Washington Lawmakers Eye Rent Stabilization

Democratic Washington state lawmakers have their eye on rent stabilization in the upcoming legislative session, writes Ryan Packer in The Urbanist. “While dozens of bills intended to increase the affordability of housing will be debated over the coming weeks, passing a statewide rent stabilization bill has emerged as a major priority for the caucus.”

Lawmakers are proposing a “more measured and surgical” approach to rent stabilization that is less broad than flat rent control policies. According to Packer, “House Bill 1217 would cap annual rent increases at seven percent and prohibit landlords from raising rent by any amount in the first year of tenancy. The bill exempts newly constructed apartments for their first 10 years, existing buildings that are less than 11 years old, public housing, and small rental arrangements, such as a homeowner who only rents out their accessory dwelling unit (ADU).”

The proposed bill would also cap move-in fees and security deposits, limit increases on late rent, and require a six month’s notice for rent increases over three percent. The proposal would not regulate how much a landlord can raise the rent between tenants.