Five months into 2024, we have a sense for what this year looks like from a fiscal and economic standpoint. At this juncture, our call to action is this: Believe what you see.

A sustained housing shortage hovers at a crisis level in the Inland Northwest. In such an environment, elected leaders should be doing what they can to ease pressure and encourage development of workforce and market-rate housing. 

An executive order penned by Mayor Lisa Brown to streamline permitting and development processes is a step in the right direction. But it's just that: a step.