Blog

Last week, Carter was in Eastern Washington alongside other WMFHA team members to attend EdCon East, as well as the Eastern Executive Council meeting. While there, she provided a legislative session and election preparation update as well as engaged members as to what they are seeing in their area... Continue Reading

Eastside Real Estate Symposium The WMFHA advocacy team recently attended the 2024 Eastside Real Estate Symposium hosted by the Bellevue Chamber of Commerce. The annual event highlights commercial real estate trends, housing supply and affordability and broader economic market signals. The event... Continue Reading

With legislative session over, the Government Affairs Committee (GAC), recently turned its focus to a few important election year issues; the Ban the Gas Ban Initiative, the Eastern Washington redistricting quagmire, and the campaign to elect Senator Mark Mullet as Washington’s next... Continue Reading

If you build it, they will come. Whether that refers to WMFHA’s recent Legislative Session Wrap-Up Webinar or the robust state level advocacy program, we’ll take it. Senators Annette (D-Vancouver) and Chris Gildon (R-Puyallup) and Representatives Andrew Barkis (R-Lacey) and Amy Walen... Continue Reading

The WMFHA PAC works to get multi-family friendly officials elected to office. With damaging legislation on the rise, WMFHA PAC is more important than ever. At a recent WMFHA PAC meeting members voted to financially support the following campaigns and groups: Jim Henderson – LD 26... Continue Reading

WMFHA Director of Government Affairs, Ryan Makinster, was recently named to the Up for Growth Action Board of Directors. The group is singularly focused on leading federal legislation to eliminate barriers and increase resources for housing production. The board represents expertise across all... Continue Reading

A new proposal requiring housing providers give renters a minimum of 180 days’ notice when increasing their rent made the news on Monday in Spokane. Currently, housing providers must give tenants 60 days’ notice for rent increases. Councilmember Paul Dillon announced this proposal to... Continue Reading

As dawn breaks over the vibrant cityscape of Seattle, anticipation fills the air as property management professionals from across the region converge for the highly anticipated EdCon hosted by Washington Multifamily Housing Association or WMFHA as we all know them. For community managers like... Continue Reading

On March 26, WMFHA hosted an educational conference in Seattle for all multi-family professionals. Through the WFMHA Emerging Leaders Program and the generosity of my employer, I was able to attend EdCon for the first time this year. Here’s that story. The melodic hum of an iPhone alarm... Continue Reading

Each year the National Apartment Association (NAA) hosts Advocate- their annual advocacy conference- where NAA members gather at Capitol Hill to network, to learn issues, and collectively take action. All WMFHA members are automatically members of NAA. As Congress settles into Capitol Hill, this... Continue Reading

As of March 7, Legislative Session in the state of Washington officially come to a close. After a hard fought 60 days with the multifamily housing industry at the forefront of a couple of high visibility bills, we came out victorious. The highlight was once again stopping rent control in it's... Continue Reading

We are stronger and more successful when we work together and bring more lived experience in to one room. In DC, we connected with association members and leadership from all over the country. We are seeing a lot of the same policy ideas throughout the nation, and most relevant for us, on the west... Continue Reading

Last year, the City of Spokane joined jurisdictions across the state in passing additional regulations on the housing industry. We are now starting to receive feedback on the effects of this policy from our members. Included in these negative effects is the frustration with encouraging residents... Continue Reading

We are already actively engaged in the Washington gubernatorial race, as well as following many other races across our state as candidates announce. This is where the WMFHA PAC plays a pivotal role for us. Our PAC dollars go to champions of the multifamily housing and those who make sure we have a... Continue Reading

Earlier this month, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced a proposal that would vastly change housing throughout Seattle in the next 20 years. The “One Seattle Plan” would put Seattle in line with a bill adopted by the state legislature in 2023. The bill – HB 1110 – is... Continue Reading

Legislative Update 9 - The End of Session Continue Reading

In February, 16 dedicated Leasing Professionals invested in 3 days of training to obtain their National Apartment Association Certified Apartment Leasing Professional (CALP) Credentials. This provided them an opportunity to learn and sharpen their sales skills. The students arrived each day at... Continue Reading

Over the last few months, WMFHA, under the National Apartment Association’s (NAA) lead and with support from other multi-family housing associations and housing providers (including Weidner Apartment Homes, GRE Downtowner LLC, and the Apartment Owners Association of California, Inc.), was given the Continue Reading

As the Washington State Legislature starts to wrap up, everything starts going at an even faster rate during a short session. This week we saw what is called the Opposite House of Origin Policy Committee Cutoff, which means that if the bill was originally introduced in the House of Representatives... Continue Reading

WMFHA and PAH release rent control reports Continue Reading

Your voice matters, even if you are not sure how your experience can add to the conversation. Case in point, two supplier members Katie Phelan-Chostner, 1UP Floors, and Chris Dukelow, CredHub, knocked it out of their park with their recent testimony in Olympia. Their testimony was instrumental in... Continue Reading

The most bills ever to be presented in a legislative session in Washington, short or long. That’s a lot to keep track of- but our team is on it! We are a few weeks from knowing what bills will become law, and what will go away. Do you want to hear an overview on all the things that went down... Continue Reading

We had great representation from a few members on the eastside of the state, which helped us get meetings with our legislators from east of the mountains. Special thank you to Libby Patton, Amanda Gunn, Michael Sinitsa and Tim Braun. Thank you for making the trip and for representing our industry... Continue Reading

Our 2024 Day on the Hill was the biggest yet and proven very successful! Continue Reading

Hopefully you’ve been receiving all the Action Alerts and updates from our GA team. Those alerts- and our ability to continue the fight against bad policy- is largely supported by PAC contributions. We work to maintain relationships with legislators outside of legislative session, and the... Continue Reading

Beginning this month, the City of Tacoma is hosting seven tutorial sessions covering the City's updated Rental Housing Code, the new Landlord Fairness Code, how those codes work together, and what it all means for anyone who owns, operates, or rents residential property within the Tacoma City... Continue Reading

Every year, to incentivize NAA PAC contributions from the general membership, NAA puts together a sweepstakes that offers some awesome prizes. This year’s prizes are pretty jaw dropping…you could win a trip to Greece or a luxury Broadway trip to New York City! For just $25 apiece or... Continue Reading

House of Origin Cutoff, what's alive, what's hanging on, and what's dead. Continue Reading

Fiscal cutoff is a passed, but some priority bills are still alive. Continue Reading

The Partnership for Affordable Housing Shares Economic Report - Rent Growth Cap Will be Detrimental to Washington Seattle, WASH. -- (February 7, 2024) – The Partnership for Affordable Housing (PAH), a 501c (4) non-profit coalition of housing providers and business groups in... Continue Reading

The inaugural Kari Anderson' Emerging Leaders Program started off strong in January! This first-ever cohort is comprised of 20 diverse members representing different companies, positions, ages and experience levels. Each member was identified as a current and future leader that will be on the... Continue Reading

Week four, and policy committee cutoff is behind us. Also another successful day on the hill with over 150 members joining us to educate legislators on our industry and how proposed legislation will affect our ability to provide housing to Washingtonians. Good news is that SB 5961, the Senate... Continue Reading

WMFHA members answered the call to ADVOCATE! This past Tuesday (January 30th), over 160 WMFHA members and staff spent the day at the Capitol in Olympia meeting with 66 legislators from the House and Senate, and the Lieutenant Governor of Washington, to advocate on behalf of the multi-family... Continue Reading

Week three is done and the first committee cut-off date looms large. The policy committee cutoff date is next Friday, which means that any bills that are not required to implement the budget need to be out of the committees in their house of origin by Friday or are dead (although some shenanigans... Continue Reading

Last year, the City of Spokane joined jurisdictions across the state in passing additional regulations on the housing industry. We are now starting to receive feedback on the effects of this policy from our members. Included in these negative effects is the frustration with encouraging residents... Continue Reading

If you or your company has made a PAC contribution from a corporate account, Washington law requires a “Certification of Contribution” to be completed. You or your accounting department will receive this... Continue Reading

The 2024 Legislative Session convened on Monday January 8 and will run for 60 days through March 7 at midnight. With the short session, everything is starting sooner and moving faster. 491 bills and resolutions were pre-filed in the House and Senate, with the majority of topics outside the scope... Continue Reading

Your advocacy team and fellow industry leaders had no time to rest at the start of this session. With a House and Senate version of rent control scheduled for hearings in the first week, the team and our stakeholder partners had to activate on short notice to address the biggest threat to our... Continue Reading

If you missed the 2024 Legislative Preview, we have you covered. On January 3, Senator Mark Mullet and Representative April Connors joined the WMFHA advocacy team for our session preview webinar. In addition to hearing from them about the upcoming session, the advocacy team provided a brief... Continue Reading

Join us for a pre-briefing webinar tomorrow to hear about the legislative process and what to expect at Day on the Hill! If you are registered for Day on the Hill, don’t forget that you need to either tune in live, or watch the recording prior to January 30. This will allow attendees to be... Continue Reading

We all know what Wednesdays are famous for...HUMP DAY! That day in the middle of the week when the upcoming weekend begins to come into focus. Here at your association, we are going to give you another reason to get excited about Wednesdays. In 2024 we are introducing WMFHA Wednesdays, a new... Continue Reading

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Allowing certain types of maintenance experience to substitute for work experience required to be eligible to take the examination for the residential maintenance specialty electrician certificate.. Bill Information Sponsors: Goehner, Springer Companion: N/A Status: N/A What the bill... Continue Reading

Supporting Washington's clean energy economy and transitioning to a clean, affordable, and reliable energy future. Bill Information Sponsors: Doglio, Fitzgibbon, Berry, Alvarado, Bateman, Ramel, Peterson, Lekanoff, Hackney, Macri, Kloba Companion: SB 5562 Status: (H) Rules What the bill... Continue Reading

Supporting Washington's clean energy economy and transitioning to a clean, affordable, and reliable energy future. Bill Information Sponsors: Nguyen, Lovelett, Hunt, Keiser, Liias, Saldaña, Wellman, Wilson, C. Companion: HB 1589 Status: (S) Ways & Means What the bill... Continue Reading

Establishing a housing court pilot program. Bill Information Sponsors: Kuderer, Lovelett, Nguyen, Nobles, Wilson, C. Companion: N/A Status: N/A What the bill does: Creates a housing court pilot program Latest Action Alert: N/A Talking Points: N/A Notes: N/A Continue Reading

Despite significant opposition from WMFHA members and others in the multifamily housing industry, Shoreline City Council approved a new ordinance on December 11 that established tenant protections for renters in Shoreline. While this wasn’t a win for us, it showcased valuable member... Continue Reading

At the Government Affairs Committee meeting on December 14th, members voted to adopt our 2024 Legislative Agenda. The document is a high-level policy one-pager intended to guide our advocacy efforts in Olympia, inform our members of our policy positions as well as the public and elected officials.... Continue Reading

Last week, part of the WMFHA team popped over to Spokane to meet with the Executive Council and to celebrate the holidays at the Giving Gala, benefitting Vanessa Behan. It was a productive trip consisting of planning for next year and a very successful Gala, as well as a Day on the Hill pitch. ... Continue Reading

What is the WMFHA PAC? And more importantly- why should you care? Continue Reading

Senator Mark Mullet and Representative Spencer Hitchins will be joining the WMFHA advocacy team for our pre-session webinar on January 3rd from 9:00-10:30 am. In addition to hearing from the legislatures about the expect from the 2024 session, the advocacy tram will also be providing a brief... Continue Reading

Shoreline City Council passed tenant protections on December 11, despite significant opposition from housing providers in Shoreline, WMFHA, and other housing associations . This new ordinance establishes new protections for Shoreline tenants, in addition to those already provided under the... Continue Reading

The City of Tacoma Landlord Fairness Code Initiative, formerly referred to as Measure 1, went into affect on December 8. The city recently added or updated a number of resources on their site including the required forms. In addition to participating in city and housing provider led meetings... Continue Reading

Olympia’s City Council heard a proposal for a rental registry and inspection program at their meeting on November 14. Continue Reading

Shoreline’s City Council is hearing a proposal for tenant protections at their November 20 meeting. Continue Reading

On Sunday, November 12, a group of WMFHA members met with Representatives Alex Ramel and David Hackney to discuss solutions to the current housing crisis and to provide feedback on Rep. Ramel’s HB 1389 “Rent Control” legislation. The group represented a broad swath of our... Continue Reading

Although election results aren’t officially certified until November 28, for practical purposes all races have been decided. Although the status quo of many councils has been maintained, there are a few changes that should have a significant impact. For example, we know that Seattle City... Continue Reading

Brittany Taylor, CAM, CAPS, was ALL smiles at the 2023 Emerald Awards as she walked away with Credential Holder of the Year. This isn't the first time either, she also won an Emerald Award in 2021 for Assistant Property Manager of the Year. Currently, she is the Community Director for The Renton... Continue Reading

Deputy Mayor Kevin Schilling recently joined the WMFHA Government Affairs Committee to give an update on the Burien City Council and the state of housing in the city. He highlighted numerous affordable housing projects recently opened or approved, highlighting the success of public/private... Continue Reading

Last week, NAA President and CEO Bob Pinnegar, CAE, informed local GA staff and leadership that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced a notice of public rulemaking, which would prohibit “hidden and falsely advertised fees” and require all-in pricing across industries, including... Continue Reading

On Tuesday, October 10, the Seattle Chamber Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce released the latest findings from “The Index”, it bi-annual survey that gauges public sentiment on the quality of life in Seattle. The poll is instrumental in city council campaign efforts and points to... Continue Reading

The WMFHA Board of Directors recently voted to endorse a number of local candidates for city offices. Continue Reading

The No on Tacoma Measure 1 committee, which WMFHA is engaged in, recently released series of ads encouraging Tacoma voters to voter down Measure 1. Continue Reading

On Tuesday September 19, WMFHA hosted a webinar educating attendees on the state’s recently announced Washington EV Charging Program (WAEVCP). And it is already showing success. WMFHA member LED Trail has already met with 5 members on 6 projects to discuss eligibility and planning for... Continue Reading

Your GA team has been staying busy with events all over the region. Continue Reading

As we are gearing up for session in January, your GA team is meeting with legislators all over the state. Continue Reading

Tatiana Hubbard is someone that any instructor would refer to as a "star student." In 2022 she obtained her CALP (Certified Apartment Leasing Professional) credential and she just completed the CAM (Certified Apartment Manager) course work in September of 2023. Every day of class, she showed up... Continue Reading

At Washington Apartment Outlook (WAO) this morning, WMFHA’s 2023 President, Tali Reiner, presented Senator Mark Mullet (D-Issaquah) with our 2023 Legislator of the Year Award. This is the highest honor given to an active legislator from WMFHA in recognition and acknowledgement of their... Continue Reading

When the COVID-19 pandemic first hit the Northwest, Said Mohammed knew it would have major consequences in his community. In Seattle’s Yesler Terrace neighborhood, where he lives, Mohammed worried his neighbors, many of them immigrants, would face barriers to online resources, but as an... Continue Reading

As the back-to-school season arrives, it is crucial to address the issue of digital equity in apartment complexes. In today's increasingly digital world, access to technology and the internet is vital for students' educational success. Unfortunately, many families living in apartment complexes... Continue Reading

On Tuesday September 19, WMFHA hosted a webinar educating attendees on the state’s recently announced Washington EV Charging Program (WAEVCP). Created through $64 million of state funding, the program includes $28.8 million of grant funding to support multi-family housing infrastructure,... Continue Reading

On Wednesday August 30, Pierce County Superior Court Judge Timothy Ashcraft ruled that “Measure Two,” the city of Tacoma’s tenant protection measure competing against “Measure 1 (Tacoma Initiative 2023-1),” be removed from the November ballot. With this legal... Continue Reading

The Eastside Business Alliance is the region's most effective organization for electing thoughtful, nonpartisan, pro-jobs leaders on the Eastside. Ryan Makinster, our Director of Government Affairs, sits on the board of the EBA on behalf of WMFHA. Because of our involvement in the EBA, our... Continue Reading

After a brief break for August, our Government Affairs Committee was back in full force last week. The committee voted to contribute to a NAIOP Washington campaign to support an effort to forego the 10-15% energy code efficiency “bump” above state mandated requirements. The group... Continue Reading

Our Government Affairs team is traveling all over the state meeting with legislators before session begins. We are excited to be in Eastern Washington Monday and Tuesday of next week and to engage our membership operating in that part of the state. We are hosting two Advocate Meet & Greets,... Continue Reading

On February 27, the Spokane city council passed two tenant protection ordinances, C36330 and C36366. C36330, which created a rental registration program that included a $15/door fee went into effect 30 days later. C36366, included the creation of a Spokane specific “portable... Continue Reading

With HB 1074, which changed how you collect, record, process and return security deposits fully in place, we thought this would be a good time to offer a few things for you to consider and a request. Lease renewals are new leases so they will need to comply with the requirements of HB... Continue Reading

The NAA Click & Lease Program will be updated on September 27 to include several changes to the lease forms. The Release Notes, which are accessible when logged into your NAA Click & Lease Program, include copies of these upcoming forms. Form changes listed here. Should you have any... Continue Reading

The Seattle Office of Housing has updated its website to include the current Renters Insurance Allowance. The website now links to one easy to read document that includes the most current Renters Insurance and Utility Allowance. If you have questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to... Continue Reading

As part of our efforts to address the rising cost of compliance and increasing regulatory oversight, our WMFHA GA staff have been active in a stakeholder group that seeks to achieve a reasonable energy code as adopted by the Washington State Building Code Council (SBCC). The group is made up of... Continue Reading

On Monday September 18, WMFHA hosted Senator Mark Mullet, candidate for Washington Governor, in our offices. The event was attended by Board of Directors, Government Affairs and Political Action Committee members. It provided a chance for Senator Mullet to explain his platform, support for the... Continue Reading

As we have seen over the last 12 months, political action is not only required at the state level, but in city council chambers as well. We cannot remain solely focused on Olympia, we need to continue to expand our election efforts to the local level, as well as by endorsing and supporting county... Continue Reading

Is there anywhere better than Seattle in August? We sure do love to show off our beautiful Emerald City in the summer. WMFHA had the opportunity to showcase the Pacific Northwest for a national audience on August 8th – 10th when we hosted the National Apartment Association’s Advanced... Continue Reading

WMFHA hosted our largest Supplier Success class ever on August 30th. We had 29 excited and engaged supplier partners join us at our 1Up Training Center in Renton. The Supplier Success Course offers an overview of the apartment industry and recommends ways that suppliers can maximize... Continue Reading

WMFHA’s Board of Directors, at their meeting on July 20th, approved a new version of the association’s bylaws, a 22-page document that serves as the organization’s operating manual. Crafted and revised for over 6 months by Nick Marin, at the direction of the Executive Board of... Continue Reading

The Board of Directors of the Washington Multi-Family Housing Association (WMFHA) voted and approved the association’s endorsement of Senator Mark Mullet (D-Issaquah) for Governor. With this endorsement, WMFHA will be actively supporting Sen. Mark Mullet’s 2024 gubernatorial campaign... Continue Reading

On Friday July 28, King 5 news reporter Erica Zucco interviewed WMFHA Director of Government Affairs Ryan Makinster for story titled “Debate continues as Seattle rent control measure approaches vote.” The story, which aired the same day and re-aired prior to the Tuesday August 1 vote,... Continue Reading

On Tuesday, August 1st, multi-family government affairs, affiliate executives and legal professionals descended upon the Omni Hotel in downtown Chicago to discuss current legislative and legal issues, exchange ideas and promote best practices to support our industry locally, statewide, and at the... Continue Reading

On August 1, the Seattle City Council, by a vote of 5-2, killed Councilmember Sawant’s ill-conceived rent control “trigger” law, ordinance CB 120606 with Councilmembers Nelson, Herbold, Strauss, Lewis, Peterson, and Juarez voting against passage, Mosqueda excused, and Sawant and... Continue Reading

On August 2nd, Tacoma for All, a renters’ rights group, filed suit against the City of Tacoma, Pierce County, and the county auditor to have “Measure Two”, the city of Tacoma’s competing tenant protection measure, removed from the November ballot. Last month, the... Continue Reading

WMFHA’s Political Action Committee (PAC) supports candidates who share our views on industry issues. Our PAC gives us opportunities to gain access to elected officials and educate them on the positive and negative consequences of proposed legislation. Included with your membership renewal... Continue Reading

The 2023 election could be a watershed for politics in Seattle. Due to growing frustration with the Council’s ideological, rather than solution oriented, policy decisions, the majority of Seattle voters want a change. Couple that with 7 seats up for grabs, with a majority of those being... Continue Reading

In addition to Seattle, the WMFHA PAC and GAC have designated three other cities as priority jurisdictions: Bellevue, Spokane, and Tacoma. The primary results in these jurisdictions are below. Bellevue No Primary Races Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown ... Continue Reading

WMFHA PAC has also listed a few jurisdictions as ones to watch. After reviewing the primary results, the committee will decide which, if any races, WMFHA should participate in. BurienPosition 2Linda Akey 31.88%Cydney Moore (i) 28.27% Position... Continue Reading

“I do not know what flavors each of you are. But y’all are lifesavers”. This sweet sentiment was one of many heartfelt remarks made by Mrs. Davis as her home was transformed from a damaged safety risk to an enjoyable living space for her and her extended family. Continue Reading

Jeff and Tamara are planet friendly with a passion for finding items that can be reused.  One person’s Junk may be someone else’s treasure. Continue Reading

Patrick Moss (center of the front row) with his 2023 CAMT class Patrick Moss needed a little extra gas money back in 2016, so he took a temp job as a porter/maintenance technician. That temporary job became permanent and now he is a Senior Service Technician with Greystar based in Seattle... Continue Reading

Important Update on Seattle’s Rent Control Trigger Ordinance WMFHA’s government affairs team has maintained a very watchful eye on Seattle City Councilmember (CM) Kshama Sawant’s rent control trigger ordinance, playing a significant part in the lobbying that has occurred... Continue Reading

Dear members of the Apartment Industry, On May 30, the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) issued a Request for Input on tenant protections. This exercise could result in the adoption of a range of negative policies including national rent control, a “source of income” mandate... Continue Reading

Tacoma Tenant Protections Take Effect July 24, 2023 Continue Reading

Although WMFHA has not endorsed Seattle city council candidates for the primary, GA staff have been active in candidate interviews through the Seattle Chamber and other loosely affiliated business groups. Through the process business leaders have recognized stand outs in each race that align with... Continue Reading

The Washington Multi-Family Housing Association (WMFHA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Carter Nelson as its new Public Affairs Manager, effective July 10, 2023. Carter brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of housing policy and advocacy to her role at WMFHA. As Public... Continue Reading

What happens if you host a webinar, and nobody comes? We don’t know because we had almost 100 attendees for the 2023 Legislative Update Webinar. On Wednesday, July 12 WMFHA Education and Government Affairs team members updated members on the recent bills passed during the 2023 legislative... Continue Reading

On Monday June 19, WMFHA GA staff joined fellow real estate industry advocates to discuss priorities for the upcoming legislative session. Hosted by the Washington Business Property Association, the annual WREC meeting is a chance for real estate and property rights advocates to discuss concerns... Continue Reading

Peak leasing season in the U.S. is between May and August when there are the most residents looking for apartment homes. This time is hugely important for the multi-family industry. Standing out from the competition is important year-round, but it becomes essential during the summer... Continue Reading

“When I was president, it was a different day. The bulk of the skill set was being able to sell our product: membership to WMFHA. Now the product is self-sustaining; it’s an empire.” Kari explains. “I can only stand back and be proud of all that has changed." Continue Reading

Washington State was well represented at NAA"s annual conference! Continue Reading

WMFHA’s turning twenty (20) this year, and our staff and leadership couldn’t be more excited to celebrate the best way we know how – with a grandiose #WMFabulous Birthday Bash! Continue Reading

Now that the 2023 legislative session is complete, and we have had time to digest all that happened, WMFHA will be hosting a Legislative Wrap-Up Webinar on July 12. The webinar will give a brief overview of what transpired during the session, including the failure of several rent control and... Continue Reading

The summary of the Washington Residential Landlord-Tenant Act was created by Joe Puckett, founding Board Member and former Director of Government Affairs. Each year, to coincide with the Virtual Legal Symposium (VSL), this document is updated, summarizing new laws passed by the Washington... Continue Reading

Seattle City Council Member Sara Nelson will join the WMFHA Government Affairs Committee on Thursday June 15 from 12:30-2 to give an update on industry issues in Seattle and to hear members’ concerns about current processes in Seattle. She will update members on her role as Vice-Chair of... Continue Reading

Mike Kingsella, CEO of Up for Growth will join the WMFHA Government Affairs Committee at its June meeting on Thursday, June 15 from 12:30-2 to discuss the partnership of WMFHA and Up for Growth and give an update on the current initiatives Up for Growth is executing. WMFHA and Up for Growth have... Continue Reading

Tacoma recently had a work session on proposed “Tenant Protections” legislation. Although it is not currently scheduled for first reading before council, that action is expected to happen at an upcoming council meeting, possibly as early as next week. Ryan Makinster, Director of... Continue Reading

WMFHA along with a number of trade association and multi-family developers sent a letter to the Kirkland Planning Commission highlighting concerns NE 85th St Station Area Plan Affordable Housing Requirements as proposed by ARCH and city staff. Specifically, the coalition is concerned with the... Continue Reading

WMFHA and NAA Seeking Case Studies for White House Resident-Centered Housing Challenge Continue Reading

As a gay man in my forties, I am now at a place where I am comfortable with who I am, but it took a lot of years to get to this point. Continue Reading

How is it already almost June?! Continue Reading

On behalf of the Board of Directors, I thank you for your membership in this association.  At last month's Business Exchange, it was evident to me that we have a vibrant and proud association and a wonderful WMFHA Team.  Continue Reading

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, observed annually in May, celebrates and honors the contributions, achievements, and rich cultural heritage of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in our communities. Here at WMFHA, we are taking time to celebrate the heritage and... Continue Reading

“I'm proud that I started at the bottom as a leasing agent and learned the industry from the ground up. I think it’s proof that with tenacity and grit, as well as being connected to those that can champion you with their influence, you can accomplish things that you never thought were possible.” Continue Reading

Well, we can finally check off the 2023 legislative session and say that we had a pretty successful run this year. What started out as a pretty nerve-racking session with many bills introduced that took direct aim at our industry, ended up being a fairly benign session with only a few bills... Continue Reading

This summary of the Washington Residential Landlord-Tenant Act was created by Joe Puckett, founding Board Member and former Director of Government Affairs. Each year, to coincide with the Virtual Legal Symposium (VSL), this document is updated, summarizing new laws passed by the Washington... Continue Reading

May 19 is the filing deadline for local, city and county, elected races. Although WMFHA has traditionally focused mostly on state races, with recent actions at city and county councils, it has become imperative that we, as an association, start becoming more active in these races. The WMFHA PAC... Continue Reading

The Government Affairs Committee (GAC) created two ad hoc subcommittees, the Seattle Economic Displacement Relocation Assistance (EDRA) and Required Notification committees. The EDRA subcommittee is tasked with discussing appeals and implementation of the Economic Displacement Relocation... Continue Reading

The Seattle Office of Housing has updated their requirements for “holding deposits” for MFTE units after receiving feedback from housing providers. As of April 2021, MFTE communities were only able to collect a holding deposit of $100 for MFTE units upon application. In addition,... Continue Reading

Seattle Councilmember Kshama Sawant is urging her supports to sign a petition to pass rent control in Seattle and is drafting an ordinance so it can be rubber stamped by her Sustainability and Renter’s Rights Committee before moving to the full council. Although it wouldn’t... Continue Reading

We are still accepting candidates for the Public Affairs Manager position at WMFHA. This position supports our association’s visible and proactive government affairs engagement with priority jurisdictions throughout Washington State, working with elected officials, stakeholders, and public... Continue Reading

On Tuesday March 21, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that s key portion of a Seattle law meant to guard against housing discrimination is unconstitutional. In their ruling, they found that barring landlords from asking prospective tenants about “any arrest record, conviction... Continue Reading

Shelby Bosch is a GO-GETTER! Since joining the multi-family industry in October of 2021, she has earned not 1 but 2 National Apartment Association Credentials. Continue Reading

To no one’s surprise, they’ve executed an incredibly impressive amount of our yearly goals through the first quarter of the year with a lengthy and impressive list of achievements. They include:  Continue Reading

Dear Members, Thank you for being part of our association. As housing providers, we have a unique opportunity to connect with people on a very personal level. I still remember the excitement I felt when I leased my first apartment over sixteen years ago. As this year’s Board... Continue Reading

n only 7 weeks, 2 management companies, 33 suppliers, 100 new properties joined the WMFHA family!  Continue Reading

With less than 4 days left in session, it looks like we only have one major bill left in play, HB 1628, otherwise known as the “REET increase bill.” The removal of the state pre-emption on local rent caps did not reappear, nor did the multiple versions of extended notification for... Continue Reading

On Tuesday, Seattle Ctty Council passed a cap of $10 on late fees for rent. The proposal by Councilmember Kshama Sawant had been amended in committee, to 1.5% or $50 flat fee, by Councilmember Sara Nelson, but was amended back to the original proposal during the full council meeting. Although... Continue Reading

A broad coalition of interest groups and associations, including WMFHA, have been working together for the past month. The group has taken a multi-pronged approach to confronting the REET increase legislation under consideration in Olympia. In addition to the multimedia campaign and commercial... Continue Reading

During the week of March 27, WMFHA staff and several members traveled to Washington, DC for the annual Advocate conference hosted by NAA. In addition to the NAA board meeting, that focused on policy and advocacy issues, NAA members and more specifically WMFHA members, spent a day on the hill... Continue Reading

In February, Partnership for Affordable Housing (PAH), a coalition aligned to fight rent control, developed a new campaign to address the ren control efforts under consideration in Olympia. PAH also exists to fight rent control at all levels in Washington, including any effort to pass a statewide... Continue Reading

WMFHA Members Step Up Big to Support NAAPAC Every year, NAA asks local affiliates to support its federal advocacy efforts through its “Fund our Future” program. The minimum suggested annual contribution is based on affiliate membership size. With a minimum suggested contribution of... Continue Reading

On March 27th, the Spokane City Council overrode Mayor Nadine Woodward’s veto of C36366, paving the way for the ordinances to take affect April 26. However, both bills are dependent on the city putting into place a myriad of programs to enforce the new laws, create and manage the funds and... Continue Reading

On the recommendation of the Government Affairs Committee (GAC) the WMFA Board of Directors (BOD) recently created a permanent position for an Eastern Washington Representative on the GAC. Although the committee doesn’t have designated seats, generally, the GAC and BOD felt it was important... Continue Reading

On April 11, the Seatac City Council passed Ordinance #23-1009 which added most of the tenant protections contained in the “ARCH” proposal. There were a number of amendments, with 5 being adopted. The specifics: 120 day notice for 3% increase, 180 day notice for 8%... Continue Reading

Recently, Seattle has started charging an $85 filing feel to appeal EDRA applications. After review, this is allowed by ordinance. It must be noted that an appeal won’t be considered until the fee has been paid which must be filed within 10 days of the directors decision on the initial... Continue Reading

In July 2021, King County enacted Ordinance 19311, which created several new tenant protections in unincorporated King County. The ordinance requires the King County Executive to develop standardized eviction notices for landlords to use when terminating a tenancy. The new notices were published... Continue Reading

We want to take this opportunity to share our Top 10 Fair Housing tips to ensure you are up to date on the latest and greatest. Continue Reading

Bills that would have capped rent increases to CPI or 7%, whichever is lower failed to pass out of the Senate and House prior to the “house of origin cutoff.” By not passing the floor, these bills have stalled and are extremely unlikely to pass this year. Continue Reading

HB 1124, which would have required 180 notice was placed on the House Floor Calendar for a vote, but eventually failed to pass when it wasn’t brought up prior the “origin of house” cutoff. Continue Reading

Over 80 WMFHA members joined WMFHA staff, the Board of Directors, and our lobbyists for an exciting and fruitful day on the hill in Olympia. Continue Reading

The two bills, one House and one Senate, that would have removed the state preemption on town, city and county rent control failed to pass out of their first committee of referral. Continue Reading

WMFHA Government Affairs Director Ryan Makinster and WMFHA member, Kevin Weishaar, VP, Mercy Housing Management Group testified before the Senate Housing Committee on the Security Deposit acceptance and return process at the request of the Chairwoman, Senator Patty Kuderer. Continue Reading

On March 13, the Bellingham City Council passed an ordinance that requires all rent increases to be preceded by a 120 day notification. Continue Reading

On February 27, the Spokane Council passed two ordinances, C36330 and C36366 with Mayor Nadine Woodward vetoing the second one on March 16, 2023. Continue Reading

The Release Notes, which are accessible when logged into your NAA Click & Lease Program, include copies of these upcoming forms. Continue Reading

Security Deposit Bill Scheduled for Hearing on Wednesday – Take Action Now HB 1074 is scheduled to be heard... Continue Reading

Seatac City Council considering full list of tenant protections put forward by ARCH Virtual Public Comment Today, March... Continue Reading

This month is dedicated to commemorating and celebrating the vital role of women. In honor of this, WMFHA, is highlighting a few of the many women who have advocated, educated and celebrated multi-family professionals in Washington in the last 20 years. Continue Reading

96 ... Continue Reading

120 Day... Continue Reading

Seatac City... Continue Reading

Rent Control... Continue Reading

Starting February 27th, Jason will join the WMFHA team. Continue Reading

Rent Control... Continue Reading

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Teddi Martin is a Sr. Community Manager with Greystar Seattle and has been a part of the multi-family industry for six years. In this time, Teddi has made a continued effort to break down barriers of access into the multi-family industry through her work with the (DEI) Committee. Continue Reading

Here we are in February - the month of love! This time of year is a good reminder to show the people around us the love we have to offer. Whether in our personal or professional lives, these simple acts promise to help people feel connected, appreciated, and seen. Continue Reading

Support this common sense bill to address the housing crisis. Continue Reading

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HB 1817 - Establishing a housing gap voucher pilot program. Continue Reading

Establishing a housing gap voucher pilot program. Bill Information Sponsors: Braun, Lovick, Wilson, J. Companion: HB 1817 Status: (S) Housing What the bill does: Creates rental assistance vouchers through housing authorities for residents to bridge the gap between their income and their... Continue Reading

Concerning modifying the multifamily property tax exemption to promote development of long-term affordable housing. Bill Information Sponsors: Kuderer, Wellman, Frame, Hunt, Keiser, Liias, Lovelett, Nobles, Randall Companion: N/A Status: (S) Housing What the bill does: Creates a new 99-year... Continue Reading

Concerning local government design review. Bill Information Sponsors: Walen, Duerr, Bateman, Reed, Fitzgibbon, Ramel, Peterson, Macri, Tharinger, Wylie, Santos Companion: N/A Status: (H) Floor 2nd Reading What the bill does: Requires any design review of housing development permit... Continue Reading

Concerning housing programs administered by the department of commerce. Bill Information Sponsors: Mullet, Kuderer, Nguyen, Wilson, C. Companion: HB 1709 Status: Heard on Feb 9 in Senate Ways and Means, not yet scheduled What the bill does: Consolidates the Housing Assistance Program into... Continue Reading

Allowing for residential buildings of a certain height to be served by a single exit under certain conditions. Bill Information Sponsors: Salomon, Shewmake, Frame, Liias, Stanford Companion: N/A Status: Heard in (S) Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs on Feb 2, not currently... Continue Reading

Help Stop A Bill That Will Add Substantial Costs to Multi-Family Development and Property Sales Please take a moment to... Continue Reading

Where to Find Legislative Updates and Action Alerts Continue Reading

Due to the effort of WMFHA, RHA, Spokane Realtors, Landlord Association – Inland NW, and many individual members, the Spokane City Council originally delayed passage of tenant protection ordinance 36330 from December 5, 2022 to January 23, 2023 in order to have stakeholder meetings and a... Continue Reading

We don’t have a rent problem; we have a supply problem. Due to decades of increasing regulation, artificially constrained land supply and ever-increasing inefficiencies in permitting, the creation of units has not kept up with demand. In fact, the WA Dept of Commerce recently estimated that... Continue Reading

Although less onerous, but still very detrimental to our industry, several “tenant protection” bills have also been filed with some already having been heard and moved out of committee. HB 1074 (Moved out of Housing Committee on a party line vote after amendment to statute of... Continue Reading

As you are probably aware there are several bills that although euphemistically labeled “Rent Stabilization” are, in fact, rent control. Three bills, HB 1388, HB 1389, and SB 5435 all attempt to create a statewide cap on rent increase. HB 1625 and SB 5615, the nuclear option, would... Continue Reading

This measure would create the “Seattle Social Housing Developer” as a public development authority (PDA) to develop, own and maintain social housing in Seattle, with all the powers available to PDAs under local and state law. Social housing means publicly owned and financed... Continue Reading

On Januarary 25, the White House announced a new plan to protect renters and promote affordability. NAA participated in a White House call previewing the Administration’s blueprint for advancing a “renter’s bill of rights,” an explicit campaign promise from President... Continue Reading

Although, now officially a lame duck, Seattle City Council Member Kshama Sawant led a discussion on legislation limiting late fees at the January 20 “Sustainability and Renters Rights Committee. (video)” Pointing to a need to protect renters without providing data or even a proposed... Continue Reading

Addressing documentation and processes governing landlords' claims for damage to residential premises. Continue Reading

Protecting tenants from excessive rent and related fees by providing at least six months' notice for rent increases over a certain amount, allowing tenants the right to terminate a tenancy without penalty, and limiting late fees. Bill Information Sponsors: Peterson, Fitzgibbon, Taylor, Street,... Continue Reading

Protecting tenants by prohibiting predatory residential rent practices and by applying the consumer protection act to the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act. Bill Information Sponsors: Macri, Ramel, Peterson, Thai, Gregerson, Hackney, Ormsby,... Continue Reading

Concerning residential rent increases under the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act. Bill Information Sponsors: Ramel, Macri, Peterson, Duerr, Gregerson, Alvarado, Ormsby, Doglio, Riccelli, Cortes, Mena, Thai, Kloba, Bateman, Street, Taylor,... Continue Reading

Enabling local governments to plan and adopt programs to stabilize and control rents. Bill Information Sponsors: Pollet, Farivar, Chopp, Alvarado, Macri, Doglio, Ramel, Reed, Fosse, Street Status: Referred to (H) Housing What the bill does: Removes statewide preemption on local rental... Continue Reading

Increasing the supply of affordable housing by modifying the state and local real estate excise tax. Bill Information Sponsors: Chopp, Macri, Peterson, Alvarado, Taylor, Reed, Pollet, Lekanoff, Fitzgibbon, Berg, Riccelli, Davis, Street, Ramel, Duerr, Senn, Doglio, Cortes, Stonier, Gregerson,... Continue Reading

Requiring the registration of rental and vacant housing units. Bill Information Sponsors: Kuderer, Trudeau, Dhingra, Frame, Keiser, Nguyen, Nobles, Randall, Robinson, Wellman Status: Amended Version passed out of (S) Housing, Referred to Ways and Means What the amended bill does: Requires... Continue Reading

Addressing landlord-tenant relations by providing technical changes to eviction notice forms and modifying certain eviction processes. Bill Information Sponsors: Kuderer, Saldaña, Frame, Nguyen, Nobles, Wellman, Wilson, C. Status: Law What the amended bill does: Allows remote... Continue Reading

Concerning residential rent increases under the residential landlord-tenant act and the manufactured/mobile home landlord-tenant act. Bill Information Sponsors: Trudeau, Saldaña, Frame, Hunt, Keiser, Kuderer, Lovelett, Nguyen, Robinson, Stanford, Wilson, C. Status: (S) Housing What the bill... Continue Reading

Enabling local governments to plan and adopt programs to stabilize and control rents. Bill Information Sponsors: Valdez Status: (S) Local Government, Land Use & Tribal Affairs What the bill does: Removes statewide preemption on local rental control Would allow local towns, cities, and... Continue Reading

Expanding the multifamily tax exemption program to include converting existing multifamily units. Bill Information Sponsors: Walen, Hutchins, Christian, Duerr, Leavitt, Senn, Stokesbary, Barkis, Gregerson, Pollet Companion: N/A Status: (H) Housing What the bill does: Allows current buildings... Continue Reading

Addressing documentation and processes governing landlords' claims for damage to residential premises. Bill Information Sponsors: Reed, Taylor, Ramel, Berg, Peterson, Stonier, Walen, Wylie, Simmons, Fitzgibbon, Chapman, Berry, Slatter, Mena, Barkis, Rule, Duerr, Gregerson, Chambers, Bateman,... Continue Reading

Click and Lease 30 day notice update (Recent Cares Act Court Decision) Continue Reading

Help Stop Rent Control Continue Reading

HB 1388 & 1389 Call To Action 2 Continue Reading

HB 1388 & 1389 Call To Action 1 Continue Reading

SB 5197 Call To Action Continue Reading

SB 5060 And HB 1124 Call To Action Continue Reading

Nick Marin is the new Executive Director of WMFHA. Nick is a certified Association Management Professional with nearly a decade of experience. He is joining WMFHA after serving as Executive Director of the Yolo County Association of REALTORS® (YCAR) in California for 6 years. Continue Reading

After hearing from WMFHA, housing providers and industry partners, Spokane City Council delays vote on tenant protection ordinance 36330. With first council discussion at the November, 21 2022 City Council briefing session, the ordinance was on the fast track to be passed at the December 5 City... Continue Reading

On Monday, December 5 the WA Court of Appeals published their opinion in Yemeserach Gebreseralse v. Columbia Debt Relief. The court found, in this circumstance, that the security deposit couldn't be fully forfeit due to the tenant’s failure to give notice and must, at least in portion, be... Continue Reading

Notice of Recent CARES Act Notice to Vacate Appeals Court Opinion - On Monday, December 5 the WA Court of Appeals published their opinion in Sherwood Auburn LLC v. Joel Pinzon and Rosa Mendez. This will require landlords, that are subject to the CARES Act, to modify the state court 14-day... Continue Reading

At the December 8 Government Affairs Committee meeting, WMFHA contract lobbyist Kathryn Hedrick presented “Legislation 1010 and Session Preview.” The presentation was a primer for some and reminder for others on the legislative makeup, the process of bill creation, drafting and... Continue Reading

WMFHA Director of Government Affairs Ryan Makinster and Consultant Kathryn Hedrick recently met with Democratic members of the “pragmatic” caucus during the Jackson Legacy Fund Reception in Olympia. As sponsors of the exclusive pre-reception social hour, WMFHA was able to discuss... Continue Reading

The NAA Assembly of Delegates was held November 14-17 in Norfolk, Virginia with several WMFHA members and staff in attendance. The Assembly of Delegates (AOD) is composed of up to two hundred and fifty (250) delegates from the NAA’s ten regions. AOD is NAA’s largest business meeting... Continue Reading

The roundtable was an opportunity for stakeholders to discuss housing affordability and supply issues as well as solutions designed to address the crisis, including the YIMBY Act. Continue Reading

57-41 and 29-20 majorities in both the House and Senate respectively. Continue Reading

On Tuesday November 1st WMFHA ‘s Director of Government Affairs, Ryan Makinster and Lobbyist Krystelle Purkey attended a housing roundtable in Olympia hosted by Lt. Governor Denny Heck & Senator Yasmin Trudeau. After opening remarks by Lt. Governor Heck and Senator Trudeau, Dr. Mike... Continue Reading

We know housing and affordability issues will take center stage with lawmakers. Partners for Affordable Housing (PAH), our coalition of organizations with shared interests on housing, is working now to prepare our industry to strategically engage on these critical issues through advocacy. Continue Reading

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries announced that the state’s minimum wage will increase to $15.74 starting Jan. 1, 2023. Continue Reading

On Monday October 24, the Burien City Council passed a new “Tenant Protection” Ordinance with several requirements/prohibitions. Unfortunately, the council, through emergency action, chose an immediate effective date of October 28, so we want to make you aware so you can update your... Continue Reading

On Monday, October 17, the Port Townsend City Council passed a new “Tenant Protection” Ordinance with a notice of rent increase requirment. Unfortunately, the council chose an immediate effective date of October 24, so we want to make you aware so you can update your processes to... Continue Reading

On Tuesday, October 11, Mayor Harrell announced that the Seattle COVID Civil Emergency Proclamation will end October 31. With the end of the state of emergency, many of the Covid related restrictions specific to Seattle, will change or go away. Key changes: Rent Installment Plan requirement... Continue Reading

The Committee will review and provide direction on policy and regulatory issues of interest to the multi-family residential and associated industries. The committee will also recommend legal action, policy positions and state and local legislative priorities to the WMFHA Board of Directors. Continue Reading

Thankfully, due to WMFHA GA and member efforts, the council chose to apply an effective date of October 5 as well as protections for renewal notices provided prior to that date. Continue Reading

Congratulations to our very own Trey Leotti from Greystar Apartments! He is the recipient of the D.E.I. scholarship from the NAA. He is remarkable & whole heartedly deserves this opportunity. Continue Reading

Vendor consolidation has risen to the forefront as the leading strategy for achieving all of that and more! Continue Reading

At their Tuesday night meeting, the Newcastle city council voted 4-3 against adopting a set of tenant protection proposals pushed region wide by A Regional Coalition for Housing (ARCH). The ordinance championed by Newcastle Councilor Paul Charbonneau would have implemented the full package of ARCH... Continue Reading

City of Issaquah – Notice of “Tenant Protections”: Changes Effective October 5 Continue Reading

Remaining Covid Emergency Orders and State of Emergency to End by October 31, Governor Inslee Announces Continue Reading

In a post-pandemic world where everyone is trying to recover and regroup it is easy to keep your eyes down and keep plugging away.  Everyone in every industry is short-staffed and trying desperately to keep our business going and our overworked teams happy.  It is NOT a time where it is easy to... Continue Reading

On Tuesday, August 16, the Olympia City Council passed a new “Tenant Protection” Ordinance” with several requirements/prohibitions. Thankfully, due to WMFHA GA efforts, the council chose to apply a delayed effective date for the notification requirements. The adopted ordinance... Continue Reading

On Wednesday, August 3, the Kirkland City Council passed a new “Tenant Protection” Ordinance with several requirements/prohibitions. Thankfully, due to WMFHA GA and member efforts, the council chose to apply a delayed effective date of September 18 as well as protections for renewal... Continue Reading

On Monday July 25, the Kenmore City Council passed a new “just cause” ordinance with several requirements/prohibitions regarding evictions and tenancy termination. The effective date is Wednesday August 24, 2022. Just Cause A landlord shall not evict or attempt to evict any... Continue Reading

On Tuesday July 19, the Redmond City Council passed a new “Tenant Protection” Ordinance with several requirements/prohibitions. Unfortunately, the council chose an immediate effective date of July 30, so we want to make you aware so you can update your processes to comply. Notice of... Continue Reading

We are only six months into 2022, but the trend of housing providers leaving the Seattle market hasn’t slowed down. According to the latest data from Seattle’s Rental Property Registration database, Seattle continues to experience a decline in rental housing, with a net loss of 313... Continue Reading

Our members are like family! We are happy to have our newest members join the association. New Property Management Members: Sunlight Rentals LLC Sound Residential Investments Regenesis Property Management New Property Members: Black Bird Management Muir Apartments, Avenue5... Continue Reading

Businesses get started because we have great ideas or processes, or both! Running a successful firm demands more than great ideas or processes but you probably weren’t expecting that your admin responsibilities would be a full-time job. Like any other type of business, the property... Continue Reading

When apartment communities relax breed and weight restrictions, the immediate reactions center upon what it means to current and future residents. Most notably, it means more pets will be accepted at move-in and existing residents have fewer restrictions when obtaining a new pet. But while... Continue Reading

Offering feedback to a colleague can be tricky. So tricky, that a lot of us skip it all together! Perhaps we see someone else’s mistake or missed task, but we say nothing, fearing that bringing it up may damage the relationship. Maybe something a coworker said rubbed us the wrong way, but we... Continue Reading

Winter can cause some problems with your plumbing system. Hoses and pipes may develop cracks and cause them to leak. Drains can get clogged. Before problems escalate, it is best to check your plumbing in the spring and get it ready for spring rains and the rest of the seasons. Here are spring... Continue Reading

Did you know that by using someone’s chosen name and pronouns we can live our core beliefs? Yes! We can empower associates and put people and partnerships first. You may never have to worry about which pronouns other people use for you. But if someone you know is frequently misgendered,... Continue Reading

Thanks for joining! We are pleased to serve you. New Property Management Company Members: TAM Residential Goodale & Barbieri Company New Property Members: Ovation, LMC Mill Creek Apartments, Avenue5 Residential The Goodwin, Greystar Arista, Greystar The Waverly, Greystar Aldercrest... Continue Reading

With an increased focus on team associates’ personal and professional development and creating a culture of valuing team members, it has never been more important than to give back to employees by exposing them to life-long learning. The industry has had to innovate over the past few years.... Continue Reading

Dispute Resolution Centers (DRCs) across the state are tasked with handling mediation between housing providers and residents when issues with lease compliance arise. Unfortunately, many DRCs operate at such a slow pace that instead of finding solutions and providing rental assistance, they are... Continue Reading

You’d expect the problems property managers face in low-income multifamily developments to be much different than those of someone overseeing a luxury one. And you’d be right - to an extent. But there are more similarities between the two developments than you’d expect. Continue Reading

You just joined a seven-time award winning association! New Property Management Members: Shore Property Company Russell Enterprises LLC Veritas KOZ Development New Property Members: Mason & Main, Greystar 19th and Mercer, Pacific Living Properties 3030 Lake City, Pacific Living Properties 6... Continue Reading

And that's a wrap (Sine Die) with the industry victorious! Continue Reading

Recurring leaks in your plumbing, whether due to material defects or age, can be one of the worst problems you and your renters experience. Continue Reading

A checklist for property managers. Continue Reading

Another local Excellence Award winner is Erin Heathers from Epic Asset Management for Certified Apartment Portfolio Supervisor of the Year! We are so proud of her accomplishment and grateful to have her as a member and local leader. Continue Reading

National Apartment Association's Certified Apartment Supplier of the Year is our very own Heather Edwards from Apartment Advantage Staffing Services! Our members are absolutely #WMFHAbulous and nationally fabulous as well. Continue Reading

The ACE Industry Educator Award celebrates educators who have expanded the scope of career development and education initiatives beyond their responsibilities as a professional educator. Continue Reading

Thanks for joining! We are proud to serve you. Continue Reading

Once an Emerald, always an Emerald... Continue Reading

Seattle sheds 9,759 more rental units, adds only 27 units... Continue Reading

Congratulations to the following new credential holders! Continue Reading

Take a look at these three local housing providers that share their reflections, expectations, and how they are moving forward post-moratorium. Continue Reading

Landscape can be a challenging and emotional topic. Yet with the right strategy, a landscape can become your community’s greatest asset. With careful planning and the right partner, the landscape can enhance curb appeal and property value, mitigate risk, create spaces that unite... Continue Reading

Once an Emerald, always an Emerald... Continue Reading

Thanks for joining! We are pleased to work for our newest members: Property Management Members: Housing Hope InCity Property Members: Radian Apartments, Peak Living The Magnolia Apartments, Peak Living Terrace View Apartments, Sunrise Management Bloc @ 26th, Sunrise Management Ballard Yards,... Continue Reading

In this article, we will discuss a few proactive efforts that prevent fall and winter floods. Continue Reading

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City of Kenmore (Ordinance) Creates a defense to eviction where the rent was unpaid during the public health emergency or a substantial increase in expenses resulting from COVID pandemic. “Resulting from the COVID pandemic” includes: the tenant suffered a loss of employment or a... Continue Reading

CAPS Awards: Jenna Atchison, Allied Residential Victor Ledezma, Thrive Communities* Brittany Taylor, Pillar Properties* Lisha Howard, Tarragon Property Services Julianne Figiola, Avenue5 Residential CAM Awards: Tara Snider, Rockwood Property Management Nicholas Lamanna, Weidner... Continue Reading

On Monday January 10, 2022, the City of Spokane passed an ordinance parroting language directly from the Governor's expired eviction moratorium. Taking us back in time, the ordinance requires the following: For rent owing from February 29, 2020 – July 31, 2021: Prohibits serving a 14-day... Continue Reading

Below are ten ideas you can use to easily strengthen your community’s physical, mental, and social health. All while bringing the community together. Continue Reading

What started as a standard Holiday Giving Gala ended up being our biggest fundraising event of the association's existence! Continue Reading

Please ask yourself – do any of the hallmarks of a toxic leader resonate with me? Be brutally honest with yourself. Do you see yourself in any of those characteristics? Continue Reading

Reflecting on 2021, I must admit it’s a little harder to look back at all the positive moments and successes of the year without lamenting that we are still dealing with a pandemic and its many challenges for our membership. Continue Reading

After over 5 years in our familiar office at 711 Powell Ave. in Renton, WMFHA moved to new office space on July 1, 2021. Continue Reading

The continuing COVID-sensitive environment has brought an avalanche of changes for communities – the most prominent of which focus on community health and fitness. During the last 18 months, fitness and wellness options can be considered a necessary remedy to heightened stress levels, and a... Continue Reading

Upon my recent review of hundreds of apartment community websites across the US, I was shocked with the choice of common verbiage used. Continue Reading

See who the latest properties and companies that have joined the association! Continue Reading

We hear it all the time. A home or business owner has a really bad experience with a contractor in both concerns of poor quality/workmanship, not doing what they say they are going to do, and ultimately thinking that all contractors are the same. Continue Reading

Congratulations and keep shining! Continue Reading

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Seattle's population grew by about 50,000 people between July 2018 and May 2021, but the city saw a net loss of 785 rental properties according to Seattle’s Rental Property Registration database. Continue Reading

All proceeds benefiting Childhaven! Continue Reading

When it comes to ditching in-house checks – in favor of automated B2B payments – you may have lots of questions. You may also be wondering if online B2B payments are right for your multifamily, commercial, or other real estate business. You may be more ready to make the switch than... Continue Reading

Governor Inslee’s eviction “Bridge” is scheduled to end on October 31. Continue Reading

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Technology is now an amenity for multifamily units. Continue Reading

As a property owner or manager, you know how important surveillance cameras are for general security and safety. However, did you know that security cameras can do much more than just catch criminals? Continue Reading

Celebrating the best of the best in property management! Continue Reading

Celebrating the best of the best in residential property management! Continue Reading

We have defined this terminology below to better inform our members and the housing industry, tenants of our communities and residential property managers. Continue Reading

As a Latina of Spanish, Portuguese, and Mexican heritage, I proudly celebrate and represent my culture every day, but during Hispanic Heritage Month I find myself extra proud. Although there are many ways to describe what being Hispanic means to me, here are my five reasons why being Hispanic is... Continue Reading

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Reopen your fitness centers and keep them open! Continue Reading

As part of our community service initiative, WMFHA Gives Back, Washington Multi-Family Housing Association (WMFHA) organized our sixth annual Volunteer Impact Day, partnering with Rebuilding Together Seattle. Continue Reading

With the world’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic coronavirus eliciting a host of new behaviors personally and professionally, the need for more flexibility in employee policies and procedures has been a hot topic among companies across all industries. Continue Reading

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To help meet renters’ needs in the current multifamily housing climate, cities and states are starting to take a closer look at move-in affordability and, specifically, security deposit requirements. Continue Reading

In many places across the state, rents are still below pre-pandemic levels, yet costs for housing providers have continued to rise. Those increased costs directly impact the cost of rent. Continue Reading

It has been an incredibly challenging last 18 months for all of us, both personally and professionally. Continue Reading

There comes a time for every apartment community when cabinets become a drag. Continue Reading

Here's what you need to know... Continue Reading

Under the “Bridge Moratorium,” August 2021 provides a change of responsibilities for both the housing provider and tenant. Continue Reading

If you are a landlord, owner, or property manager in the Seattle area, you should know about upcoming utility price increases over the next few years. Continue Reading

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On Tuesday, June 29, the King County Council passed an ordinance creating local tenant protections for parts of unincorporated King County. Continue Reading

On Tuesday, June 29, 2021 the Governor published an updated moratorium on evictions, dubbed the “Bridge Moratorium.” This moratorium expands the ability to terminate a tenancy and returns most managerial functions to rental property managers. Continue Reading

Today, Governor Inslee announced he will be extending the state's eviction moratorium through September 30 by creating a bridge Proclamation.  Continue Reading

Today’s generations are all about “self-care and socially share”, and communities of every size and description are capitalizing on that fact, especially involving fitness and wellness. Creating accessible fitness and wellness spaces that intrigue and inspire can return the investment up to 900%. Continue Reading

Thanks for joining your local multifamily housing association! Continue Reading

On Monday June 7, the Seattle City Council passed a suite of laws further restricting evictions. Continue Reading

The Governor needs to know any extension of the eviction moratorium will affect you and exacerbate the struggles you've experienced over the past year.  Continue Reading