By Shannon Affholter, The Everett Herald

Despite numerous legislative efforts to find a permanent and balanced solution to address the Washington state Supreme Court's Hirst decision, lawmakers in Olympia remain deadlocked on the issue. Unfortunately, the legislature adjourned on Thursday without reaching an agreement.

The 2016 Hirst decision has effectively halted many people from building their homes in areas that depend on well water. The ruling has created a great deal of uncertainty for counties, rural communities, builders, and families across the state. As legislators leave town, the hardship on affected property owners will continue without being resolved.

Homing in on Our Region's Housing Statistics

By MBAKS Senior Policy Analyst Allison Butcher

The Seattle metropolitan area saw a significant increase in multifamily permit activity in 2021 compared to the previous year, led by King and Pierce counties—up 71% and 31% respectively. More than 22,000 multifamily permits were issued in the three-county metro area last year, surpassing pre-pandemic levels of fewer than 19,000 multifamily homes in 2018 and 2019. Single family permits were also up 24% in Pierce County year-over-year. Meanwhile, Snohomish County had a modest decrease in permits last year compared to 2020. King County ended the year down 8% for single family permits.

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Months' Supply of Housing Inventory

As of January 2022

	King County had 0.49 months' supply of inventory (down from 0.92 months' of inventory a year ago).
	Snohomish County had 0.33 months' supply of inventory (down from 0.41 a year ago).

Many industry analysts consider a four-to-six-month level as an indicator of a healthy market.

Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service

Median Home Price

January 2022

	The median price of single-family homes and condos was $720,000 in King County and $686,792 in Snohomish County.
	For single-family homes only, the median price in King County rose 6.90%, from $725,000 a year ago to $775,000. The median price in Snohomish County rose 19.17%, from $599,990 to $715,000.
	In Seattle, the median price of single-family homes and condos was $729,000. The median price for single-family homes only was $790,000, a 0.19% decrease from $791,471 in January 2021.

Source: Northwest Multiple Listing Service

Building Permit Activity

Jobs

	The seasonally adjusted Washington unemployment rate for January 2022 is 4.4%; for Seattle/Bellevue/Everett, it is 3.5%.
	Construction employment in Washington increased by 500 between December 2021 and January 2022. Total construction employment is 228,100 statewide and 101,900 for Seattle/Bellevue/Everett specifically.

Source: Employment Security Department: WA Employment Estimates (Seasonally Adjusted), January 2022 and Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Population

The Puget Sound region's population as of April 1, 2021 was 4,330,400. Over the past year, the region added 66,200 people, as follows:

Source: Office of Financial Management

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By Bothell-Kenmore Reporter

The annual Built Green Conference is where builders, policymakers, and others involved in the green building industry go for inspiring and interactive discussions, exchanges of experiences, and practical examples focused on building science, policy, and research in green building and sustainability.

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