Spokane Passes Two Tenant Protection Bills, Mayor Woodward Vetoes One
On February 27, the Spokane Council passed two ordinances, C36330 and C36366 with Mayor Nadine Woodward vetoing the second one on March 16, 2023. Although originally considered as part of one bill in November 2022 and on a fast track to be passed, WMFHA, RHA and the Inland Empire Rental Association, a number of housing providers and other stakeholders petitioned the City Council to provide more time for stakeholder engagement.
After a 3 month process, the ordinance was brought back before as two separate bills. One bill created a $15/door fee, down from the proposed fee of $25. In addition the ordinance makes it clear that is a fee levied by the city and not the housing provider.
The second bill includes the creation of a Spokane specific “portable background/credit check program as well as a number of enforcement mechanism and tenant supportive funds including a legal assistance fund. Although the bill originally prohibited housing providers from charging for their standard background/credit check if a prospective resident chose to use Spokane version, that language was later removed allowing housing providers to keep their current background check practices in place.
Ordinance C36366, which was vetoed by the mayor is scheduled to be considered for a veto override by the city council at their March 27th meeting.