The legislature finds:

     (1) That in many of Washington's urban centers there is insufficient availability of desirable and convenient residential units, including affordable housing units, to meet the needs of a growing number of the public who would live in these urban centers if these desirable, convenient, attractive, affordable, and livable places to live were available;

     (2) That the development of additional and desirable residential units, including affordable housing units, in these urban centers that will attract and maintain a significant increase in the number of permanent residents in these areas will help to alleviate the detrimental conditions and social liability that tend to exist in the absence of a viable mixed income residential population and will help to achieve the planning goals mandated by the growth management act under RCW 36.70A.020; and

     (3) That planning solutions to solve the problems of urban sprawl often lack incentive and implementation techniques needed to encourage residential redevelopment in those urban centers lacking a sufficient variety of residential opportunities, and it is in the public interest and will benefit, provide, and promote the public health, safety, and welfare to stimulate new or enhanced residential opportunities, including affordable housing opportunities, within urban centers through a tax incentive as provided by this chapter.

[2007 c 430 § 1; 1995 c 375 § 1.]