No tenant evictions or rent increases for landlords not registered with the city? Spokane council to take up proposal next week

Under a new proposal up for a Spokane City Council vote next week, tenants could not be evicted or have their rent increased if their landlord is not properly registered.

The would-be ordinance is part of the city’s attempt to get more landlords licensed and registered with the city. Since such requirements were approved last February, about 21,000 units have been registered out of approximately 40,000 rental units in the city, according to mayoral policy advisor Adam McDaniel.

Under current law, landlords out of compliance can be fined, but the city wants a greater incentive for those who do not follow city code.

“We think this will obviously improve compliance over time and also protect those tenants in those properties,” McDaniel said of the proposal at the city council’s urban experience committee last month.

If passed, the updated ordinance would permit tenants to use their landlord’s lack of registration as a defense in eviction proceedings. Once invoked in court, that tenant’s eviction would be postponed until the landlord got a business license and registered the rental with the city. Tenants could also challenge rent increases from landlords who remain out of compliance.

Councilmember and bill sponsor Paul Dillon said the proposal was “a lot of stick” and “not a lot of carrot.”

“When they’re not registered, we’re forgoing thousands of dollars in revenue that would go right back into code enforcement – improving housing quality and improving health and safety for residents in the City of Spokane,” Dillion said at the Sept. 9 committee meeting.

Though both had supported the rental registry last winter, council conservatives Michael Cathcart and Jonathan Bingle voiced opposition to the proposal at the meeting.

Cathcart called it “backdoor rent control,” while Bingle said such a step would be “pretty draconian” for landlords.

“We seem to be going from a little pat on the bottom to socking someone in the face,” Bingle said. “I think there are gradations of steps that we can take before we get to the final boss of saying you can’t evict anybody.”

Dillon countered that the new ordinance would only target landlords who are already not complying with the law.

“They’re breaking the law right now. This is just a penalty for folks who are not following the law. It’s not really a change if you are following it,” he said.

The measure is set to come up for a vote at Monday evening’s council meeting.