PORT ANGELES — Housing has emerged as one of the top legislative priorities for the three Clallam County commissioners.
With a full legislative session set to begin in January, the commissioners’ legislative priorities will help shape conversations in forums such as the North Olympic Legislative Alliance, the Washington State Association of Counties’ legislative and federal issues steering committees and with elected officials.
For housing priorities, Commissioner Randy Johnson identified a few correlated issues: infrastructure support for local municipalities, landlord rights and building codes.
Johnson said a discussion should be started about landlord and tenant relationships, with the hope of removing policies that disincentivize people from renting their residences.
“That just permeates everything we have,” he said.
Commissioner Mike French said this issue could be framed as the need for consistency on notice requirements.
Johnson also said building codes should be reconsidered.
“Everyone understands climate change is real,” Johnson said. “But, looking at the cost benefit analysis … if I can’t build a house for those people most in need, that’s a real cost too.”
“Somehow or another, someone needs to reconcile those two,” he added.
County administrator Todd Mielke suggested that the Legislature contract with a university economics department to identify the leading factors that are driving up the costs of housing.
“We can speculate all day long,” Mielke said. “It’d be really nice to go to an economics department and have them conduct a study and report back to the Legislature.”
In addition to housing, the commissioners identified childcare infrastructure funding as a legislative priority.
“That’s something we need to advocate for directly when we’re talking to our legislators,” Johnson said.
The commissioners also identified advocacy for Peninsula College, given the state’s Office of Financial Management error that might cost the college $339,000.
Additionally, Johnson said the commissioners should advocate for continued funding for a veteran services officer. Current funding will expire in June.
“I look at the number of veterans that have been serviced by them and actually needed benefits for all this time,” he said. “It’s just been a tremendous benefit to this county and the veterans.”
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Reporter Emma Maple can be reached by email at emma.maple@peninsuladailynews.com.
