SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL - Record No: CB 119198

• Record No: CB 119198
• Version: 2
• Council Bill No: CB 119198
• Type: Ordinance (Ord)
• Status: Passed
• Current Controlling Legislative Body: City Clerk
• On agenda: 3/19/2018
• Ordinance No: Ord 125551
• Title: AN ORDINANCE relating to fair housing; establishing a one-year prohibition on use of rental housing bidding platforms; requesting a study of rental housing bidding platforms; amending Section 7.24.020 of the Seattle Municipal Code; and adding a new Section 7.24.090 to the Seattle Municipal Code.
• Sponsors: Teresa Mosqueda
• Supporting documents: 1. Summary and Fiscal Note v2, 2. Central Staff Memo, 3. Summary and Fiscal Note v1, 4. Signed Ordinance 125551, 5. Affidavit of Publication

Date	Ver.	Action By	Action	Result
3/30/2018	2	City Clerk	attested by City Clerk
3/30/2018	2	Mayor	returned
3/30/2018	2	Mayor	Signed
3/23/2018	2	City Clerk	submitted for Mayor's signature
3/19/2018	2	City Council	passed	Pass
3/8/2018	1	Housing, Health, Energy, and Workers’ Rights Committee	pass as amended	Pass
2/20/2018	1	City Council	referred
2/16/2018	1	Council President's Office	sent for review
2/15/2018	1	City Clerk	sent for review

CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
title
AN ORDINANCE relating to fair housing; establishing a one-year prohibition on use of rental housing bidding platforms; requesting a study of rental housing bidding platforms; amending Section 7.24.020 of the Seattle Municipal Code; and adding a new Section 7.24.090 to the Seattle Municipal Code.
body
WHEREAS, online or application-based platforms that: provide landlords the ability to list rental housing units, oblige potential tenants to bid on certain lease provisions, and allow landlords their choice of tenant based on the tenant's bid and screening criteria, have recently appeared in many housing markets, including Seattle's; and
WHEREAS, over the past several years, the City Council has passed a variety of amendments to the Seattle Municipal Code regulating rentals, revising the housing code, and updating fair housing protections, resulting in a new and different regulatory landscape; and
WHEREAS, emerging technologies have caused consumers to rapidly escalate the use of application based and online services, and it is unclear whether the structure and operation of these new services comply with the City's code, including new regulations such as first-in-time; and
WHEREAS, Seattle's housing market has become very competitive over the past decade, causing scarcity issues for tenants; and
WHEREAS, it is uncertain whether and how these services impact Seattle's rental housing market, as these services may have different effects on markets depending on the scarcity of housing supply; and
WHEREAS, the benefits and drawbacks of such services to landlords and tenants have not been studied in Seattle; and
WHEREAS, the City of Seattle is committed to ensuring equitable access to rental housing, and platforms that require use of a computer and internet in order to access rental housing may hinder the ability for certain communities to meaningfully identify and obtain needed housing; an...