(1) A regional transit authority that includes a county with a population of more than one million five hundred thousand must develop and seek voter approval for a system plan, which meets the requirements of any transportation subarea equity element used by the authority, to implement a regional equitable transit-oriented development strategy for diverse, vibrant, mixed-use and mixed-income communities consistent with transit-oriented development plans developed with community input by any regional transportation planning organization within the regional transit authority boundaries. This system plan, which must be part of any authorizing proposition submitted to the voters after July 15, 2015, must include the following:

(a) The regional transit authority must contribute at least four million dollars each year for five consecutive years beginning within three years of voter approval of the system plan to a revolving loan fund to support the development of affordable housing opportunities related to equitable transit-oriented development within the boundaries of the regional transit authority.

(b)(i) A requirement that when a regional transit authority disposes or transfers any surplus property, including, but not limited to, property acquired prior to July 15, 2015, a minimum of eighty percent of the surplus property to be disposed or transferred, including air rights, that is suitable for development as housing, must be offered for either transfer at no cost, sale, or long-term lease first to qualified entities that agree to develop affordable housing on the property, consistent with local land use and zoning laws.

(ii)(A) If a qualified entity receives surplus property from a regional transit authority after being offered the property as provided in (b)(i) of this subsection, the authority must require a minimum of eighty percent of the housing units constructed on property obtained under (b)(i) of this subsection to be dedicated to affordable housing.

(B) If a qualified entity sells property or development rights obtained through (b)(i) of this subsection, it must use the proceeds from the sale to construct affordable housing within one-half mile of a light rail station or transit station.

(c) A requirement that the regional transit authority must work in good faith to implement all requirements of this section, but is not required to comply with a requirement imposed by (b)(i) or (ii) of this subsection if the requirement is in conflict, as determined by the relevant federal agency, with provisions of the applicable federal transit administration master grant agreement, federal transit administration full funding grant agreement with the regional transit authority, or the equivalent federal railroad administration agreement necessary to establish or maintain eligibility for a federal grant program.

(d) A requirement that (b) of this subsection does not apply to property to be transferred to governments or third parties in order to facilitate permitting, construction, or mitigation of high capacity transportation facilities and services.

(2) For the purposes of this section:

(a) "Affordable housing" means long-term housing for persons, families, or unrelated persons living together whose adjusted income is at or below eighty percent of the median income, adjusted for household size, for the county where the housing is located.

(b) "Qualified entity" means a local government, housing authority, and nonprofit developer.

(3) A regional transit authority implementing subsection (1)(b) of this section must, at the end of each fiscal quarter, send a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature and post a report on its website detailing the following activities:

(a) Any transfers of property that have occurred in the previous fiscal quarter pursuant to subsection (1)(b) of this section; and

(b) Any progress in implementing any regional equitable transit-oriented development strategy for diverse, vibrant, mixed-use and mixed-income communities approved by the voters pursuant to this section.

Effective date—2015 3rd sp.s. c 44: See note following RCW 46.68.395.