Daria Ilgen Proposes “Certified to Build Act” to Cut Housing Costs and Permitting Delays

Less red tape. Faster approvals. Lower housing costs. Proposal would eliminate redundant reviews, trust licensed architects and engineers, and expand permitting capacity through optional expedited-review fees.

POULSBO, Wash. [October 22, 2026] — Daria Ilgen, Democratic candidate for State Representative in Washington’s 23rd Legislative District, today unveiled a plan to cut through government red tape that's making homes more expensive before construction even begins. His proposal would eliminate unnecessary permitting reviews and create a new revenue stream through optional expedited review fees, allowing local governments to hire more staff, clear permit backlogs, and get homes built faster without raising taxes.

With Kitsap County’s median home price approaching $600,000, Ilgen says families are paying for costs incurred long before construction begins. Every month a project waits for approval can add financing charges, insurance, property taxes, and other expenses that ultimately drive up the price of a home. For affordable housing developments serving low-income families and seniors, those same delays can strain already limited budgets and postpone desperately needed housing."

“You can have a buildable lot, a qualified contractor, and professionally engineered plans, but still spend months paying bills before you can frame a single wall,” Ilgen said. “Those costs don't disappear. They get passed along to the families trying to buy the home.”

A Building Industry Association of Washington study estimated that statewide permitting delays averaged 6.5 months, adding approximately $31,375 in holding costs per home. More recent state permitting data underscores the local challenge: Of 46 Kitsap County permit decisions reported under Washington's 2025 performance program, 40 exceeded applicable deadlines.

Ilgen's proposed Certified to Build Act would expand on existing Washington legislation allowing registered architects to self-certify building-code compliance for certain accessory dwelling units.

Under his proposal, appropriately licensed architects and engineers could provide preliminary code approval for eligible residential plans and technical components within their professional expertise. Their certified plans would be presumed compliant with applicable technical building-code requirements, eliminating the need for local governments to duplicate those reviews.

The legislation would expand this approach to counties and additional housing types, including starter homes, cottages, duplexes, townhomes, and qualifying affordable housing developments serving low-income households.

“We're not eliminating standards. We're eliminating unnecessary duplication,” Ilgen said. “We already license, train, and hold architects and engineers professionally accountable for their work. Why should taxpayers fund a second review of the same technical plans when qualified professionals have already certified them?”

Importantly, the proposal would not weaken or circumvent existing environmental protections, zoning requirements, or public safety standards. Environmental reviews, stormwater management, shoreline and critical-area protections, inspections, and final permitting authority would remain intact. Professional certifications would remain subject to audits, insurance requirements, and penalties for noncompliance.

“Protecting our environment and making government more efficient are not mutually exclusive,” Ilgen said. “This isn't about giving developers a free pass. It's about trusting qualified professionals to do the work they're licensed to perform, so government can spend less time duplicating paperwork and more time on the oversight that actually matters.”

Ilgen also proposes a new, optional expedited permitting program to address staffing shortages and review backlogs.

Under the program, builders could pay an additional, reasonable fee for expedited review. Unlike a general revenue increase, the fees would be dedicated exclusively to funding additional permitting staff or qualified outside reviewers. Expedited applications would be handled through this added capacity rather than delaying applications already in the standard queue.

Fee reductions or waivers could be available for qualifying affordable housing projects. Participating jurisdictions would publish clear processing deadlines, disclose how the additional revenue is spent, and report measurable improvements in permitting timelines.

“If a builder can pay a reasonable fee to save months of financing costs, and that fee pays for another permit reviewer, everyone benefits,” Ilgen said. “Builders get greater certainty, local governments gain additional capacity, and families ultimately benefit from lower construction costs. That's making government work smarter.”

Ilgen pointed to Poulsbo's successful permit-ready accessory dwelling unit program, which offers pre-approved building designs to reduce upfront design expenses and streamline reviews, as an example of practical local innovation.

The proposal would build on such efforts while establishing greater statewide consistency, predictable timelines, and accountability for permitting performance.

“Government should protect what matters without creating unnecessary costs. If we're serious about making housing more affordable in Kitsap, we need to cut the red tape that's driving up prices before construction even begins.”

Sources: Northwest Multiple Listing Service (Sept. 2026) | BIAW Cost of Permitting Delays (2022) | BIAW Permitting Analysis (Oct. 2026) | WA Department of Commerce, 2025 Permitting Performance Report | RCW 36.70A.683 | City of Poulsbo Permit Ready ADU Program