Washington Governor Bob Ferguson has vetoed a bi-partisan housing study bill aimed at getting to the real problem of rental housing costs.
By Carter Nelson
At the Washington Multifamily Housing Association (WMFHA), we represent property owners, managers and housing professionals who are invested in providing safe, stable, and affordable rental housing across the state.
That’s why we are disheartened by Gov. Bob Ferguson’s recent veto of Engrossed Second Substitute House Bill 1108, a bipartisan bill passed by the Legislature that sought to commission a comprehensive study by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy (WSIPP) to identify the primary cost drivers for rental housing and homeownership in Washington.
The proposed study would have brought together a diverse set of stakeholders from all corners of the housing market: economists, builders, nonprofit and for-profit developers, realtors, mortgage lenders, tenants, landlords, and public agencies. This represented a meaningful opportunity to gather everyone to the table to better understand barriers to rental-housing affordability.
The best way to improve housing affordability is by identifying the most effective ways to increase housing supply. Our members know firsthand the challenges involved in building and maintaining housing, from zoning and permitting delays to the rising costs of labor, materials, and property taxes. This timely study would have helped bring these challenges into focus, providing a guide to smarter policymaking.
Gov. Ferguson’s veto message, citing budgetary constraints and the existence of prior studies, misses the mark. Previous studies have not adequately captured the on-the-ground realities faced by those directly involved in housing development and management. Without a clear, data-driven understanding of what drives costs, well-intentioned policies risk doing more harm than good.
As the housing affordability crisis continues to affect communities statewide, WMFHA urges Washington policymakers to prioritize comprehensive research and stakeholder engagement to inform sustainable solutions.
To learn more about our advocacy and solution-focused work, visit www.wmfha.org.
About the author:
Since joining WMFHA nearly two years ago, Carter Nelson has helped elevate the organization’s advocacy presence—first as Public Affairs Manager and more recently as Director of Government Affairs. In this capacity, she has worked closely with elected officials, industry leaders, and member organizations to strengthen WMFHA’s influence, drive critical policy conversations, and build long-term relationships that support housing development, improve operations for rental housing, and expand housing options across the state. A Washington native, Carter grew up in Seattle and Kirkland.