MEDIA CONTACT: Catie Gould, Sightline Institute, catie@sightline.org
OLYMPIA, WA – Washington state Senator Jessica Bateman’s Parking Reform and Modernization Act, SB 5184, was approved by the state Senate in a 40-8 bipartisan vote on February 19.
The bill would cap how many parking spots local governments can mandate for new housing and commercial buildings and give full parking flexibility to certain building types that need it the most. Under amendments adopted on February 19, the bill would apply statewide to cities with a population over 20,000 (86% of cities and towns) with possible exemptions for sub-standard county roads.
One-size-fits-all parking requirements exacerbate the housing shortage in Washington and drive up home and rent costs, according to research from regional think tank Sightline Institute. SB 5184 (companion HB 1299) would create consistent standards that would unlock more opportunities for homes and small businesses alike. The legislation:
- Caps excessive minimum parking mandates for new residential buildings. To set a statewide standard for limiting the damage done to housing by excessive parking, the bill would prevent cities and counties from requiring more than 0.5 parking spaces per home. This minimum would round to 1 required space for a single-detached house, but would allow some multifamily building residents to forgo paying for parking they don’t want.
- Caps commercial mandates to provide relief for businesses. Parking mandates are a tax on businesses that limit opportunities for new establishments, conversions of historic buildings, and other uses. At 1 parking space per 1,000 square feet, the legislation would ensure that governments can’t require parking that amounts to more than a third of the floorspace of any commercial property.
- Provides full parking flexibility for certain building types. SB 5184 exempts select building uses from mandates, including buildings undergoing a change of use (like from an office to a coffeeshop), senior housing, affordable housing, daycares, facilities that serve alcohol, and commercial spaces in mixed-use buildings.
- Potentially adds more ADA accessible parking spaces. An amendment directs the state building code council to study and, if needed, update parking requirements to better align with current disability rates.
Sightline’s 2024 Washington Parking Report found that:
- Parking is overbuilt for most residences: One in four homeowner households in Washington have one or no cars, but 91 percent of jurisdictions require two or more off-street parking spaces for every single-detached home.
- Each parking space can add $200 per month in rent, whether tenants need that parking space or not.
- Homes go unbuilt across Washington because of parking mandates, especially on small lots.
- Parking lots are often forced to be as large or larger than the buildings they serve.
- Parking mandates can block critical services like daycares.
The bill is supported by a coalition of over 40 local groups, including the Housing Development Consortium, Futurewise, and Strong Towns of Washington State.
Catie Gould, senior transportation researcher for Sightline Institute, is available to comment on her research and on details of the state legislation.
“There is no magic parking ratio that will meet the needs of every family or every restaurant. People and properties are unique and have varying needs and circumstances,” said Gould. “Eliminating parking mandates does not require anyone to stop driving. Nor does it limit anyone’s ability to build as much parking as they want. It simply provides more choice and opportunity for the builders and entrepreneurs who know their customers best and are committed to seeing their project succeed.”
Read the statewide report: The State of Parking Mandates in Washington
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Catie Gould is a senior transportation researcher for Sightline Institute, specializing in parking policy. Find her latest research here, and follow her on Bluesky or X.
Sightline Institute is an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit think tank providing leading original analysis of housing, democracy, energy, and forests policy in the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, British Columbia, and beyond.
