The 2025 Washington State Legislative Session delivered major wins for affordable homeownership.
Over the course of the session, Habitat-Spokane tracked 125 bills that would have affected our work and saw 35 bills that were overwhelmingly positive for affordable homeownership pass the legislature. These bills covered a range of issues from access to credit to simplifying our permitting and development process to funding affordable home ownership programs. We wanted to take a moment and share some of our biggest successes.
$75 Million for Affordable Homeownership
This year’s capital budget includes a historic $75 million investment specifically for affordable homeownership. These funds will help Habitat for Humanity-Spokane and other nonprofit builders across the state acquire property and assist with down payments.
Legislative Highlights
- HB 1696 – Covenant Homeownership Program Expansion
This bill expanded access and impact of the Covenant Homeownership Program. It strengthens outreach and oversight to help address historical housing discrimination and increase homeownership among communities of color. - SB 5662 – Utility Connection Charge Waivers
This bill allows local jurisdictions to waive connection fees for nonprofit and affordable housing developments. This is a critical tool that will keep us building in the City of Spokane. - SB 5184 – Parking Reform and Modernization Act
This bill eliminates or caps minimum parking requirements for affordable housing, smaller homes, and commercial spaces, helping reduce development costs. It is a key reduction in the regulatory burden put on housing producers and addresses a quintessential issue that drives up the price of housing development.
As the State of Washington continues to tackle the housing crisis, Habitat for Humanity – Spokane is committed to be a leading voice in affordable homeownership policy in Washington. To learn more about our work and to sign up for our Advocacy email list check out our updated advocacy webpage here. Building a more affordable community works best when we put our collective voices into action and advocate for the vision of the community that we want to live in. Join us!