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Tenants Union, Landlord Association look at regulations on rent increase

This situation is a familiar one to other northwest cities like Portland and Seattle. The Tenants Union of Washington's Spokane office is looking to these cities and others like it for potential new city codes.

SPOKANE, Wash — Tenants are pushing Spokane city leaders for more protections against rent increases. Meanwhile, landlords say they are trying to stay afloat financially while maintaining their rights.

This situation is a familiar one to other northwest cities like Portland and Seattle. The Tenants Union of Washington’s Spokane office is looking to these cities and others like it for potential new city codes.

Tenants Union of Washington Co-Executive Director Terri Anderson said in the last five years Spokane has joined cities across the country challenged with high rent prices and not enough places to rent.

"We are seeing tenants that are coming in because they are being served a 20-day no cause notice or rents are going up so high that they no longer can afford to live there,” Anderson said. "We just believe that if a person has paid their rent on time every month, has never been in violation of their rental agreement that their housing should be safe and stable,”Anderson said.

To accomplish this the Tenant's Union has come up with a list of policies other cities have enacted which may work in Spokane.

The list from the Tenants Union includes the following:

Just Cause Eviction (ending no cause notices and evictions)

Tenants in Spokane and the state of Washington can be evicted for no reason whatsoever. Just Cause Eviction legislation has been enacted in many jurisdictions including Seattle, numerous cities in California, the states of New Jersey and New Hampshire and currently being considered in Oregon and the city of Portland. A Just Cause Eviction Ordinance requires landlords to have good cause to terminate the rental agreement. It does not mean that landlords cannot evict tenants, it means that they must have good cause. Cause under the current law is limited to failure to pay rent and violating the rental agreement but other causes are added such as to remodel (landlord must show building permit) or to move in a family member or repeated notices and late fees.

Business License for Landlords/Rental Registry

Currently Spokane landlords are not required to possess a business license or be registered on a rental registry. This makes it difficult to notify landlords for proposed ordinances and when ordinances are enacted. Airway Heights, Seattle, Bellevue, Kirkland, Burien and Tukwila in Washington and Portland, Oregon are among northwest cities require landlords to have a business license. A business license also establishes a standard of business practice that, when violated, can result in revocation which will hold landlords accountable.

Rental Inspection Program

Many cities outside of Spokane currently have established rental inspection ordinances. Airway Heights, Pasco, Seattle and Bellingham have enacted rental inspection. Currently Spokane only inspects property upon receipt of a complaint. Unless there is a code violation, tenants must call the city Building Department and pay an $80.00 fee for inspection. If the inspection determines that the home is not habitable the tenant is evicted. A rental inspection requires that all rental property be inspected; some cities require inspections every three years and others as long as ten years.

Rent Control/Regulation (end Washington State prohibition)

Washington currently prohibits rent control/regulation and prohibits local jurisdictions from enacting rent control/regulation to address soaring rent increases. A bill is working its way through the state legislature that will repeal that law and allow cities to address local concerns with local laws.

Anderson said a major priority for them is to end a state-wide prohibition of rent control. They would like to see limits set on how much rent can be raised each year.

Portland city leaders have passed some controversial regulations on landlords in recent years. In 2017, the Portland City Council passed an ordinance which requires landlords to pay the moving costs of some tenants. The city also requires 90-days notice for no-cause evictions and rent increases 5% or more.

Seattle has similar rules in places for landlords and tenants. The city requires 60-day notice for rent increases of 10% or more. They also have strict standards for building maintenance and inspections.

In July, the University of Washington published a study about the experiences of renters and landlords involved in Seattle’s rental housing market. The study found legislation targeting landlords had caused more owners to sell their rental properties. It showed each time landlords sold, rents went up.

Landlord Association of the Inland Northwest President Steve Corker said there is a concern about the financial burden certain types of legislation will put on landlords. He said requirements to raise maintenance standards and business licenses could mean added costs to the landlord. And this in turn could either lead to rent hikes for tenants or the landlord might be forced to sell the property. The question is whether this could affect the vacancy rate in Spokane which sits at about 1%, according to the Spokane Low Income Housing Consortium.

"The key in the housing crisis is for all sides not to forget the humanity. As landlords we have to work with the Tenants Union, with the city officials on legislation that solves the problem not adds to it,” Corker said.

Corker went on to say a majority of the issues landlords have with tenants are financial.

"In many cases especially with financially challenged people, if they don't fulfill the obligation of the lease how do we hold them financially responsible? I am not afraid of going after bad landlords, we need some help in dealing with people who are not responsible tenants,” Corker said.

Representatives from the Landlord Association and the Tenants Union have been working with Spokane city leaders on possible solutions to protect landlords and tenants. Corker said part of the discussion has been to implement a 60-day notice for renters. But he estimates it could be months until any type of new legislation is enacted at the city level.

Anderson said she would like to see new policies enacted sooner rather than later. She said they have been working to solve this rental housing issue for years.

"We don't want landlords to lose money, obviously, they make a profit and they are in the business to do their work. What we want to end is the practice of gouging," said Anderson.

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