FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Sharon Couts
Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties
425.499.1723

10-Point Action Plan to Fight the Housing Affordability Crisis in the Puget Sound Region to be Announced at 2017 Housing Summit

Free event on Tuesday, October 17, to focus on housing attainability solutions

Bellevue, Wash—October 4, 2017—The Puget Sound area's housing market is in crisis. The demand for housing in our region continues to significantly outpace residential housing supply, making it difficult to purchase reasonably priced homes near job centers. In response, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) has identified a 10-point action plan to help provide attainable housing for our growing population.

"Our region's housing attainability crisis is a big problem that demands bold solutions," said Nick Harper, MBAKS senior director of strategy and policy. "We need to come together to implement a legislative agenda that helps ensure housing opportunities for everyone."

Witness live the unveiling of this bold legislative agenda at the fourth annual MBAKS Housing Summit October 17, at the Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue. The Housing Summit begins at 8:30 a.m. This free event will be emceed by Pat Cashman and will include presentations by top housing experts and area leaders. Featured speakers include:

• Clay White, Principal Planner, LDC Inc
• Elliot Eisenberg, nationally renowned economist
• Jon Nehring, Marysville Mayor
• Gail Luxenberg, executive director, Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King County
• Joe Fitzgibbon, Representative, 34th District
• Brian Bonlender, agency director, Washington State Department of Commerce
• Pat Cashman, emcee, local TV and radio personality

Space is limited. Register online at mbaks.com or by calling (425) 451-7920.

 

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About MBAKS

Founded in 1909, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) has grown to become the largest residential homebuilders association in the United States. With 2,900 member companies, the association is dedicated to membership value, housing advocacy, community service, and financial stewardship throughout the Puget Sound region.

 

The Bellevue City Council has adopted an ordinance implementing residential lot splitting, creating another tool to help increase housing opportunities through more efficient land division. The ordinance was adopted on July 28 as part of a larger package of land use code amendments. MBAKS supported adoption and submitted this July 28 letter to the City Council. 

Bellevue deserves recognition for being one of the first jurisdictions in King and Snohomish counties to implement Washington’s new lot splitting law, HB 1096 (now codified in RCW 58.17.145). The City has taken an important step by establishing a local process and ensuring its code is consistent with the intent of state law. MBAKS also appreciates Bellevue staff's collaborative approach and willingness to work through implementation issues before adoption.

One important caveat is that Bellevue's new residential lot splitting provisions will not take effect until July 27, 2027. The City chose to delay implementation to allow time to establish a new, streamlined permit type and complete the work needed to administer the new process. While MBAKS would have preferred an earlier effective date, we appreciate Bellevue's thoughtful approach to implementation and its commitment to creating a permitting process that is as efficient and user-friendly as possible.

What Is Residential Lot Splitting?

HB 1096, passed by the Legislature in 2025, requires cities planning under the Growth Management Act to allow qualifying residential lots to be administratively divided into two lots without requiring a traditional short plat or subdivision process.

The goal is to create a simpler, faster path to divide eligible residential lots while maintaining local development standards, infrastructure requirements, and environmental protections. Once divided, each lot can be developed consistent with local zoning and the middle housing requirements adopted under state law.

Read the new residential lot splitting provisions: Ordinance 6933 beginning at the bottom of page 37. 

By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

Supply of Homes for Sale Struggling to Keep Up with Demand

With our region's continued strong demand for housing, King and Snohomish counties' supply of housing inventory for sale fell to just three weeks. That is notably low in light of the fact that many analysts consider a four-to-six month level as an indicator of a healthy market. Meanwhile, both counties continued to see double-digit, year-over-year single family home price increases, reaching $425,000 in Snohomish County and nearly $600,000 in King County during March. In Seattle, the median single family home price rose to $700,000.

The Builders' Bulletin is intended to provide a convenient way to track housing in our market and includes information from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, U.S. Census Bureau, Office of Financial Management and the Washington State Employment Security Department.

Download this month's report: