This bill aims to address Washington's housing shortage by establishing a state-approved program for permit-ready residential building plans, particularly for factory-built housing. The legislation recognizes the need for over 1,000,000 new homes by 2044 and seeks to streamline local permitting processes that have become complex and inconsistent, often leading to increased costs and delays for builders. The bill introduces a new section to chapter 43.22 RCW, which mandates the Department of Labor and Industries to create a process for soliciting and publicizing permit-ready plans, including factory-built housing types. It also exempts qualifying projects from local architectural and aesthetic design requirements that do not pertain to health and safety.

Additionally, the bill amends RCW 43.22.460 to clarify that factory-built housing using permit-ready plans will be exempt from local zoning design standards related to aesthetics and architectural features. A new section added to chapter 36.70A RCW prohibits counties and cities from denying land use applications for factory-built housing based solely on noncompliance with local architectural design standards, effective January 1, 2027. The bill also requires local governments to adopt model ordinances developed by the department to facilitate the implementation of these permit-ready plans. The provisions of the bill are set to take effect on July 1, 2028.

Statutes affected:
Substitute bill: 43.22.480