Between 2010 and 2015, it is estimated that Washington state fell behind on housing production by approximately 225,000 units. The situation has not improved since. As a result, rents are spiraling out of control across the state. Simultaneously, the cost of building has been skyrocketing. It is also estimated that every $1,000 increase in building new homes prices 2,500 people out of the market. According to the United States department of housing and urban development, Washington state experienced a 6.2 percent increase in homelessness between 2019 and 2020. Thirty out of every 10,000 people in the state were considered homeless. The legislature finds that it is compelling to resolve this situation and house its citizens. One of the most significant costs in building new homes is the cost of land. It is well accepted that a lack of supply increases demand and increases costs. Land use planning policies over the last 30 years have led to a shortage of land supply because of fixed boundaries and an inflexible land supply in urban growth areas. By removing any flexibility in supplying land, these land use policies have significantly contributed to a decrease in land supply and thereby an increase in housing costs. The legislature finds that, in order to increase housing supply and lower housing costs, it is important to restore flexibility to local jurisdictions' ability to manage the availability of land within the urban growth area.