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Renters

A tall red residential building with balconies.

Landlords Face Price Fixing Lawsuit, but Advocates Are Looking for More

RealPage is facing a federal lawsuit alleging its price-fixing algorithm illegally set thousands upon thousands of rents nationwide. Tenant advocates are seeking deeper solutions, in addition to banning this practice.

Zahilay Proposes Billion-Dollar Bond for Social Housing

King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay rolled out the Regional Workforce Housing Initiative this week, aiming to use bonding to boost family-sized workforce housing construction. Colleagues were largely supportive, but warned the devil was in the details.
An rooftop view of rows of midrise apartments in South Lake Union with Capitol Hill in the distance.

Policy Lab: Cracking Down on Rental “Junk Fees”

President Biden has called out junk fees, but local landlords continue to charge them. Here's what Seattle and other cities can do to address them.
State representatives stand at their desks and raise their right hand to take an oath to start the 2023 session.

Rent Stabilization Backers Aim to Beat Deadline to Keep Bill Alive

Time is running out to pass rent stabilization in the state house or miss a key bill cutoff, putting off rent relief for another year. Supporters are rallying support in a last ditch effort.

Tacoma Voters Pass State’s Strongest Tenant Protections, Inspiring Other Cities to Act

As of December 8th, tenants in Tacoma have more legal recourse against rent increases, landlord retaliation, high late fees, and even some evictions. Tacoma's...
Bruce Harrell in a suit standing at a lectern. MLK Labor’s Executive Secretary-Treasurer Katie Garrow is to the left and OSE Director Jessyn Farrell to the right. A hazy Seattle skyline is in the background from Queen Anne vantage.

Seattle Releases Plan to Curb Climate Pollution from Buildings

Landlords are pushing to delay implementation schedules and lessen fees. When asked about the causes of climate change, most may picture cars, coal mines, and...
Chainlink fence with a for rent sign for a house.

Dueling Tenant Rights Measures Square Off in Tacoma

Tacoma For All is pushing a sweeping tenant bill of rights, and the City is planning a weaker package of changes. Affordable housing and tenants’...
The Capitol building in Olympia is marble colored and include pillars and a dome in the classic style.

Legislature Abandons Rent Stabilization Push

Partnering with Republicans on housing supply may have helped doom tenant legislation. Last Wednesday marked a major deadline for bills in the Washington State Legislature,...