Issue link: http://digital.nexsitepublishing.com/i/1127356
W hen people talk about homeownership, even in dense urban neighborhoods, they often evoke sepia-toned images of suburban Americana with plentiful yard space and driveways This is true at MBAKS, too, where we often showcase idealized dream homes—detached, single- family, renovated to perfection, sitting on an expansive and elegantly landscaped property, and prohibitively expensive for many households Single-family homes are a wonderful option for many, but they cannot be the only option We need more housing in all shapes and sizes at more price points to meet growing demand across the Puget Sound region If we are serious about ensuring all people can become homeowners, we need to expand our idea of what a dream home can be, one that includes a broad spectrum of housing, conveniently located near jobs, transit, and amenities We need more multifamily And we need every type, from missing middle backyard cottages and fourplexes to midrise condos, townhomes, stacked flats, and apartment buildings POPULATION BOOM Our region has seen massive population growth According to the Puget Sound Regional Council, King and Snohomish counties added more than 51,000 new residents from just April 2017 to April 2018 Growth can be wonderful, of course—bringing skilled workers, fresh perspectives, and new talent—but there hasn't been nearly enough new housing constructed to accommodate it The Regional Affordable Housing Task Force estimates King County alone needs roughly 156,000 additional units to address the current housing shortfall, one that has reached crisis levels Many people who want to live in our cities have been forced farther and farther out, pushing our region's residents into adversarial camps: nostalgic urban homeowners trying to preserve neighborhood character and financially squeezed renters looking for relief—as well as rural communities frustrated by new development encroaching on their quiet homesteads This housing shortage has helped drive controversial policies like Mandatory Housing Affordability (MHA) in Seattle While MHA is far from perfect, Seattle's broader Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda had the right idea for preventing displacement in urban areas: more multifamily housing near transit centers BY JAMES SLONE CONTENT SPECIALIST MBAKS SHAPES AND SIZES 37 SUMMER 2019 master builder