Jan. 16, 2026 — Olympia, Wash. — The Washington State House Finance Committee has scheduled a public hearing on HB 1859, prime-sponsored by Rep. Osman Salahuddin (D-48, Redmond), during Week 1 of the 2026 legislative session (Jan. 13-17), to expand opportunities for affordable housing developments on properties owned by religious organizations.
The bill, titled “Expanding opportunities for affordable housing developments on properties owned by religious organizations,” recently held an executive session in the House Housing Committee and now advances to the Finance panel, according to the official bill page. Cosponsors include Reps. Peterson and Doglio.
House Democrats confirmed the hearing in their Jan. 12 “Hot Sheet”, noting the measure aims to expand density bonuses for such projects. The Association of Washington Cities, in a Jan. 9 analysis, described HB 1859 as proposing reductions in required affordable units for density bonuses on religious properties.
HB 1859 is a carryover from the 2025 session, where it passed the House Housing Committee, as detailed in committee reports. The Faith Action Network tracked the bill positively, supporting faith-based affordable housing initiatives.
Rep. Salahuddin, who represents Redmond in the 48th District, recently shifted focus to the House after resigning from the Redmond City Council in late 2025.
