Seattle City Council Passes Bills to Curb Rent Hikes

SEATTLE, Wash.--Landlords in Seattle will soon be required to give renters six months' notice before raising rent and provide assistance to low-income tenants who move in response to a large rent increase. Seattle City Council passed a pair of bills Monday that sponsor Kshama Sawant says will "mitigate the harm that is going to be experienced by renters because of skyrocketing rents."

The first bill requires landlords to provide 180 days notice to renters before raising rent, up from the current requirement of 60 days. The second bill requires landlords to pay three months of rent to low-income tenants who move out following a rent increase of ten-percent or more. That requirement applies for renters who make 80-percent of the area's median income or less.

The first bill will take effect one month after Mayor Jenny Durkan signs it into law, and the second bill will take effect next July.