The controversial Seattle First in Time law was recently upheld by the Washington Supreme Court. Under the First in Time law, Seattle landlords seeking to fill vacant residential tenancies must provide notice of their rental criteria, screen applications in chronological order, and offer the tenancy to the first qualified applicant, subject to certain exceptions. Notice of rental criteria. The landlord must first “provide notice to a prospective occupant” of “the criteria the owner will use to screen prospective occupants and the minimum threshold for each criterion,” as well as “all information, documentation, and other submissions necessary for the owner to […]
first-in-time law
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Seattle passed a law in 2017 requiring landlords to accept the first financially qualified rental applicant who applies. The law took away any discretion on the part of the landlord, required the landlord to keep detailed records of when rental inquiries were received, and threatened landlords with hefty penalties for failing to comply. The law is known as the Fist-in-Time Ordinance. A King County Superior Court judge ruled the Fist-in-Time Ordinance unconstitutional. The case is now pending with the state Supreme Court. The City has filed a brief. The landlords brief is due soon. Oral argument has yet to be […]
Chong and MariLyn Yim live with their three children in a triplex in Seattle. The only way they can afford to live in Seattle is to rent out the other two units. The Yim family shares yard space with the renters. The children are occasionally home alone in the triplex. The Yims cannot financially afford the losses caused by a bad tenancy. The Yims are concerned about compatibility and safety, as they and the children live in close proximity with their renters. The Yims have never discriminated against anyone. Kelly Lyles is a single woman living in Seattle. She is […]