Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) members, elected officials, and city staff gathered at the Bellevue Club on May 20 for our annual King County Elected Officials Reception. 

The event featured remarks from special guest Redmond Mayor Angela Birney, who highlighted steps the city has taken to expand housing choices. Redmond has been working to lower barriers to the full spectrum of homes needed to meet residents’ needs as the city grows and to leverage its access to light rail.

Attendees also heard from Dalton Smith — MBAKS’s King County Builders Council Chair and Director of Land Operations at Conner Homes — who reinforced that our members want to be partners with local jurisdictions in our shared work to make home happen.

Housing Champion Awards

MBAKS recognized Mayor Birney and Redmond’s Planning & Community Development Director Carol Hellend with Housing Champion Awards for their dedicated work on behalf of housing over the years. In presenting the awards, MBAKS Government Affairs Director Jennifer Anderson commended Mayor Birney and Director Hellend for being valued partners and leaders on housing.

Key Takeaways

Executive Director Jerry Hall closed the program with reminders about the importance of weighing the impacts of each new policy on housing and considering whether it will help or hinder the ability to build new homes.

In case you missed it, see our Middle Housing Barriers & Solutions resource we shared at the event, designed to help local communities facilitate a range of housing types. And learn more about our Room for What Matters campaign.

Thank you to all the elected officials from across the region, city staff, and MBAKS members who joined us for this fun and informative gathering. If you missed this event, there’s still time to register for the Snohomish County Elected Officials Reception – June 17, 4:30–6:30 p.m. at Rosehill Community Center, Mukilteo.

Congresswoman Suzan DelBene recently visited the Snohomish County Builders Council to speak with Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBAKS) members about key federal housing and economic issues impacting the residential construction industry. During the meeting, Congresswoman DelBene provided an overview of ongoing federal housing discussions and participated in a member Q&A session. Builders and industry professionals shared their challenges related to housing supply, affordability, permitting delays, workforce shortages, and the overall regulatory environment facing homebuilding in Washington state.

During her remarks, Congresswoman DelBene highlighted several key federal housing priorities, including the need to advance comprehensive housing legislation (ROAD to Housing Act), expand and strengthen the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), and address ongoing permitting and regulatory challenges that continue to delay housing production nationwide. She also discussed the importance of improving coordination across federal agencies and modernizing policies to help increase housing supply and affordability in communities across Washington and the country.

As these conversations continue at the federal level, MBAKS will be heading to Washington, D.C. in June for the NAHB Legislative Conference to meet directly with Washington’s congressional delegation and advocate for key industry priorities.

High priority topics will include:

• Advancing comprehensive housing legislation.
• Addressing permitting challenges and burdensome building codes.
• Supporting workforce development and immigration reforms to help meet the growing demand for housing and strengthen the residential construction workforce.

View more information about the NAHB Legislative Conference.

By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

The median home price of single-family homes and condos in King and Snohomish counties fell month-over-month in July. The median home price went from $637,675 to $625,000 in King County and from $488,950 to $480,000 in Snohomish County, comparing June to July. The July median home price in Snohomish County is up 3.23% compared to a year ago and down 0.64% from last year in King County.

The Builder's Bulletin is intended to provide a convenient way to track housing in our market and includes information from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, State of the Cities Data Systems, Office of Financial Management and the Washington State Employment Security Department.

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