Snohomish data: steep home prices and a 'must‑be‑this‑tall' affordability line for ownership

Chris Collier, director of government relations for the Housing Authority of Snohomish County, gave a rapid overview tying local data to the statewide narrative: single‑family median sale price in Snohomish County reached roughly $831,000 in 2024 (inflation‑adjusted), and the combined effect of higher prices and mortgage rates raised the income necessary to buy. "You must be this tall to ride" was Collier's shorthand for how ownership has become unreachable for most single‑income households in the region, while apartment production has insulated renters but not restored ownership affordability.

Collier used county assessor and OFM data to show the changing composition of sales by price band, the near disappearance of low‑price ownership transactions and commuting patterns that signal workforce displacement into longer commutes. He answered committee questions about operating subsidies and noted that housing choice vouchers and voucher‑to‑unit policies are core to the operating subsidy picture but have statutory caps that limit what housing authorities can project‑base into physical units.

Why it matters: Collier's presentation localized the statewide trends, giving senators county‑level evidence for ownership scarcity, workforce commuting impacts, and the limits of existing subsidy tools.