By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

Data in the latest Builders Bulletin show a mixed bag for building permit activity in the first half of 2022. Multifamily permits in the Seattle Metro Area rose 20% in June, compared to the same period last year, led by King County where it was up 30%. Multifamily permit activity was relatively flat in Snohomish and Pierce counties.

Meanwhile, single family permits are down 17% across the Seattle Metro area as of June. Separately, the NAHB/Wells-Fargo Housing Market Index, which measures the confidence of single-family builders nationwide, has been falling amid higher interest rates and ongoing supply chain problems. Read NAHB’s latest press release on its builder confidence survey.

Download this month's report:

The City of Bellevue has launched an update to the Bellevue Map Viewer - its interactive map platform. Members of the community can access more development and construction information, including building permits for new and altered single family and multifamily projects, right of ways, fire, utilities, and land use actions.

To explore the permit data layer, access Bellevue Map Viewer on the main Maps and GIS page, select the "Permits" layer and ZOOM in.

Please contact rbc@mbaks.com with any questions.

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.