Needs 50,000 new homes per year. How will we get there?

Washington needs about 50,000 new homes each year to keep up with population growth, but delays and rising costs are blocking supply, a housing-industry leader says. The article points to how fast government can move during emergencies, citing actions after the recent wildfires in Spokane that accelerated rebuilding. It contrasts that with Seattle’s decision to favor a new stakeholder process after earlier data suggested local fees were no longer generating significant affordable-housing revenue and were also hindering new starts. The core message: if construction costs rise, purchase prices rise—so permitting complexity, fees, utility connection charges, and inefficient land-use policies matter as much as materials and labor.