streets and related public works; planning, zoning and building regulation exceptions; and furnishing services and entering into agreements for repair or closing of unsafe dwellings in connection with housing projects. The bill also allows state public bodies to use funds under their control to purchase bonds or obligations of a housing authority or social housing public development authority and to enter into long-term agreements without appraisal, advertisement, or public bidding if a five-day public notice is posted in three public places or published in the county’s official newspaper. It permits agreements on payments in lieu of taxes not to exceed the last annual tax amount levied before acquisition, allows cities/towns/counties to lend or donate money to these authorities (with repayment when funds permit), and authorizes noncompensation monetary or in-kind support to boards of commissioners (but prohibits such support from being used to compensate commissioners). The text includes new or clarified definitions for terms such as housing authority, housing project, state public body, governing body, federal government, cross-subsidized, high-/moderate-/low-income household by HUD median thresholds, social housing, social housing public development authority (referencing RCW 35.21.730(5)), and subsidized. Important context is missing: the bill references the broader “housing authorities law” and RCW 35.21.730(5) but does not reproduce those provisions here, it does not define “social housing developer,” and no effective date, funding appropriations, or additional implementation or oversight details are included in the extracted text. The bill was read in the House on January 29, 2025, passed the House on February 10, 2026, and passed the Senate on February 28, 2026.

If enacted, local and state governments would have clearer and broader authority to support public social housing entities in the same ways they already support housing authorities: they could transfer or lease property, provide or build streets and utilities, grant zoning exceptions, lend or donate money, buy bonds, and enter into long-term agreements with only a short public notice instead of full appraisal or public bidding. That will likely make it easier and faster for social housing public development authorities to develop, operate, and permanently own subsidized and cross-subsidized rental housing, and could reduce upfront costs and barriers for those projects. Cities, counties, and other public bodies are the most affected because they gain new options to supply property, services, or money and take on related financial exposure and responsibilities; they also face less formal procurement oversight when making long-term deals with five days’ public notice. Boards of commissioners for these authorities can receive in-kind or other support but cannot be paid for their service as commissioners. Payments in lieu of taxes would be limited to the last tax amount charged before acquisition, HUD income thresholds are used for income categories, and key implementation details—such as the definition of a social housing developer, the content of RCW 35.21.730(5), and any effective date or funding/oversight rules—are not provided here.