Rent control is failing so far in Seattle. A Washington State law already on the books make rent control illegal. However, that did not stop a proposal from being brought to a Seattle committee. The Seattle City Council committee voted against a proposal that seeks to enact citywide rent control. The measure is expected to come before the full City Council next month. The City Council’s Sustainability and Renters’ Rights Committee voted 3-2 against the proposal which recommends limiting annual rent increases to the rate of inflation.
Voting it down in committee did not stop the rent control measure from advancing. It is expected to come before the full City Council on either August 1 or August 8. Councilmembers Andrew Lewis, Debora Juarez, and Sara Nelson voted against the proposal. Councilmembers Sawant and Tammy Morales voted yes. One major issue is the state of Washington’s ban on rent control. So, even if the measure is approved by the full council, state lawmakers have to vote to lift the ban.
The legislation that was recently proposed add a new chapter to the Seattle Municipal Code. It would establish a maximum annual limit on rent increases based on the annual rate of inflation. Also, the proposal from Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant would restrict landlords from increasing rent beyond the inflation rate when one tenant moves out and a new person moves in.
The cost of living is already high in Seattle. Housing costs in the Seattle metro area have climbed faster than inflation in recent years. Washington State has a ban on rent control which will supercedes any laws the city passes. Washington State has prohibited cities, like Seattle, from implementing rent control policies since 1981.
Per RCW 32.21.830, “no city or town of any class may enact, maintain, or enforce ordinances or other provisions which regulate the amount of rent to be charged.” Lawmakers against the proposal say that until the state law is changed, Seattle cannot implement any controls on rent, including this legislation.
A city analysis of census data states that rent in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area rose about 92% between 2010 and 2020.
Inflation was about 21% over that same period according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Sawant is pushing the public to get involved. The legislator want residents to show support for rent control by showing up to the upcoming City Council meeting to put pressure on council members to vote yes.
