AN ORDINANCE relating to residential rental properties; conforming the Seattle Municipal Code with changes in state law; amending Sections 7.24.020, 7.24.030, 22.202.080, 22.206.160, 22.206.180, 22.210.030, and 22.902.120 of the Seattle Municipal Code.
The report Civil Rights, Utilities, Economic Development and Arts Committee. Agenda Item one Capital 11958 4,000,000,002 residential rental properties conforming to Zell Miller code with changes in state law. The committee recommends the bill pass. Just remember Herbold. Fantastic. Thank you. So back in February of 2019, I sponsored Resolution 31861 that proposed certain legislative changes originating from recommendations from the Women's Commission in the Housing Justice Project Report Losing Home. The recommendations in the report identified specific harms in our eviction system, impacting tenants in marginalized communities, particularly women, the African-American community, seniors and transpeople. Following up on Resolution 31861, passed unanimously by the Council in the 2019 state legislative session, advocates at the state level and housing champions were in were successful in passing changes to the Residential Landlord Tenant Act Senate Bill 5600 was sponsored by Senators Patty Couteur and Mona Das and House Bill 1440, sponsored by Representatives Jordan Robertson and Nicole Macri. These bills have been in effect since the end of July and SDI, the Department of Construction Inspections, is already conducting outreach and education on the changes in this bill. They've been working to notify landlords who are currently registered with the rental registration and inspection database, about 19,000 landlords, and they've been incorporating into future landlord trainings and curriculum the new requirements under state law. This harmonization bill that is before us today makes consistent with our own unique city laws the new rights granted to tenants by state law. It passed unanimously out of the August 13th Civil Rights Utility's Economic Development and Arts Committee. What the legislation does is three primary things. First, it extends what was a mere three days that tenants had to pay rent or face eviction, for which they a reason for not paying the rent would not be accepted by a judge is only looks at whether or not the rent was paid within three days. The new law gives tenants 14 days for nonpayment of rent. This extends the amount of time a tenant has to access services, support or the next pay period in order to potentially get up, get caught up and avoid eviction proceedings. Secondly, the bill redefines rent as, quote, recurring and periodic charges identified in the rental agreement. The reason why this is so important is it allows a requirement that rent be applied past due, rent be applied before other costs like lease late payments damages, legal costs or other fees. And so that makes sure that when a tenant is behind in rent and also has other costs owing like late fees, that when the tenant pays the past due rent, it gets applied to the rent that is showing to be owed and ensures that the reinstatement of tenancy is based on on that rent and not the other costs. And then finally, the bill extends the minimum notice of all rent increases in the city of Seattle to 60 days. And under current law, most rent increases can only go into effect after 30 days notice. With the exception in Seattle for rent increases greater than 10%, they previously required a 60 day notice. Under this new law, all rent increases, regardless of their size, will only be effective with a full 60 days notice. And those are the main points of the bill. We're going to have another couple of pieces of legislation that we're going to be continuing to work through, through our committee. Also coming out of the Women's Commission Housing Justice Project, Losing Home Report. But we'll talk about that another time. Thank you, Councilmember Herbold. Any questions or comments on the legislation? Okay. Looks like we're good. So please call the role on the passage of the bill. Thanks. John Gonzalez. Purple. Hi, Suarez. Let's get to O'Brien Pacheco. So what? President Harrell. Okay. Nine in favor. Nine opposed the bill passed in show senate. Please read the report of the Sustainability and Transportation Committee.