[The Center Square] – The number of residential construction permits issued in Washington state has fallen to 2013 levels, according to a new revenue forecast put out by the state Economic and Revenue Forecast Council. Builder industry advocates argue that the downward trend is due to a combination of state and local policies around housing, along with long-term systemic problems in the process.

In 2013, the number of residential housing permits was around 33,000. Within four years, that number had increased to 46,000 permits. During the 2020 state-imposed lockdowns that defined construction as a nonessential activity, permits fell from 48,000 in 2019 to 44,000. In 2021, permits issued increased dramatically to roughly 52,000 before plummeting rapidly in the following years. According to

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