Government Affairs Brief

Spokane REALTORS® Endorsed Candidates Advance to the Nov 7th General Election

In response to Spokane’s housing crisis, the Spokane REALTORS® Governmental Affairs committee has formally endorsed a full slate of candidates for the City of Spokane 2023 Elections.
CLICK HERE FOR DETAILS

Housing took center stage in this year’s 2023 Washington Legislature

CLICK HERE for details on legislation that affects you!


Spokane Council rolls back passes devastating impact fees for housing construction

REALTOR® testimony a key factor

In response to a call from Spokane REALTORS® and the housing construction community, the Spokane City Council has rolled back it’s devastating water and sewer connection fees. A poll showed builders say they will be shutting down more than 2,000 construction projects across the region in response to City Council 10-fold increase in Impact Fees. Instead, the city has now reset the connection fees to $6,000 until March 4th, 2024. The fees passed two weeks ago would have added an additional $19,000 to $27,000 per new house to for water/sewer hookups.

READ MORE HERE


Spokane Renters and Homebuyers to bear the brunt of huge building fee increases

In the face of our largest housing crisis, the Spokane City Council to vote on increase the cost of a new home by adding an additional $38,000 per new house for water and sewer hookups, and transportation impact fees.

The plan, which was unveiled with a few days notice will be voted on Monday, March 13th as an Emergency Measure, so that there is no time for analysis, debate or consideration. Spokane City staff members say plans like this often take 6 months to a year to put together. Instead, they were asked to come up with a plan in just a matter of weeks.

READ MORE HERE


Spokane Council passes potentially harmful legislation for renters/landlords

CLICK HERE to learn more


 

Spokane REALTORS® Endorsed Candidates for 2022

Spokane REALTOR® Endorsed candidates win big in the state and county races
CLICK HERE to learn more.

UPDATE: A judge will hear evidence from a citizen’s group upset with the process.

CLICK HERE for a story in the Spokesman

City Council sets aside citizen rezoning map for one that supports their party

Despite Spokane REALTORS® Hundreds of Emails and Calls

Hundreds of  REALTORS® and their customers contacted their council representative encouraging them to support a Redistricting Map that was approved by the Citizen’s Redistricting Committee – who unanimously selected the map we believe does the least amount of harm to residents.

The result? The Spokane City Council has moved to reject the map and substitute one that is more favorable to liberal candidates.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION


 

Planning Director outlines Major Building Changes for Spokane

City of Spokane Planning Director Spencer Gardner came to the Spokane Association of REALTORS(R) to present the major building code changes for Spokane. The City’s Building Opportunity and Choices for All program is a one-year interim zoning ordinance and one-year pilot program that modifies residential zoning to accelerate construction of more housing in neighborhoods, allowing for attached homes, duplexes, triplexes, and fourplexes citywide.

Read more here


Spokane Association of REALTORS® Early Endorsements for Spokane County

With Spokane expanding to five county commissioners, there has never been a more critical time for housing issues. That’s why SAR has offered its endorsements for all five races.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CHOICES HERE


Spokane Association of REALTORS® Early Endorsements for State Lawmakers

From voting records, to leadership on housing issues, SAR has formally endorsed those lawmakers and candidates that have demonstrated what it takes to be our REALTOR® champion.

SEE THE LIST HERE


Zoning and Code Changes coming to City of Spokane

The Spokane City Council has made several key changes in its zoning laws, such as making it easier to build an Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) to your home, and eliminating transition zones.

Now comes word, the Mayor’s Task Force on Housing is making even more recommendations.

READ MORE HERE


Spokane Co Assessor Tom Konis on 2022 Property Valuation increases

Property owners in Spokane County have seen property values rise 30% in the past year. Those valuations are the county’s estimates as of Jan. 1 and tend to be lower than what a property would fetch on the market.

CLICK HERE for more information


Spokane Mayor outlines Housing Strategies

In her State of the City address, Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward emphasized her Housing Strategies.

READ MORE HERE


2022 Washington Legislative Session Wraps Up

READ MORE HERE on issues that affect you and your customers


Counselors of Real Estate release Action Steps to Increase Spokane’s Housing Supply

A team of experts from across the country tackled the difficult question – “How can Spokane Increase it’s Housing Supply?”

Their 85-page report offers a blueprint for success

CLICK HERE for more information


2021 SAR Endorsed Candidates Score Big in Election

Key issues – Home Ownership, Private Property Rights

Two out of three of our endorsed Spokane City Council races were victorious.

READ MORE HERE

READ OUR ENDORSEMENT STRATEGY HERE


Call to Action leads to City of Spokane making change

The Spokane Association of REALTORS® has partnered with the Spokane Home Builders Association and others to formally reject the City of Spokane’s proposed Housing Action Plan. Our greatest concerns were the lack of data on housing needs, lack of changes to allow for more building and a general lack of any urgency to solve the problem. Thanks to over 300 signatures from Spokane REALTORS® and home builders the council responded with a decent set of housing amendments that answers many of our concerns.

SEE LOCAL NEWS COVERAGE HERE

CLICK HERE to read the original City of Spokane’s Housing Action Plan

We look forward to working with the City of make the findings of the council into rules and regulations that can foster real change.


Coronovirus and the Impacts to Business

There are new restrictions on how REALTORS® can do business. Both Washington State and the Federal Government have initiated emergency programs that can help businesses and individuals affected by the Coronovirus Quarantines.

Click here for the latest information


Washington 2021 Legislative Session

CLICK HERE for the latest REALTOR® related impacts


Spokane Region Housing Needs Summit 2021

Housing supply in the Spokane region continues to fall to record low levels at all pricing points. Our summit will help examine the needs of Spokane, what residents want, the influence of buyer migration from larger metro markets, a history of under-supply and the social impacts to our community from a lack of housing

CLICK HERE


Spokane Regional Health Dist. Director Talks with SAR on Covid latest

Spokane could be vaccinating ten times what they are now, and how new Covid virus variants could be coming to Spokane as early as March.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE


2020 Year in Review Governmental Affairs Committee report

A review of the National, State and Local Governmental Affairs efforts in support of the Spokane Association REALTORS® and our customers

CLICK HERE to read the report


Coronovirus and the Impacts to Business

There are new restrictions on how REALTORS® can do business. Both Washington State and the Federal Government have initiated emergency programs that can help businesses and individuals affected by the Coronovirus Quarantines.

Click here for the latest information

Election Results for SAR Endorsed Candidates

CLICK HERE to see how your local candidates did that are strong supporters of REALTOR® issues.

Washington REALTORS® 2020 Legislative Session Update

This year’s legislative session has officially wrapped up.

Click here for a close up look at the bills that we tracked in this year’s legislature


The Spokane Association of REALTORS® hits Olympia for Legislative Day 2020

Click here to learn what are this session’s top legislative priorities facing REALTORS®.

2019 YEAR  IN REVIEW GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE REPORT

A review of the National, State and Local Governmental Affairs efforts in support of the Spokane Association REALTORS® and our customers

Click here to read the report

New FHA Loan Limits for 2020

As expected, the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) has raised the 2020 loan limits. The FHA floor (the lowest FHA limit) for Spokane Count is now $331,760.

For other Counties, click here.

New Spokane County basic standard mortgage limits for FHA insured loans for 2020:
One-family Two-family Three-family Four-family
FHA Forward $331,760.00 $424,800.00 $513,450.00 $638,100.00
HECM $765,600.00
Fannie/Freddie $510,400.00 $653,550.00 $789,950.00 $981,700.00

Spokane Realtors Call to Action a success

New vote scheduled for March 2nd, 2020

Thanks to our REALTOR®  members, our recent Call for Action proved to be highly successful.

After receiving dozens of calls, letters and emails, the Spokane City Council has agreed to postpone the vote on two Landlord/Tenant measures until March 2nd. Your Spokane Association of REALTORS will now work to help the council craft better legislation.

READ more here

4 of 6 SAR City of Spokane/Spokane Valley Candidates elected

Newly elected Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward with SAR RPAC Trustee Cynthia Gustafson, and WA RPAC Chair Tom Hormel

Four of the endorsed candidates by the Spokane Association of REALTORS® elected to office.

  • Spokane Mayor Nadine Woodward
  • Spokane City Council member Lori Kinnear
  • Spokane City Council member Michael Cathcart
  • Spokane Valley Council member Arne Woodard

Click here to read more about our 2019 endorsements