It looked as if Seattle would require landlords to report how much they charge for rent, but Bruce Harrell, mayor of Seattle, nixed the legislation after it narrowly passed the Seattle City Council by 5-4, with a veto on June 10th, 2022.
Before Seattle drafts its Comprehensive Plan for housing policy and growth management for the next decade, the legislation was meant to help the city identify where its below-market rental properties are located.
“The reliability of the data’s accuracy” was Harrell’s primary concern in his written explanation for his veto. In the bill, a public university would have collected and analyzed the data, and the council informally recommended the University of Washington as a primary candidate. In opposition to the veto, landlords have expressed disinterest in disclosing rental information to the public.
According to council members, similar legislation has been proposed in New York and California, which may alleviate concerns about rental data transparency. For now, this will not be the law in the city of Seattle, but we will continue to follow and update our clients and website visitors.
If you are a landlord looking for a property management company that is informed and ready to manage your property, look no further. Sound Point Property Management would love to learn more about how we can help you. Contact us today.
RESOURCES: Seattle Times – Harrell vetoes plan to require Seattle landlords to report the rent they charge
