The Rent Control Debate in Olympia Begins Today

A tenants' rights protest during a Seattle landlord conference in December. nate gowdy

The Washington State Legislature will today take the first step toward a possible repeal of the state ban on rent control.

At 10 am, the House Judiciary Committee will hold a public hearing on the bill sponsored by Seattle Representative Nicole Macri. The bill would lift a statewide ban on rent regulation, allowing cities like Seattle to consider rent control measures.

Both sides are rallying supporters for today's hearing. Washington CAN, the Tenants Union of Washington State, and the Gender Justice League will have representatives at the hearing in support of lifting the ban. The Rental Housing Association of Washington, which represents landlords, put out a call to members to testify against lifting the ban. "If this bill is passed by the legislature, it is not a question of if rent control happens, but when and where," RHAWA interim executive director Sean Martin wrote. "Seattle is not the only city that would enact rent control." RHAWA argues that rent control discourages housing construction and that tenants stay in rent controlled units even as they make more money and no longer need the restricted unit.

Supporters say lifting the ban could make way not just for traditional rent control but for other types of renter protections. Seattle, for example, faces a lawsuit over a cap on move-in fees in which landlords argue the policy is a form of rent control. Other, more litigation-wary cities may avoid simiilar landlord protections as long as they fear lawsuits.

The City of Seattle supports lifting the ban, though local politicians are split on what type of rent regulations the city should implement if it ever gets the ability to. The city's state legislative lobbying agenda says lawmakers should change or lift the ban "to allow local governments to protect tenants from rent increases, without causing a negative impact on the quality or quantity of housing supply."

Although today's hearing is the first formal step toward repealing the state ban, the bill is far from a sure thing. Moderate Democrats are skeptical of rent control, which means that even with Democrats' new majority in both the state house and senate, the bill could (and probably will) die this year. After today's hearing, the bill will need a committee vote and full house vote before passing a similar process in the state senate. The legislative session ends March 8.

Watch the 10 am hearing here.