This year’s housing solutions breakfast highlighted local permitting changes to make home happen now. We’re thankful to have hosted Senator Mullet as our keynote speaker and a panel of local leaders including North Bend Mayor Rob McFarland,  Auburn Director of Community Development Jeff Tate, and Mill Creek Mayor Brian Holtzclaw, moderated by Snohomish County Executive Director Ken Klein.

The discussion focused on the important role a timely, predictable and fair permitting review process plays in our region’s ability to respond to the housing crisis. In recognition of its importance, on May 8, 2023 Governor Inslee signed into law  Senate Bill 5290 (sponsored by Sen. Mullet) aimed to reduce permit review timelines and facilitate swifter, more predictable construction. This new law will streamline the permit review process by requiring local governments to adopt and report timelines. To help jurisdictions comply, it also established grant programs and permit processing enhancements. This address historically slow permit processes that have elevated housing costs.

MBAKS is ready to serve as a resource with tools and best practices jurisdictions can implement now to comply with the new requirements.  The Housing Toolkit is intended to serve as a guide for local governments, listing specific code updates and process improvements jurisdictions can take to help provide more diverse, affordable housing. As an additional resource specific to SB 5290, MBAKS developed an overview of requirements and best practices to consider when implementing.

Shannon talks to new member Vikram Deol of the Deol Group about MBA events and other member benefits.

Join the MBA

Washington, DC—(RealEstateRama)—Juli Bacon, owner of JB Consulting Systems LLC and Bacon Maintenance Services LLC in Woodinville, Wash., was recently sworn in as the 2017 chair of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Professional Women in Building (PWB) Council.

“Ensuring that women understand they have a place at the table and helping them find a way to get to that place at the table in construction is really important to me,” said Bacon. “We have a lot of young women wanting to know how to get there and my goal as the PWB chair is to help them in the most efficient way possible.”