The 2023-2025 State Operating Budget (Senate Bill 5187) directs Commerce to administer grants and provide technical assistance to cities or counties for actions relating to adopting ordinances that plan for and accommodate housing. Commerce will make approximately $4.5 million available in statewide grants to implement House Bill 1110 (2023) supporting the development of middle housing. The first grant application window closed on Friday, September 15, 2023.
More information on future granting programs will be available on the Commerce grants webpage and in the GMA Newsletter.
The published model ordinances include both HB 1110 requirements, and optional development standards to facilitate middle housing development. Local jurisdictions may adjust optional standards not specified in HB 1110 based on local preferences. To account for differing middle housing requirements based on a city’s population, one model ordinance has been prepared to assist cities 25,000 in population and greater, and the second ordinance for those cities less than 25,000 in population.
A user guide accompanies the middle housing model ordinances that provides background on the content of the model ordinances, link to resources and other guidance related to HB 1110 implementation.
In March 2024, the Legislature passed HB 2321 (2024), amending part of HB 1110 (2023). Commerce has prepared draft updates to the middle housing model ordinances and user guide to reflect these changes and also respond to issues raised since their original publication in January 2024.
Commerce provides additional technical assistance on a range of housing topics, including: racially disparate impacts, displacement, exclusion, and future housing needs.
Documents, resources, and examples have been provided in several folders connected to this webpage. Folder information will be updated periodically.
