House And Senate Negotiators Propose Compromise Cap For Rent Stabilzation

After weeks of backroom wrangling the Washington State Senate and House reconciled their dueling rent stabilization bills, settling on a policy that caps rental hikes at 7% plus inflation, not to exceed 10%.

Originally, the House passed a bill to cap rent at 7%. But six conservative Democrats went rogue in the Senate, crossing party lines to raise the cap to 10% plus inflation. That proposal would have allowed for 19% increases on rent during record inflation in 2022 for example. Remember who pulled that shit come re-election: Sens. Sharon Shewmake (D-Bellingham), Annette Cleveland, Adrian Cortes (D-Battleground), Marko Liias (D-Edmonds), John Lovick (D-Mill Creek), and Sen. Jesse Salomon (D-Shoreline). A similar group of Democrats (swap Lovick for Deborah Krishnadasan (D-Gig Harbor)) voted to exclude single family homes where about 30% of renters live. The Senate Ways & Means Committee also extended exemptions for new buildings from 12 years to 15 years thanks to an amendment from Sen. Lisa Wellman (D-Mercer Island).

Along with the compromise cap, the House and Senate negotiators scrapped Liias's proposed to exclude single-family homes. Stuck his neck out for nothing! They also set the new building exemption back to 12 years.

Now the House and the Senate will have to vote on the compromise bills sometime before the session (allegedly) ends Sunday.