Dissecting the MBA's 10-Point Plan on Affordable Housing

By Doug Trumm, The Urbanist

I don't know if you heard, but urbanists are developer shills. At least that's the common conception. In reality, many of us quite critical of certain developers and projects, while recognizing that absolute opposition to developers would get us nowhere. If developers are evil, they're a necessary evil—at least until we rise up, seize the modes of production, and turn Seattle into only to a full-blown socialist metropolis in which the government leads a huge construction boom to affordably house everybody.

No sign of the revolution yet, though.

Read article

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.

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.

press-release-10-point-action-plan-to-fight-the-housing-affordability-crisis-in-the-puget-sound-region-to-be-announced-at-2017-housing-summit

Builders

02/24/2017

The Dunn Lumber Podcast: How Contractors Can Protect Themselves From Litigation

Builders

07/21/2026

Decline in permit applications shows that MHA staggered progress

An opinion summary based on Jennifer Anderson's piece in the Puget Sound Business Journal.

Housing permit applications in Seattle have plummeted 94% from their 2020 peak—a staggering decline that reflects barriers making it increasingly difficult and expensive to build new homes.

The impact extends beyond builders. New home construction in Washington generated $11.1 billion in wages and supported 138,000 jobs in 2025, generating $3.43 billion in public revenue. Fewer homes in the pipeline now means higher prices, less economic activity, and shrinking opportunities for homeownership.

The MHA Problem

Since adopting the Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) program in 2019, Seattle has seen townhome permit applications drop 91%—even as affordable housing revenue doubled. The issue: MHA fees increase building costs that get passed directly to homebuyers. According to the National Association of Home Builders, every $1,000 added to median home prices prices out roughly 982 households in the Seattle metro area.

Recent data from two 2025 reports showed these fees are making middle-housing projects—townhomes, condos, cottages—increasingly infeasible. Yet this summer, Seattle delayed the proposed MHA Accelerator, a practical policy that would temporarily reduce some housing fees while protecting affordable housing revenues through the voter-approved housing levy.

The Bottom Line

Seattle's leaders chose endless deliberation over data-driven action. Meanwhile, residents compete for fewer homes, costs rise, and working families face displacement. If the city is serious about affordability, it needs to make building easier—and it needs to act now.

Jennifer Anderson serves as the Government Affairs Director for the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties. Read the full opinion piece in the Puget Sound Business Journal.

decline-in-permit-applications-shows-that-mha-staggered-progress