E2SHB 1108
VetoedHouse
Housing cost task force
Creating a task force on housing cost driver analysis.
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
This bill creates a special task force to investigate what is causing housing to be so expensive in Washington State and to recommend solutions. The task force will include lawmakers and experts from housing, economics, labor, and other key sectors, and must report its findings to the legislature by December 2026.
- Establishes a legislative task force on housing cost driver analysis with 19 appointed members (including 4 legislative members and 15 nonlegislative members representing diverse sectors like economics, housing development, labor, real estate, utilities, and housing finance).
- Requires the task force to research and analyze the primary causes (cost drivers) of high housing costs in Washington State.
- Mandates that the task force solicit input from the Affordable Housing Advisory Board and other experts to inform its analysis.
- Directs legislative staff (from the Senate Committee Services and House Office of Program Research) to provide administrative and research support to the task force.
- Requires the task force to submit a final report with findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 1, 2026.
- Sets a sunset date of June 1, 2027, after which the task force automatically expires unless extended by future legislation.
Who is affected
- Legislative members of the task force — Members of the Washington State Legislature (senators and representatives) who will be appointed to the task force and may receive travel reimbursement for participation.
- Appointed nonlegislative task force members — Economists, housing developers (nonprofit and for-profit), builders, labor unions, real estate professionals, city and county officials, tenant and landlord advocates, lenders, utility providers, public housing authorities, and others who may be appointed as nonlegislative members and asked to share expertise.
- Legislative support staff — Staff from the Washington State Senate Committee Services and House Office of Program Research who will provide administrative and research support to the task force.
- Stakeholders consulted by the task force — The Affordable Housing Advisory Board and other stakeholders (e.g., housing advocates, researchers, industry groups) whose input the task force is required to solicit and consider.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
The task force is required to solicit input from the Affordable Housing Advisory Board and diverse stakeholders—including tenants, landlords, lenders, and public housing authorities—which increases the likelihood that frontline community perspectives (especially those of renters and low-income households) inform the analysis.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(2), (3), (4), (5)Explicit inclusion of tenant and landlord advocates ensures that both sides of the rental market are represented, potentially balancing landlord interests with tenant protections—helping prevent recommendations that disproportionately favor landlords (e.g., loosening eviction rules without rent controls).
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(a)(I), (J)The inclusion of economists, public housing authorities, utility providers, and lenders allows for a multidisciplinary analysis of cost drivers—such as infrastructure costs, land use regulations, and financing barriers—that directly affect housing affordability for everyday Washingtonians.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(a)(B)-(M)The requirement to report findings and recommendations to the legislature by December 2026 creates a concrete deadline for legislative action, increasing the likelihood that the analysis translates into policy—potentially leading to new housing production tools, zoning reforms, or tenant protections.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(7)By including tenant advocates, lenders, multifamily lenders, and utility providers, the task force is positioned to uncover hidden cost drivers (e.g., utility pass-throughs, lending restrictions, or exclusionary zoning) that disproportionately burden low- and middle-income renters—making this a uniquely comprehensive diagnostic tool.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1)(a)(I), (J), (K), (L), (M)
Potential Concerns (5)
The bill includes a representative from a statewide business association, which may amplify corporate or employer perspectives in the analysis—potentially prioritizing regulatory relief or tax reductions over tenant protections or wage-based affordability measures.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 1(1)(a)(P)Nonlegislative members who are elected officials (e.g., city/county representatives) may be excluded from travel reimbursement, potentially limiting participation from local government staff with frontline experience in housing shortages—reducing the depth of ground-level insight.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 1(5)The task force’s recommendations are non-binding and due in December 2026, meaning implementation of any solutions would require separate legislation—delaying concrete action and leaving families in current housing crises without immediate relief.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 1(7)The composition heavily features industry representatives (e.g., developers, lenders, realtors, builders) relative to tenant advocates or low-income community voices—risking a structural bias toward market-driven solutions over supply-side or subsidy-based interventions that directly reduce rents.
Business & EmploymentRef: Sec. 1(1)(a)(B)-(Q)The automatic sunset in June 2027 creates a narrow window for legislative follow-up; if the legislature fails to act, the task force’s work may be wasted, especially if political priorities shift before 2027.
Local GovernmentRef: Sec. 1(8)
Who Is Most Affected
Low- and middle-income renters may benefit if the task force uncovers regulatory or market failures that contribute to rent inflation and recommends targeted interventions (e.g., rent stabilization, expanded housing vouchers). However, without binding authority, outcomes depend on future legislative action.
Landlords—especially small-scale property owners—may benefit from clearer cost-driver analysis that helps them understand rising expenses (e.g., utilities, insurance, compliance), but could be negatively impacted if recommendations lead to new regulations or rent controls.
Nonprofit housing developers are likely to benefit if the task force identifies regulatory barriers (e.g., lengthy permitting, density restrictions) that hinder affordable housing production; they may also gain from recommendations that increase public funding for affordable projects.
Large for-profit developers and real estate investment firms may benefit if the analysis emphasizes market-based solutions (e.g., reducing impact fees, streamlining approvals), but could be negatively impacted if recommendations favor inclusionary zoning or tenant protections that reduce profit margins.
Local governments (cities/counties) may benefit from the task force’s analysis of regulatory and infrastructure barriers to housing, but may face pressure to implement costly reforms or new compliance requirements without additional state funding.