The Washington State Legislature authorized up to $5 million for the development of housing action plans intended to increase urban residential capacity, with a maximum award amount per jurisdiction of $100,000. The City of Auburn intends to utilize this funding for the development of a Housing Action Plan to accomplish short term goals identified in the Housing Element of the city’s comprehensive plan including evaluating city zoning regulations are allowed at an appropriate density in an appropriate zone, inventory housing opportunities for disadvantaged populations, and coordinating with transit agencies to align transportation and housing resources to be most effective.

Signed into law by Governor Inslee on May 9, 2019, E2SHB 1923 authorized the Department of Commerce to issue up to $5 million in grant funding for the purpose of increasing residential housing capacity in urban areas. The City of Auburn submitted a grant application on September 30, 2019, requesting the maximum award of $100,000 in collaboration with neighboring jurisdictions Burien, Federal Way, Kent, Renton, and Tukwila. As a part of the collaborative effort, up to $20,000 per jurisdiction has been allocated for the purpose of collecting sub-regional data necessary for the development of a Housing Action Plan. On November 5, 2019, Auburn was officially awarded the grant in the amount of $100,000. All city legislative action associated with E2SHB 1923 must be taken by April 1, 2021, and all grant deliverables are due to be submitted to the Washington State Department of Commerce by June 15, 2021.