By @byalexhalverson
Publication Date: 2026-01-15 15:00:00
Microsoft is recommending several policies to local lawmakers in an effort to help speed up housing development in Washington state.
In a playbook the company released Thursday are four proposals that Microsoft says are “concrete, evidence-based actions that state and local leaders” can take to close the housing gap.
- Unlock land: Microsoft urges policymakers to adopt a statewide rezoning framework for commercial corridors. Strips of land devoted to office parks, big-box retail stores and parking lots would be rezoned for mixed-use housing along transit routes.
- Fix permitting: Permitting is a hobby horse of Microsoft’s policy team. The company would like to streamline processes that currently average 6.5 months statewide, and stretch to more than 18 months in some cities.
- Lower costs: Aside from driving down per-unit costs through materials and construction methods, Microsoft recommends incentives for developers to build more housing including tax exemptions and…
