Title
Rent Stabilization Legislation & Existing Rental Housing Code Briefing
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
Not referred to the committee.
City Manager Recommendation:
Receive a briefing on 2025 Washington State legislative session updates to landlord-tenant laws and discuss next steps.
Report
Issue:
Whether to receive a briefing on 2025 Washington State legislative session updates to landlord-tenant laws and discuss next steps.
Staff Contact:
Christa Lenssen, Senior Housing Program Specialist, Community Planning and Economic Development, 360.570.3762
Presenter(s):
Christa Lenssen, Senior Housing Program Specialist, Community Planning and Economic Development
Background and Analysis:
Background on development of Olympia's tenant protection policies
In 2018, the Olympia City Council began exploring tenant protection policies implemented in other cities, such as relocation assistance; increased notice for rent increases; rental licensing and inspection; and other proposals in response to the 2017 Assessment of Fair Housing (AFH). The 2017 AFH raised concerns regarding the number of cost-burdened renting households and drew attention to the fact that people who rent are often the most vulnerable community members.
In late 2019, tenants and tenant advocates held a rally at City Council and presented a proposed ordinance to cap deposits, move-in costs, and pet deposits, as well as to allow tenants to pay these fees and last month's rent in installments. In March 2020, the Land Use & Environment Committee (LUEC) held a community meeting to learn more about challenges and potential solutions with renters and landlords.
Around this same time, several workplans were underway to review housing needs and challenges, to prioritize actions to increase housing access and stability, to include Thurston County 5-Year Homeless Crisis Response Plan; Olympia's One Community Plan; a regional Housing Needs Assessment and Olympia's Housing Action Plan. M...
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