2023 Candidate Endorsements
The WMFHA Board of Directors makes endorsements based on the recommendations of WMFHA PAC through their candidate selection process. WMFHA believes these candidates are best equipped to deal with the current housing crisis and to support solutions that will encourage more development, rather than harm it.
Endorsements are listed by jurisdiction. (i) indicates an incumbent.
Governor - Mark Mullet
Senator Mullett earned the support of the multi-family development and property management industry because of his consistent and unwavering support for our industry, housing development and property management, and his pragmatic approach to finding solutions for Washington’s housing crisis.
As a Washington State Senator, Mullet has led the effort to have a balanced approach between the needs of tenants and the needs of housing providers. Mark created the Landlord Mitigation Fund in the Department of Commerce, and played a leading role in phasing out the eviction moratorium during the 2022 Legislative session. Mark has also been the champion in Olympia when it comes to explaining why rent control legislation leads to less housing and is not the solution to our affordability challenge.
Mark’s candidacy is a real opportunity to impact meaningful change in Olympia for the next decade. New, collaborative leadership in the Governor’s office would mean a reset of industry relationships with Department of Revenue, Department of Commerce, Labor and Industries, etc.
Position 1 - Paul Clark
Paul is a small business owner and the Vice Chair of Bellevue Parks and Community Services Board. Economic vitality, smart growth and public safety are his top priorities, and we know he will be a strong advocate for those things once elected. Paul understands the issues our members are facing every day and will make sure to keep us involved with any policy conversations that could affect the housing industry in Bellevue.
Paul is a small business owner and the Vice Chair of Bellevue Parks and Community Services Board. Economic vitality, smart growth and public safety are his top priorities, and we know he will be a strong advocate for those things once elected. Paul understands the issues our members are facing every day and will make sure to keep us involved with any policy conversations that could affect the housing industry in Bellevue.
Position 3 - Mo Malakoutian
Mo is currently a Senior Project Manager at Amazon, an Affiliate Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, and a Bellevue Planning Commissioner. Mo understands the issues that Bellevue and the surrounding regions are facing, and approaches problem solving with a pro-business lens. We know that Mo will be a communicative partner of WMFHA and keep us at the table when it comes to policies affecting our industry.
Mo is currently a Senior Project Manager at Amazon, an Affiliate Assistant Professor at the University of Washington, and a Bellevue Planning Commissioner. Mo understands the issues that Bellevue and the surrounding regions are facing, and approaches problem solving with a pro-business lens. We know that Mo will be a communicative partner of WMFHA and keep us at the table when it comes to policies affecting our industry.
Position 7 - Dave Hamilton
Dave is a longtime Bellevue business owner, current Chair of the Bellevue Parks and Community Services Board and serves on the Board and Executive Committee of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce. Active in the community and a small business owner, Dave will be a great partner and advocate for our issues on the council.
Dave is a longtime Bellevue business owner, current Chair of the Bellevue Parks and Community Services Board and serves on the Board and Executive Committee of the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce. Active in the community and a small business owner, Dave will be a great partner and advocate for our issues on the council.
Position 2 - Linda Akey
Linda is anti-rent control and believes that any inclusionary zoning needs to be paired with incentives for developers and understands there is the risk of it harming increased development. She is willing to hear all sides, including ours, and will be an asset for our industry on the council. She believes MFTE programs need to maximize affordable units, but understands that projects need to pencil or they won’t get built.
Linda is anti-rent control and believes that any inclusionary zoning needs to be paired with incentives for developers and understands there is the risk of it harming increased development. She is willing to hear all sides, including ours, and will be an asset for our industry on the council. She believes MFTE programs need to maximize affordable units, but understands that projects need to pencil or they won’t get built.
Position 4 - Kevin Schilling (i)
Kevin Schilling helped to mitigate the tenant protections passed in Burien and has always had an open door for WMFHA. He is pro-business and has established himself on the council as a person who can work to find compromise, which will be helpful if he becomes Mayor. He does not support rent control and believes our housing shortage is driven by restrictive zoning and lack of incentives. He also believes affordability should be a goal at all income levels, rather than just for low-income residents.
Kevin Schilling helped to mitigate the tenant protections passed in Burien and has always had an open door for WMFHA. He is pro-business and has established himself on the council as a person who can work to find compromise, which will be helpful if he becomes Mayor. He does not support rent control and believes our housing shortage is driven by restrictive zoning and lack of incentives. He also believes affordability should be a goal at all income levels, rather than just for low-income residents.
Position 6 - Alex Andrade
Alex is the pro-business candidate in the race, being a small business owner herself. She supports incentives and MFTE to address affordable housing issues and is opposed to mandatory inclusionary zoning. She is committed to engaging all stakeholders on housing issues and will have an open door policy with WMFHA.
Alex is the pro-business candidate in the race, being a small business owner herself. She supports incentives and MFTE to address affordable housing issues and is opposed to mandatory inclusionary zoning. She is committed to engaging all stakeholders on housing issues and will have an open door policy with WMFHA.
Position 4 - Toby Nixon (i)
Councilmember Nixon has been a consistent voice of reason on the council since he was elected in 2012. A friend to the business industry, Councilmember Nixon previously served as a State Representative for the 45th district. He is well versed in housing policy and has been a strong partner to WMFHA during his tenure on the council. His work is not finished as he wants to ensure smart economic growth in Kirkland. Keeping him in office is vital to make sure the housing industry is considered when policies are introduced in Kirkland.
Councilmember Nixon has been a consistent voice of reason on the council since he was elected in 2012. A friend to the business industry, Councilmember Nixon previously served as a State Representative for the 45th district. He is well versed in housing policy and has been a strong partner to WMFHA during his tenure on the council. His work is not finished as he wants to ensure smart economic growth in Kirkland. Keeping him in office is vital to make sure the housing industry is considered when policies are introduced in Kirkland.
Position 7 – David Carson (i)
Councilmember Carson has served Redmond since he was first elected in 2008. Having previously started his own business in Redmond, Councilmember Carson understands the issues that the business community cares about and has continuously been a pro-business member of the council, having worked with us previously as certain policies proposed threatened the multi-family housing industry. A proponent of policies that incentivize economic growth and housing development, Councilmember Carson is a sound voice in Redmond that we need to keep in office.
Councilmember Carson has served Redmond since he was first elected in 2008. Having previously started his own business in Redmond, Councilmember Carson understands the issues that the business community cares about and has continuously been a pro-business member of the council, having worked with us previously as certain policies proposed threatened the multi-family housing industry. A proponent of policies that incentivize economic growth and housing development, Councilmember Carson is a sound voice in Redmond that we need to keep in office.
District 1 - Rob Saka
Rob Saka is the pro-business candidate in the race. Realtors and business groups are supporting him and although he may not agree with our views on everything, his opponent would be bad for our industry in every respect. Rob has participated in multiple business sponsored events and meetings and is the commonsense candidate in this race. He is against rent control and mandatory inclusionary zoning while his opponent openly supports both. He is the Seattle Times endorsed candidate while his opponent is endorsed by The Stranger.
Rob Saka is the pro-business candidate in the race. Realtors and business groups are supporting him and although he may not agree with our views on everything, his opponent would be bad for our industry in every respect. Rob has participated in multiple business sponsored events and meetings and is the commonsense candidate in this race. He is against rent control and mandatory inclusionary zoning while his opponent openly supports both. He is the Seattle Times endorsed candidate while his opponent is endorsed by The Stranger.
District 4 - Maritza Rivera
Maritza Rivera is the easy choice in this race. She is a pro-business, centrist democrat who is has met with members of groups that generally align with us (AGC, Realtors, NAIOP, etc.), and has also met with WMFHA to learn more about the problems with rent control. This is a race targeted by the business community.
Maritza Rivera is the easy choice in this race. She is a pro-business, centrist democrat who is has met with members of groups that generally align with us (AGC, Realtors, NAIOP, etc.), and has also met with WMFHA to learn more about the problems with rent control. This is a race targeted by the business community.
District 5 - Cathy Moore
Cathy Moore is the easy choice in this race, a pro-business, centrist democrat, Cathy has met with the business groups (AGC, Realtors, NAIOP, etc.), including WMFHA, to learn more about the problems with rent control and other problems affecting housing in our region. This is a race targeted by the business community. She does not support rent control and her version of “tenant protections” include habitability and things already protected by fair housing, not the ARCH proposal. She will include us as a stakeholder in conversations and will move the council to the center, the opposite of her opponent.
Cathy Moore is the easy choice in this race, a pro-business, centrist democrat, Cathy has met with the business groups (AGC, Realtors, NAIOP, etc.), including WMFHA, to learn more about the problems with rent control and other problems affecting housing in our region. This is a race targeted by the business community. She does not support rent control and her version of “tenant protections” include habitability and things already protected by fair housing, not the ARCH proposal. She will include us as a stakeholder in conversations and will move the council to the center, the opposite of her opponent.
District 7 - Bob Kettle
Bob Kettle is a distinguished former Naval officer with a decade of experience volunteering with non-profit organizations. Bob is currently a stay-at-home-dad and civic leader, having served on the Queen Anne Community Council board for the past eight years, including as Chair of the Public Safety Committee. Bob also currently serves on the West Precinct Advisory Council and the Queen Anne Block Watch Network, working on neighborhood-level public safety. He is a pro-business candidate who does not support rent control. His opponent supported most of the tenant protections in Seattle, including the recently passed $10 cap on let fees and has said on the record he would support rent control.
Bob Kettle is a distinguished former Naval officer with a decade of experience volunteering with non-profit organizations. Bob is currently a stay-at-home-dad and civic leader, having served on the Queen Anne Community Council board for the past eight years, including as Chair of the Public Safety Committee. Bob also currently serves on the West Precinct Advisory Council and the Queen Anne Block Watch Network, working on neighborhood-level public safety. He is a pro-business candidate who does not support rent control. His opponent supported most of the tenant protections in Seattle, including the recently passed $10 cap on let fees and has said on the record he would support rent control.
Mayor - Nadine Woodward (i)
Nadine Woodward is the pro-business candidate in the race. Realtors and other like-minded business groups are supporting her. Nadine tasked her city manager to work with business and real estate stakeholders on the recently passed tenant protections and was instrumental in getting us a spot at the table, as well as the delay in the council discussion and vote. At her direction, administration staff highlighted the myriad of problems with the legislation and funding requirements. In addition, working with council member Cathcart, got the tenant protection split into two bills, a registration program and all of the other protections. After this was achieved at the council level she vetoed the tenant protections portion that was ultimately overturned.
Nadine Woodward is the pro-business candidate in the race. Realtors and other like-minded business groups are supporting her. Nadine tasked her city manager to work with business and real estate stakeholders on the recently passed tenant protections and was instrumental in getting us a spot at the table, as well as the delay in the council discussion and vote. At her direction, administration staff highlighted the myriad of problems with the legislation and funding requirements. In addition, working with council member Cathcart, got the tenant protection split into two bills, a registration program and all of the other protections. After this was achieved at the council level she vetoed the tenant protections portion that was ultimately overturned.
Council President - Kim Plese
Kim Plese is the right of center, pro-business candidate which makes Kim the easy choice in this race. Kim supports making it easy to develop housing through zoning changes, as well as minimizing regulatory burdens and government fees. She does not support rent control or tenant protections and points to Seattle’s failure of tenant protections as supportive of her position.“We have seen increased tenant protections backfire in Seattle - where thousands of rental units were taken off the market, further hurting an already tight rental market. I believe we must balance protections for tenants as much as we are keeping the landlords in mind.”
Kim Plese is the right of center, pro-business candidate which makes Kim the easy choice in this race. Kim supports making it easy to develop housing through zoning changes, as well as minimizing regulatory burdens and government fees. She does not support rent control or tenant protections and points to Seattle’s failure of tenant protections as supportive of her position.“We have seen increased tenant protections backfire in Seattle - where thousands of rental units were taken off the market, further hurting an already tight rental market. I believe we must balance protections for tenants as much as we are keeping the landlords in mind.”
District 1, Position 1 - Michael Cathcart (i)
Michael Cathcart led the effort to delay the tenant protections ordinance in Spokane and demanded a seat at the table for housing providers, realtors, and the business community. He convened separate meetings for both groups of stakeholders but went one step further and held a community meeting with both sides involved, the first of its kind in 4 years of process, to allow an open dialogue rather than finger pointing. He negotiated and created the divided ordinance approach to separate the rental registration from the rest of the tenant protections.
Michael Cathcart led the effort to delay the tenant protections ordinance in Spokane and demanded a seat at the table for housing providers, realtors, and the business community. He convened separate meetings for both groups of stakeholders but went one step further and held a community meeting with both sides involved, the first of its kind in 4 years of process, to allow an open dialogue rather than finger pointing. He negotiated and created the divided ordinance approach to separate the rental registration from the rest of the tenant protections.
Although the Mayor vetoed the tenant protections section, the council ultimately overrode it. However, Michael’s efforts over almost 4 months allowed for some of the compromises we were seeking.
District 2, Position 1 - Katey Treloar
Katey Treloar is the pro-business, pro-public safety candidate. Housing is one of her major platform pillars, but she supports a free market approach, more supply, incentivized inclusionary zoning, less regulation and government fees. She does not support rent control.
Katey Treloar is the pro-business, pro-public safety candidate. Housing is one of her major platform pillars, but she supports a free market approach, more supply, incentivized inclusionary zoning, less regulation and government fees. She does not support rent control.
“While it is important that tenants have certain protections, any legislation regarding tenant protections must be balanced with the needs and concerns of those who supply our much-needed housing. Mandates that disincentives housing providers causes problems downstream with less supply and higher costs.”
District 3, Position 1 - Earl Moore
Earl Moore is the pro-business, pro-public safety candidate. Earl supports incentives to include affordable housing. She does not support rent control and does not agree with the current notice requirements although some lesser notice may be reasonable.
Earl Moore is the pro-business, pro-public safety candidate. Earl supports incentives to include affordable housing. She does not support rent control and does not agree with the current notice requirements although some lesser notice may be reasonable.
Position 1 - John Hines (i)
John Hines worked with WMFHA, RHA, the Tacoma-Pierce County Realtors, and their stakeholders throughout the tenant protections process. He was the voice of reason, highlighting our concerns with the proposed policies, as well as the process and poor staff execution. He is opposed to mandatory inclusionary zoning and rent control. He believes more housing through less regulations and more incentives are the solution to our problem.
John Hines worked with WMFHA, RHA, the Tacoma-Pierce County Realtors, and their stakeholders throughout the tenant protections process. He was the voice of reason, highlighting our concerns with the proposed policies, as well as the process and poor staff execution. He is opposed to mandatory inclusionary zoning and rent control. He believes more housing through less regulations and more incentives are the solution to our problem.
“Tenant protections do not get to the root cause of housing insecurity, which is a lack of available housing. We need more housing in our community, and increasing tenant protections, while it may help who are currently in homes for the short term, it will not help the countless people in need of housing. I think our efforts should be focused on creating more housing in our region."
Position 3 - Chris Van Vecten
Chris Van Vechten is the pro-business candidate and the obvious choice for this seat.
Chris Van Vechten is the pro-business candidate and the obvious choice for this seat.
“I am concerned that the more regulations that are placed on landlords, the more landlords will get out of this business and those that remain may be less flexible, charitable or understanding. I also believe the more complicated regulations are, the more likely LLs will need to hire guys like me to manage their properties and that will result in more costs being pushed onto the tenant.”
His opponent is working with Tacoma for all and is actively promoting Measure 1 which, if passed, will be devastating for housing providers.
Position 7 - Kristen Wynne
Kristen Wynne is the pro-business candidate and the obvious choice for this seat.
Kristen Wynne is the pro-business candidate and the obvious choice for this seat.
“While I support finding solutions to provide more affordable housing, my concern with mandatory inclusionary zoning policies is that they can have the unintended consequence of preventing the development of desperately needed housing altogether. It is my understanding that there are properties in Tacoma that are sitting undeveloped because of mandatory inclusionary zoning requirements that make it unaffordable to develop the property, given market factors.”
Her opponent supports Measure 1,which, if passed, will be devastating for housing providers.
You are encouraged to research these candidates and vote for them by returning your mail in ballot by November 7th.