Revised Code of Washington
Chapter 36.22 - County Auditor.
36.22.178 - Affordable housing for all surcharge—Permissible uses.

RCW 36.22.178
Affordable housing for all surcharge—Permissible uses.

The surcharge provided for in this section shall be named the affordable housing for all surcharge.
(1) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, a surcharge of thirteen dollars per instrument shall be charged by the county auditor for each document recorded, which will be in addition to any other charge authorized by law. The county may retain up to five percent of these funds collected solely for the collection, administration, and local distribution of these funds. Of the remaining funds, forty percent of the revenue generated through this surcharge will be transmitted monthly to the state treasurer who will deposit: (a) The portion of the funds attributable to ten dollars of the surcharge into the affordable housing for all account created in RCW 43.185C.190. The department of commerce must use these funds to provide housing and shelter for extremely low-income households, including but not limited to housing for victims of human trafficking and their families and grants for building operation and maintenance costs of housing projects or units within housing projects that are affordable to extremely low-income households with incomes at or below thirty percent of the area median income, and that require a supplement to rent income to cover ongoing operating expenses; and (b) the portion of the funds attributable to three dollars of the surcharge into the landlord mitigation program account created in RCW 43.31.615.
(2) All of the remaining funds generated by this surcharge will be retained by the county and be deposited into a fund that must be used by the county and its cities and towns for eligible housing activities as described in this subsection that serve very low-income households with incomes at or below fifty percent of the area median income. The portion of the surcharge retained by a county shall be allocated to eligible housing activities that serve extremely low and very low-income households in the county and the cities within a county according to an interlocal agreement between the county and the cities within the county consistent with countywide and local housing needs and policies. A priority must be given to eligible housing activities that serve extremely low-income households with incomes at or below thirty percent of the area median income. Eligible housing activities to be funded by these county funds are limited to:
(a) Acquisition, construction, or rehabilitation of housing projects or units within housing projects that are affordable to very low-income households with incomes at or below fifty percent of the area median income, including units for homeownership, rental units, seasonal and permanent farmworker housing units, units reserved for victims of human trafficking and their families, and single room occupancy units;
(b) Supporting building operation and maintenance costs of housing projects or units within housing projects eligible to receive housing trust funds, that are affordable to very low-income households with incomes at or below fifty percent of the area median income, and that require a supplement to rent income to cover ongoing operating expenses;
(c) Rental assistance vouchers for housing units that are affordable to very low-income households with incomes at or below fifty percent of the area median income, including rental housing vouchers for victims of human trafficking and their families, to be administered by a local public housing authority or other local organization that has an existing rental assistance voucher program, consistent with or similar to the United States department of housing and urban development's section 8 rental assistance voucher program standards; and
(d) Operating costs for emergency shelters and licensed overnight youth shelters.
(3) The surcharge imposed in this section does not apply to assignments or substitutions of previously recorded deeds of trust or to documents recording a federal lien, or water-sewer district lien, wage lien, or satisfaction of lien.

[ 2021 c 214 § 7; 2019 c 136 § 1; 2018 c 66 § 5; 2011 c 110 § 1; 2007 c 427 § 1; 2005 c 484 § 18; 2002 c 294 § 2.]
NOTES:

Findings—Intent—Department of commerce and William D. Ruckelshaus center examination of homelessness—Reports—2021 c 214: See note following RCW 36.22.176.

Findings—Conflict with federal requirements—Effective date—2005 c 484: See RCW 43.185C.005, 43.185C.901, and 43.185C.902.

Findings—2002 c 294: "The legislature recognizes housing affordability has become a significant problem for a large portion of society in many parts of Washington state in recent years. The state has traditionally focused its resources on housing for low-income populations. Additional funding resources are needed for building operation and maintenance activities for housing projects affordable to extremely low-income people, for example farmworkers or people with developmental disabilities. Affordable rents for extremely low-income people are not sufficient to cover the cost of building operations and maintenance. In addition resources are needed at the local level to assist in development and preservation of affordable low-income housing to address critical local housing needs." [ 2002 c 294 § 1.]