If Snohomish County voted Republican, I am heartily sorry. If your County voted Democrat, and your officials are Democrat Appointees, hold the apology for some other cause.
BTW, the very existence of that 1999 report makes the instability of the area a disclosable issue in a real estate transaction. So what you have in your County is official malfeasance in office combined with private lapses in due diligence. Even in Maine, that generally can have fatal consequences. Don't waste anger on me, even if I am an insensitive oaf.
Be very mad at the officials who allowed subdivision and development in that area. When they signed the permits, they signed death warrants.
I’m sure there is lots of pressure exerted by lot-owners to get permits approved for their houses.