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.

The Rolls-Royce and the Ferrari parked in front of a real estate sales office in Seattle's Belltown neighborhood Wednesday night were the first indication that this was no normal "house party."

The line of blue-jacketed valets, the red carpet and rope line, the doorman with a list of registered guests, the wine bar, the gourmet hors d'oeuvres, the black-tie-wearing servers, the mini pop-up shop for custom-tailored men's suits—all of that was a pretty good signal, too.

A decidedly less stereotypical Seattle—sans the hiking and rain gear that usually defines us to the world—actually dressed up and turned out to mingle and tour a mock floor plan for a luxury condominium development called Nexus.

This week, Shannon and Brad Faber of Ferguson are at the MBA Golf Tournament, talking about the benefits of sponsorship.

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