Tacoma has passed an ordinance that requires landlords to give tenants 90 days notice when the tenancy is being terminated due to “demolition, substantial rehabilitation or change of use of a residential dwelling.” State law requires only 20 days notice to month-to-month tenants. The law takes effect sunsets October 31, 2018. The interim law is intended to provide enhanced protections while the City of Tacoma considers other housing and tenant protections, according to the City of Tacoma website. The new law also requires landlords to meet with tenants at least ten days prior to serving a 90 day notice. At […]
Monthly Archives: April 2018
3 posts
Washington residential landlords must accept all income sources when screening tenants under a new law that goes into effect September 30, 2018. Under the new law, Landlords must accept all sources of income, including Section 8 housing vouchers, public assistance, emergency rental assistance, veterans benefits, social security, and SSI benefits. The source of income may be from government or non-profit organizations. If a landlord requires an income threshold, any rent subsidy must be subtracted from the monthly rent before calculating whether the prospective tenant meets the income threshold. Landlords may not refuse to rent to new or current tenants based on […]
A couple own a triplex. They live in one unit with their young children and rent out the other two units. The family frequently interacts with the tenants, and shares a yard. Landlords in that situation might feel it important to have a good gut feeling about an applicant before renting to them. Such a couple was among plaintiffs who challenged a Seattle law that took away essentially all landlords’ rights to use any discretion in renting. Under Seattle’s First-in-Time ordinance landlords are required to post criteria for renting vacant units and to accept the first tenant that met these […]