Lacey Housing Boom

Based on MLS data and city officials, Lacey may see as many as 1,400 new homes started by the end of 2006, the Olympian is reporting. The number would dwarf last year's total of 836 Lacey housing starts. The growth is attributed largely to economic refugees from the greater Seattle area who are willing to trade off a longer commute for significantly lower home prices. It will be interesting to see if this trend holds up as gas prices rise and the South Puget Sound is still without a direct transit connection to Seattle.

Today, 70,000 people live within the city limits and the city's unincorporated growth area. That's expected to rise to 125,000 by 2025, according to Olympia Master Builders Executive Officer Tom Krugman. That's a 78% increase. With the newly announced state focus on the health of nearby Puget Sound, the impacts of this dramatic growth will be keenly watched.

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