CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to tenant protections; establishing regulations and enforcement provisions related to residential rent increases on properties that do not meet basic maintenance standards; transferring primary enforcement authority for all sections of Title 22, Subtitle 2 of the Seattle Municipal Code (Housing Code) to the Director of the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections; amending the penalty structure for certain violations of the Housing Code; amending Sections 22.202.010, 22.202.050, 22.204.090, 22.206.180, 22.206.220, 22.206.280, and 22.206.305 of the Seattle Municipal Code; and adding a new Section 22.202.080.
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WHEREAS, in September 2014 the City Council adopted Resolution 31546, in which the Mayor and Council jointly convened the Seattle Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) Advisory Committee to evaluate potential strategies to make Seattle more affordable, equitable, and inclusive; and in particular to promote the development and preservation of affordable housing for residents of the City; and
WHEREAS, in July 2015, HALA published its Final Advisory Committee Recommendations and the Mayor published Housing Seattle: A Roadmap to an Affordable and Livable City, which outlines a multi-prong approach of bold and innovative solutions to address Seattle's housing affordability crisis; and
WHEREAS, in October 2015 the Council adopted Resolution 31622, which declared the Council's intent to expeditiously consider strategies recommended by the HALA Advisory Committee; and
WHEREAS, the HALA Advisory Committee's recommendations include strategies to support and help tenant households; and
WHEREAS, according to residential market surveys conducted by Dupre + Scott, the average market rate rent for one bedroom apartment units in Seattle increased by 35 percent between 2011 and 2016; and
WHEREAS, residential property owners may increase rents i...
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