Affordable housing needs at 'critical levels,' state reports

Olympia — The lack of affordable housing options has reached critical levels in communities throughout Washington, according to the recently released Affordable Housing Advisory Board five-year housing advisory plan. The AHAB report highlights the need for action, detailing that the state must add over 1 million new homes within the next 20 years to meet current need and accommodate population growth.

The housing advisory plan emphasizes that nearly half of the new homes required in the coming decades must be affordable to households earning less than 50% of area median family income. This sho...