Washington State population hits 8 million

The population in Washington State has reached 8 million people and is forecast to reach 9 million by 2038. According to the Department of Commerce, we need to build 1.1 million housing units by 2044 to keep up with the population growth. More half of those will "need to be affordable for residents at the lowest income levels."

According to the Washington State Office of Financial Management, the annual growth of housing units has ranged between 46,000 and 47,000 per year since 2020.

2020: 3,202,239 units
2021: 3,248,655 units (+46,416)
2022: 3,295,313 units (+46,658)
2023: 3,341,640 units (+46,327)

If this rate holds, Washington State will be adding between 920,000 to 940,000 new housing units over the next 20 years. That’s a deficit of 160,000 to 180,000 housing units over the next 20 years, or between 8,000 to 9,000 units per year. 718,900 of the needed housing units, or about 65%, must be built in just 4 out of 39 counties: Clark, King, Pierce, and Snohomish. With over $35 billion in below-market-rate federal loans available, some of that extra demand may be met by commercial-to-residential conversions. However, if that target is not reached, rents may climb across the state, especially in the 4 biggest counties.

Free Webinar on Tacoma Measure 1

The City of Tacoma’s Office of Equity and Human Rights is holding two online informational sessions on Monday, December 4 to update landlords, tenants, and interested residents about the changes to the city’s rental housing requirements and rules once the Measure 1 ballot initiative goes into effect on December 8. Identical sessions will be held starting at noon and at 5:30 P.M.

The Measure 1 ballot initiative, also known as the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative, includes new rules and requirements on late rent fees, rent increase notifications, evictions, relocation assistance, and more. The Landlord Fairness Code will be in effect along with the City’s Rental Housing Code, which was updated by the City Council in July. The informational sessions will cover all of the new rules and requirements found in both the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative and the Rental Housing Code, as well as how each code will be enforced.

WHAT: Renting in Tacoma: New Code Information Sessions

WHEN: Monday, December 4, at Noon or at 5:30 P.M.

JOIN ONLINE: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89006169993?pwd=R3hoU25vZUF5SFlvZ2VhcXlNd1B2QT09

For those who cannot attend either of the live informational sessions on Monday, December 4, a video recording of the sessions will be available on-demand on the City’s website starting December 8^th 2023. A link to the video will be available on the City’s homepage at www.cityoftacoma.org.

You can also find and share the QR codes that have the zoom login info about the sessions on all our Social media platforms listed below.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/4oY5H2MtVsnEaNYq/?mibextid=K8Wfd2

http://www.twitter.com/cityoftacoma

http://www.instagram.com/cityoftacoma

For more information about rules and regulations for rental housing in Tacoma, visit the City’s webpages for the Office of Equity & Human Rights.

For more information on the webinar, please visit the City of Tacoma's press release.

Rental Registration Required to File Evictions in Seattle

All owners and managers of property in Seattle should be advised that they must have a current registration with Seattle's Department of Construction and Inspection for their rental unit before they can file any eviction for the unit in question with the courts.

This registration requires all rental property to be inspected at least once every ten years, among other things. Please see 22.205.10 of the Seattle Municipal Code for details.

Links:

Rental Registration Instructions—Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections

Inclement Weather: Delays or Court Closures

In an event of inclement weather, there may be delays in process service. The Courthouse may close, delay opening or close early. For a list of courts, court closures or delays, click on a link below to find out if your court is experiencing a delayed opening or unscheduled closing.

Pierce County Superior Court

King County Superior Court

Kitsap County Superior Court

Thurston County Superior Court

Mason County Superior Court

Grays Harbor County Superior Court

Lewis County Superior Court

Snohomish County Superior Court

If your court is not listed above, click here for a list of Washington State courts.

Additional information may also be available at:

Washington Courts court closures

LandlordSolutions 2023 holiday hours

At LandlordSolutions, we believe in taking time to celebrate with loved ones during the holiday season. To ensure that our team can enjoy these special holiday moments, we'll be observing a holiday schedule.

Thanksgiving

Wednesday, November 22nd: closing at noon
Thursday, November 23rd: closed
Friday, November 24th: closed

Christmas

Monday, December 25th: Closed

New Years

Monday, January 1st: Closed

At LandlordSolutions, we value the importance of spending quality time with loved ones during the holidays. We hope you have a fantastic holiday season filled with joy and laughter. If you have any questions or require assistance, don't hesitate to contact us before or after our holiday closures. From all of us at LandlordSolutions, we wish you a happy and peaceful holiday season!

Resources for Homelessness Prevention in Pierce County

People in Pierce county who are at risk of homelessness can turn to a range of different resource to get relief from their situation. Housing providers should be aware of these resources and be prepared to share these resources with at-risk residents.

Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance

• Eviction Prevention Rent Assistance Program

• WA Eviction Rent Assistance

• Youth and Young Adults Eviction Rent Assistance

• Living Access Support Alliance (LASA) (Lakewood city limits): 253-582-5320

• Tacoma Ministerial Alliance

• Parkland / Spanaway Our Lady Queen of Heaven: 253-537-5266

• St. Vincent De Paul: call 211 for referral to local SVDP affiliate for assistance

• Family Unlimited Network: rent and utility assistance: 253-460-3134

• Metropolitan Development Council

• All Saints Community Services: provides financial aid people in the Puyallup ZIP code area 98371 through 98373: 253-848-2000

• Eatonville Family Agency: must have a 3 day pay or vacate notice

• Families Unlimited Family Advocacy Program: Serves families with children in ZIP codes 98466 and 98467. Must have a pay or vacate notice and owe less than $200

• Gig Harbor Peninsula: serves ZIP code 98329: 253-858-8800

• Martin Luther King Jr Housing Development Agency: must have a 3 day pay or vacate notice: 253-597-4804

• The Department of Commerce’s Commerce Behavioral Health Rental Assistance (CBRA) is a statewide rental assistance resource administered locally in each region. The eligibility criteria is:

Have a documented Behavioral Health Condition
Be eligible for an approved long-term supports program
Have a need for long-term housing support with no other alternative resource available
Please see the Commerce CBRA website for more information

Housing Authority

• Tacoma Housing Authority

• Pierce County Housing Authority

Coordinated Entry

• WA Coordinated Entry Sites

• Associated Ministries

• Nativity House Shelter

• Family Housing Network Family Day Center

• Tacoma Rescue Mission Men’s Shelter

Emergency Housing

• Emergency Housing County Resources

• Tacoma Rescue Mission

• Nativity House Shelter

• Recovery Innovations Community Building: for people struggling with mental health challenges transitioning from Residential Treatment Facilities into a home in the community:

• Salvation Army: families and single women

• Agape House: Christian ministry resource, requires pastor’s referral. Transitional housing for single men and women as well as one- or two-parent families:

• Guadalupe House: clean and sober transitional housing for single adults experiencing homelessness:

• Living Access Support Alliance: single and two-parent families

• Network Tacoma: single and two-parent families

• Helping Hands House Puyallup & Sumner: one- or two-parent families: 253-848-6096

• Aging and Long-Term Care - WA by County: 1-877-501-2233

• Department of Commerce: Emergency Shelter Assistance Program: 1-360-725-4000

• Additional Resources

Housing Resources for Native Americans

• Cowlitz Tribal Housing Services

Housing Resources for Veterans

• Catholic Community Services Supportive Services for Veteran Families

• Pierce County Human Services Veterans Assistance Programs

• House of Matthews Transitional Housing and Rapid Employment: transitional housing in a dormitory style setting: 253-861-1812

• Making a Difference Foundation: transitional housing and shelter: 206-262-7770

• Veterans’ Assistance Program

• National Call Center for Homeless Veterans: Hotline: 1-877-424-3838 or 1-877-4AID VET – Provides homeless veterans and at-risk veterans free access to trained counselors 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

• Additional Washington State Resources

• WA State Department of Veterans Affairs

• Washington State Resources for Veterans, Families & Caregivers

Housing Resources for Victims of Domestic Violence

• Exodus Housing Safe Choices Program: transitional housing for homeless families with children who are homeless due to domestic violence:

• YWCA: single women and women with children

• Family Renewal Shelter: for single women and women with children

• Tacoma Rescue Mission

• Crystal Judson Family Justice Center: 800-764-2420; email familyjusticecenter@co.pierce.wa.us

Community Action

• Pierce County Human Services

• Washington State Community Action Partners

Affordable Housing Options

• Pierce County Human Services Low-Income Housing

• Pierce County Housing Authority Apartments

• Tacoma Low Income Housing

• PublicHousing.com

• Apartment Finder

• Padmapper

• Affordable Housing Online

• LIHI Housing Options - 1-206-442-9455

• Additional resources

Legal Assistance

• Pierce County Human Services

• Tacoma Pro Bono

• YWCA Pierce County Legal Services

• Northwest Justice Project

• Legal assistance

Statewide Hotlines

• WA State Mental Health Services – National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

• WA State Recovery Help Line: 1-866-789-1511

• WIN 211 - Washington Information Network: 1-877-211-9274

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

• Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence: 1-206-389-2515

Additional Resources

• Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)

• Food banks: Tackle Hunger Map

• McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act Resources

• Social Security offices

• United Way

• Washington Workfirst

• Avoid foreclosure

• Contact a housing counselor

• Help with your utility bills

Attacks on the Vote No On Measure 1 campaign

Tacoma for All is using the media to spread misleading attacks against "Vote No On Measure 1." Recent stories in Q13 Fox and the Tacoma News Tribune highlight these dirty tricks to confuse voters. Let's fact check their claims:

Lie #1: Ty Moore claimed that we are spreading disinformation by saying that Measure 1 puts the gains from new tenant protection laws passed in July 2023 at risk.

Fact Check #1 While it is true that Measure 1 will add to new tenant protections, Measure 1 will also force many small housing providers to take their rentals off the market. 46% of Tacoma's rental housing providers live in Tacoma and make less than $250K per year. Tenants that do manage to find housing will have greater protections, but the housing crisis will get WORSE, not better. As shown in recent research, Seattle lost 5,000 units of affordable housing (22%) after passing a similar law in February 2020. Homelessness in Seattle increased by 12% from 2020 to 2022, partially due to the COVID pandemic but also because many affordable housing units were taken off the market.

Lie #2: Proponents of Measure 1 claim that the Vote No On Measure 1 campaign is funded by outside money.

Fact Check #2 The Vote No On Measure 1 Campaign is funded in part by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), a national trade organization that represents realtors all over the United States. NAR contributes to local initiatives across the country at the request of local and state chapters using funds that are paid for by local dues. This funding represents the voices of Washington-based housing providers, many of whom own or manage property in Tacoma. According to data from Tacoma's Tax and Licensing Department, 46% of Tacoma's landlords live in Tacoma and over 90% live in WA state. 93.3% of Tacoma housing providers make less than $250K per year. Local people stand to get hurt by Measure 1, which is why local people are engaged and involved in the effort to stop Measure 1.

Lie #3: The Vote No On Measure 1 campaign broke campaign financing rules

Fact Check #3 Sensing the effectiveness of our campaign, supporters of Measure 1 are clearly grasping at straws to distract from the main points: if it passes, Measure 1 will DESTABILIZE Tacoma's rental housing market, INCREASE homelessness, and HARM small local housing providers the most. Small housing providers account for about 40% of the rental housing supply in Tacoma. Measure 1 supporters are looking to use cheap administrative technicalities in an attempt to throw our campaign off balance and divert our resources away from the core issues. This is how Tacoma for All uses their donors' money—filing frivolous legal complaints. All the organizations involved in the campaign to oppose Measure 1 make every attempt to comply with local, state, and federal laws. Our opponents know their complaints will never stand in court but the vote will be decided long before their complaint can be thrown out. This is a cheap marketing gimmick meant to make our legitimate effort appear tainted, and it will not work!

5 Tips for Running an Effective Eviction Process

Evictions are incredibly stressful for everyone involved. In Washington state, residential tenants have many rights that can allow them to remain in a property for what may seem like an eternity. While these tenants still owe the rent on the property, they will continue to occupy the property during the eviction process, often without paying rent. Experience shows that many housing providers never see a dime of the rent that accrues during the eviction. Even worse, some people have become “professional tenants,” experts at milking the system and living rent free as they bounce between properties.

In Washington state, housing rights activists have become proficient at using technicalities, administrative errors, and other methods to drag out the eviction process at the expense of the housing provider. Even a small mistake can result in a dismissal, forcing the housing provider to start the eviction process from the beginning and costing them thousands of dollars in legal fees and missed rent payments. Current legislation already makes it difficult to win an eviction decision in Washington, but some common mistakes can result in additional months or even years of unpaid rent. In this blog post, we will share our 5 most effective tips to increase the chances of a successful eviction.

#1 – Using the correct forms

Unfortunately for housing providers, eviction laws in Washington state have changed significantly over the past decade. To add more complexity to the mix, different cities may require different forms to be served and renters with housing subsidies like Section 8 may require service of different forms or additional language in the forms. Failure to serve the correct forms or the correct language may be grounds for your case to get dismissed.

Housing providers need to ensure that their actual eviction notice is compliant. Some housing providers served their renters 3-day notices or 20-day notices, neither of which are compliant with the most recent RCWs. In Washington state, housing providers usually issue a 14-day notice or a 30-day notice to Pay or Vacate. There are additional rules and restrictions when it comes to Notices to Terminate Tenancy as Washington state law requires “just cause” to terminate a rental agreement. Contact us if you have questions about required forms for your eviction process.

#2 – Serving the notices properly

Some housing providers attempt to serve notices themselves, a practice that can often lead to unintended slip-ups that result in a case dismissal. Some of the most common process service mistakes include not serving enough copies and/or not serving additional required city notices. We recommend working with a licensed professional process server to make sure that all the required documents and notices are served in compliance with all relevant regulations.

#3 – Gathering all the required documents

Many renters will continue to fight the eviction after all required notices have been properly served. Often, these cases will need to be settled in court. Before preparing for the courtroom, a housing provider should focus on gathering all the required documents. Documents include:

Signed lease agreement
Rental increase notice (if applicable)
Housing assistance paperwork
Ledger
Notices served
Process service documents
Any additional evidence or documentation

#4 – Preparing for the court hearing

Housing providers are encouraged to review the tenant's file thoroughly before the hearing. Plaintiffs will be testifying under oath about their personal knowledge of the matter. We recommend housing providers answer only the questions asked and not to get sidetracked in providing information not relevant to the question. Housing providers are also encouraged to visit the unit in question the day before the hearing to visibly verify that the renter has not yet vacated the property. In court, you can expect to be asked some of the following questions:

What is your relationship/connection to the property?
Who is currently the tenant at that unit/address?
Are you familiar with the tenant's rental history at that address?
When did the tenant begin leasing that property from you?
What is the monthly rent?
Are there any other recurring monthly charges due under the lease?
Is the tenant current on monthly rent payments as of right now?
For what months have they not paid rent?
Have you received any partial rent payments during that time?
Are they still delinquent in the rent they owe as of right now?
Are they still residing on the property as of right now?
How do you know these tenants/occupants are still there right now?

#5 – Consulting with an expert

The eviction process can be challenging to manage, and mistakes can prove costly. If this all seems like too much to handle, let LandlordSolutions help you manage your eviction process. Contact us about your upcoming eviction and let us do the heavy lifting!

Get Involved to Stop Measure 1

LandlordSolutions covered the dangers that Measure 1 poses to Tacoma's housing market in a previous blog post. If Measure 1 passes, it may lead to an increase in prices and make it more difficult for renters to find housing in Tacoma. Research put together by the RHA shows that a similar law passed in Seattle resulted in a loss of 5,000 affordable housing units, a decrease of 22%.

If Tacoma loses over 20% of its affordable housing units, rents may increase for all residents. Measure 1 would also make it more difficult to evict renters who are causing problems for other residents and place a heavy financial burden on local housing providers. If you feel strongly about opposing Measure 1, LandlordSolutions has put together some resources for you to get involved in the campaign to defeat this initiative.