OLYMPIA – Four years of effort by Sen. Jeff Wilson paid off Saturday as Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a bill to promote kit homes in Washington state.
Also signed by the governor was a Wilson bill that retains Cowlitz County’s rural designation for purposes of financing public projects.
Senate Bill 5552 directs the state Building Code Council to develop rules specifically for kit homes of 800 square feet or less. Wilson says the measure will help make kit homes an affordable option for property owners who wish to build tiny homes or accessory dwelling units in their back yards.
“This bill has been a long time coming,” Wilson said. “But that’s a good thing, because I think the case for this legislation has become clear to everyone. If we are going to make headway in solving the state’s housing shortage, we need inexpensive and convenient options. Nothing fits that need like a home you can build yourself.”
House kits, common before WWII, provide precut lumber and all materials required to complete the project. Modern kit homes frequently provide prefabricated panels for easy assembly. Prices start at less than $10,000.
The idea behind Wilson’s bill is that standardized kit designs need only be approved once, and that can be done at the state level. That would avoid the need for individual design reviews as done on custom stickbuilt homes.
Under the legislation, the state Building Code Council is required to issue new rules by 2027.
“We’re taking a construction method popular a century ago and adapting it for our times,” Wilson said. “Now more than ever we need affordable options like these if we are going to keep Washington housed.”
The Washington Department of Commerce projects a need for more than 1 million new homes by 2044.
Also signed into law Saturday was Senate Bill 6149, which changes the state’s definition of rural counties. Currently rural counties are defined as counties with fewer than 100 people per square miles. The bill adds counties with a population density of more than 100 people per square mile if no city has more than 45,000 people. The change ensures Cowlitz County will continue to be classed among the state’s 29 rural counties when seeking state funding for public facilities and economic development. Population increases last year pushed Cowlitz County just over the threshold. Wilson said the measure ensures Cowlitz County won’t have to compete with Washington’s largest counties for project funding.