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Statewide caps on annual rent increases could take effect in Washington as soon as this year after the state House of Representatives on Tuesday passed a bill aimed at giving tenants financial relief.
House Bill 2114 would prohibit landlords from raising an existing tenant’s rent more than 7% in a year. At the time a rental home turns over to a new tenant, the cap would not apply. The bill would also restrict late fees to 1.5% of a tenant’s total monthly rent.
The proposal has split support in the Legislature, even among majority Democrats. In the House, four Democrats joined Republicans in voting against the bill . It likely faces an even tougher road in the Senate, where similar legislation fell apart last month.
Opponents say the policy could have unintended consequences on the housing market as a whole and could hurt landlords, some of whom are also struggling to make ends meet. But supporters say the proposal is an essential part of alleviating homelessness and ensuring middle- and low-income renters aren’t driven from their homes by rent spikes.