Pro-housing? Prove it

Pro-housing? Prove it

by Jan Himebaugh Government Affairs Director

Heading into the 2022 legislative session, housing, home prices and homelessness are hot topics in Washington state.

Washington’s homeless population continues to grow. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently reported our state saw a 6.2% increase in homelessness between 2019 and 2020 with 30 out of every 10,000 people homeless.

At the same time, NAHB reports home prices are up more than 30% on average nationwide since the start of 2020. In Washington, the median home price is $522,023, requiring a minimum income of $112,295 just to qualify for a mortgage. At that price point, more than 72% of Washington’s roughly 3 million households are priced out already. And for every $1,000 in additional costs, 2,524 more households are unable to qualify for a new mortgage.

With these statistics in mind, you’ll be hard-pressed to find an elected official across your region, state or even country who doesn’t claim to be pro-housing. You’ll also be hard-pressed to find a government employee who would claim an anti-housing mantle.

Building homes? Or barriers?

But when the foundation needs to be poured— many forget about their proclaimed commitment to housing and homes. Instead they actively erect barriers to home construction and accessible home ownership for families in our state.

These barriers come in a variety of forms: land use or environmental exactions and regulatory takings,

increasingly cumbersome paperwork, liability requirements, taxes, costly building code obligations, hookup and other development fees, or endlessly long permitting timelines.

Homebuilders have asked for relief to address the desperate demand for new homes people can afford. In response we hear, “Yes, we want housing… but no, we can’t do anything to help you build more homes.”

Instead they continue to add to the burden of construction. Then, they’re shocked to learn threequarters of Washingtonians can’t afford new home ownership opportunities.

This hypocrisy has real-life impacts on every single Washington resident or future resident’s ability to own a home.

There’s always an excuse as to why homes can’t be more affordable. Gov. Inslee recently denied our request to pause the implementation of the expensive new energy code due to massive supply chain issues and skyrocketing costs for compliant materials. Then, in the same breath, he bemoans the lack of access to housing.

We can’t make housing more affordable by making it more expensive. And we’ll never turn the tide and increase homeownership until our elected officials and government staff commit to working with us to balance their policy desires with the need for more Washington families to have a place to call home.