By Cameron Poague, Bothell Kenmore Reporter

There's an expression that says you should enjoy the small things in life.

Going outside and enjoying a walk on a sunny day, for example. Or getting to work or school and back without assistance or inconvenience. For too many, these tasks are burdensome and dangerous. For a few, getting safely to and from their homes has become downright impossible.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Sharon Couts
Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties
425.499.1723

REX/T-REX Awards of the Master Builders Association Wins National Award

Bellevue, Wash., October 25, 2016—The Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBA) was recently honored with a national Council Award for Demonstrating Remodeling Excellence (CADRE) award, Public Relations and Promotion category, in recognition of their Remodeling Excellence (REX) and Trade Remodeling Excellence (T-REX) awards program. The CADREs are presented each year by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Remodelers program.

The awards were announced October 6 during the annual NAHB Remodelers awards presentation at the 2016 Remodeling Show in Baltimore.

The MBA took home the honors in the public relations category of the CADREs for their work on their 30th anniversary Remodeling Excellence (REX) Awards event. Their efforts to improve the event resulted in an attendance increase of more than 100%, an 18% increase in award entry submissions, and triple the number of sponsorships from 2015.

The CADRE is the NAHB Remodelers' highest national award for work at the local level. To learn more about the REX/T-REX program, visit mbaks.com/rc

About the MBA

Founded in 1909, the Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBA) has grown to become the largest residential home builders association in the United States. With 2,800 member companies, the MBA is dedicated to membership value, government advocacy, financial stewardship, and promoting the residential building industry in the Puget Sound Region. The Association and its members address many of the concerns and issues affecting the residential housing industry. If you are looking to buy, build, remodel, or maintain your home, trust the MBA for industry professional referrals and practical information to get the job done. mbaks.com

ABOUT NAHB

The National Association of Home Builders, or NAHB, is a Washington-based trade association representing more than 140,000 members involved in home building, remodeling, multifamily construction, property management, subcontracting, design, housing finance, building product manufacturing and other aspects of residential and light commercial construction. NAHB is affiliated with 800 state and local home builders associations around the country. NAHB builder members will construct about 80% of the new housing units projected in 2016.

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By Mike Pattison, Snohomish County Manager

In December 2016, the Washington state Supreme Court struck a blow to vesting rights when it ruled that newly adopted stormwater regulations do not vest. The Court let stand a window for certain projects to remain vested. The new stormwater regulations will apply to all applications submitted after July 1, 2015 and projects approved prior to July 1, 2015 which have not started construction by June 30, 2020.

The case, Snohomish County, et al. v. Pollution Control Hearings Board, will severely impact applications that have been submitted to a jurisdiction but are not yet approved. The opinion eliminates vesting for environmental regulations mandated by the state, including stormwater.

An editorial by MBA President Mike Walsh was recently published in The Herald discussing the case and explaining why vesting is so important to the homebuilding industry.

While there is no ability for local government to overcome the decision with local legislation, King and Snohomish counties are currently petitioning the Court to reconsider and clarify some of the opinion.

Further, there is a proposal before the Washington State Legislature, Senate Bill 5212, that would restore vesting rights.

For more information, contact Snohomish County Manager Mike Pattison, 425.460.8203.