2023 legislative wins
Back to News Center In 2023, REALTORS® won an important victory when the legislature exempted short-term seller rent-back agreements from the coverage of the Washington Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA). However, a trial court eviscerated the exemption in Federal Way where voters approved eviction protections for tenants that are broader than…
Read More Back to News Center Seattle King County REALTORS® is working throughout the region to encourage cities to adopt flexible and bold comprehensive plan policies to not just accommodate, but encourage ADUs and middle housing in their cities, in compliance with HB 1110 and HB 1337. We are encouraging policy makers…
Read More
Back to News Center Contributed by Marissa Beach, SKCR Director at Large In the spring of 2023, thanks to the advocacy and leadership of Washington REALTORS®, the Housing Development Consortium, the Black Home Initiative, Rep. Jamila Taylor, Sen. John Lovick, and Rep. Frank Chopp, and countless others, the Washington State…
Read More
Back to News Center On July 1, Washington state launched a new program and funding source called the Covenant Homeownership Program. Created by the state legislature in 2023 through the Covenant Homeownership Act (HB 1474), the landmark legislation helps low-income homebuyers statewide whose families have been harmed by racial discrimination…
Read More
Back to News Center Out of six Seattle City Council candidates endorsed by Seattle King County REALTORS®, four were elected by Seattle residents, flipping the Council to a more moderate position. For the past several years, the Seattle City Council has presided over a severe erosion of quality of life…
Read More Back to News Center For nearly four decades, the SKCR-supported Housing Levy has been an important funding mechanism for the creation of subsidized housing in Seattle. The levy has funded the construction and preservation of more than 12,000 homes and assisted organizations, like Habitat for Humanity, promote homeownership. The 2023 Housing…
Read More
Back to News Center After 2023’s momentous Legislative Session now known as “The Year of Housing,” REALTORS® seek to continue the momentum built and support bills that encourage housing density, diversity, and development. Hill Day is an important event that gives members an opportunity to see the Government Affairs team…
Read More
Back to News Center June is Homeownership Month, when REALTORS® promote the many benefits of homeownership, including its power to generate wealth through home equity for millions of American families. But in Washington State, homeownership is out of reach for many in middle-income brackets, especially in metro areas, because of…
Read More
Back to News Center This year, Washington REALTORS® prioritized legislation that would increase housing supply and address the growing affordability problems in our region. HB 1337 was championed by the REALTORS® and passed in the Washington Legislature in the 2023 session. This bill makes it easier to build ADUs (accessory…
Read More Back to News Center This post is the second of a series of reports on the important legislative wins for REALTORS® from the 2023 Washington State congressional session. Washington REALTORS® scored a huge legislative win on May 8 when Governor Inslee signed HB 1474, a bill that establishes a Covenant…
Read More