“The state’s population is projected to grow from about 7 million (2015) to about 9 million in the next 25 years. What challenges associated with that growth need the most immediate focus?”

The signs of our state and region’s growth are everywhere. Along the I-5 corridor, the skyline is full of cranes, and the sights and sounds of construction projects fill the air. We live in the most beautiful place on earth, our tech industry is booming and our quality of life is envied across the nation. It’s no wonder our state population is predicted to grow from 7.16 million in 2015 to 8.97 million in 2040 – a 25 percent increase – while here in the Central Puget Sound we’re expected to grow from 3.8 million to 5 million during that same time span!

We are already seeing the effects of our growth around the Puget Sound. Our bustling housing market has created an affordability nightmare. Last March, a report showed that rents had increased 8 percent alone over the previous year. According to the Northwest Multiple Listing Service, the median price on homes that closed in King County for August was just under $500,000 – an 11 percent increase from the year before – and our housing inventory is at 1.33 months, well below the national industry benchmark of 3-5 months worth. As Amazon, Microsoft, Google and the host of other tech companies recruit out-of-state residents to move to Washington, you can see how affordable housing is going to quickly become a crisis if we don’t prepare for the future now.

The biggest obstacle to building the housing necessary for 2040 is the Growth Management Act. These anti-sprawl land use regulations were passed by the Legislature in 1990 as a means of conserving our natural resources and beauty, but they’ve been stifling our ability to expand our communities. If we are going to get serious about preparing for a 25 percent increase in population over the next 25 years, then the Legislature must reform the urban growth boundaries created 26 years ago to accommodate for the housing demand.

We are also experiencing the effects of population growth and lack of housing with our current transportation system. When places like Seattle, Bellevue, and Tacoma create jobs but lack homes for their employees, it pushes folks to live in communities like Federal Way and commute. That creates a strain on our transportation system.

Traffic not only leads to less time with our family and loved ones, but it has a direct impact on our economy. According to the Texas Transportation Institute, it’s estimated our region’s congestion costs us over $3 billion in lost time and productivity every year. While I’m a firm believer that the 2015 transportation package – which prioritizes congestion relief – will do a lot to ease our problems, there is still more we can do.

I strongly believe we need to create synergy around family-wage and innovative jobs outside of the Seattle and Tacoma markets. Communities like Federal Way have room to grow and can support a workforce to fill these jobs. Our district and the surrounding region would benefit from a 10-20 year strategic plan that involves our city economic development team, Chamber of Commerce and professional business community, school district, higher education and skills training, along with world-class leadership to create a comprehensive vision to attract jobs and create a quality of life that doesn’t require sitting in your car for 2-3 hours a day.

Millennials are our current and future workforce, and they value a lifestyle completely different from the Baby Boomers. They are technically savvy, appreciate balance between their work and home lives, and I believe their entrepreneurial spirit will reinvent our economy. We are already seeing evidence of that with growing companies such as Uber and Airbnb. Federal Way can meet and exceed those expectations for current and future generations, but it will take a comprehensive and collaborative plan between stakeholders.

Our future is bright, and I’m excited to see what it has in store for us. As your state representative, I always take into consideration how something I’m about to vote on is going to affect the present as well as the generations to come. Together, we will make sure that Washington State is a great place to live and call home.