A King County Superior Court judge recently struck down the city of Seattle's first-in-time rental regulation, in a decision that will likely be appealed.
Doug Trumm reports on a court decision that rolls back a relatively new renter protection in Seattle—the first-in-time rule that "required landlords to rent to the first qualified tenant to apply for an opening."
"The council exempted shared housing, backyard cottages, and granny flats from the rule, citing the risk of sexual violence possible in the landlord-tenant relationship. The rule was a part of a larger package of protections dubbed the tenants’ bill of rights," according to Trumm.
"Rental Housing Association (RHA) of Washington filed an amicus brief in support of the plaintiffs–a group of real estate professionals and landlords including CNA Apartments, Marilyn Yim, Kelly Lyles, and Beth Bylund," reports Trumm. The RHA argued that the first-in-time rule violated the free speech, due process, and property rights of landlords.
It is not the first time in recent months that Seattle's first-in-time rule has been in the news. In March 2018, the Seattle City Council placed a moratorium on rent bidding apps like Rentberry and Biddwell for potentially violating the first-in-time rule.
FULL STORY: Superior Court Strikes Down Seattle’s First-in-Time Renter Law
Eviction Moratorium Spurs Passionate Debate in Seattle
Renter protections are a contentious issue, but that only increases the need for honest and transparent debate.
Tenant Advocates Turn in Signatures for Rent Control Ballot Measure in California
The measure would repeal the 1996 Costa-Hawkins Act that places limits on rent control ordinances. Repealing the act would allow cities with rent control to consider expanding rent control to provide tenants greater protections.
Pressing Pause on 'Rent Bidding' Apps
Several new apps allow landlords to place available units out to bid. The city of Seattle is concerned the apps might exacerbate prices in an already expensive rental market.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Trump Approves Futuristic Automated Texas-Mexico Cargo Corridor
The project could remove tens of thousands of commercial trucks from roadways.
Austin's First Single Stair Apartment Building is Officially Underway
Eliminating the requirement for two staircases in multi-story residential buildings lets developers use smaller lots and more flexible designs to create denser housing.
Atlanta Bus System Redesign Will Nearly Triple Access
MARTA's Next Gen Bus Network will retool over 100 bus routes, expand frequent service.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)