SHB 1022
In CommitteeHouse
Homes for heroes program
Creating a homes for heroes program.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
The bill creates a pilot program to help first-time homebuyers in critical public service and health care jobs buy homes by offering no-interest down payment and closing cost loans. It targets workers like firefighters, nurses, police officers, and child care providers who earn under the state median income, aiming to address housing affordability and workforce retention challenges.
- Creates the 'Homes for Heroes' pilot program administered by the Housing Finance Commission to provide down payment and closing cost assistance.
- Offers no-interest loans of up to 5% of the first mortgage amount or $25,000, whichever is less, to help eligible workers buy a primary home.
- Loans are repaid only when the home is sold, refinanced, rented, or the first mortgage is paid off — not before.
- Eligibility requires household income below 100% of state median income and employment in one of 11 specified public service or health care roles (e.g., firefighter, nurse, police officer, veteran, child care provider).
- Program funding is capped at $15 million, with no new loans issued after June 30, 2027.
- Requires two reports to the legislature: a preliminary report by December 1, 2026, and a final report by December 1, 2027.
Who is affected
- **Firefighters, police officers (including corrections and tribal officers), 911 dispatchers, EMTs and first responders** — Eligible workers in these roles can receive down payment and closing cost assistance to buy a primary home in Washington, helping them afford housing in a high-cost market.
- **Nurses, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, mental health professionals, social workers, and other credentialed or direct-care health workers** — These health care workers can access no-interest loans to help buy homes, making it easier to recruit and retain staff in critical but often underpaid fields.
- **Child care providers (center, outdoor nature-based, and family home providers)** — Child care providers working in licensed centers, outdoor nature-based programs, or as family home providers may qualify for home-buying help, supporting stability in early education workforce.
- **Servicemembers and veterans** — Current or former military personnel who meet income requirements can use the program to buy a home, supporting veteran housing stability.
- **Low- to moderate-income households (income < 100% of state median)** — Households earning less than the state median income ($82,000–$90,000 depending on year and region) who work in one of the target jobs may qualify for assistance.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
The no-interest, income-targeted loans (up to $25,000) directly reduce upfront housing costs for first-time homebuyers in critical service jobs earning under $82K–$90K — a group disproportionately priced out of Washington’s high-cost housing market, increasing access to stable homeownership.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 2(2) & Sec. 2(3)(a)–(b)By specifically including nurses, mental health professionals, and direct-care workers, the program addresses workforce retention challenges in underpaid but essential health roles — helping stabilize care access in rural and underserved communities where turnover is high.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 2(2) & Sec. 2(3)(b)(vi)–(x)Inclusion of servicemembers and veterans — many of whom face housing instability post-service — supports equitable reintegration and reduces barriers to stable employment in public safety roles, enhancing community safety infrastructure.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 2(3)(c)The required legislative reports (preliminary and final) create accountability and data infrastructure to evaluate program effectiveness — enabling future policy improvements and potential scaling based on real-world outcomes, not assumptions.
Local GovernmentPeopleRef: Sec. 2(5)Including licensed child care providers helps stabilize the early learning workforce — a sector facing chronic underpayment and high turnover — supporting continuity of care for young children and enabling providers to build long-term community roots.
EducationLean peopleRef: Sec. 2(3)(b)(xi)
Potential Concerns (5)
The $15 million cap and June 30, 2027 sunset limit the program’s scale and long-term impact — only a small fraction of eligible workers (estimated 1,500–2,500 over two years) will receive assistance, leaving most low- and moderate-income public service workers without meaningful support despite the urgent housing crisis.
HousingRef: Sec. 2(2)While child care providers are included, the requirement to be a *licensed or certified* center, outdoor nature-based, or family home provider excludes many informal or unlicensed providers — who are disproportionately women of color and lower-income — limiting equitable access to the benefit.
HousingLean peopleRef: Sec. 2(2) & Sec. 2(3)(b)(xi)The repayment trigger (sale, refinance, rent, or payoff of first mortgage) may delay or prevent repayment for low-wealth borrowers who stay in homes long-term without refinancing or selling — potentially straining program sustainability and creating uncertainty for future funding cycles.
HousingLean peopleRef: Sec. 2(2)The narrow list of eligible occupations excludes many other critical public service workers (e.g., librarians, public defenders, social services caseworkers, transit operators), reinforcing a narrow definition of “heroes” that overlooks broader public sector contributions and may deepen inequities in workforce recognition.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 2(3)(b)(i)–(xi) & Sec. 2(3)(c)By limiting the program to a two-year pilot with no permanent funding mechanism, the bill creates administrative burden for local housing agencies and employers to coordinate applications without guaranteeing long-term stability — reducing predictability for both providers and homebuyers.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 2(4)
Who Is Most Affected
Nurses, EMTs, and other frontline health workers in low- to moderate-income brackets will benefit significantly — the no-interest loan reduces barriers to homeownership in expensive areas where many work, improving retention and stability in underserved health care markets.
Firefighters, police officers, and 911 dispatchers — especially in high-cost urban/suburban areas — gain meaningful down payment help, but the program’s limited funding and two-year window mean many will be excluded, creating inequity among eligible peers.
Child care providers who are licensed or certified may benefit, but unlicensed or informal providers — often lower-income women of color — are excluded, limiting the program’s equity impact despite good intentions.
Veterans and active-duty servicemembers who meet income thresholds gain a real pathway to homeownership, but only if they work in one of the 11 eligible occupations — limiting benefit for veterans in non-traditional roles or private-sector jobs.
Local governments and housing agencies will face administrative costs to coordinate outreach and verify eligibility, but may benefit from improved workforce retention in critical public service roles — a net positive if program success reduces long-term recruitment costs.