WLA Action Alert: HB 2520, HB 2453 & SHB 2069

1/28/2020

Dear WLA Members:

Please notice that the bills that we oppose (HB 2520 & HB 2453) are scheduled for Executive Session (vote out of committee) on Friday, January 31 at 10:00 a.m. in the Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee in the John L. O’Brien Building Room A. Our members should contact the committee to oppose these bills. Provided in the following is a link to the contact info of the committee members: http://leg.wa.gov/House/Committees/CRJ/Pages/MembersStaff.aspx

HB 2520 - Addressing documentation and processes governing landlords' claims for damage to residential premises. OPPOSE
HB 2453 - Providing protections to residential tenants. OPPOSE
SHB 2069 - Concerning a property owner's or tenant's liability for delinquent and unpaid utility service charges. SUPPORT

1. HB 2453/SB 6379 – Statewide Just Cause – Further Statewide Tenancy Restrictions.
Creates statewide Just Cause restrictions similar to the City of Seattle:

Ends fixed term lease agreements--ostensibly creates a perpetual lease agreement.
The bill will make it much harder for small landlords to protect the health, safety, and welfare of other tenants in their community.
Makes it practically impossible for a small landlord to remove a tenant who is dangerous or disruptive to their community.

Sponsors: Representatives Macri, Thai, Lekanoff, Gregerson, Robinson, Ryu, Frame, Kloba, Peterson, Santos, Bergquist, Johnson, J., Davis, Pollet; Senators Kuderer, Darneille, Das, Keiser, Lovelett, Saldaña

STATUS HB:      House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee
Executive Session: Friday, January 31 at 10:00 a.m. – JLOB Rm A
STATUS SB:       Senate Housing Stability & Affordability Committee

2.     HB 2520 – Requires Excessive Documentation to Withhold from a Deposit.
This legislation would make it unreasonably difficult for a landlord to withhold legitimate damage from a tenant’s security deposit:

Makes it much more difficult for a landlord to withhold legitimate damage from a tenant’s Security Deposits.
Requires massive and detailed documentation including, the age of all fixtures, equipment, and furnishings, the time since their installment or replacement, and their useful life for every tenancy in order to charge.
Limits the time to bring an action for recovery of damages exceeding the deposit to within one year of the termination of the rental agreement.

Sponsors: Representatives Thai, Macri, Doglio, Morgan, Entenman, Pollet, Ryu, Robinson

STATUS: House Civil Rights & Judiciary Committee
Executive Session: Friday, January 31 at 10:00 a.m. – JLOB Rm A

If you need anything else, please let me know.
Thank you in advance.
Many thanks.

Mark Gjurasic
Public Affairs of Washington, LLC
mgjurasic@comcast.net
(360) 481-6000

3 Comments

Larry Schmidt

1/28/2020 08:20:23 pm

HB2520 limits the Landlords ability to keep the property in the best possible condition, so the over all condition of rentals will go down.

HB2453 many tenants want fixed term leases, so they can plan for
how long they can stay put in a given place.

SHB2069 will help landlords reduce the costs when a bad tenant leaves.

george janosky link

1/29/2020 06:19:12 am

I have owned and managed. my apartments in Spokane for 40 years. I own 25 apt buildings. one or two violent and disruptive tenants in a building destroys the enjoyable living of the adjacent tenants. as an example; our society houses criminals in different housing [ jail ] than its better citizens to afford the better citizens relief from their dangerous, sometimes very loud and raucous behaviors that are very disruptive and unsetteling to tenants that behave themselves. these tenants should not have to live side by side disrupting everyones lives.

Rick Schwartz link

1/29/2020 10:18:13 am

HB2520 - I am a small landlord of 5 units. I like to think of myself as having pretty good condition rentals. Yearly maintenance/upgrade schedule for all of my units.
The language in this bill is very flawed and puts a HUGE BURDEN on landlords. "Normal" means different things to everyone. The cataloging of "EVERYTHING" in the units for life expediency is RIDICULOUS!!
HB2453 - There are plenty of properties that offer different rental options, ie, month-month & 6 mth. & 1 yr leases. This bill just makes it more difficult.
SHB2069 - Utility bills by the tenant should NEVER be the responsibility of the landlord and the utilities need to go after the tenant - GREAT Job on this one!!

NEWS