Authorizing middle housing in unincorporated growth areas and unincorporated urban growth areas, certain limited areas of more intensive rural development, and fully contained communities.
Senate Bill 5471 authorizes counties to permit "middle housing" in specific unincorporated areas, including designated urban growth areas and certain limited rural development areas. This allows for up to four residential units on parcels typically zoned for single-family homes. Counties implementing this must ensure middle housing development standards are no more restrictive than those for single-family residences, while still allowing objective standards like setbacks to apply. All such housing must be served by appropriate water and sewer services, and county actions to implement these provisions are exempt from certain administrative and judicial appeals.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Apr 2025
Senate Passage
Apr 2025
House Passage
Apr 2025
Signed into Law
May 2025
Introduced Jan 23, 2025
Signed May 20, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons
What changed between versions
Engrossed Bill
→
Passed Legislature
·
2 edits
MINOR
The bill was certified as passed by both the Senate and House, adding formal enrollment documentation. Substantive changes include removing a requirement for new sewer service for middle housing in rural areas, replacing it with a mandate for existing sewer service, and adjusting the language to require middle housing on every parcel that allows single-family homes in urban growth areas.
Scope change
The bill's scope regarding middle housing requirements in urban growth areas was broadened from 'at least one' unit to all middle housing types, while the sewer requirement for rural areas was narrowed to only existing infrastructure.
REQUIREMENT
Changed the sewer requirement for middle housing in rural areas from requiring new service to requiring only existing service.
Updated the mandate for urban growth areas to require middle housing on every parcel that permits single-family residences, rather than just one unit.
Floor votes · Senate Feb 19, 2025 · House Apr 12, 2025
How they voted
50–0
Passed · 1 other
Total votes 51
Feb 19, 2025
D
Democratic31
96% Yea
R
Republican20
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
28
Key actions
15
Committee
9
May 20, 2025
Signed into law
Governor signed.
executive
Apr 23, 2025
Lower · Passed
Speaker signed.
lower
Apr 22, 2025
Upper · Passed
President signed.
upper
Apr 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
Passed final passage; yeas, 48; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.
upper
Apr 21, 2025
Upper · Passed
Senate concurred in House amendments.
upper
Apr 12, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee amendment(s) adopted with no other amendments.
lower
Apr 12, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (92-4-4)
house
Mar 27, 2025
Committee
Referred to Rules 2 Review.
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Minority; without recommendation.
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
HOUS - Majority; do pass with amendment(s).
lower
Mar 24, 2025
Lower · Passed
Executive action taken in the House Committee on Housing at 1:30 PM.
lower
Mar 17, 2025
Lower · Passed
Public hearing in the House Committee on Housing at 1:30 PM.
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Upper · Passed
Floor amendment(s) adopted.
upper
Feb 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
HSG - Majority; do pass.
upper
Feb 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Housing at 10:30 AM.
upper
Jan 31, 2025
Upper · Passed
Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Housing at 10:30 AM.
upper
1 primary · 6 co-sponsors
Sponsors
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