Citing the state’s affordable housing crisis and need to eliminate barriers to economic development, Gov. Bob Ferguson is honing in on making the lives of developers and homebuilders easier. 

Among Ferguson’s first executive orders issued in his first hours as governor, he asked state agencies to review all regulations that impact housing, permitting and construction and identify any provision that can be streamlined, deferred or eliminated.  

He also directed all state agencies to cut down their permit and license processing times. If an agency does not meet its deadline, it will refund the application fee. 

“Our mission must be to speed up government, improve customer service and center the people in every decision we make,” Ferguson said in his inaugural speech on Jan. 15.