Proposal Would Make It Easier To Use Kit Homes In Washington

Last month, we told you about an effort in Oregon to use kit homes to address the housing crisis in rural communities, and even farm worker housing.  Washington may be moving in a similar direction.  State senator Jeff Wilson recently introduced two bills to streamline the permitting process for kit homes.

“The kit home bills I proposed this year is a very simplistic, affordable method to add to the options for housing opportunities for everybody here in the state.”

The Longview Republican said these homes, which were popular a century ago, can provide affordable housing quickly.

“It's not a new idea, it simply calls upon the past," Wilson said.  "Over 100 years ago, kit homes were widely used and some are still standing. We can bring back the past in order to build the future.”

There’s no word how, or if these homes could be used to address the issue of farm worker housing in Washington.  Wilson’s measures are: 

• Senate Bill 5249, giving cities and counties the ability to site kit homes wherever single-family homes are allowed, and granting permission to use kit homes for temporary housing where permanent housing is not allowed. The measure received a hearing last week in the Senate Housing Committee. 

• Senate Bill 5552, creating a new state building code category for kit homes. The State Building Code Council would be forbidden from adopting requirements costing more than $150 a square foot. The separate rules for kit homes would allow state and local governments to keep the rules they already have in place for stickbuilt homes. The measure has been referred to the Senate Local Government Committee, but no hearing has yet been scheduled.

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