Affordable housing needs at 'critical levels,' state reports

Olympia — The lack of affordable housing options has reached critical levels in communities throughout Washington, according to the recently released Affordable Housing Advisory Board five-year housing advisory plan. The AHAB report highlights the need for action, detailing that the state must add over 1 million new homes within the next 20 years to meet current need and accommodate population growth.

The housing advisory plan emphasizes that nearly half of the new homes required in the coming decades must be affordable to households earning less than 50% of area median family income. This shortage of affordable housing contributes to homelessness, housing instability, and increasing costs for low- and moderate-income families. The housing advisory plan provides a path for understanding the affordable housing crisis and details recommendations for removing barriers to building more affordable homes.

“Washington is among many states that are not producing an adequate and affordable supply of housing for our growing population,” said Paul Trautman, Affordable Housing Advisory Board chair. “The housing challenges highlighted in this report will take local, state and federal action.”

“This report describes the housing challenges resulting from investments in affordable housing not keeping pace with Washington’s dynamic growth,” said Tedd Kelleher, Washington State Department of Commerce housing policy manager. “Implementing the recommendations in this report at the necessary scale is critical to meeting the housing needs of our state.”

The report includes personal stories from residents who face housing insecurity. These stories were collected through surveys and listening sessions conducted by the Washington Low-Income Housing Alliance. Each story brings a human perspective to the data, illustrating the real-life challenges and struggles of those impacted by the affordable housing crisis.

Source: Washington Department of Commerce