In the

U.S. The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 contiguous ...

state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

Washington Washington most commonly refers to: * George Washington (1732–1799), the first president of the United States * Washington (state), a state in the Pacific Northwest of the United States * Washington, D.C., the capital of the United States ** A ...

, a public development authority (most commonly PDA; also known as a public corporation) is a

government-owned corporation A state-owned enterprise (SOE) is a business entity created or owned by a national or local government, either through an executive order or legislation. SOEs aim to generate profit for the government, prevent private sector monopolies, provide goo ...

. They are established under RCW 35.21.730.Public Corporations/Public Development Authorities (PDA) (RCW 35.21.730 - 35.21.755)
Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) of Washington. Accessed 6 October 2008. For example, the city of

Seattle Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the cou ...

has numerous PDAs: the Burke Gilman Place PDA, Community Roots Housing, Historic Seattle PDA, Museum Development Authority, Pacific Hospital PDA,

Pike Place Market Pike Place Market is a Marketplaces#Types, public market in Seattle, Washington, United States. It opened on August 17, 1907, and is one of the oldest continuously operated public farmers' markets in the United States. Overlooking the Elliott B ...

PDA, Seattle Chinatown/International District PDA, 4Culture, and the Seattle Indian Services Commission.Public Development Authorities
, City of Seattle official site. Accessed 6 October 2008. Examples from elsewhere in the state include a PDA that oversees the Meydenbauer Center, a performing arts venue in

Bellevue, Washington Bellevue ( ) is a city in the Eastside (King County, Washington), Eastside region of King County, Washington, United States, located across Lake Washington from Seattle. It is the third-largest city in the Seattle metropolitan area, and the f ...

and the Hurricane Ridge Public Development Authority, created by the city of

Port Angeles, Washington Port Angeles ( ) is a city and county seat of Clallam County, Washington, Clallam County, Washington (state), Washington, United States. The population was 19,960 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the most populous city in t ...

to develop and oversee the Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area. A PDA is legally separate from the city or county that establishes it. Under state and federal law, all PDA contracts must specify that liabilities incurred by the corporation must be satisfied exclusively from their own assets. According to the City of Seattle, "This allows accomplishment of public purpose activities without assuming them into the regular functions of City government." Each Seattle PDA is governed by a volunteer council that oversees PDA activities and staff.

Notes

Government of Washington (state) Government-owned companies of the United States Types of business entity {{Washington-stub