Washington Governor Inslee Signs Housing Bills to Increase Availability and Affordability.

Washington State Governor Jay Inslee signed a slate of housing-related bills to address the housing crisis, including legislation to overcome racist real estate covenants and allocate over $1 billion to address homelessness and affordable housing. The state must build over one million homes by 2040 to pace population growth. The new laws encourage gentle densification of urban neighborhoods without expense to their character or curb appeal, discourage abuses of damage deposits, and consolidate local permit review processes. The budget includes hundreds of millions of dollars to support rental assistance, homeownership programs, and more.