By Allison Butcher, Master Builders Association, The Lens News

Over the past 18 months, five King County cities have adopted a building moratorium, temporarily putting the brakes on new home construction.

While a moratorium is legal, it does not mean it is good policy. At a time when demand for housing is far outpacing housing supply, which drives up both home prices and rents and makes housing less attainable, building moratoria certainly are not good for housing. They also are not good for our economy or the families and workers looking for a home closer to job centers. Furthermore, they potentially could run counter to our region's transportation investments that contemplate the need for more transit-oriented development in certain areas.

By Mike Richard, The Lens News

Two Seattle mayoral candidates and one city council candidate shared their perspectives this week on hot housing topics in the expanding city, including affordable housing, clean energy, and density issues.

The contenders took part in a panel that discussed ways to make the region “inclusive, resilient and vibrant” as part of Built Green’s 2017 Conference on September 14. The annual event brings construction sector stakeholders together to learn about current best practices and technology for environmentally friendly building.

By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

New data from the Employment Security Department show continued modest improvement in the jobs picture for our state and region. The unemployment rate for Seattle/Bellevue/Everett fell from 5.5 in February to 5.4 in March. Meanwhile, construction employment in Washington increased by 1,400 between February and March.

The Builders 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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