Webinar: Managing Assistance Animals in Rental Housing

 

 

In this webinar, attorney Angelita Fisher will discuss the difference between pets, service animals and emotional support animals. She will review policies that a landlord may apply to pets and which he/she may apply to support animals and what documentation a landlord is entitled to.

 

Cost: $149

Complimentary for Landlord360 Members

 

Register

Webinar: How to Draft a Notice to Comply or Vacate

Is your resident violating the terms of your lease agreement (unauthorized occupants/animals, excessive noise, damage to the property, smoking, and other lease or statutory violations)? Under Washington State law, housing providers can serve a Notice to Comply or Vacate, which can become the basis for an eviction if the resident doesn't comply within the notice period.

LandlordSolutions and attorney David Britton are offering a new webinar training session for WA housing providers to learn the proper way to draft a Notice to Comply or Vacate. Housing providers who join our training session will learn answers to the following questions:

 

Cost: $149

Complimentary for Landlord360 Members

 

Register

WA Jurisdictions with Special Rules for Rental Housing

Washington State has a state law that applies to rental housing called the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18). However, many housing providers in Washington also have to deal with a patchwork of city and county laws that add complexity on top of the state law. Many cities in Washington require housing providers to register their rental units with the city. Some cities and counties have passed their own rental housing ordinances that act on top of the WA RLTA. This is a preliminary list of cities and counties with special rules around rental housing, but this list should not be taken as exhaustive or complete, and is subject to change.

Cities in WA with a rental housing registry:

Cities and counties in WA with additional ordinances or regulations around rental housing on top of WA RLTA:

 

Disclaimer: this list is subject to change and you should consult with your attorney prior to relying solely on this information.

Updated Documents on Tacoma Landlord Resources Webpage

In recent developments, housing providers in Tacoma face another communication breakdown with the City over changes to required tenant resources. Specifically, the City modified the title of a notice that housing providers must include with a Notice to Pay or Vacate. This seemingly minor adjustment, uncommunicated to housing providers, has sparked significant challenges, culminating in the Housing Justice Project (HJP) Right to Counsel requesting dismissals in court due to housing providers unknowingly using outdated documents.

The lack of notification from the City regarding these updates has left housing providers at a disadvantage. When I, Jim Henderson of LandlordSolutions, reached out for clarification, the City initially denied any updates had been made. Upon further examination and after providing evidence of the discrepancies between the notices, I contacted City Manager Elizabeth Pauli. Although she confirmed that changes had indeed occurred, the updated document regrettably lacked a revision date, a critical detail that ensures clarity and compliance for housing providers.

This incident underscores the recurring communication gap between the City’s Landlord-Tenant Coordinator and Tacoma's housing providers. The absence of timely updates and the failure to circulate crucial information erode the trust necessary for effective collaboration. Even when minor updates are made, such as a title change, the City should proactively inform all rental business license holders—not just those who opt into updates—especially when these changes can impact court proceedings and the legal standing of housing providers.

Moving forward, it is imperative that the City commits to more transparent communication practices. If a change to required resources is made, an immediate notification should be sent to all rental license holders, including clear revision dates on all documents. I hope to continue working towards a relationship built on trust and transparency with the City. Until then, the City must acknowledge the communication gaps and ensure housing providers are never blindsided by undisclosed updates that can jeopardize their legal standing.

 

LandlordSolutions 2024 Holiday Hours

In November, many Americans start preparing for the winter holiday period. LandlordSolutions will be closed in observance of federal holidays on the following days:

 

Updated VAWA Notice Requirements for Covered Properties

This is an update to our previous blog post written in October 2023 with guidelines on serving VAWA language and forms along with a 30-Day Notice to Pay or Vacate for tenancies covered by the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

In September 2024, A new interagency statement was released by The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of the Treasury, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and the U.S. Department of Justice with an updated statement on guidance as it related to VAWA.

When serving a notice for any covered property, housing providers must include VAWA language and HUD forms 5380 and 5382, informing tenants of their rights under VAWA.

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) provides housing protections to vulnerable individuals residing in "covered housing programs" funded by HUD. These protections apply to those in public housing, voucher programs, homeless assistance, supportive housing for elderly persons or individuals with disabilities, and other HUD-assisted housing programs.

VAWA-covered housing includes programs such as:

 

VAWA also covers:

 

VAWA guarantees tenants the right to report crimes or emergencies from their homes, regardless of assistance status. For evictions, housing providers must include VAWA language and HUD forms 5380 and 5382, informing tenants of their rights under VAWA. These rights extend to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, irrespective of gender or identity. Tenants may assert their VAWA protections by submitting the necessary certification within 14 business days of receiving the eviction notice.

VAWA LANGUAGE

If the lease violation(s) detailed herein is/are the result of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking, we want to ensure that you understand your protections under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). VAWA protections are not only available to women but are available equally to all individuals regardless of sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. HUD’s Notices under VAWA are attached to this notice. If this is applicable to you and you wish to exercise your rights under VAWA, you may do so by completing and submitting the Certification for (or other form of Alternate Documentation as specified in the Notice and Certification), so it is received in the management office no later than 14 business days from the date of your receipt of this notice.

Tukwila Considers New Tenant Protections

Tukwila's City Council filed a synopsis of their meeting on September 9th, 2024 in which they discussed proposals for a new city ordinance outlining new renter protections.

As a result of recent legal decisions that resulted in the repeal of renter protections in the city of Kenmore, Tuwila's draft ordinance no longer included protections associated with Rent Increase Notices or Just Cause Eviction.

 

This is the current draft of Tukwila's new renter protection ordinance:

The draft ordinance as recommended by last year’s PCD Committee in November 2023
includes the following components:

Spokane Could Prevent Evictions if Landlords Don’t Register Rental Units

Less than half of Spokane's 44,000 rental units have been registered via the City's mandatory rental registry. Spokane's mayor is proposing a law that would prevent landlords from raising rent or evicting tenants if they haven’t registered.

Vancouver, WA Considers Implementing Rental Registry and Green Building Codes

According to a memo from WMFHA (the Washington Multi-Family Housing Association), Washington State's City of Vancouver will be considering a rental housing registry and a green building code. WMFHA says that the green building code update "quietly emerged from a workgroup" and that these policies create a significant impact on rental housing businesses operating in the city limits. Stay tuned for further updates.