CM Charbonneau says it's important to have the people at the table who will be impacted by these decisions. Has heard stories from friends and colleagues about their housing insecurities, and that these protections would've helped him at previous points in his life as a tenant.
Conversation
Notes that homeowners get more notice on foreclosures than renters do on evictions and rent increases. Says small landlord exemptions are hard to enforce, notes that other cities in King County have already done this, wants city to prioritize renters over those already w/ homes.
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CM Clark admires his colleague's "go getedness" on the issue but has disagreements. "No tenant or landlord is forced by gun to sign a rental contract."
Okay, my dude, we're talking about housing, a basic human need, it's not a gun but it's a pretty strong motivator.
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"My push here tonight is to protect future potential small business owners..." Oh wow, landlords are business owners I just learned, huh. This is informative. "We know that next year, the state is going to push down multifamily housing in zones where we don't want it." Ohhh boyy
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Claims that the RHA has told him that people are taking money from WA and investing it in properties elsewhere b/c of the restrictions being passed.
Afraid that moveout costs might not be paid, "Renters are flighty, or they sometimes can be."
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CM Villaseñor: "We're not strangers to government helping regulate markets. It happens in banking, in the stock market... I don't believe in this market that landlords are going to have issues getting renters. In this market, renters are the ones that are really at risk."
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Opposes the provision to exempt small landlords, accurately notes that landlords own an asset that will still accrue value in this market.
CM Lahkotia takes issue w/ Charbonneau's "privilege to own a home" comment, says that not all were born privileged.
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Says there has to be a balance & calls these provisions extreme. "I don't care what other cities are doing. For Newcastle, we need to have a balanced provision for our community."
(I'm sure that sentiment about other cities is a perspective applied consistently to all issues)
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CM Griffin says he doesn't feel the provision will create more affordable housing or cause rents to go down. Says that it's hard for homeowners to predict maintenance issues happening, like a water heater going out.
(Sounds like standard risks in running a "business", my friend)
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Mayor Newing is "uncomfortable" w/ the ordinance - "There's a time and a place for [local control], but I don't believe it's in regulating businesses, and that is what this does... I don't go to the grocery store & they give me 120 days notice that they're raising prices."
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"This may sound callous... we pay into ARCH so they can build affordable housing in other locations, b/c we want to maintain our community & the high standards that people have come to expect. I don't believe this ordinance upholds that."
A mayor of an Eastside city, everybody.
Deputy Mayor Sherlock says it's important to show support w/ a lot of different constituents and neighbors. "It's important to show that we care about people in our community, and this seems like a really easy way to do that that could potentially make a big difference"
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Echoes the previous point that homeowners already get similar levels of notice. "I don't know if this is going to lower rents... that doesn't mean we shouldn't do it. It shows support of people in our community that could potentially benefit from this."
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CM Charbonneau, responding to the Mayor, says that one can choose to go to a different store or cut on spending habits, but that one can't do that as easily when it's the roof over their head. Moves to amend the ordinance to remove the small landlords exemption.
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Amendment passes 5-2, with CMs Clark and Lakhotia diseenting. CM Clark puts forward an amendment to add an exemption for property owners with less than 20 properties, but City Clerk says it's an improper motion since they just removed the clause entirely.
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Instead puts forward an amendment to exclude accessory dwelling units, an in-order motion. Says the people who might have unexpected expenses and need to raise the rent would need to wait 180 days, implying that's a bad thing.
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CM Villaseñor reminds Council that the ordinance doesn't stop landlords from raising rents, merely increases notice periods. Amendment fails 4-3, Clark, Lakhotia, and Griffin vote in affirmative.
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Clark brings forward another amendment to have changes take effect 30 days after adoption instead of 5 days. CM Villaseñor says it raises a good point on if landlords are restricted from raising rents for leases that are just ending. This motion passes 4-3.
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Now back to the main motion, which now has no carveout for small landlords & provisions that take effect 30 days after passage.
Motion fails 4-3: Mayor Newing, CMs Clark, Griffin, & Lakhotia dissent.
Tenant protections do not pass in Newcastle.
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After some procedural code amendments, onto additional public comments. First person is frustrated with how the meeting was conducted, though I'm frankly not sure on what side of the tenant protections issue she falls. Think her issues might be with the code amendments.
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Half expected/hoped people to express disappointment with the way tenant protections went, but that's the only additional public comment, so with that I'll end the thread. Sorry it turned into such a downer, folks.
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