NAIOPWA has been involved with the state legislative process for more than four decades. It’s with this depth of experience that we report both that the 2021 session was one of the more challenging for our industry in recent years, and how we managed to come out with three significant wins this year.

During the session, dozens of bills were introduced that, if passed, would have had a devastating impact on the commercial real estate development community. While in the end, some of these were favorably amended and several others failed, many of the same issues are expected to return in 2022.

The past year’s COVID shutdown and restrictions were especially hard on the restaurant and entertainment industries. Despite the tough times, there have been some positives that have come from the pandemic. There have been many new restaurants, bars and businesses that have opened up over the past year in Washington’s South Sound. To celebrate the innovation that has resulted from challenging circumstances, we are going to share a few uplifting success stories. Many of these places have creatively adapted their business models to government orders or designed a space that allows for optimal ventilation and spread-out seating to keep the public safe and remain compliant with COVID opening regulations.

Below are just a couple of the South Sound eateries that have opened up over the past year, highlighted and shared by our NAIOP South Sound Committee Members.

The University of British Columbia bested both Portland State University and the University of Washington to emerge as the victor of the 18^th Annual NAIOP Washington State Real Estate Challenge!

Teams evaluated the highest and best use for the Alexandria Real Estate-owned site at 1600 Eastlake, which sits at the center of Alexandria’s Eastlake biotech campus. As the site sponsor for the Challenge, Alexandria tasked students with creating a feasible development proposal that would enhance the surrounding biotech campus, enliven the neighborhood, and adhere to Alexandria’s commitment to sustainability.

Did you notice that we skipped a week of reporting? Greg Hanon was busily attending sessions, advocating for legislation that supports the CRE industry. One example: this week, an amendment was added to the proposed capital gains tax that exempts real estate. The session is scheduled to end on Sunday, April 26. Click here to continue reading this post (login required). 

NAIOPWA's state lobbyist, Greg Hanon, sends weekly reports for NAIOPWA members during the legislative session. These include a brief overview of session activity and highlights of the most pertinent issues for our industry. Additionally, Greg includes a complete list of bills and hearings that inform how we do business in Washington State. You'll see a link to download that list at the end of each short weekly update. Member login is required to view the full update.

In 2020, NAIOP Washington State was honored as NAIOP Chapter of the Year. This year, despite COVID-19, we have continued that success by becoming NAIOP’s third-largest chapter in North America.

This achievement is in large part thanks to the commitment of our corporate members and member companies who expanded their memberships. These companies recognize the value of building connections and relationships with industry partners; participating in exclusive professional development opportunities crucial to keeping a competitive edge; and putting their voices together with other CRE leaders to inform legislation that affects our region.

As of Saturday, April 3, there were 22 days left in the 2021 Legislative Session as scheduled. We anticipate our legislators will be working long hours every day until the clock runs out - will they finish in time? Greg doesn't have a crystal ball (yet), but he can tell us the highlights for NAIOPWA and the CRE community. Click here to continue reading this post (login required). 

NAIOPWA's state lobbyist, Greg Hanon, sends weekly reports for NAIOPWA members during the legislative session. These include a brief overview of session activity and highlights of the most pertinent issues for our industry. Additionally, Greg includes a complete list of bills and hearings that inform how we do business in Washington State. You'll see a link to download that list at the end of each short weekly update. Member login is required to view the full update.

Violent hate crimes perpetrated in Atlanta this month have brought national attention to racism against the Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. The AAPI community has faced racist attacks for far longer, and has struggled to have their voices heard by those outside their community. 

There have been nearly 3,800 recorded instances of hate crimes against the AAPI community in the past year.

Last June, NAIOPWA publicly committed to doing the work to address racism head-on by bringing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) topics and education to the forefront for the professional CRE community throughout our region. It is incumbent upon every single one of us to bring attention to these injustices now and always.

NAIOPWA stands in support of the AAPI community and all those who fall victim to racist attacks and hate crimes.  We encourage all our members, friends and colleagues to join us in a stand against racism, terrorism and violence.

Click here to learn more about our DEI program and how we're collaboratively working to diversify our membership and the CRE industry.   

Friday, March 26, was the 75th day of the Washington State Legislative Session, leaving 30 days to go with a number of major issues to try and resolve in that time.Click here to continue reading this post (login required).

NAIOPWA's state lobbyist, Greg Hanon, sends weekly reports for NAIOPWA members during the legislative session. These include a brief overview of session activity and highlights of the most pertinent issues for our industry. Additionally, Greg includes a complete list of bills and hearings that inform how we do business in Washington State. You'll see a link to download that list at the end of each short weekly update. Member login is required to view the full update. 

We need housing near jobs, transit, and opportunity. The Housing Supply and Affordability Act (HSAA) creates a new Local Housing Policy Grant (LHPG) program administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The proposed program would provide grants to states, localities, tribes, and regional municipal and county coalitions to support local efforts to expand housing supply.

The HSAA complements legislation such as the bipartisan Yes in My Backyard (YIMBY) Act, which encourages local governments to eliminate exclusionary zoning and discriminatory land-use policies by providing the resources and capacity to enable entities to enact said policies.

The state legislative session heads into the home stretch this week, with just 33 days left in session, a Friday deadline for bill reporting and a draft budget expected from the senate this week. Click here to continue reading this post (login required).

NAIOPWA's state lobbyist, Greg Hanon, sends weekly reports for NAIOPWA members during the legislative session. These include a brief overview of session activity and highlights of the most pertinent issues for our industry. Additionally, Greg includes a complete list of bills and hearings that inform how we do business in Washington State. You'll see a link to download that list at the end of each short weekly update. Member login is required to view the full update. 

With state and local energy codes marching unflinchingly towards a zero-carbon future, projects seeking to show deep sustainability commitments by going beyond energy code requirements are faced with fewer compelling design options. This may be especially true for large scale projects or multi-building developments, many of which have unique constraints on space and more limited system options. Efficiency focused electric district energy systems, or low-carbon energy districts, have been seeing more widespread adoption in the Pacific Northwest and can help fill this unique niche.

What are low-carbon energy districts?

Image courtesy of McKinstry

Low-carbon energy districts are communities of buildings connected via common energy infrastructure and systems, designed and operated together with a common goal of reducing carbon emissions and utility energy usage. They include many or all of the following attributes:

Bryce Taylor has been a fixture of the NAIOP community for over 30 years. He got involved in the early ‘90s to jumpstart his career, at the behest of Ted Sive with Lease Crutcher Lewis. Bryce says he “joined NAIOP and immediately got involved with the Community Enhancement Committee – and never regretted it.” Throughout decades of uncertainty and change, Bryce has remained connected to his colleagues through our association. “I have developed hundreds of great relationships through NAIOP.”

We interviewed Bryce about his involvement with NAIOP, the arc of his career, and the impact he’s had on the industry and community.

NAIOPWA Member McKenzie Darr of The Wolff Company has compiled a concise update of our chapter advocacy updates, including news and bills we're keeping our eye on. For more information about getting involved with NAIOPWA's government affairs efforts, click here.

State

The 2021 legislative session is underway. NAIOPWA is publishing exclusive weekly legislative updates online for chapter members. Select key pieces of legislation proposed this session are outlined below. 

As reported last week, all bills that passed out of policy committees by the Feb. 15 deadline moved to fiscal committees, which have one week (deadline: Monday, Feb. 22) to consider the proposals before sending them to the Rules committee, where they can be considered for floor action. Budget-related bills are exempt from these cut off-dates and can be considered at any time. 

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After five weeks in session, all bills that passed out of policy committees by the Feb. 15 deadline move to fiscal committees. The fiscal committees now have until February 22 to consider the proposals before sending them to the Rules committee, where they can be considered for floor action. Budget-related bills are exempt from these cut off-dates and can be considered at any time. The week ended with a flurry of committee votes ... 

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Washington is the #9 state in the U.S. for contributions to state GDP created by office real estate development. Overall, construction and development of office, industrial, warehouse and retail created and supported 54,983 related jobs and contributing $8.9 billion to the state’s economy in 2020 (the most recent data available).

The data is from “Economic Impacts of Commercial Real Estate, 2021 U.S. Edition,” published annually by the NAIOP Research Foundation. 

We're beginning the fifth week of the session, and bills must be passed out of policy committees in one week's time--Monday, Feb. 15, is the deadline.

The early action COVID relief package is expected to pass the Senate this week (HB 1368). Both chambers now have transportation packages in play and a capital gains bill has been introduced in the House. 

NAIOPWA's state lobbyist, Greg Hanon, sends weekly reports for NAIOPWA members during the legislative session. These include a brief overview of session activity and highlights of the most pertinent issues for our industry. Additionally, Greg includes a complete list of bills and hearings that inform how we do business in Washington State. You'll see a link to download that list at the end of each short weekly update.

After three complete weeks in session, two weeks of policy hearings are next. Bills need to be passed out of policy committee by February 15.

NAIOPWA is a member of the Partnership for Affordable Housing. We are committed to policies that increase housing creation, access, and affordability. Legislators are considering a rent control bill that would have grave consequences for housing creation and long-term access to affordable housing. SB 5139 would impose the strictest rent control in the nation.