We're only powerful because of our advocates! Thanks to everyone that emailed their legislators, posted on social media, got their friends involved and more.
Excited to be building a land use movement with all of you!
Even more big news, SB 5156, the bill to allow smaller elevators passed the House! Shoutout to @sightline.org for their leadership on this bill.
You know what this means? Clean sweep for Futurewise's priority legislation 🧹🎉 The state is taking some big steps to Growing Together in every community!
Super grateful to Rep Strom Peterson for sponsoring HB 2266, and Senators Bateman and Alvarado for leading it through the Senate.
Shoutout to our partners WA Low Income Housing Alliance, Disability Rights WA, Plymouth Housing and every person who took action!
Teamwork makes the dream work 🫶
Big news fresh from Olympia!
The Senate just PASSED HB 2266, supporting more STEP housing statewide. 🎉
This is a huge win for getting more access to critical housing types like emergency shelters, transitional housing, and permanent supportive housing!
#WALeg
SB 5820, which will limit sprawl in rural areas around specific freight rail stations, has PASSED it's final Chamber in the Legislature! Good news for rural farmland protections.
#WALeg
With the days dwindling in #WALeg here's what's left to pass of our priority agenda this year:
🏡 STEP Housing - HB 2266
🛗 Smaller Elevators - SB 5156
🛤️ Rural Freight + Sprawl - SB 5820
🏘️ Rural ADU regulations - HB 1345
And we'll be working right up until the final deadline! More on the blog
North Queen Anne, we're coming to you next for our monthly comp plan happy hour! 🍻
RSVP so we save you a seat futurewise.salsalabs.org/februaryccch...
🚨 Sign in PRO action - HB 2266 is on to the Senate!
app.leg.wa.gov/csi/Testifie...
With love from the Futurewise Program Staff!
🌹🫶
With love from @futurewise.bsky.social. ❤️
Washington has a lot to celebrate today! 💙💚
~including~ some important middle housing bills making their way through the House and on to the Senate.
Don't worry, we'll be keeping an eye on #WALeg while y'all get outside for some celebrating and some vitamin D 😎
Ok housing nerds, get excited. HB 1687 which adds social housing public development authorities to the housing cooperation law is coming up for a vote! Shout out to all the advocates @houseourneighbors.bsky.social and @mayorofseattle.bsky.social who have pushed for this. #waleg
#WALeg is back for a busy week 4, and we're expecting a few chances to take action on our 2026 Growing Together priorities.
First quick action you can take- email your lawmakers to keep the STEP housing bill moving
Click here to email your reps- shorturl.at/mzAiS
It's Week 4 in the legislature, also known as "The Week of Wailing" (j/k I made that up. Kinda.) Any bills that do not advance out of their policy committees by Wednesday are dead for the year. Any bills that do not advance out of a fiscal committee by Monday, are also dead for the year. #waleg
Testing...testing... We're live!
Come over to the other platform with a blue logo, we'll be breaking down all the Middle Housing bills working their way through the 2026 legislative session
www.facebook.com/share/v/1Dmq...
WSDOT is in the midst of their Transportation Resilience Improvement Plan, and seeking YOUR feedback! 💭✏️
We want clean, well-connected transit that's built to withstand our changing climate and increasing extreme weather -- let them know your thoughts by January 30th
#WSDOT
Next week we'll be live talking about middle housing in the 2026 #WALeg session. There are a number of actions the Legislature can take to make more housing types available in more places - tune in next Wednesday!
futurewise.org/livestream-m...
thank you 🥹 we love to hear it!
Alex Brennan of @futurewise.bsky.social &
@cityjane.bsky.social talk about the American housing nightmare and how states can step in to define best practice regulation that increases supply and brings down costs.
www.statesforum.org/january-book...
One of these wonky bills is HB 2228- to "legalize scissor stairs as a type of egress allowed in multifamily construction."
What on earth is a scissor stair 🤔
Basically it allows buildings to be more compact, while maintaining adequate egress (fire exits), and can lower initial building costs
After big wins on middle housing, transit-oriented development, rent stabilization and parking reform in the last few sessions, #WALeg is moving towards some more technical and targeted bills to help implement these big policies successfully, and we're ready 👏
www.theurbanist.org/2026/01/14/2...
tomorrow night!
futurewise.salsalabs.org/januarycccha...
First chance to Sign in PRO for one of our priority bills! It takes less than one minute to add your name by clicking below. Let's start strong 💪
First legislative hearing for one of our priorities!
🚨
Our member organization @neighborswelcomeri.bsky.social isn't just optimistic, they're putting in the work 🛠️
More homes for more neighbors in RI!
And just like that, the House has been called to order and the 2026 legislative session can begin! First order of the day is ceremonial activities. We just processed in, and now we do the role, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance, the national anthem, and yes, a prayer. #waleg
Happy first day of session! We're back in Olympia for the next 60 days fighting for you, your neighborhood, and forests, farmlands, and waters.
What're you fighting for this session? Let's Grow 🌱 Together
Are you ready for another legislative session?!
If the answer is no, then come get ready with us!
Tuesday night, "Navigating Session" training at 6pm - RSVP to get the zoom link.
#WALeg
shorturl.at/8AID2
It's time for our first monthly happy hour for 2026!
This month, the Complete Communities Coalition is collabing with @westseaurbanism.bsky.social to celebrate our historic housing wins from 2025! Stop by to grab a drink and continue fighting for housing justice!
shorturl.at/iEevv
Last April, our legal team filed an appeal of the Kitsap County Comp Plan for failing to plan adequately on issues including affordable housing supply, protecting rural areas from sprawl, and more.
Thanks @theurbanist.org for covering the complex issues facing Kitsap!
