Rent Fairness In the News

– KIRO 7 2/27/2025 WA bill putting limits on rent increases advances in state Senate

“This bill simply provides some commonsense guard rails to say that landlords can’t raise the rent at an excessive level, while they still can raise the rent, make a fair return and invest in the property,” said WA Sen. Emily Alvarado (D), who represents the 34th District.

Opponents argue that these regulations could push developers away from Washington, slow maintenance projects at rental properties and hurt mom-and-pop landlords who rely on rental income.

– Op-Ed The Olympian 2/26/2025 How excessive rent increases harm the physical and mental health of Washingtonians

Unfortunately, it has become common practice for some landlords to levy unpredictable, excessive rent increases on tenants. According to a recent survey of Washingtonians, nearly half say they have had to move out of a rental home because the rent got too high.

– Op-Ed Clark County Today 2/25/2025 Council for the Homeless CEO Sesany Fennie Jones shares her thoughts on the role rent stabilization can have on homelessness

Each one of us is facing rising costs and economic uncertainties. Renters will have one less uncertainty if they have stability and predictability with their rent and our entire community will benefit. Employers will not lose workers who moved because of excessive rent increases. Students will stay in their schools with friends. Neighbors can build lasting relationships. Fewer households will experience homelessness. Enacting rent stabilization will help ensure everyone has a stable place to call home and our community thrives.

– The Seattle Times 2/24/2025 WA lawmakers clash on parental rights, make progress on housing

Also in The Columbian

Lawmakers are hoping to make progress on some of Washington’s housing affordability woes. Democrats are once again pushing for statewide rent stabilization in the form of a House bill but Republicans are resistant and it’s not clear if there’s a path forward.

– 97.3 FM 2/21/2025 Video: Rent Control, Tenant Protections, and Potential Market Impact

Also covered in MyNorthwest

“Renters out there who are opposing this bill, come at me. Because right now it seems a lot like the haves, the have-nots. The us, the them.”

– Cascade PBS 2/20/2025 20+ WA state bills to keep an eye on

This could be a slam dunk for legislators — a Cascade PBS poll showed 68% of Washington voters want rent stabilization. The House Bill has passed its first committee and been referred to the Rules Committee for review. The Senate Bill was just discussed in executive session in the Senate Committee on Housing. 

– Cascade PBS 2/20/2025 Poll: Majority of WA voters support bill limiting rent increases

When asked generally about a bill to limit “excessive rent increases or excessive move-in and late fees,” 52% of poll respondents said they strongly support the idea and 20% said they somewhat support it. That’s compared to 18% who strongly oppose the idea and 9% who somewhat oppose it.  

According to EMC, the idea drew bipartisan support with majority favor by Republican and Independent respondents and 87% support from Democratic respondents. 

– Letter to the Editor The Columbian 2/20/2025 Letter: Support rent stabilization

Washington renters need relief. That’s why our Legislature should swiftly pass HB 1217 and SB 5222.

These bills are “rent stabilization” bills that would set guidelines for how rapidly a landlord can raise rent on a tenant. If passed, they would erect a safeguard for tenants against unpredictable rent hikes, allowing us to better plan our finances and maintain stability.

My partner and father to our two young children, Ryan Tabor, passed away unexpectedly last year. Shortly after, my 10-year-old, 2-year-old and I had to move because I could no longer afford our rent. I know firsthand how instability and high rents put families in difficult situations.

Keeping tenants in homes is vital for community cohesion and safety. By prioritizing rent stabilization, we can provide low-income families with the security they deserve and produce a healthier and more stable society.

Let’s advocate for policies that protect our most vulnerable residents and promote a more just housing market. I hope Sen. Annette Cleveland, Rep. Monica Stonier and Rep. Sharon Wylie will help HB 1217 and SB 5222 continue to move through the Legislature.

– The Spokesman-Review 2/20/2025 Republican legislators propose collection of bills to build more housing amid ‘urgent affordability crisis’

Republicans also offered an alternative to a Democratic proposal to cap annual rent increases at 7% and require six months’ notice for rent increases of 3% or more. The proposal, Democratic leaders have said, would be coupled with other legislation to increase the housing supply.

That proposal, though, has failed to gain support among Republican lawmakers.

“As we heard in committee testimony, areas that implemented rent control policies end up with fewer available rental properties, which is the opposite of what we need to solve the housing crisis in Washington,” Goehner said in a statement. “It discourages developers from building new rental units and it motivates landlords to convert rental units into condominiums or other types of housing that are not subject to rent control.”

– MyNorthwest 2/19/2025 Washington senate moves rent cap bill forward, but not without a fight

Just before Senate Housing Committee took its vote, Senator Yasmin Trudeau (D-Tacoma) , who introduced the bill, made it personal, explaining, “I mentioned why I brought the bill in the first place based on my own personal experiences and the experiences of members of my family that are in a much more vulnerable situation than me.”

She emphasized the need to strike a balance, saying, “We just want to find a balanced approach, where we can bring housing online, but we can ensure that people stay in their homes and are stabilized so they don’t drop off as we continue to address our housing crisis.”

– The Center Square 2/19/2025 Op-Ed: Rent control’s record of ruin

Also in AOL, TNOnline, MyHerald/Review, The Spokesman-Review, The Black Chronicle, NewsBreak, Tacoma News Tribune

While rent control may be new for Washington, price controls are an ancient mechanism used by brutal, totalitarian empires leading to the same patterns of failure. Producers respond to artificial suppression of prices by slowing, stopping, or shifting production to non-regulated activities or goods, or resorting to black market activity.  Instead of solving shortages, price controls exacerbate them, dragging entire economies into decline.

– The Center Square 2/19/2025 Bill to cap rent increases passes out of WA Senate Housing Committee

Also in AOL, Brushwood Media Network, Everett Post

The Senate Housing Committee on Wednesday gave Senate Bill 5222 a do-pass recommendation during executive session. SB 5222 would cap annual rent and fee increases at 7%, enhance talent protections, and establish new notice requirements for landlords under Washington’s landlord-tenant laws.

Companion legislation, Second Substitute House Bill 1217, successfully moved out of the House Appropriations Committee with a do pass recommendation on Feb. 10.

– Washington State Standard 2/19/2025 Rent cap bill moves ahead in WA Senate

Also in The Spokesman-Review, The Columbian, The Chronicle

“We can both build more housing and stabilize tenants today,” Sen. Emily Alvarado, D-Seattle, said. “This bill simply provides some common sense guardrails that say landlords can’t raise the rent to an excessive level.”

– KOZI Newsroom 2/19/2025 Housing, Public Safety ideas proposed by 12th District State Legislators

Democrats have offered rent control again this year as a means of keeping rents and the rate of evictions down. Republicans do not support rent control as it’s shown to create unintended consequences. “As we heard in committee testimony, areas that implemented rent control policies end up with fewer available rental properties, which is the opposite of what we need to solve the housing crisis in Washington” said Goehner. “It discourages developers from building new rental units and it motivates landlords to convert rental units into condominiums or other types of housing that are not subject to rent control.”

– Op-Ed Tacoma News Tribune 2/19/2025 Tacoma’s housing crisis demands solutions: Exploring social housing as a key strategy

Last week, Seattle voters overwhelmingly voted to fund their social housing developer with an “excessive income payroll tax” on companies paying employees over $1 million. This will significantly expand Seattle’s affordable housing supply and adds to the rising wave of long-overdue, popular policies confronting the root causes of the housing crisis. Tacoma’s groundbreaking Landlord Fairness Code, municipal wins throughout the West Coast, and the push for statewide rent stabilization in Washington all underscore growing appetites for bold solutions.

– Washington State Standard 2/18/2025 How Republicans want to fix WA’s affordable housing shortage

Also published in the Sequim Gazette

Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, said Democrats’ push to pass a “very harmful” rent cap bill without doing anything to increase the supply of homes is a “bad sign for the future of housing in Washington.” He and other critics of the plan say it will drive real estate developers out of the state, worsening the shortage of homes. 

– KXL 101 2/18/2025 Senate Republicans Introduce 18 Bills To Address WA Housing Shortage

Also in Freedom970

Washington Democrats are attempting to revive a rent control bill again this year as a means of keeping rents and the rate of evictions down.  However, Goehner insisted Republicans do not support rent control due to what he believes are unintended consequences. “As we heard in committee testimony, areas that implemented rent control policies end up with fewer available rental properties, which is the opposite of what we need to solve the housing crisis in Washington.” said Goehner. “It discourages developers from building new rental units and it motivates landlords to convert rental units into condominiums or other types of housing that are not subject to rent control.”

That view is rejected by the policy and advocacy director for the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, Michele Thomas.  Her group recently polled Washington residents about the rent control law.  That poll showed overwhelming support for rent control and other tenant protections.

– The Sightline Institute 2/14/2025 Washington Housing Bills to Watch in 2025

Companion bills HB 1217 and SB 5222 would cap annual rent increases at seven percent. 

– KXL 101 2/12/2025 New Poll Bolsters Washington Rent Control Legislative Effort

The poll found there is strong initial support for a rent stabilization bill, including super-majority support among non-renters and Republicans. “Support for rent stabilization cuts across traditional partisan, homeownership, and generational divides, and is strong in all regions of the state,” said Michele Thomas with the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance.

– The Chronicle 2/9/2025 Washington state bill to protect seniors’ roommate options considered in Olympia

Also in MSN

Washington has no limit to how much rent can be increased, according to WashingtonLawHelp.org, which means that a manufactured home park owner can charge pretty much whatever it wants to, as long as it gives notice to the tenants. That may be difficult enough for, say, apartment dwellers, but owners of manufactured homes don’t have the option of just packing their furniture and moving elsewhere. According to moving.com, it can cost as much as $14,000 to move a manufactured home from one property to another, assuming the home is even in movable condition.

– Letter to the Editor The Everett Herald 2/10/2025 Rent stabilization can keep more from losing homes

I’m a University of Washington graduate with an established career, and I’ve been working full time in housing services since I graduated in 2019. In 2023, when my landlord hiked my rent near the end of my lease, I became homeless for 45 days.

At that time, I was running a rapid rehousing program, literally housing people off the street. I housed the homeless by day and returned to my own homelessness at night.

– The Columbia 2/8/2025 ‘It never seems to be enough’: Clark County residents earning a bit over minimum wage struggle to pay bills, stave off homelessness

With the rising cost of living, even those working jobs that pay $20 an hour have trouble covering their bills, more so if they have children. Yet, they make too much to receive government assistance. For example, two parents working full time at $20 an hour would most likely not be eligible for food stamps to help feed their child, according to Washington’s income restrictions.

– KNKX 2/8/2025 WA lawmakers are considering a law that would cap rent cost

When it comes to housing, just about everyone in Washington state agrees: the rent is too high. That’s about where the agreement ends.

An effort to limit rent increases died last legislative session. But the debate is now roaring back to life at the capitol.

– OPB 2/8/2025 Oregon and Washington are preparing for fights over rent increases in manufactured home parks

A similar fight is brewing in Olympia, where lawmakers recently introduced House Bill 1217. Termed a rent stabilization bill, the proposal would cap rent increases for all types of housing at 7% per year to provide “Washington renters with predictability, transparency, and the same protections afforded to other consumers.” It, too, specifically mentions manufactured homes.

– KUOW 2/8/2025 ‘We can afford a tent’: Tenants pray for relief as housing industry pushes back on rent limits

Also in KNKX

Debate in the Legislature about how to tackle the problem has been ongoing for years. In 2024, a bill stalled that would have put limits on how much landlords can raise rent. This year, that debate is roaring back to life at the capitol in Olympia, as lawmakers once again consider restricting rent increases.

A bill in the House of Representatives, HB 1217, would put an annual cap of 7% on rent hikes. The most a landlord could raise rent for a tenant living in a unit priced at $2,000 a month, would be about $140 more per month.

– Lynnwood Times 2/6/2025 Letter-to-Editor: WA Legislature please pass Rent Stabilization

“I think you’re penalizing sellers and not allowing sellers to sell for as much as possible,” he explained. “This bill and a rent-control bill moving ahead this session will make things worse than they are right now.”

The rent-control bill Eyman referred to is House Bill 1217, also sponsored by Alvarado, which received a public hearing in the House Appropriations Committee on Monday after passing out of the House Housing Committee. HB 1217 would cap rent increases at 7% of tenants’ current rent.

– The Chronicle 2/6/2025 Backers, critics debate Washington state bill to stop major investors from buying up single-family homes

“I think you’re penalizing sellers and not allowing sellers to sell for as much as possible,” he explained. “This bill and a rent-control bill moving ahead this session will make things worse than they are right now.”

The rent-control bill Eyman referred to is House Bill 1217, also sponsored by Alvarado, which received a public hearing in the House Appropriations Committee on Monday after passing out of the House Housing Committee. HB 1217 would cap rent increases at 7% of tenants’ current rent.

– The Columbia Basin Herald 2/6/2025 Rental affordability debate ramps up in Olympia

“No bill is a silver bullet,” Sen. Emily Alverado [sic], D-West Seattle said. “But this bill is the single most cost-effective way that we can immediately stop the devastating impacts of excessive rent increases on renters and manufactured homeowners in Washington. The legislation is a compromise.”  

If enacted, HB 1217 would prohibit any rent and fee increases at 7% within the first 12 months of residency and during any 12-month period thereafter. It would provide additional protections by requiring landlords to notify tenants annually of any price increase and limit move-in, security deposit and late fees. Furthermore, it would allow the attorney general to enforce violations if they occurred.  

– Public News Service 2/6/2025 WA rent stabilization bills have huge public support

HB 1217/SB 5222 is a “rent stabilization” bill. This bill sets standards for the amount that a landlord can raise rent on a tenant, protecting tenants from predatory fees and rent gouging. If passed, this bill will help millions of renter households stay in their homes and provide stability and predictability for renters and landlords alike.

This bill won’t solve all the problems with our housing crisis, but it’s a crucial step in the right direction that will bring relief to renters all across the state.

– Shoreline Area News 2/5/2025 Letter to the Editor: Rent Stabilization bill will help renters stay in their homes

HB 1217/SB 5222 is a “rent stabilization” bill. This bill sets standards for the amount that a landlord can raise rent on a tenant, protecting tenants from predatory fees and rent gouging. If passed, this bill will help millions of renter households stay in their homes and provide stability and predictability for renters and landlords alike.

This bill won’t solve all the problems with our housing crisis, but it’s a crucial step in the right direction that will bring relief to renters all across the state.

– Op-Ed The Seattle Times 2/3/2025 Sensible WA tenancy laws will help housing stability

More than half of Seattle residents are renters, and the growing dysfunction in Seattle’s affordable housing market offers cautionary insights into the meaning of housing stability. Last summer, the city distributed $14 million in emergency funding to affordable housing providers on the brink of collapse. If there is any picture painted by the applications for funding, it is one of housing instability.

– Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce 2/3/2025 Rent Control Moves Forward Quickly + What’s Happening with the State Budget | Legislative Report

Senate Bill 5222 seeks to cap annual rent and fee increases at 7%, enhance tenant protections, and establish new notice requirements for landlords under Washington’s landlord-tenant laws. House Bill 1217, which mirrors these objectives, was scheduled for a public hearing in the House Appropriations Committee on Feb. 3. Both bills aim to address housing affordability and stability through rent stabilization measures.

– The Urbanist 1/31/2025 Rolling Out The Urbanist 2025’s Advocacy Agenda and Early Events

House Bill 1217 would cap annual rent increases at 7% 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,” Packer wrote of the proposal. “The proposal also caps all move-in fees and/or security deposits at the equivalent of one month’s rent, and limits fees on late rent to 1.5% of monthly rent, and requires six month’s notice on all rent increases over 3%.” Read Packer’s full article for more.

– TVW 1/30/2025 The Impact – The Rent Increase Regulation Debate

A look at the debate over rent stabilization and an overview of legislation that would limit rent increases to 7% per year. Segment includes a panel discussion with bill supporter and rental property investor Kraig Peck and bill opponent Chester Baldwin representing the Rental Housing Association of Washington.

– KOMO News 1/30/2025 ​​Downtown Seattle rents increase as Amazon workers return to office

The uptick in rent prices happened before Amazon’s January mandate to return to work five days a week. Redfin said it’s too early to tell if Amazon’s policy is affecting rents and rental demand, especially because most employees already live within commuting distance of their office.

– The Daily Evergreen 1/30/2025 Housing stability laws introduced in Washington House

While more recent forms of rent stabilization have not come in the form of concrete price ceilings, these kinds of legislation can still hurt competitive markets like housing due to the distortion of prices, Clarke said.

“[If] the market clearing rent is $1,500, but you’re only allowed to increase it so much, so you can only bring it up to $1,100. You can’t bring it up to the full [amount], but your landlord will,” he said. “Landlords want profits [and] want to maximize their return. Instead of offering it for rent, you can sell it at the market price, so they do that….the supply of rentals declines even when you institute these softer kinds of rent control policies. If you have fewer rentals available, the price of rent is going to go up.”

– Kitsap Sun 1/30/2025 Rent stabilization promotes a health community

Also in Yahoo News

“I have witnessed firsthand how these financial pressures affect people’s lives. Each rent increase poses a direct threat to their housing security, pushing many to homelessness. Rent stabilization is the only policy solution that will work quickly enough to help renters remain housed and secure today. I urge Sen. Drew Hansen, Rep. Greg Nance, and Rep. Tarra Simmons to support this crucial bill and advocate for its passage through the legislature. We can, and should, create a more equitable housing landscape that prioritizes the health and stability of our communities.”

– The Center Square 1/30/2025 Proposed bill could put WAs valet trash collection companies out of business

Also in the Everett Post

Michelle Thomas with the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance testified in support of the bill.

“It’s almost impossible for a renter to negotiate their own lease terms,” she said. “These non-disclosure agreements are prohibiting them from finding out if their rent increases are on par with other tenants.”

She said no tenant should be forced to pay for a service that wasn’t in their original lease agreement.

– The Columbian 1/30/2025 Letter: Support rent stabilization bills

Housing policy experts and recent studies have shown little evidence that limiting rent increases leads to less housing construction. And both of these bills would only apply to rental properties that are more than 10 years old. If rent control discourages new housing construction, as critics claim, then why are developers continuing to build so many new units when so many renters can barely afford the ones they have?

We cannot expect to reduce homelessness in our community if renters like me continue to face unaffordable annual rent increases.

– King 5 1/25/2025 In Session: Guns, police and rent cap bills highlight week two in Olympia

Bills to limit rent increases to 7% per year both had public hearings in the session’s opening weeks. The House version passed out of committee. Senators heard testimony from renters, landlords and developers Wednesday.

Supporters said rising housing costs are contributing to an increase in the homeless population. Critics say the cap will discourage developers from building new homes and apartments in Washington state.

– Everett Herald 1/25/2025 Editorial: Rental cap balances needs of tenants, landlords

If you are among the more than 1 million renters in Washington state you’re potentially as few as 60 days from a rent increase — of any amount the landlord determines — under state law.

There currently is no cap on rent increases; the only requirement is that renters be provided at least 60 days notice.

– KUOW 1/24/2025 WA lawmakers again consider cap on rent increases

Washington lawmakers are once again considering legislation to cap rent increases across the state. This year’s iteration would limit rent hikes to 7 percent over a 12 month period – with exemptions like new construction. 

A similar bill was introduced last year, it died in committee in the senate. Since then, a couple of those “no” votes have left office. And supporters say that this year is the time to finally pass a rent increase cap into law. But Republicans and trade groups argue that this legislation would deter construction and make the housing shortage worse.

– The Spokesman-Review 1/22/2025 Rent stabilization bill moves through first committee as Senate begins consideration

“I think we’re very much looking forward to seeing the rent stabilization bill and to working with the house on a whole series of measures to increase housing supply,” Senate Majority Leader Jaime Pedersen, D-Seattle, said Tuesday.

The Senate Housing Committee held its first hearing on the legislation Wednesday, when sponsor Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, said the bill “will make a difference for the countless Washingtonians grappling with the harsh realities of our housing crisis.”

“And I don’t believe they deserve to wait 20, 30 years, for the solutions to reach them,” Trudeau said, referring to prior legislation to increase the housing supply in the state.

– My Bellingham Now 1/23/2025 Bill to cap rent increases for Washington tenants moves past first stage

HB 1217 passed out of the House Housing Committee on Monday. The bill would limit rent and fee increases to 7% during any 12-month period.

It would also prohibit rent and fee increases during the first 12 months of a tenancy.

The Bellingham City Council passed an ordinance in 2023 requiring landlords to give at least fourth months’ notice before increasing rent.

But state law currently prohibits the city from regulating rent levels itself.

The bill now heads to the House Appropriations Committee, while its companion bill in the Senate had a public hearing on Wednesday afternoon.

– KING 5 1/22/2025 New bill seeks to protect Washington renters from steep hikes

Also in MSN

Under the bill, if a landlord increases rent more than 7%, the tenant could terminate the lease at any time with 20-30 days written notice, depending on the property. Tenants would be responsible for pro rated rent until they vacate, but landlords couldn’t charge fines or fees for ending the lease.

Landlords who violate the law would also be liable for tenant damages, such as excess rent, fees and other costs, under the Consumer Protection Act.

– The Columbian 1/21/2025 In Our View: Rent control won’t solve state’s housing crisis

Also in Union-Bulletin

It did not take long for this year’s Legislature to once again embrace ideology at the expense of common sense.

Multiple studies indicate that rent control would reduce construction and tighten the housing market, offsetting the desired goal of making housing more affordable. That, however, did not prevent the House Housing Committee this week from approving a bill that would limit the rent and fee increases that landlords may impose.

– KREM 1/22/2025 Washington legislators push to control rent raises

We’re only in the first few days of Washington’s legislative session,but already lawmakers are showing that housing is going to be a priority quickly pushing a rent stabilization bill through a housing committee reported out of committee.

– Washington State Journal 1/21/2025 Rent stabilization met with push back by property owners

Also in the Wenatchee World, Ellensburg Daily Record, NCW LIfe, Longview News Journal, Sequim Gazette, Goldendale Sentinel, Newsbreak

“We’ve seen an increase in homelessness,” Alvarado said. “More people are being pushed out of their homes, so inaction is not an option. We have to make sure that people have some protections on the single greatest cost in their household budget, which is housing.”

Duana Ricks-Johnson, a Colville tribal member, said she was forced to move again for the fifth time in four years due to a rent increase.

“The discrimination in housing stability like ours will continue without rent stabilization to keep landlords and property management from raising rents to evict people of color, like my already victimized family, “Ricks-Johnson said. “Please help stop taking my ability as a parent to provide a basic need – housing stability.”

– The Seattle Times 1/20/2025 Bill to cap WA rent increases passes first House hurdle

Also in The Columbian

In closing statements before the final vote Monday, Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Olympia, told committee members that while lawmakers have seen people suffering from excessive rent increases, he does not believe rent caps will solve the housing crisis. The proposal, he said, would make it worse. Critics have argued rent caps would discourage people from being landlords and hurt their ability to recoup costs.

“Throughout this we keep hearing about fairness, but in the entirety of this bill, in order to have fairness, you have to have parity,” Barkis said. “In order to do that, you have to recognize both sides of the equation. I’ve said it before, and you cannot have tenants without housing providers. This bill is one-sided, to say the least.”

– Washington State Standard 1/20/2025 Rent cap proposal clears first hurdle in WA House

Also in Big Country News

He called the proposal “a giant step in the wrong direction.”  

Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Olympia, said lawmakers need to focus on increasing the supply of housing and not on controlling the price of rent. 

“This will make the problem worse,” Barkis said. “This is not the answer to solve this problem.”

Housing Committee Chair Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds, rejected the idea that this bill would hurt housing supply in Washington. He said the Legislature has passed significant legislation to increase the amount of housing in recent years, and more will be done this year. 

“We know that building this supply will take time,” Peterson said. “Right now, people are suffering. This is something we can do today.”

– KXLY 1/20/2025 Rent stabilization bill passes WA House Committee

It was a very close vote in fact it was 9-8. A house committee moved HB 1217 forward with a “do pass” recommendation. This specific piece of legislation has been referred to as a “hot button issue.”

– Peninsula Daily News 1/18/2025 LETTER: Stabilize rent

I’m a resident of Sequim, living in a manufactured home community with approximately 210 homes for seniors 55 and older. We all own our homes, but we pay rent on the land underneath our homes.

Most of us live on fixed incomes, and as rents increase every year, many of us cannot or will not be able to afford to live in our homes.

The stress of managing a tight budget without knowing how much our rent will increase in the future is enormous.

– Op-Ed The Chronicle 1/17/2025 John Braun: Rent control isn’t a real answer to the shortage of affordable rentals

For all their talk about the need for affordable housing in our state, our Legislature’s majority Democrats don’t seem to know how to effectively address that need.

The latest example is the renewed push for what Democrats insist on calling “rent stabilization,” which is simply a different name for rent control.

In 2024, the Democrat-controlled House moved a rent-control bill through on a partisan vote, only to see it die in the Senate budget committee near the end of the session. But with the Senate Democrats leaning more to the left following the outcome of the November election, rent-control advocates seem to think 2025 is their year.

– The Spokesman-Review 1/17/2025 Washington state House lawmakers again push cap on rent increases

Also in The Chronicle, Yahoo News

During the hearing, Spokane resident Tina Hammond told the committee that she temporarily stopped taking medicines after she struggled to afford a rent increase of $66 per month, a 12% increase from her prior rent.

Hammond, 64, told legislators that it took three months “to come up with a workable plan” to afford her medications and the increase, and it included turning off her heat at night to conserve energy.

According to Hammond, her struggles to afford a rent increase are not uncommon in her mobile home community for residents 55 or older, Sans Souci West in northwest Spokane, where residents pay monthly rent for a plot to park their unit.

– Axios Seattle 1/17/2025 Washington Legislature weighs limiting rent increases

Also in MSN

What they’re saying: “We need common sense guardrails that are in place to make sure that landlords don’t price gouge, and Washingtonians don’t get hurt,” state Rep. Emily Alvarado (D-Seattle), the lead sponsor of the bill, said during a public hearing on the measure earlier this week.

Alvarado said waiting for more housing units to come online to help curb rent increases doesn’t provide the protection that tenants across Washington need now.

The other side: Groups including the Association of Washington Business and the Washington Realtors testified against the bill, predicting it would discourage investment in new housing and potentially worsen the state’s housing shortage.

“We need supply,” Morgan Irwin, a former GOP state lawmaker who is now a lobbyist for the Association of Washington Business, told members of the House Housing Committee this week.

– 570 KVI 1/16/2025 First major showdown of WA Legislative session: “rent stabilization”

Housing affordability has surged to become as important of an issue to Washington voters in recent years as homelessness. Carlson concludes about Washington’s housing affordability problems and HB 1217, “Olympia (Legislative Democrats) says ‘we know how to do that–simply make housing more affordable by limiting what people can charge for rent’.”

– KIMA 1/14/2025 Washington lawmakers push for rent stabilization to combat housing crisis

A recent survey revealed that 46% of LGBTQ renters experienced a rent increase of over $100 in the past year, with more than 10% facing increases exceeding $500 a month, significantly outpacing rent hikes for renters overall.

“We know that high rent increases destabilize families and communities. We have 105 days this session and the challenges that our neighbors are facing are happening now. We need to help them now, and I’m very excited to be working with reps Alvarado and Senator Trudeau to get this bill passed this session,” said Macri.

– The Post Millennial 1/14/2025 Washington state Dems seek to pass rent control laws in new legislative session

Democrats are likely to try and push the legislation through early in the session so that Alvarado, a fierce proponent of rent control, can vote on it twice. She will begin the session in the state house but may finish the session in the state senate, because she is a top candidate to fill the seat of State Senator Joe Nguyen, who is moving over to head the state’s Commerce Department under incoming Governor Bob Ferguson.

Sen. Yasmin Trudeau (D-Tacoma) is sponsoring companion legislation, Senate Bill 5222, in the state senate and said at the presser, “What I’ve heard at every coffee chat, in every email from constituents across the district, is people cannot keep up with their rent. Housing is a fundamental basic need.”

– KXLY 1/13/2025 How the proposed rent control bill could affect Washington renters

“What this bill does, and this is what we’re worried about, is it takes the excitement around that building and it just pushes it to other states where there’s more economic advantage for builders,” said former state representative, Morgan Irwin. 

A similar bill was introduced last year, but died in the Senate. Supporters of 1217 are hopeful the bill will pass this year and lead to more affordable living options for Washingtonians. 

“Keeping fees reasonable and capped upon leasing the one month’s rent also makes the transition smoother, and the best case scenario is it gives renters stability and protections to create opportunity toward home ownership one day too,” said landlord Tonya Hennen. 

– Washington State Standard 1/13/2025 2025 Washington state legislative session begins

But for many, the day didn’t end until the dinner hour as they went from taking their oath of office to listening to residents and lobbyists testify about the looming budget shortfall and a range of policy issues, like limiting rent increases and the environmental effects of fashion.

– Oregon Public Broadcasting 1/13/2025 3 things to watch as Washington’s 2025 legislative session kicks off

The rent stabilization bill of last year has made its return. The bill, which would cap the annual amount that a landlord can raise their tenants’ rent each year, met its demise in 2024 after passing through the House only to meet a Democratically reinforced wall of opposition in the Senate.

But some Democrats have changed their tune, and combined with election-induced turnover in the Legislature, supporters of the proposal have renewed optimism about its prospects this year. The bill gets its first hearing on Monday afternoon in the House housing committee.

– The Center Square 1/13/2025 Rent control takes center stage on first day of 2025 WA legislative session

Also published in The Columbia Basin Herald, The Washington Examiner, and in The Everett Post

“It caps rent increases at 7% annually, but it lets landlords set the rent however they like at the start of the tenancy,” Alvarado explained at a Friday morning press conference announcing the legislation.

The bill was scheduled for a hearing in the House Housing Committee just hours after lawmakers were sworn in. Hundreds of people opposed to the measure gathered in the capitol rotunda wearing bright red shirts that read, “No CAP, say no to rent control.”

– KIRO 1/13/2025 Capping the chaos: State lawmakers start session by re-introducing rent stabilization bill

However, proponents argue rent stabilization is essential to protect tenants from exorbitant rent hikes and housing instability. Conversely, opponents contend that rent control can deter investment in housing, reduce the quality and quantity of available rental units and exacerbate housing shortages.

Historically, Washington has grappled with rent control legislation. In 1981, the state enacted banned rent control statewide. Despite this prohibition, there have been multiple attempts to introduce rent stabilization measures.

– KING 5 1/13/2025 BAC limit, property taxes and school panic buttons among issues lawmakers will weigh this year

Some Washington lawmakers are taking aim at skyrocketing rents throughout the region – and hoping to limit increases to 7% per year. 

HB 1217, sponsored by Rep. Yasmine Trudeau (D-Tacoma) and Rep Emily Alvarado (D-Seattle) would make it illegal to increase rent in the first year of a tenant’s stay, regardless of the length of the lease term. After the first 12 months, rent increases would be capped at 7% each year unless a landlord can prove they qualify for an exemption. 

– The Urbanist 1/13/2025 Rent Stabilization Tops Washington Democrats’ Housing Agenda for 2025 Session

While real estate industry advocates will almost certainly argue that the proposal will ultimately hurt tenants and discourage the construction of new housing, the supporters of this year’s rent stabilization bill believe they’ve struck the right balance between keeping people in their homes and encouraging development. Strict rent control regimes do not have a great track record and are maligned by most economists, but advocates say criticisms fall flat for rent stabilization, which is more measured and surgical.

– The Seattle Times 1/13/2025 WA lawmakers to consider rent hike caps, housing density

Also published in The Chronicle

One of the most hotly debated ideas from the last legislative session will return to the forefront: statewide limits on rent increases.

Tenants of both traditional rental housing and mobile home parks have called for limits on how much their landlords can raise rent each year, seeking predictability and financial stability.

Among them is 64-year-old Tina Hammond. Her mobile home community in Spokane saw small rent hikes every year before the pandemic. She and her neighbors, who own their homes but rent the land beneath them, regularly received increases of $15 to $20 to their monthly lot rent, Hammond said.

– The Olympian 1/13/2025 Rent increases in WA could get capped at 7% under latest push by Democratic lawmakers

Also in The Tacoma News-Tribune, The Yakima Herald

State Sen. Yasmin Trudeau of Tacoma and state Rep. Emily Alvarado of Seattle are sponsoring legislation that would do just that. A similar push failed last session, but the lawmakers hope that 2025 will be their year. “It is my job and my responsibility to make sure that people have their basic needs, and housing is a fundamental, basic need,” Trudeau told reporters during a Friday press conference. “You cannot expect people to think about opportunity — to have hope — with the ground shaking underneath them.”

– Washington State Standard 1/13/2025 Everything you need to know about Washington’s 2025 legislative session

Also published in AOL and The Spokesman-Review

The biggest topic of conversation so far is how to fill a $12 billion budget hole over the next four years, and what new taxes Democrats might propose as part of the fix. A bill to cap rent increases, debates over school funding, and Gov.-elect Bob Ferguson’s push to hire more police are among a range of other issues that will draw attention in the weeks and months ahead.

– AXIOS Seattle 1/12/2025 5 bills we’re watching in Washington’s Legislature this year

Democratic lawmakers are once again proposing legislation to limit annual rent increases.

This year’s proposal would ban landlords from raising rent prices on existing tenants by more than 7% per year.

Housing built in the last 10 years wouldn’t be subject to those limits.

– FOX 13 Seattle 1/10/2025 Preventing Rent Gouging

According to the WLIHA there is a clear distinction between rent stabilization and rent control. The organization says unlike rent control which freezes rental rates on a unit, rent stabilizations can regulate the relationship between the landlord and the tenant, it can also provide predictability to rent increases that a tenant can expect.

– Yahoo News 1/10/2025 WA democrats try to address rent gouging

As rent skyrockets across Washington, state leaders met in Olympia to discuss a solution.

– The Seattle Times 1/10/2025 Homelessness: ‘We cannot wait for new housing’

We urgently need more shelter space. But we must also address homelessness’ root causes: soaring rent prices, wage stagnation and eroded social safety nets, to name a few. Policies like rent stabilization would protect renters who may face housing instability.

– The Center Square 1/10/2025 Washington Democrats resurrect rent control proposal

Also published in The Columbia Basin Herald

Rep. Jim Walsh, R-Aberdeen, who is also chair of the Washington State Republican Party, texted The Center Square that rent control is a false promise.

“Artificially restricting how much or under what terms houses or apartments can be rented creates scarcity in housing inventory,” Walsh said. “That scarcity drives rents up even higher, and benefits people who already have housing, which is where we are now in Washington.”

– Cascade PBS 1/9/2025 Progressive WA lawmakers reintroduce bill to cap rent increases

On Thursday, state Rep. Emily Alvarado, a Seattle Democrat, prefiled House Bill 1217 — a “rent stabilization” proposal that would prevent landlords from raising rent by more than 7% annually for existing tenants. It would also limit various types of rental fees and require landlords to provide at least 180 days’ notice for rent increases over 3%.

– West Seattle Blog 1/10/2025 With days until State Legislature reconvenes, Rep. – possibly future Sen. – Emily Alvarado talks priorities

Key priorities for the upcoming session, Alvarado said, include addressing the economy, cost of living, affordability, public safety and education. “My personal priority is making housing more affordable,” she said.

Alvarado introduced HB 1217, a bill designed to enhance housing stability by limiting rent and fee increases, requiring advance notice of changes, capping fees and deposits, creating a landlord resource center, authorizing tenant-lease terminations, ensuring parity between lease types, and enabling attorney general enforcement.

– The Seattle Times 1/10/2025 4 things to expect from WA’s 2025 legislative session

Also published in the Moscow-Pullman Daily News

Nearly 70% of voters in the latest Cascade PBS/Elway poll said they favor limiting the amount landlords can raise rent, but Democrats and Republicans strongly disagree about the approach. 

House Democrats remain interested in some form of rent stabilization. Last year’s attempts, which would have limited annual rent increases to 7%, died in the Senate after failing to meet an important cutoff deadline. A similar measure introduced in the Senate also failed to clear legislative hurdles. 

A new rent stabilization bill will likely originate from the House and move quickly, according to leadership. 

– Washington State Standard 1/10/2025  Washington lawmakers revive plan for state cap on rent increases

Also published in Cascadia Daily News, The Lewiston Tribune

“People are suffering, and I don’t know how anyone comes back to the legislative session and doesn’t want to support relief,” said Sen. Yasmin Trudeau, D-Tacoma, who will sponsor the legislation in the Senate.

Supporters say the proposal would help tenants and alleviate homelessness, but opponents say a rent cap could only worsen Washington’s housing shortage by disincentivizing new development.

Democratic leaders said Thursday that the proposal will likely be heard quickly in the House after the session kicks off next week but could move slowly in the Senate where it died last year. 

 

The Columbian: Rents have skyrocketed at Woodland East Mobile Home Park; now residents want to buy their park but are running out of time

Senate Bill 5198, which took effect in July, was supposed to change things for tenants like them. It aims to give mobile home park residents a chance to buy their parks and have a say in their future.

So when Woodland East was listed for sale, residents thought that law was their savior — a chance to slow the seemingly endless rent hikes. Instead, their effort to buy the park has exposed cracks in the new law.

The Seattle Times: WA needs more housing. Should it limit rent hikes, too?

Shannon Corrick, a grocery store worker from Cheney, Spokane County, had to borrow money from a family member to move in mid-2021 after her landlord said he was raising her rent by $300 a month.

The landlord told her $300 was “what the market will bear,” she said. If she chose a month-to-month option instead of a lease, her rent was going to rise $500 a month.

“Renters aren’t just being squeezed,” Corrick said. “They’re being crushed.”

MYNorthwest: Legislature considers rent increase cap, but don’t call it ‘rent control’

State lawmakers in Olympia heard emotional testimony Thursday, delivered in front of a packed committee hearing room regarding capping rent increases to 5% annually.

House Bill 2114 would also put limits on late fee increases and provide other tenant safeguards.

KUOW: WA lawmakers weigh proposal to slow rising rental costs amid ongoing housing crisis

The battle over rising rent is back in Olympia.

People flocked to a House committee hearing Thursday, as Washington lawmakers weighed a bill to limit how much landlords can increase rent prices.

The hearing was at capacity, with staff opening an overflow room after dozens of people showed up to speak on House Bill 2114.

Washington State Standard: Washington lawmakers look to cap rent increases

Democrats in the Washington Legislature are restarting conversations around rent stabilization with a proposal that would cap rent increases at 5% a year for residential tenants and also place limits on fees charged by landlords.

Their bill would also require a six-month notice for large jumps in rent and offer more protections for tenants who’ve signed month-to-month leases. 

KING5 TV: Proposal would limit rent increases in Washington

Washington State Standard: The outlook for new statewide renter protections in Washington

After failed attempts this year, the debate over how to best shield tenants from unaffordable price hikes will likely return in the next legislative session.

Tacoma News Tribune: I’m a renter in Puyallup. But without help, I won’t be able to afford it for long | Opinion

I am a state employee with nearly 44 years of service working in Pierce County for the Washington Department of Social and Health Services. In July 2000, I moved into my apartment in Puyallup. The rent was $650 a month. But when our building was sold to the owner of a neighboring complex, we started being hit with big rent hikes each year and other changes, including charges for previously free amenities.

Everett Herald: Editorial: Cap on rent increases can keep more in homes

That statewide impact has prompted two pieces of legislation in the House that seek to stabilize rents, not by freezing rent costs, but by setting some limits on increases… But other landlords spoke in support, saying the limits sought were reasonable and would not create a hardship for landlords or the rental market… Placing a cap on the extent of rental cost increases, while offering fair exceptions to landlords, can keep people in their homes and support a healthy housing market.

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Columbian: Rent increases hit residents of mobile home park

In 2019, the Criteses purchased their manufactured home with cash in a community park designated for senior living in Woodland. The space rent was $685, which the couple considered reasonable. She said that when they signed the paperwork for the home, the property manager said their space rent would stay the same within the first year. But the Criteses received their first of three rent increases eight months later. They now pay $1,000 for the land their bought home sits on — a 45 percent increase.

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Everett Herald: Letter: Renters need limits placed to prevent gouging by landlords

I own a manufactured home in the Twin Creeks manufactured housing Park. When I moved here in 2019 the monthly rent for space in the park was $650, including water, garbage and sewer. A few months after I moved in, the park was sold. This is where all my pains started. The new park owners have raised our monthly rent five times from $650 to $775 to $860 to $925 and now to $970. That is $320 more per month, a rent hike of over 49 percent in four years.

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NW Public Radio: New Washington legislation aims to stabilize rent as housing crisis worsens

Mei Shah is a renter in Lacey, Washington. Shah said she used to be a landlord before she became a single mom. While she would love to own a townhouse or a duplex, she said, that dream has faded since she is now on a fixed income due to a disability. “Corporate landlords have proven they will not operate their businesses in good faith without the restraint of reasonable legislation,” Shah said.