The MBA and the homebuilding industry in the city of Seattle won a decisive victory recently. In the matter of Bendare Dundat v. City of Seattle (Master Builders Intervenor), Judge Barbara Mack issued a decision overturning the City's 'qualifying lot' design review ordinance for being in violation of RCW 82.02.020.

The Court determined that the ordinance imposes direct and indirect costs on projects and developers that are neither reasonably necessary nor the direct result of the proposed development. As the Court stated, "It is hard to fathom how costs and fees could be reasonable and necessary for the smaller project, but not for the first, more impactful project on the adjacent property." Finally, the Court found the city admitted that the ordinance was designed to mitigate collective impacts, not the impact of any individual project—this is the very thing that violates RCW 82.02.020.

The MBA is very happy to have been able to provide financial support to pursuing this matter in court, and the outcome is a collective benefit to developers and builders in Seattle. The MBA will continue to identify ways in which it can work to improve housing affordability within Seattle.

By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

The median price of single-family homes and condos (combined) was $612,000 in King County and $471,747 in Snohomish County in November 2019, according to the latest numbers from the Northwest Multiple Listing Service. This reflects a year-over-year increase of 1.16% and 4.83%, respectively.

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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Help a service organization in your community!

MBAKS is currently accepting applications for our 15th Anniversary of Painting a Better Tomorrow.

Don't miss out on the opportunity to help a service organization in your community get their environment spruced up with a new coat of paint! We will be accepting applications for this year's event until July 31.

We're especially excited for this year's event, taking place on November 18 at a location to be determined, as 2017 marks 15 years of helping our community members brighten their days (and walls)! We encourage all service organizations in King and Snohomish counties to apply. We are aware that the aesthetic improvements of painting are also the easiest costs to cut from the annual budget in order to provide funding for crucial service needs to the community. To be considered, the organization must have a space that's in need of upkeep. That's it! Oh, and they also have to apply. We'll do the rest.

We ask you to reach out to organizations in your community and get an application in their hands. And make sure they get their application in by July 31!

Just think—by Thanksgiving, one local organization will be sitting in a beautiful, freshly painted space with one more item crossed off their 2018 budget.

Organizations can apply online or by contacting Michell Filleau-Maas, 425.460.8232 or mfilleau-maas@mbaks.com.