There has been a lot of news lately about cities instituting licensing and inspection programs for rental housing. The nearby cities that are working with proposals include Seattle, Tacoma, Bremerton, and Pasco. Each city seems to have a unique approach, but ideas include:
*Mandatory inspections of units by inspectors who are either city employees or independent certified inspectors. The cost of inspections to be paid by landlords.
*Cities who do not presently require rental property owners to have city business licenses will begin to require licenses.
*Owners will be required to pay annual license fees, plus the city's gross receipts tax.
Most of these new laws are still in the formative stages, so there is time to get involved in the process. Seattle, for example, has passed a vague law, with provisions that stakeholders will work to hammer out the details for the next two years. Sounds like "Seattle Process" is alive and well!