Bill > HB1757

This bill modifies regulations for existing buildings used for residential purposes, specifically targeting code cities and cities in Washington State. The legislation aims to facilitate easier housing unit additions within existing buildings by restricting local governments' ability to impose restrictive regulations. Key provisions include: prohibiting cities from preventing housing unit density increases up to 50 percent within existing building envelopes, eliminating parking requirement restrictions for new dwelling units, preventing cities from imposing excessive permitting or design standard requirements, and allowing housing unit additions in most building areas without significant regulatory barriers. The bill also provides flexibility for energy code compliance, allowing exemptions for smaller unit additions or buildings meeting certain energy use intensity targets. Cities are required to adopt these new regulations by June 30, 2026, and an "existing building" is defined as a structure that received a certificate of occupancy at least three years prior to a permit application for adding housing units. The legislation does not mandate approval of building permits that cannot satisfy life safety standards, ensuring public safety remains a priority while streamlining the process for increasing housing density in existing structures.