ESSB 5156
SignedSenate
Elevators/smaller apartments
Concerning elevator standards in smaller apartment buildings.
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 requires the State Building Code Council to adopt new technical standards by March 31, 2026, to allow smaller apartment buildings (up to six stories and 24 units) to install smaller elevators (e.g., wheelchair-only) and to follow either global or North American elevator safety standards. It also requires new standards for temporary emergency shelters by July 1, 2026.
- Requires the State Building Code Council to adopt new rules by March 31, 2026, allowing cities and counties to permit smaller elevators (e.g., wheelchair-only) in apartment buildings with no more than six stories and 24 units total.
- Requires the State Building Code Council to adopt rules by March 31, 2026, permitting elevators in all buildings to meet either the most current global safety standards or the current North American standards.
- Requires the State Building Code Council to adopt rules by July 1, 2026, establishing standards for temporary emergency shelters.
- Maintains existing authority for local governments to exempt certain buildings used for indigent housing from code requirements, with conditions including a five-year limit on exemptions and renewal eligibility.
Who is affected
- Local governments — Local governments (cities and counties) gain new authority to adopt rules allowing smaller apartment buildings (up to six stories and 24 units) to use smaller elevators (e.g., wheelchair-only elevators) instead of full-size elevators, or to follow global or North American elevator safety standards.
- Small apartment building developers and owners — Developers and owners of small apartment buildings (six stories or fewer, 24 units or fewer) may benefit from more flexible and potentially less expensive elevator options, such as smaller elevators designed for wheelchair access only.
- Residents of small apartment buildings — Residents of small apartment buildings may gain access to more affordable housing options, as reduced elevator costs could lower construction and maintenance expenses passed on to tenants.
- State Building Code Council — The State Building Code Council must develop and adopt new technical standards for elevators in small buildings and temporary emergency shelters, requiring staff time and resources.
Pro/Con Analysis
Potential Benefits (5)
May lower barriers to developing small, accessible housing units, increasing supply of ADA-compliant housing for people with mobility disabilities — especially valuable in high-cost urban areas where full-elevator requirements make small buildings financially unviable.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(4) — wheelchair-only elevator allowance for buildings ≤6 stories & ≤24 unitsAligning Washington’s elevator standards with widely used global or North American codes could improve interoperability of safety equipment and reduce costs for manufacturers and installers — potentially lowering maintenance and repair expenses for building owners and tenants over time.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(4) — adoption of global or North American elevator safety standardsFormalizing state-level standards for temporary emergency shelters could improve safety, sanitation, and accessibility for unhoused individuals, and may help local governments qualify for state or federal shelter funding by demonstrating compliance with minimum requirements.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(3) — standards for temporary emergency shelters by July 1, 2026Preserves local authority to exempt indigent housing from code requirements, enabling rapid conversion of existing buildings into shelter for vulnerable populations without lengthy permitting delays — critical for emergency response to homelessness.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1) — existing indigent housing exemption (unchanged, reaffirmed)Provides local jurisdictions with flexibility to respond to housing needs and community demographics — e.g., allowing rural towns to approve smaller, more affordable buildings without requiring costly full-elevator infrastructure.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(4) — local governments may adopt smaller-elevator rules
Potential Concerns (5)
May reduce construction and operational costs for small apartment developers, potentially enabling more affordable housing units — but only if developers pass savings to tenants, which is not guaranteed; in practice, cost savings may be captured by owners or used to increase profit margins rather than lower rents.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(4) — wheelchair-only elevator allowance for buildings ≤6 stories & ≤24 unitsExpanding acceptable safety standards to include global or North American alternatives could improve accessibility and safety for people with mobility impairments, especially if those standards better reflect modern assistive technology — but the bill does not mandate adoption by local jurisdictions, and inconsistent implementation across municipalities may reduce overall public safety benefit.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(4) — adoption of global or North American elevator safety standardsEstablishing state-level standards for temporary emergency shelters could improve safety and livability conditions for unhoused individuals, and may facilitate faster local adoption of shelters — but the bill does not fund implementation, and local governments may lack resources to enforce or staff new facilities, limiting real-world impact.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(3) — standards for temporary emergency shelters by July 1, 2026Maintains local discretion to exempt indigent housing from code requirements for up to five years, supporting low-income residents’ access to shelter — but the five-year cap and renewal requirement may create instability for long-term housing programs and discourage investment in permanent solutions.
HousingPeopleRef: Sec. 1(1) — existing indigent housing exemption (unchanged, reaffirmed)Grants local jurisdictions flexibility to tailor elevator requirements to community needs, potentially reducing housing costs — but this creates patchwork compliance burdens for developers operating across multiple municipalities and may increase administrative costs for smaller cities without dedicated code staff.
Local GovernmentLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(4) — local governments may adopt smaller-elevator rules
Who Is Most Affected
Small apartment developers and owners of buildings ≤6 stories and ≤24 units may benefit from lower construction and compliance costs due to optional wheelchair-only elevator provisions — but only if they choose to build such units, and savings may not fully translate to lower rents.
Residents of small apartment buildings — especially those with mobility disabilities — may benefit from increased availability of accessible, affordable housing; however, without rent regulation or tenant protections, benefits may be limited to new tenants rather than current residents.
Local governments gain authority to adopt more flexible codes, but must allocate staff time and resources to develop, review, and enforce new standards — potentially straining smaller municipalities without dedicated code enforcement teams.
Unhoused individuals and service providers may benefit from improved shelter standards and potential for faster shelter deployment, but without dedicated funding, implementation may lag or be inconsistent across regions.
State Building Code Council staff will need to develop new rules, consult with stakeholders, and coordinate with local jurisdictions — incurring administrative costs but also expanding technical authority and influence over housing policy.