MBAKS has released a new middle housing issue brief to support successful implementation of House Bill 1110. The new brief, Middle Housing Implementation Plan, contains process and model code recommendations for cities subject to HB 1110, as well as tools and resources related to middle housing.

MBAKS’ overarching suggestion for cities implementing middle housing is to keep it simple. The easier and more cost-effective it is to build middle housing, the more likely it is to be built, and the more attainable it will be for those looking for a place to call home. The recommendations in the issue brief were informed by the work of MBAKS’ Ad Hoc Middle Housing Advisory Group and are designed to streamline the review process and facilitate more housing choices.

Allowing more middle housing will enable cities to better plan for a spectrum of housing choices so that current residents, newcomers, and future generations may find a home that best fits their lives. View Middle Housing Implementation Plan.

Contact: data@mbaks.com

Builder Confidence Remains Low in August

Builder confidence in the housing market slipped to 32 nationally in August, an 18% decline from last year, according to the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index. In the West, sentiment was even weaker, with an HMI reading of 26, underscoring the region’s ongoing affordability and housing challenges. 

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By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

According to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, May was the first time King County had more than a month's supply of homes for sale since September 2017. It was only the third time since October 2016. However, this is still far below the four-to-six month level that many industry analysts consider as an indicator of a healthy market.

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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