2014 Housing Summit focuses on the Puget Sound area’s diminishing buildable land supply and threat to region’s housing affordability

A major threat to housing affordability in the Puget Sound area—the dwindling supply of buildable land—is the focus of the Master Builder Association 2014 Housing Summit next Tuesday, September 23 from 7:30 am to 11:30 am at Meydenbauer Convention Center, 11100 NE 6th St. in Bellevue

The free event, “Accommodating Housing Needs with Less Land,” is presented by the  Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties (MBA) and will include presentations by top housing experts and a panel discussion with state legislators and homebuilders.

Space is limited and reservations can be made online at MasterBuildersInfo.com or by calling (425) 451-7920. The summit is supported by presenting sponsor Puget Sound Energy along with Cobalt Mortgage, Bill Korum’s Puyallup Nissan, Regence and the MBA Health Trust.

The Housing Summit will explore how best to forge a path forward and meet Growth Management Act housing targets as the Puget Sound area faces a diminishing buildable land supply.

Presentations will include a national perspective by David Crowe, Chief Economist and Senior Vice President of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). Local participants include Todd Britsch, President of New Home Trends and Nancy Bainbridge Rogers, land use attorney at Cairncross & Hempelmann.

A panel discussion focusing on legislative solutions will include Senator Joe Fain (R) 47th District, from Auburn; Senator Marko Liias (D) 21rst District, from Mukilteo; Representative Jay Rodne (R), 5th District, from Snoqualmie, and Representative Larry Springer (D), 45th District, from Kirkland. Other panel members will include homebuilders Mark Kaushagen of the Pulte Group and Lynn Eshleman from Pacific Ridge Homes, as well as Todd Britsch and Nancy Bainbridge Rogers.

“The Summit will start a constructive conversation about this pressing issue, with a focus on working collaboratively on solutions to meet the region’s growing housing needs while avoiding escalating home prices to unsustainable levels,” said MBA Executive Director Shannon Affholter.

About the presenters:

David Crowe is responsible for NAHB’s forecast of housing and economic trends, survey research and analysis of the home building industry, and consumer preferences, as well as microeconomic analysis of government policies that affect housing. He also develops and implements innovative models of the local economic impact and fiscal cost of new home construction.

Todd Britsch has worked with countless industry professionals to better understand the housing market. Todd is a frequent speaker on the trends of new construction housing for many home building associations and financial institutions.

Nancy Bainbridge Rogers, a land use attorney at Cairncross & Hempelmann, has significant experience both drafting and applying the local comprehensive plan policies and development regulations required under the Growth Management Act.  She has worked on projects that included expansion of the urban growth area, as well as many in-fill subdivisions and commercial projects.

About the Master Builders Association of King & Snohomish Counties:

The Master Builders Association is a trade association made up of approximately 3,000 member companies involved in the residential construction industry.  It is the nation’s oldest and largest local home building association affiliated with the National Association of Home Builders.