Between 2013 and 2020, Burien’s average two-bedroom rents increased 45%, while median sales prices increased 103%. Burien has the second-highest home prices in the South King County subregion.

This week, your association joined with regional leaders, civic organizations, businesses, labor, and nonprofits in announcing a new coalition formed to advocate for a shared and defined vision for housing in our region.

The process will begin with a countywide meeting in October, date yet to be determined. Additional meetings through 2020 will be scheduled. MBAKS will be following these meetings, as well as continuing to work with individual jurisdictions.

The city stated that the changes are necessary to correctly identify the housing capacities of current residential zones and to provide the correct tools to enable “feathering” of residential capacities by creating additional residential zones.

The SMP proposes, among others, strongly encouraging all Council-approved Development Agreements, Planned Unit Developments, and Master Plans to be High-Performing Green Buildings, Electric Vehicle-Ready, and no longer be constructed with pipeline gas.