Evidence is more conclusive than ever that the reforms proposed in HB 1337 are effective.

Washington’s severe statewide housing shortage calls for statewide action to reform all manner and form of rules that are needlessly impeding the construction of new homes of all shapes and sizes in our cities. On the most modest end of that spectrum are accessory dwelling units (ADUs), or more familiarly, granny flats and backyard cottages. These are modest-sized—and most often more modestly-priced—homes that can be tucked into existing buildings, homes, yards, and neighborhoods.

This year Washington lawmakers will have a chance to pass a set of statewide standards for ADU rules that are proven effective to boost the production of ADUs. Representative Mia Gregerson’s (D-33) HB 1337 would remove the biggest regulatory barriers commonly imposed by cities, making it easier for homeowners to add ADUs to their properties.

Legislators are also considering a weaker ADU bill, HB 1276, that lacks several of the important reforms in HB 1337. Passing HB 1276 would be progress, but falls short of an appropriate response to the state’s housing affordability crisis. HB 1337 would deliver the reforms necessary to achieve the full potential of ADUs to deliver desperately needed housing choices in communities all across Washington.

IT’S TIME TO END THE DELAY ON STATEWIDE ADU REFORM

All the reasons ADUs are a wonderful type of home, and all the policies that would maximize the creation of new ADUs, have not changed since 2019 when Washington first took up statewide ADU reform. Read all about it on Sightline, where we've written on this many, many, many times..

One thing that definitely has changed over the past four years, though, is that Washington’s shortage of homes and resulting housing crisis has gotten progressively worse. And thousands of Washington families have lost out on the opportunity to live in an ADU because the state has repeatedly punted on setting statewide ADU standards.

THE DEBATE IS OVER: ADU REFORM WORKS

If you’re looking for proof, consider California. After the state passed statewide ADU reforms similar to those proposed in HB 1337, ADUs took off. As of last year, roughly one in seven new homes permitted in the entire state of California were ADUs. In Los Angeles the number is even more eye-popping: one in every four new homes was an ADU. The big ADU numbers in California put the lie to the common assumption that ADUs will never put much of a dent in the housing shortage.

Seattle provides another striking example of effective ADU reform. In mid-2019 the city adopted a set of ADU reforms similar to those proposed in HB 1337. By 2022 permit volumes had risen to more than three times the typical rate prior to the reforms.

WHAT WASHINGTON’S ADU BILL WOULD DO

There is widespread agreement among ADU policy researchers that the four most important ADU reforms are:

Lifting parking mandates

Ending requirements for the owner to live on site

Reducing or eliminating impact fees

Legalizing two ADUs per lot, including detached ADUs (backyard cottages)

To provide flexibility, HB 1337 allows local governments to pick three out of the above four key reforms to adopt. It would also set the following standards:

Attached or detached ADUs allowed on any size lot that allows a detached house

Minimum ADU size of no less than 1,000 sq.ft.

Maximum height limit of no less than 24 feet (or the max. height for houses if less than 24 feet)

No design standards or other restrictions that are more stringent than what applies to the main house

In comparison, the weaker ADU bill, HB 1276:

Does nothing to reduce parking mandates

Does nothing to limit impact fees

Allows enforcement of anti-renter owner occupancy rules if ADUs are used for short-term rentals

Lets cities ban detached ADUs and two ADUs per lot on lots less than 4,500 sq.ft.

Sets no floor on the limits cities can place on ADU size and height

Limits cities’ autonomy by requiring them to ban short-term ...