Firelands Workers United is celebrating as Washington State now joins Oregon and California as the only three states in the nation to enact a statewide limit on how much landlords can raise rent.
Governor Bob Ferguson signed the bill into law on May 7, which will prevent landlords from raising rent more than 10 percent in a year. Effective immediately, this makes a huge difference in a state where 40 percent of the population rents, and for many tenants rents have risen as much as 200 percent in a single year.
Along with allies statewide in the WA Low Income Housing Alliance, Firelands went door-to-door, gave testimony, and buttonholed lawmakers at every opportunity in a years-long effort to get the bill passed.
“Together, we’ve shown that with unity, heart, and sharp strategy, we can overcome our opposition’s deep pockets,” Firelands said in a statement. “We need to keep expanding our power to improve tenant protections—and to achieve our vision for truly healthy and affordable homes for all.”