Posts by isaiahp@shba.com

2021 Election Results Endorsed Candidate Update While a handful of votes remain to be counted, the results of this year’s elections are all but final. Two races we have our eye on will likely enter the recount process. A machine recount is required when the difference between the top two candidates is less than 2,000…

State Building Code Council passes emergency rules to address supply chain issues From the BIAW Blog The Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC) recently released two new emergency rules to address supply chain issues brought to its attention by BIAW and others in the industry. Heat pumps Deliveries for heat pumps are unpredictable and costs…

A Tale of Two Lawsuits: How One Seattle Law Firm Silenced Voters on Both Sides of the State Q: What do homelessness in Seattle and natural gas in Spokane have in common? A: The Seattle-based law firm Smith and Lowney.   Two weeks ago, two judges ruled on separate lawsuits filed by this Seattle-based firm, to…

City Council Doubles Down on Housing Crisis Denial It’s time for the City to take action on housing, not spark political wars It is disappointing to see city leaders again dodge an opportunity for real dialogue and solutions for hurting families in Spokane.  Instead of providing alternatives or explaining the council’s stance, Mr. Beggs’ rebuttal threw…

Addressing Spokane County Building Permit Delays Over the last several weeks we have heard from many builders about permit processing delays in Spokane County. That’s why Spokane Home Builders Association leadership recently sat down with Spokane County Building and Planning Department officials to discuss issues and possible solutions to these delays as well as how…

Advocacy in Elections The Spokane Home Builders Association engages in advocacy in two primary ways. First, through the Government Affairs Committee we support industry-friendly legislation, monitor building, permit, and impact fee activity in various jurisdictions, and keep local government accountable to promote timely and efficient building and planning activity. Second, through the Political Action Committee…

Creating Attainable Housing Last week Spokane Home Builders Association staff and members participated in Habitat for Humanity’s Blitz Build 2020. Habitat for Humanity is a nonprofit organization that helps families build and improve places to call home. This natural partnership revolves around a common value, that attainable housing plays a critical role in strong and…