Housing Stability, Adaptive Reuse,
and Community Resilience Act

Proposed by Ryan Bowman, Candidate for Washington State Senate, 42nd District.

An Act

Relating to housing stability, adaptive reuse of vacant and underutilized properties, preservation of affordable housing, public health coordination, community resilience, cooperative housing support, public-interest property management services, and governance stabilization for shared-interest housing communities; expanding the authority and coordination capacity of housing stabilization entities; establishing adaptive reuse and vacancy reduction programs; supporting community land trusts, nonprofit housing partnerships, and regional housing coordination; and creating mechanisms to strengthen long-term housing affordability, transparent housing governance, and stable communities.

Section 1 — Legislative Findings and Intent

The Legislature finds that access to safe, stable, and dignified shelter is foundational to public health, educational attainment, workforce participation, family stability, economic mobility, and community safety.

The Legislature further finds that housing instability contributes to increased rates of homelessness, behavioral health crises, chronic stress, economic displacement, emergency healthcare utilization, addiction vulnerability, and long-term social destabilization.

The Legislature recognizes that many communities contain vacant, distressed, abandoned, or underutilized residential, commercial, institutional, and mixed-use properties capable of adaptive reuse to support housing and community needs while reducing unnecessary environmental impact, infrastructure expansion, and resource consumption.

The Legislature further recognizes the critical role currently served by housing authorities, nonprofit housing organizations, community land trusts, tribal housing entities, homeowners associations, and local governments in promoting housing access and stability throughout the state.

The Legislature further finds that housing stability depends not only upon housing availability, but also upon transparent, sustainable, community-oriented systems of property management, maintenance coordination, affordability preservation, and resident participation.

The Legislature recognizes that excessively extractive or predatory housing management practices may contribute to displacement, deferred maintenance, economic instability, social fragmentation, and rising housing costs for both tenants and property owners.

The Legislature further recognizes the value of cooperative housing models, resident participation, community stewardship, transparent governance, and collaborative ownership structures in strengthening neighborhood resilience, long-term affordability, and community cohesion.

It is therefore the intent of this act to:

  1. strengthen coordination among existing housing stabilization entities;
  2. expand adaptive reuse and rehabilitation capacity;
  3. preserve existing affordable housing stock;
  4. reduce prolonged property vacancy;
  5. support long-term housing affordability;
  6. encourage regional housing coordination;
  7. integrate housing and public health strategies;
  8. promote workforce housing and economic resilience;
  9. support transparent and sustainable property management practices;
  10. strengthen governance accountability within shared-interest housing communities;
  11. and support stable communities through systems-based housing policy.

Section 2 — Definitions

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

  • "Adaptive reuse" means the rehabilitation or conversion of existing residential, commercial, institutional, or mixed-use structures for housing, supportive housing, or mixed-use community purposes.
  • "Housing stabilization" means policies, programs, and services intended to reduce housing insecurity, displacement, eviction risk, chronic homelessness, prolonged vacancy, and destabilizing housing cost burdens.
  • "Participating entity" means:
    • a housing authority;
    • public development authority;
    • local government;
    • tribal housing entity;
    • nonprofit housing provider;
    • community land trust;
    • homeowners association;
    • or regional housing stabilization authority operating pursuant to this act.
  • "Supportive housing" means housing paired with voluntary support services including behavioral healthcare, addiction recovery services, counseling, workforce assistance, childcare access, or case management.
  • "Community land trust" means a nonprofit organization that acquires and stewards land for the purpose of preserving long-term affordability and community benefit.
  • "Shared-interest housing community" means a condominium association, homeowners association, cooperative housing community, resident-managed housing community, or other community governed through collective property management structures.
  • "Vacant property" means a residential, commercial, institutional, or mixed-use structure substantially unoccupied for a continuous period exceeding twelve months, excluding temporary vacancy associated with active redevelopment or renovation.

Section 3 — Housing Stabilization and Adaptive Reuse Framework

The state shall establish a Housing Stabilization and Adaptive Reuse Framework to support coordination among participating entities for the purpose of:

  • reducing housing instability;
  • promoting adaptive reuse;
  • preserving affordable housing;
  • reducing prolonged property vacancy;
  • supporting supportive housing initiatives;
  • strengthening transparent and sustainable housing management systems;
  • and strengthening long-term community resilience.

Existing housing authorities and participating entities may exercise powers authorized under this act.

Counties or regions lacking sufficient housing stabilization infrastructure may establish regional housing stabilization authorities through interlocal agreement or other lawful mechanism consistent with state law.

Section 4 — Expanded Authority Powers

Participating entities operating under this act may:

  • Acquire, lease, rehabilitate, or facilitate redevelopment of vacant, distressed, abandoned, or underutilized properties;
  • Coordinate adaptive reuse projects;
  • Preserve naturally affordable housing and workforce housing stock;
  • Partner with nonprofit housing organizations, community land trusts, tribal governments, labor organizations, homeowners associations, and private entities;
  • Manage mixed-income, workforce, supportive, transitional, cooperative, or permanently affordable housing initiatives;
  • Administer housing stabilization programs;
  • Issue bonds or utilize lawful financing mechanisms for qualifying projects;
  • Apply for and distribute grants, loans, or technical assistance funding;
  • Coordinate supportive services partnerships with behavioral health providers and social service agencies;
  • Establish long-term affordability covenants for publicly supported projects;
  • and Provide public-interest property management and housing governance support services pursuant to this act.

Section 5 — Statewide Vacancy and Adaptive Reuse Inventory

The Department of Commerce shall establish and maintain a statewide inventory of:

  • vacant residential properties;
  • underutilized commercial properties;
  • distressed multifamily housing;
  • vacant hotels and motels;
  • surplus public facilities;
  • and other structures suitable for adaptive reuse or housing rehabilitation.

The inventory shall:

  • identify redevelopment feasibility;
  • estimate rehabilitation costs;
  • identify regulatory barriers;
  • prioritize community stabilization opportunities;
  • and support regional planning efforts.

A report shall be submitted annually to the Legislature and made publicly available.

Section 6 — Adaptive Reuse Streamlining Program

The Department of Commerce shall establish an Adaptive Reuse Streamlining Program to assist participating entities and local governments in:

  • expediting permit review;
  • modernizing code pathways for adaptive reuse;
  • reducing unnecessary procedural barriers;
  • coordinating infrastructure planning;
  • and supporting rehabilitation and conversion of qualifying structures for housing purposes.

Participating jurisdictions may receive planning grants and technical assistance.

Section 7 — Adaptive Reuse and Housing Stabilization Fund

The Adaptive Reuse and Housing Stabilization Fund is hereby established.

Funds may be used for:

  • property acquisition;
  • rehabilitation and code compliance;
  • infrastructure modernization;
  • accessibility improvements;
  • energy efficiency upgrades;
  • supportive housing integration;
  • preservation of affordable housing;
  • infrastructure rehabilitation;
  • and adaptive reuse conversion projects.

Priority shall be given to projects that:

  • preserve long-term affordability;
  • reduce displacement risk;
  • support workforce housing;
  • integrate supportive services;
  • revitalize underutilized areas;
  • strengthen long-term infrastructure sustainability;
  • and reduce environmental impacts associated with unnecessary land expansion and infrastructure duplication.

Section 8 — Community Land Trust and Nonprofit Partnership Support

Participating entities may provide grants, acquisition assistance, financing support, technical assistance, and partnership opportunities to:

  • community land trusts;
  • nonprofit housing providers;
  • tribal housing organizations;
  • housing stabilization organizations;
  • and cooperative housing organizations.

Priority consideration shall be given to organizations demonstrating:

  • long-term affordability stewardship;
  • eviction prevention efforts;
  • family housing stabilization;
  • workforce housing development;
  • transparent governance practices;
  • and community-based housing support services.

Section 9 — Preservation of Existing Affordable Housing

Participating entities shall prioritize preservation of existing naturally affordable housing including:

  • aging multifamily housing;
  • manufactured housing communities;
  • senior housing developments;
  • cooperative housing communities;
  • and workforce housing stock.

Funding may be used for:

  • rehabilitation;
  • energy retrofits;
  • accessibility improvements;
  • code compliance;
  • utility modernization;
  • reserve stabilization;
  • and long-term affordability agreements.

Section 10 — Housing Stability and Public Health Coordination

The Department of Health, Department of Commerce, participating entities, behavioral health agencies, and local governments shall coordinate strategies recognizing the relationship between stable housing environments and:

  • mental health outcomes;
  • physical health outcomes;
  • educational stability;
  • addiction recovery;
  • workforce participation;
  • social cohesion;
  • and reductions in long-term emergency system utilization.

Programs developed under this section may include:

  • supportive housing initiatives;
  • integrated case management;
  • trauma-informed stabilization services;
  • childcare support coordination;
  • and workforce transition assistance.

Section 11 — Regional Coordination

Local governments and participating entities are encouraged to coordinate regionally regarding:

  • housing stabilization strategies;
  • adaptive reuse planning;
  • workforce housing development;
  • supportive housing services;
  • infrastructure prioritization;
  • and community resilience planning.

The state may provide planning grants and technical assistance supporting regional coordination efforts.

Regional coordination efforts should include consultation with tribal governments where applicable, including regional planning discussions involving the Lummi Nation and Nooksack Indian Tribe in areas affecting shared regional housing, infrastructure, environmental stewardship, or community development interests.

Section 12 — Workforce Development and Local Labor Participation

Projects receiving public support under this act are encouraged to:

  • utilize apprenticeship programs;
  • support local labor participation;
  • partner with workforce training institutions;
  • and promote family-wage employment opportunities connected to housing rehabilitation and development.

Section 13 — Public-Interest Property Management Program

Participating entities operating under this act may establish voluntary Public-Interest Property Management Programs for the purpose of supporting housing stability, affordability preservation, maintenance coordination, transparent housing management practices, governance stabilization, and long-term community resilience.

Programs established under this section may provide services including:

  • property maintenance coordination;
  • rehabilitation planning;
  • tenant-landlord mediation;
  • transparent fee and lease standards;
  • compliance assistance;
  • energy efficiency coordination;
  • insurance pooling or risk stabilization assistance;
  • contractor coordination;
  • vacancy reduction strategies;
  • affordability preservation agreements;
  • cooperative housing support services;
  • community association support services;
  • reserve study assistance;
  • long-term capital planning support;
  • infrastructure maintenance coordination;
  • mediation and dispute resolution services;
  • contractor vetting resources;
  • governance training resources;
  • financial transparency guidance;
  • and best-practice standards promoting accountability and responsible stewardship within homeowners associations and shared-interest housing communities.

Participation in such programs shall be voluntary and available to:

  • small housing providers;
  • nonprofit housing organizations;
  • community land trusts;
  • cooperatives;
  • senior property owners;
  • workforce housing providers;
  • qualifying residential property owners;
  • resident-managed housing communities;
  • shared-interest housing communities;
  • and homeowners associations.

Participating entities may assist homeowners associations and resident-managed communities in:

  • addressing deferred maintenance risks;
  • improving reserve funding strategies;
  • coordinating infrastructure rehabilitation;
  • stabilizing insurance access;
  • improving governance transparency;
  • and promoting fiscally responsible and sustainable management practices.

Participating entities may establish standardized best practices promoting:

  • fair housing access;
  • transparent fee structures;
  • maintenance accountability;
  • financial sustainability;
  • tenant and homeowner stability;
  • long-term affordability;
  • energy efficiency;
  • responsible reserve planning;
  • and reduction of exploitative or predatory housing management practices.

Programs developed under this section shall prioritize:

  • housing stabilization;
  • preservation of naturally affordable housing;
  • reduction of unnecessary displacement;
  • neighborhood revitalization;
  • financial sustainability of housing communities;
  • and long-term community resilience.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to supersede lawful authority of homeowners associations or to mandate participation in state-administered governance programs.

Section 14 — Housing Cooperative Services Division

Participating entities may establish a Housing Cooperative Services Division for the purpose of supporting cooperative housing models, shared stewardship initiatives, resident participation systems, and community-based housing stabilization strategies.

The Division may provide:

  • technical assistance for cooperative housing formation;
  • governance and organizational support;
  • mediation and conflict resolution services;
  • financing navigation assistance;
  • shared maintenance coordination;
  • educational resources regarding cooperative ownership structures;
  • legal and administrative guidance;
  • and support for resident-managed housing communities.

Programs developed under this section may support:

  • limited-equity housing cooperatives;
  • resident-owned manufactured housing communities;
  • shared-equity ownership structures;
  • community stewardship initiatives;
  • multigenerational housing collaboration models;
  • and other community-oriented housing systems promoting long-term affordability and housing stability.

The Legislature recognizes that cooperative and community-based housing systems may:

  • strengthen neighborhood cohesion;
  • reduce social isolation;
  • improve long-term housing stability;
  • encourage civic participation;
  • reduce displacement pressures;
  • and promote collaborative community resilience.

Participating entities are encouraged to support voluntary community participation structures that:

  • increase local engagement;
  • strengthen neighborhood relationships;
  • improve shared problem-solving capacity;
  • and encourage collaborative investment in community wellbeing.

Programs established under this section shall remain voluntary and may not compel participation in cooperative ownership or management structures.

Section 15 — HOA Transparency and Accountability Standards

Participating entities may develop voluntary best-practice standards for homeowners associations and shared-interest housing communities regarding:

  • financial transparency;
  • reserve fund disclosure;
  • conflict-of-interest policies;
  • procurement transparency;
  • meeting accessibility;
  • maintenance reporting;
  • and homeowner access to governing documents and financial information.

Programs developed under this section shall prioritize:

  • prevention of unnecessary financial burdens on residents;
  • reduction of deferred infrastructure risks;
  • promotion of responsible fiscal stewardship;
  • and long-term neighborhood stability.

Nothing in this section shall be construed to supersede existing lawful authority of homeowners associations or to mandate participation in state-administered governance programs.

Section 16 — Community Resilience and Social Stability Prioritization

Projects and programs receiving support under this act are encouraged to consider long-term community resilience factors including:

  • neighborhood stability;
  • reduction of social isolation;
  • access to community gathering spaces;
  • multigenerational housing opportunities;
  • proximity to employment, transit, and essential services;
  • opportunities for resident participation and local stewardship;
  • and promotion of healthy and connected communities.

The Legislature recognizes that stable and connected communities contribute positively to:

  • mental health outcomes;
  • public safety;
  • educational stability;
  • physical health;
  • workforce participation;
  • and long-term civic cohesion.

Section 17 — Pilot Adaptive Reuse Demonstration Program

The Department of Commerce shall establish a Pilot Adaptive Reuse Demonstration Program supporting regional demonstration projects focused on:

  • commercial-to-residential conversion;
  • supportive housing integration;
  • mixed-income workforce housing;
  • revitalization of vacant properties;
  • cooperative housing development;
  • and community-centered adaptive reuse strategies.

Pilot projects shall collect data regarding:

  • housing stabilization outcomes;
  • public health impacts;
  • cost savings;
  • vacancy reduction;
  • workforce participation;
  • governance stabilization outcomes;
  • and community revitalization effects.

Section 18 — Funding

The Legislature may appropriate funds for implementation of this act through:

  • housing stabilization bonds;
  • infrastructure appropriations;
  • federal housing grants;
  • adaptive reuse investment programs;
  • housing preservation programs;
  • and other lawful financing mechanisms.

Participating entities may also receive:

  • philanthropic grants;
  • private partnership funding;
  • cooperative investment participation;
  • and nonprofit support funding consistent with public accountability requirements.

Section 19 — Rulemaking Authority

The Department of Commerce may adopt rules necessary to implement this act consistent with the purposes established herein.

Section 20 — Effective Date

This act takes effect ninety days after adjournment of the session in which it is enacted.

Public Summary Statement

The Housing Stability, Adaptive Reuse, and Community Resilience Act establishes a coordinated statewide framework supporting housing stability through adaptive reuse of vacant properties, preservation of affordable housing, public-interest property management services, cooperative housing support, transparent governance standards, regional collaboration, and integration of housing with public health and community resilience strategies. The act strengthens existing housing authorities, nonprofit organizations, community land trusts, homeowners associations, and regional partnerships in building stable, affordable, and connected communities.