Kent city officials are considering housing laws to help protect low-income renters.

Kent city officials are considering housing laws to help protect low-income renters.

Kent City Council considers laws to help, protect renters

The Kent City Council will consider adopting laws to help low-income residents find and stay in rental housing.

The Kent City Council will consider adopting laws to help low-income residents find and stay in rental housing.

It’s only discussion so far, but the council has directed city staff to find ways to reduce the barriers low-income residents face to find adequate housing to rent in a climate of low vacancy rates and higher costs.

“One of our biggest challenges is we have so many low-income apartments in our community,” Councilman Jim Berrios said at the council’s Economic and Community Development Committee meeting on Sept. 12. “I think it’s important we look at something we can do to help as opposed to doing nothing because there is so much out there that’s an issue, and the sooner the better.”

City staff presented the committee of Berrios, Bill Boyce and Tina Budell with three potential options:

• Adopt laws prohibiting housing discrimination based on source of income

These protections, similar to laws adopted by the cities of Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond and Seattle, ensure families who pay rent with a housing subsidy or other legal sources of supplemental income can more easily secure a safe and healthy home.

City staff noted that many individuals and families face outright or unintentional discrimination by landlords unwilling to rent to people who depend on government subsidies such as Housing Choice (Section 8) vouchers; seniors relying on Social Security income; veterans utilizing housing subsidies; and people with disabilities who receive government income.

• Expand tenant protections

Similar to the city of Seattle, tenants would receive 60 days written notice for a rent increase of 10 percent or more in a 12-month period.

Because rent control is illegal in the state, landlords can raise the rent as much as they see fit as long as they comply with the appropriate notice period. In month-to-month leases, landlords only need to provide 30 days written notice to increase rent. State law, however, allows a landlord to evict a tenant without cause with a 20-day written notice.

• Enact a proactive rental inspection program

Cities such as Tukwila, Pasco, Seattle, Lakewood and Bellingham have programs in place. Kent city staff noted Tukwila adopted such a program in 2011 and that city officials report fewer tenant-landlords complaints.

The inspection programs are designed to protect tenants by encouraging proper maintenance of rental housing. The city inspections identify and require correction of substandard housing conditions, and to prevent deterioration and blight that could impact the quality of life for residents.

“There are options that other cities have chosen to enact,” said Merina Hanson, city interim co-director of Parks, Recreation and Community Services. “Ideally, this would be addressed at the county or state level rather than city by city, but these are problems residents are facing now.”

City staff has heard from residents about landlords who won’t rent to someone because they have a housing voucher or force people to relocate who have housing vouchers, Hanson said.

“There are no protections now in our city,” Hanson said about such incidents.

“The (state) landlord-tenant act is very complicated,” Hanson said to the committee. “The city falls under state law because we do not have our own regulations like the city of Seattle does.”

Budell wants the city to take steps to help tenants.

“I like the idea of an annual rental inspection that will give the renters a little bit of piece of mind,” Budell said. “If a tenant is treating it like their home, they should have some protection.”

City Attorney Tom Brubaker told the committee that the three options could be something the city could do to make some impact.

“But I don’t want to raise your hopes there’s any quick remedy out there,” he said.

The committee didn’t set any timeline for coming up with answers, but directed staff to further look into what steps the city could take to help tenants.

“We will come back with more dialogue and go from there,” Boyce said. “We understand we have a lot of good landlords who provide good service, with one bad apple it’s not like they all are bad. But if there is something we can do a little bit and enforce it, we need to do the research and come back together.”


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in News

Kent police investigate fatal two-vehicle collision

The collision killed a woman and left a 45-year-old Tacoma driver, suspected of intoxication at the time of the crash, hospitalized.

Competing for the 8th Congressional District: Carmen Goers, left, and Kim Schrier. COURTESY PHOTOS
Adam Smith and Kim Schrier will retain Congress seats | Election 2024

Smith represents the 9th Congressional District and Schrier represents the 8th Congressional District.

Courtesy of Democratic Caucus
Pictured left to right: Sen. Bob Hasegawa (D), Rep. David Hackney, and Rep. Steve Bergquist
Democratic incumbents in lead for 11th Legislative District

Bob Hasegawa, David Hackney and Steve Bergquist have strong leads, with Hasegawa and Hackney running unopposed.

Debra Entenman and Kyle Lyebyedyev. File photos
Entenman and Stearns lead in 47th District | Election 2024

The district includes Kent, Covington and Auburn.

File photo
Kent School District levy is failing at the polls | Election 2024

Early election results show voters rejecting the proposed Capital Projects and Technology Levy.

Larry Best, a customer coordinator for quality assurance who has worked at Boeing for 38 years, stands outside of Angel of the Winds Arena with a “vote no” sign on Monday in Everett. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Boeing Machinists approve contract, ending 52-day strike

After voting no twice, 59% of union members approved the latest contract.

Photos from the United States Attorney's Office Western District of Washington press release.
Kent man arrested in connection to violent drug trafficking gang investigation

Law enforcement seized more than 20 kilograms of fentanyl, 60 firearms, and more than $130,000 in cash.

Courtesy Photo, King County
Son accused of fatally shooting mother’s boyfriend in Kent back in jail

Dondre Butler has 3 violations in 13 months of electronic home detention after charged with murder in 2022

t
Kent Police targeted street patrols result in arrest of two felons

One driver spotted in a vehicle with no plates; another driver reportedly in a stolen vehicle

t
Kent cold case murder suspect back in state after governor’s warrant | Update

Kenneth Kundert fought extradition from Arkansas after August arrest in 1980 killing of Dorothy Silzel

t
City of Kent eyes November opening for Reith Road roundabouts

Two more roundabouts will bring total in city to six; three more in future plans