This May we’re taking our workshops statewide! Join us and gain invaluable insights, stay current on industry trends, and connect with fellow housing providers.
South Puget Sound | May 8
Federal Way, Performing Arts & Event Center
North Puget Sound | May 15
Lynnwood, Embassy Suites by Hilton
Eastern Washington | May 22
Spokane Valley, CenterPlace Regional Event Center
Daniel Bannon | Engagement Coordinator | dbannon@RHAwa.org | (206) 905-0609
LINK meetings consistently serve as one of the most engaging and beneficial monthly opportunities RHAWA provides. Sitting down with your fellow members and RHAWA staff to discuss the issues that are currently facing your area provides incredible insight
Seattle Office (206) 283-0816
Twitter: Follow us at @RHAofWA
YouTube: Watch us at youtube.com/@RHAofWA
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President Sean Flynn Vice President
Crites
Administrative Director
Chloe Moser: cmoser@RHAwa.org
Board Administrator
Jim Nell: jnell@RHAwa.org
Creative Director
Sisi Mereness: (206) 905-0605
Deputy Director
Melissa Canfield: (206) 905-0615
Engagement Coordinator
Daniel Bannon: (206) 905-0609
Engagement Coordinator
Daniel Klemme: (206) 905-0611
Marketing & Sales Associate
Luke Brown: (206) 905-0610
Program Director
Denise Myers: (206) 905-0614
Public Affairs Manager
Corey Hjalseth: (206) 905-0603
Support Services Administrator
Val Kushi: (206) 283-0816
Support Services Specialist (Resource Desk)
Sue Lewis: RHAwa.org/supportcenter
Support Services Specialist (Eastern WA Desk)
Steve Wareham: (509) 535-1018
into the priorities of the association as well as helping you make new connections with your peers. LINK meetings are one of the only opportunities RHAWA provides outside of our larger events where you have the opportunity to meet RHAWA staff in person
Make Sure to Attend a Link Meeting This Year! 3
+ Events: April Calendar 4 Government Affairs: Where Things Stand After the Front Nine of Legislative Session 5
Vendor Opportunities: Maximizing Your RHAWA Vendor Membership: The Key to Conversions 6 Center of Gravity - How Regulation is Warping Washington’s Housing Market 8
Unlocking the Potential of Your Property: How to Subdivide, Build, and Convert Accessory Dwellings into Condominiums in Washington State 13 The Bellevue Squatting Case Reveals a Broken Eviction System in King County 14
Support Center: Notices: Dot Every “I” + Cross Every “T” 16
Vendor Opportunities: Last Chance to Sponsor Our May Housing Provider Workshops! 17
+ Events: Housing Provider Workshops Statewide Tour 18
Listings 21
in Motion 25
Government Affairs: King County Judge Dismisses GRE Downtowner’s Lawsuit Against the City of Seattle 26
Government Affairs: RHAC Legislative Day on the Hill: Reaching New Highs! 27 Forms Update Alert 28
Washington Supreme Court Sides with RHAWA: Major Victory for Housing Providers in Housing Authority v. Knight 29
Need Heating or Cooling Equipment? Learn How to Be a Smart Shopper 33
Submit Educational articles featured in Current must be around 650 words, include a byline of the author, and a final paragraph with contact information. Deadline is 15 days before the print date (print date is approximately the 13th of the month proceeding the publication.) Submit to publications@RHAwa.org.
Advertise
For advertising information (rates, production specifications, and deadlines), contact Luke Brown: lbrown@ RHAwa.org.
and learn more about the association. I hope you make it a priority to take advantage of this opportunity in 2025.
If you haven’t attended a LINK meeting yet, you are certainly missing out on one of RHAWA’s most valuable regular opportunities. LINK meetings have traditionally occurred around the Puget Sound area. This year our lineup has expanded; we host one in Snohomish, Spokane and Pierce County as well as three in King County. These meetings occur on different days throughout the month to allow members to attend multiple meetings in one month if they desire. Each meeting has a different member volunteer who facilitates the meeting who can provide valuable insight into the benefits of RHAWA and how to make the most of your membership. Additionally, RHAWA provides unique content for each meeting that covers a variety of topics. From January to April, the LINK meeting content provided members with insight into the Rental Housing Association Coalition’s (RHAC) efforts fighting back against harmful policies presented by the state legislature. In some instances, LINK meeting attendees learned about updates to certain bills even earlier than we could send a call to action.
Moving on to some updates regarding LINK meetings in 2025. We have added two new link meetings in the last few months. One of our most highly demanded locations, North King County / Seattle, is now active and has already fostered a consistent and engaged group of regular attendees. On the other side of the state, the Spokane Valley LINK meeting has introduced our eastside members to the concept of a LINK meeting. The Spokane meeting is a little different from the meetings on the west side, taking place as a lunch meeting – 12pm-1:30pm — instead of dinner time. There are currently no updates to our other preexisting LINK meetings, but I encourage you to stay up to date on RHAWA Connections emails in order to receive updates about these meetings as quickly as possible when they arise or visit RHAwa.org/ events/link-meetings to view details as well. You can also find information about all of these meetings in our upcoming events section of CURRENT or on the LINK meeting featured on page 32.
RHAWA Current is published every month by the Rental Housing Association of Washington. Copyright ©2025 RHAWA Current with all rights reserved. Reproduction or use without permission of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. All copyrights, trademarks, and servicemarks are property of their respective owners. P.O. Box 31103 Seattle, Washington, 98103.
LINK meetings provide one of RHAWA’s most consistent opportunities for networking. Members from all walks of life attend LINK meetings and additionally these members will often be members owning or managing property in the same areas as you. This means that the members you are meeting are likely to be experiencing the same challenges that you are facing under your local rental regulations. LINK meetings connect you with many housing providers with diverse experiences who can help you expand your knowledge and provide insight on some of your most pressing questions. Building relationships with other housing providers allows you to run your rental property more effectively and can even introduce you to some new friends.
Next on the agenda for LINK meeting expansion is the addition of another Spokane area meeting as well as bringing this opportunity up north and down south to Bellingham and Vancouver respectively. Planning for the Bellingham LINK meeting is already well under way, and we look forward to the official launch later this year.
We are still open to considering volunteers who would like to expand their influence within RHAWA membership and help their fellow members as well as RHAWA staff. We are looking to continue to expand LINK meetings across the state and you can be the difference in making this happen in your area! Becoming a LINK meeting facilitator is one of RHAWA’s most valuable opportunities and it is also an opportunity which is rarely available. If you are interested in volunteering for this
Continued on page 34
Denise Myers | Program Director | dmyers@RHAwa.org | (206) 905-0614
All class sessions are presented online only unless otherwise specified.
For all ONLINE classes, 30-day access to a recording of the session is included. Subscribe to the Class Pass for 12-months' access to live weekly ONLINE classes for $250 AND/OR subscribe to our complete ONDEMAND Library for $25/month or $120/year at RHAwa.org/products/education
When: Thursday, April 3 | 12-1pm
Cost: $30 Members | $90 Guests
This session is part of a 12-part series designed for property managers and is also suitable for owners and other Washington housing providers. In this session, you will learn best practices for managing rental operations income. We will explore:
• Securing and processing lease renewals.
• Giving notice to increase rent in compliance with local laws.
• Charging and collecting fees appropriately.
Instructor: Christopher Cutting, Landlord-Tenant Attorney
Casual member meetings with topical discussions. No fee, simply order and pay for food at restaurant venues. The April discussion will wrap up the Legislative Session and touch on Fair Housing & ESAs.
• Claim Jumper, Tukwila | Tuesday, April 8, | 6:30-8pm
• St. Andrews Pub, Seattle | Thursday, April 10, | 6-8pm
• Dave & Buster’s, Bellevue | Tuesday, April 15, | 6-8pm
• Ben Dews, Tacoma | Thursday, April 17, | 6-7:30pm
• Bob’s Burgers, Everett | Thursday, April 17, | 6:30-8pm
• Darcy’s, Spokane Valley | Monday, April 21, | 12-1:30pm
*Meeting time and subject may change. Please check the calendar at RHAwa.org/events.
When: Wednesday, April 9 | 12-1pm
Cost: FREE | Registration Required
Please join our team for an overview of member benefits and services offered by RHAWA. Participants will receive a tour of the RHAWA website and tools and are encouraged to ask questions relating to member benefits throughout the meeting. This meeting is designed for new Members and those considering membership with RHAWA. Specific property management and legal questions cannot be addressed during this meeting. Seats are limited to 25 participants and registration is required
When: Wednesday, April 9 | 2-5pm (CRE 3 clock-hours)
Cost: $30 Members | $90 Guests
Navigating the complexities of condominium development, sales, and management is challenging to say the least. Before you decide to initiate a condo-izing project on your property, get a clear idea of what’s involved. Instructor Katy Sweeden is recognized as one of the most seasoned Land Use and Development attorneys in the greater Puget Sound area for single-family and accessory dwelling unit condominiums. Since the enactment of the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act in 2018, she has successfully completed approximately 1,000 condominium projects, making her a go-to consultant for complex condominium issues. In this class, she will review all relevant laws and share best practices and examples from her vast experience.
When: Thursday, April 10, | 12-1pm
Cost: $30 Members | $90 Guests
In this session, you will learn best practices for establishing effective working relationships with organizations that support tenants. We will explore:
• Your responsibilities when working with prospective tenants on rental assistance.
• Connecting tenants in crisis situations to appropriate support organizations.
• Partnering with organizations that place individuals in housing.
Instructor: Kathryn Shabalov, PM Professional
PM
When: Thursday, April 17 | 12-1pm
Cost: $30 Members | $90 Guests
This is part of a 12-part series designed for property managers and is also suitable for owners and other Washington housing providers. In this session, you will learn best practices for evaluating any damage at move-out and determining responsibility for repairs. We will explore:
• Understanding and applying the legal principle of the term "ordinary use" and how to determine when damage is caused by usage that is beyond ordinary.
• The procedures that must be followed for sending an accounting of deposit usage and any refund.
• Special circumstances for protected groups, multifamily vs single-family properties, and unrelated roommates.
Instructor: Chris Benis, Landlord-Tenant Attorney
When: Thursday, April 24 | 12-1pm
Cost: $30 Members | $90 Guests
This is part of a 12-part series designed for property managers and is also suitable for owners and other Washington housing providers. In this session, you will learn best practices for enforcing compliance with rental terms and managing other circumstances that require ending a tenancy. We will explore:
• Notices and eviction procedures for rules violations.
• Notices and procedures for non-payment, including the Eviction Resolution Pilot Program.
• Other good causes to end tenancy and related procedures.
• Best practices when preparing for court, what to expect in court.
Instructor: Christopher Cutting, Landlord-Tenant Attorney
INFRASTRUCTURE DISASTERS:
When: Wednesday, April 30 | 12-1pm
Cost: $30 Members | $90 Guests
Unfortunately, in our highly complex fast-paced world, there are many natural and human-made threats that could inflict long-term damage to your business. In this class, we will explore the practical actions you can take to limit damage to your rental assets and keep your business solvent. Instructor, Brad Krueger, MBA, is currently a 5-star housing provider and property manager at The Joseph Group and has over 25 years of risk, IT, and business management experience.
We have seen movement on several bills in the last few weeks in Olympia and our annual Legislative Day on the Hill event had a fantastic turnout, thank you to everyone who was able to make it to Olympia to speak with lawmakers. Attendees shared how rent control is not the answer and offered some possible alternatives. Be sure to check out the recap article from RHAWA’s Engagement Coordinator, Daniel Bannon on page 26.
We have already passed several deadlines for this year meaning that any bill that has not already moved out of its original chamber is now a dead bill for the year. We have played the front nine holes of this year’s proverbial legislative golf course. Our efforts and
success this year would not have been possible without the support from our members, the public, and industry professionals. This year we were able to stop all of these bills:
WE WERE ABLE TO STOP ALL OF THESE BILLS:
• HB 1915-Extremely onerous additional tenant protections including perpetual lease terms.
• HB 1621-Would appoint eviction commissioners with no experience and no oversight from any elected body and could slow an already slow eviction process.
• HB 1907-Establishing B&O Taxes on Self-storage facilities which would allow for B&O on residential units in the future.
• HB 1334-Would raise the property tax ceiling cap for counties from 1% to 3%. I do want to note this bill’s PRO/CON list was CON by about a 10 to 1 majority. It’s clear in a year around budget issues and inflation, no one was asking for an extra increase in property taxes.
• SB 5222-Rent Control on the Senate side of things. This was moved out of the Senate Housing Committee but did not receive a hearing in the Senate Ways and Means Committee and as such is now dead and is not eligible for a Senate floor vote.
Continued on page 32
Joining RHAWA as a vendor member is a strategic move to grow your business within the rental housing industry. RHAWA gives you access to 5,750 housing providers with over 103,600 rental units, providing a vast network of potential clients. However, simply holding a membership isn’t enough—you need to actively participate to see real results. The vendors who consistently engage with RHAWA members see the most conversions and long-term success. The following are some great options for vendors to get involved and make the most of their RHAWA membership.
The vendor directory—both online and in the CURRENT Newspaper—is where members go first when they need services. Keeping your profile updated with detailed information, multiple service categories, and high-quality visuals is essential, but the best way to stand out is by offering member-to-member discounts. This is the number one thing RHAWA members look for when browsing the directory. Member discounts not only draw attention but also increase the likelihood of members choosing your business over a competitor’s.
4. Contribute to RHAWA’s Media Platforms
Speaking of sharing your knowledge, it is wise to take advantage of RHAWA’s broad reach by contributing to the CURRENT Newspaper or appearing on the "Housing Matters" podcast. Writing informative articles or discussing industry trends not only showcases your expertise but keeps your name top-of-mind. The more members see you engaging, the more likely they are to trust and contact you. You can reach out to chjalseth@RHAwa.org if you are interested in joining us for a podcast.
At this time, vendor members can attend our LINK meetings for free. These small monthly gatherings of about 20 individuals provide an excellent opportunity to meet RHAWA members in a more intimate setting. Attending these meetings regularly helps you build relationships and establish trust within the community.
One of the most valuable aspects of your RHAWA membership is the direct referrals provided by the association. Members frequently turn to RHAWA when they need a trusted vendor, and RHAWA actively connects them with businesses like yours. To take full advantage of this, make sure RHAWA is well-informed about your services and that you respond promptly when a referral comes your way. Vendors who consistently follow up on referrals are the ones who convert them into long-term clients.
Participate in Educational Programs
One of the best ways to build credibility and trust is by sharing your expertise. RHAWA offers opportunities for vendors to participate in educational programs, positioning you as an industry leader. Vendors who consistently contribute by speaking at events, submitting articles to CURRENT and collaborating with the Rental Housing Academy see higher engagement and more conversions from interested members.
Sponsoring an RHAWA event is an excellent way to gain exposure and make direct connections with members. Vendors who consistently participate in events as sponsors or exhibitors will experience a significant return on investment. Visibility and direct engagement with attendees make a lasting impression and lead to strong business relationships.
The most successful RHAWA vendor members are the ones who actively and consistently engage with the association’s offerings. Whether it’s following up on referrals, regularly updating your directory listing, contributing to publications, or participating in events, your level of involvement directly correlates with the number of conversions you’ll see. If you have any questions, comments, or changes to your directory listing, please contact Luke Brown at (206) 905-0610 or lbrown@RHAwa.org.
Imagine Washington’s rental housing market as a solar system—each participant, from rental housing providers and tenants to investors and policymakers, moves in a delicate orbit. At the heart of this system lie fundamental economic forces: Rental Yield & Cash Flow, Housing Supply & Demand, Financing Conditions, Market Stability, Cap Rates & Value, and Vacancy & Expenses.
When these fundamental forces align, the market thrives. Investors confidently fund housing projects, developers build ample rental supply, housing providers offer stable, affordable homes, and renters benefit from abundant housing options. Much like gravity keeps planets in a steady orbit, these economic fundamentals maintain predictable market movements, fostering financial stability and affordability across the rental housing ecosystem.
Historically, Washington’s rental housing market demonstrated a healthy balance among these core elements, providing predictable returns and sustained growth for investors and a variety of housing options for tenants:
When conditions were favorable, rental housing investments performed robustly across various property types
2014 Rental Housing Market Fundamentals: Cash Flow, Returns, and Stability
• Single-family homes provided consistent appreciation and valuable tax breaks despite negative cash flow if leveraged.
• Duplexes offered stable returns, driven by fair rents and balanced competition.
• Multi-family properties (12-unit buildings) delivered strong profitability
with impressive cash-on-cash returns of up to 16.5%, reflecting economies of scale and predictable zoning environments.
Carl von Clausewitz, the legendary Prussian military strategist, described the Center of Gravity (CoG) as "the hub of all power and movement," a concept essential to understanding strategic success. In Washington’s rental housing market, the CoG lies precisely in these economic fundamentals. Properly nurturing this core ensures stability and affordability. Conversely, neglecting or disrupting these foundational elements through excessive regulation, such as rent control or restrictive zoning, can have devastating outcomes—akin to a gravitational disruption that causes a solar system to spiral into chaos.
Recent trends indicate that Washington policymakers have shifted focus away from these fundamentals, mistakenly targeting symptoms rather than root causes. The resulting destabilization has caused a troubling trajectory for housing affordability, investment viability, and market stability. These interventions threaten to pull Washington’s rental housing market off its balanced orbit, risking economic and social harm.
As you will see in the following sections, Washington must quickly restore the gravitational balance—its true Center of Gravity—by reinforcing economic fundamentals and reversing the trajectory of overregulation before it becomes irreversible.
If Washington’s rental housing market is akin to a solar system operating in delicate balance, recent regulatory interventions have introduced a disruptive gravitational force—one strong enough to threaten the stability of the entire system. Policies such as rent caps, restrictive zoning laws, and increasingly complex compliance mandates have significantly warped the core economic fundamentals essential to sustained housing investment, affordability, and supply.
Financial Impacts of Regulatory Distortion
Today's financial realities vividly illustrate how deeply regulatory interventions have eroded profitability and destabilized Washington’s rental market:
• Single-Family Homes:
With median values reaching $605,400 and average annual rents around $24,000, rental providers now confront annual negative cash flows exceeding $28,000. Leveraged returns have plummeted to -23.5% at current interest rates of 7.04%, turning investment in single-family homes from stable to financially unsustainable.
• Duplexes (Multi-Family Units): Even duplexes, traditionally reliable sources of moderate returns, now
experience annual losses of more than $16,000 and leveraged returns of -10.3%, discouraging providers from maintaining or expanding these smaller-scale rental options.
• Larger Multi-Family Buildings:
Despite economies of scale, a typical 12-unit property valued at $2.5 million, generating $216,000 annually, still faces significant shortfalls, with leveraged returns around -12%, translating to nearly $60,000 in annual losses.
These figures aren't abstract, they vividly illustrate a market under severe stress, a direct consequence of policies that have severely distorted economic fundamentals. Restrictive regulations, costly compliance measures, and unfavorable financing conditions have undermined rental housing providers’ financial stability, discouraging both ongoing investment and new construction.
These financial impacts are not theoretical—they significantly affect real lives, communities, and housing quality:
• For Tenants:
o Reduced Safety: Regulations intended to protect tenants, such as restrictive eviction laws, inadvertently shield problematic residents, decreasing community safety and creating dangerous environments for families.
o Rising Rents: Constrained housing supply increases competition, pushing rents upward and intensifying financial pressure on renters, particularly low-income households.
o Limited Options: With vacancy rates now below 4%, new housing options diminish, resulting in longer waitlists, deteriorating unit quality, and reduced tenant mobility.
• For Housing Providers:
o Mounting Financial Pressures: High mortgage rates, escalating operational costs, and regulatory complexity create overwhelming financial burdens, eroding profitability and threatening the viability of rental businesses.
o Investment Retreat and Aging Stock: Restrictive zoning and permitting delays slow new construction, forcing providers to maintain aging units at increasingly prohibitive costs.
o Regulatory Uncertainty: Constantly shifting regulations create unpredictable market conditions, deterring essential long-term investments and harming strategic planning.
Supply Crisis Driven by Regulatory Misdiagnosis
Washington welcomed more than 83,000 new residents in 2022 alone, underscoring the urgent need for new housing. Yet rather than facilitating construction, policymakers have mistakenly introduced measures, such as rent control, restrictive zoning, and compliance-heavy mandates—that severely limit supply growth.
These interventions fundamentally misunderstand the crisis. Rising rents and homelessness are symptoms—not root causes—of the housing shortage. Policymakers' fixation on symptoms, rather than addressing the true Center of Gravity (housing supply and private investment), only intensifies the problem, further destabilizing the housing ecosystem.
As Clausewitz warned, misidentifying the true CoG inevitably leads to strategic failure. Washington’s current trajectory threatens the rental housing market’s very foundations, risking prolonged instability and unaffordability unless corrective actions are urgently taken.
Carl von Clausewitz, the influential Prussian military strategist, defined the Center of Gravity (CoG) as the decisive element—the "hub of all power and movement"—that determines success or failure in any conflict or system. Accurately identifying and protecting the CoG ensures victory, while misidentifying it guarantees defeat.
In warfare, the CoG might be an adversary’s leadership, communication networks, or supply chains. In economics and housing, it represents the critical interplay of housing supply, demand, and private investment conditions. When this core is nurtured, housing markets thrive: providers invest, new units are built, and affordability naturally stabilizes. When neglected or misunderstood, markets spiral rapidly into dysfunction.
The Danger of Misidentifying the CoG
Clausewitz explicitly warned about the catastrophic consequences of incorrectly identifying the CoG: wasted resources, strategic confusion, and inevitable failure. Washington’s current housing policies exemplify precisely this error. Policymakers have mistakenly targeted symptoms—such as rising rents and homelessness— instead of addressing the true root cause: a severe shortage of housing supply and the constraints on private investment.
By embracing measures like rent control, restrictive zoning, and complex tenant regulations, policymakers have artificially constrained housing market forces. Instead of improving affordability, these policies deter investment, reduce construction, and exacerbate supply shortages, achieving exactly the opposite of their stated goals.
The Black Hole of Regulation: A Misidentified CoG in Action
Just as a black hole distorts and ultimately consumes everything nearby, Washington’s misidentified CoG—excessive regulation—threatens to destabilize and destroy the housing market’s natural equilibrium. The resulting negative outcomes are clear and rapidly intensifying:
• Reduced Construction: Restrictive zoning and prolonged permit processes drastically limit new housing, weakening the market’s natural responsiveness.
• Investment Retreat: Regulatory unpredictability undermines market confidence, causing investors to withdraw their resources and pursue more stable environments elsewhere.
• Economic Instability: Reduced investment and constrained supply cause dramatic rent escalation, shrinking vacancies, and accelerating market dysfunction that harms tenants, housing providers, and communities alike.
By allowing regulation to replace essential economic fundamentals like housing supply, investment, and market stability as the new gravitational core, policymakers risk deepening the housing crisis rather than resolving it.
Correcting the Course: Restoring the True CoG Clausewitz’s fundamental lesson remains clear: victory requires accurate identification and decisive protection of the true CoG. For Washington, this means urgently shifting housing policy away from regulation-focused interventions back to nurturing housing supply growth and fostering private investment. This shift is essential to reestablish market equilibrium, achieve genuine affordability, and ensure sustainable, long-term economic stability.
Continuing down the path of excessive regulation ensures only deeper instability and worsening affordability. Policymakers must realign housing strategy around the true CoG—housing supply, investment conditions, and market-driven stability—before the state crosses the threshold into irreversible decline.
Historically, Washington’s rental market thrived on a stable interplay of housing supply, demand, and private investment—its true Center of Gravity (CoG). Yet recent legislative initiatives and regulatory proposals threaten to dangerously reposition this CoG away from economic fundamentals, placing excessive regulation at the center instead.
Rather than directly addressing the root problem—a critical shortage of housing— policymakers have concentrated on symptoms like rising rents and homelessness. In doing so, they mistakenly target housing providers as adversaries rather than
allies, overlooking the actual barriers to housing affordability: rapidly increasing costs for financing, insurance, maintenance, taxes, and compliance requirements.
Several new regulatory proposals illustrate clearly how shifting the CoG toward government intervention rather than market fundamentals risks severe negative outcomes:
• Rent Control Measures:
While well-intentioned, rent control creates profound uncertainty, severely discouraging developers from building new housing. Experience elsewhere vividly demonstrates how rent caps drastically reduce supply growth rather than improving affordability.
• Expanded Tenant Protections:
Increased tenant regulations introduce significant operational complexity, financial risk, and unpredictability. These policies fail to increase housing supply and instead elevate compliance costs, discouraging future investment and leading to deteriorating housing conditions.
• Government Subsidies and Mandates:
Temporary subsidies and mandates may offer short-term relief but cannot resolve long-term structural supply shortages. Instead, they foster dependency cycles, increase long-term financial burdens, and fail to address the fundamental problem—a shortage of new housing units.
The impacts of positioning regulation as the housing market’s Center of Gravity (CoG) are severe and demonstrable:
• Investment Pullback:
Developers and rental providers face increasingly unpredictable regulatory landscapes, deterring vital investment and deepening the existing housing supply shortage.
• Supply Shortfall:
Already burdened by restrictive zoning and permitting delays, further regulatory hurdles will significantly slow or halt essential new construction, magnifying Washington’s housing shortfall.
• Accelerating Affordability Crisis:
With fewer units constructed, rental competition intensifies, pushing rents sharply upward. Tenants, particularly lower-income households, suffer most under these conditions, facing dwindling choices and deteriorating housing conditions.
Washington doesn’t need speculation to understand these consequences—the evidence is abundant from neighboring cities that have pursued a similar regulatory path. Portland, Oregon, provides a sobering example of the dangers inherent in overregulation:
Since implementing restrictive housing policies, Portland has faced a dramatic reduction in housing investment, surging homelessness, escalating crime rates, and significant economic decline.
• Housing supply shrank significantly due to restrictive zoning and rent control.
• Investment collapsed, leading to widespread job losses—approximately 14,600 construction jobs disappeared between 2019 and 2023.
• Homelessness surged, as the city misdirected resources into temporary solutions rather than addressing underlying supply shortages.
• Public safety and livability deteriorated dramatically, driving residents and businesses away, shrinking the tax base, and straining public services.
In astrophysics, a supermassive black hole represents an overwhelmingly destructive force, pulling everything within its reach toward an irreversible collapse. Similarly, excessive regulation in housing policy acts like such a black hole, exerting a destructive gravitational pull that can devastate housing markets, local economies, and communities.
Washington currently teeters precariously close to its own economic black hole. Instead of prioritizing strategies that encourage housing growth and investment, policymakers are increasingly adopting short-term regulatory solutions—rent control, overly restrictive tenant protections, and heavy-handed mandates—that threaten to destabilize the entire system. Far from solving underlying issues, these policies are creating distortions that drive away the investments essential to sustaining affordable housing.
Portland: A Cautionary Tale of Regulatory Collapse
Washington doesn’t have to look far for vivid proof of these dangers. Portland, Oregon, offers an alarming preview of what awaits when regulatory strategies eclipse the foundational market dynamics:
• Escalating Homelessness and Public Safety Crisis:
Despite spending over $1 billion on homelessness interventions since 2019, Portland’s situation has deteriorated rapidly. The city prioritized short-term shelter solutions and restrictive policies over enabling a market-driven increase in housing supply, inadvertently deepening structural housing shortages.
o Record Homeless Deaths: At least 315 homeless individuals died in Portland in 2022 alone.
o Drug Epidemic: Over half of these fatalities involved overdoses (85% methamphetamine, 74% fentanyl), highlighting systemic failure rather than improvement (EMS1, 2024).
Oregon’s Failed Rent Control Experiment
In 2019, Oregon implemented statewide rent control (Senate Bill 608), capping annual rent increases and restricting evictions in an attempt to manage housing affordability. Rather than stabilizing rents, this policy had disastrous unintended outcomes:
• Reduced Supply: New rental construction plummeted, as investors and developers withdrew capital due to diminished returns and regulatory unpredictability.
• Accelerating Rents: With fewer new units, uncontrolled units saw sharp rent increases as competition intensified.
• Increasing Homelessness: Despite significant spending on temporary shelters, Oregon’s homeless population grew dramatically, directly tied to constrained housing availability.
The Urban Doom Loop: Economic and Social Decline Portland is now locked into what urban planners term an "Urban Doom Loop"—a destructive cycle triggered by housing unaffordability, resulting in broad economic and social deterioration:
1. Housing Unaffordability forces residents to leave.
2. Population Decline weakens the consumer base for local businesses.
3. Business Relocation shrinks the tax base, causing revenues to fall.
4. Declining Tax Revenues result in severe cuts to essential public services.
5. Reduced Public Services degrade infrastructure, schools, and public safety.
6. Increased Crime and Deterioration further drive residents away, intensifying the cycle.
Once initiated, this "Urban Doom Loop" becomes extremely difficult to reverse, rapidly deteriorating economic health and community vitality.
Portland’s situation isn't a distant hypothetical—it's an immediate cautionary tale. If Washington policymakers continue their current regulatory path, they risk replicating Portland’s outcomes:
• Deteriorating Affordability: Housing becomes increasingly unaffordable due to suppressed construction.
• Collapsing Investment: Unpredictable regulations deter investment, further suppressing new housing.
• Escalating Homelessness and Crime: Without stable housing options, homelessness and related social issues worsen dramatically.
• Economic Damage: Reduced investment and declining tax revenues undermine public services, harming economic resilience for all residents.
Yet Washington still has an opportunity to avoid Portland’s fate. Unlike Portland, Washington hasn't crossed into irreparable decline—there’s still time to realign strategies with economic fundamentals. Policymakers must immediately shift their focus back to fostering housing supply growth, incentivizing stable investment conditions, and trusting market mechanisms over heavy-handed regulation.
Refocusing on these core economic principles—Washington’s true Center of Gravity—is not merely smart policy; it is essential to avoid the destructive gravitational pull of excessive regulation, which Clausewitz warned inevitably leads to strategic collapse.
Washington's future prosperity depends on policymakers recognizing and nurturing the true CoG—housing supply and private investment. Anything else risks
repeating Portland’s devastating cycle of economic deterioration and housing unaffordability.
The window of opportunity to pull back from the brink is closing. Washington must urgently restore market fundamentals to prevent irreversible decline.
Washington stands at a critical crossroads—it hasn't yet crossed into the irreversible collapse of its rental housing market, but the warning signs are clear. Drawing on Clausewitz’s strategic insight into the Center of Gravity (CoG), it's evident that continuing to misidentify the true CoG will lead directly to strategic failure, economic stagnation, and worsening affordability.
Clausewitz explicitly warned:
“If we mistake the Center of Gravity for something it is not, all will be lost.” Washington’s policymakers have mistakenly focused their housing strategy on symptoms—such as rising rents and homelessness—rather than addressing the root causes: insufficient housing supply and constrained private investment. Continuing down this path, relying on short-term solutions like rent control, restrictive tenant regulations, and temporary subsidies, only amplifies the crisis.
Pulling Out of the Event Horizon: The Path to a Thriving Housing Market
Correcting the Trajectory
To prevent sliding into a Portland-like collapse, Washington must:
• Increase Housing Supply: Streamline zoning, accelerate permitting, and remove regulatory barriers.
• Stabilize Investment Conditions: Create predictable, consistent policies to attract sustained housing investment.
• Enhance Market Competition: Encourage a dynamic market driven by innovation and customer-focused housing options, rather than rigid governmental constraints.
A Final Warning and a Path Forward
Historical evidence is unequivocal: rent control and excessive regulation consistently lead to declining investment, collapsed housing construction, and persistent affordability crises. Washington is rapidly approaching a point where recovery becomes impossible. But there’s still time.
The choice Washington faces today is clear:
• Continue on a path already proven to fail. A path that prioritizes short-term regulations and punitive measures against housing providers, worsening housing shortages and economic decline, or;
• Realign strategically around the true Center of Gravity—housing supply, private investment, and market-driven solutions that naturally produce affordability, stability, and growth.
Washington policymakers have an opportunity to act decisively, learn from proven outcomes, and pull back from the brink. Correctly identifying and protecting the housing market’s true CoG—housing supply and private investment—is essential for a prosperous, affordable future.
The clock is ticking—but the opportunity to secure a thriving housing market and economic stability remains.
This article is based on data from state housing reports, economic research, and real estate market analyses on rent control and housing policy.
Housing Market & Economic Data
• Washington Office of Financial Management (OFM), 2023 – Historical home prices, rental rates, and housing trends.
• Redfin, 2025 – Home prices, mortgage rates, and rental market trends.
• Washington Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC), 2024 – Vacancy rates and rental market conditions.
• King County Affordable Housing Dashboard, 2024 – Housing supply needs and construction rates.
Economic & Policy Research
• ECONorthwest, 2019 – Rent control’s economic effects in Washington, including 45% decline in housing starts, $114M annual tax loss, and 10,125 jobs lost.
• Stanford University (Diamond, McQuade & Qian, 2019) – San Francisco study showing 15% rental supply loss under rent control.
• Brookings, 2020 – Research on rent regulation, investment, and housing affordability.
• National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC), 2023 – Rent control impacts on construction and investment.
• Urban Institute, 2023 – Zoning reforms and their effect on housing development.
Case Studies: Portland, St. Paul, & San Francisco
• Portland Metro Chamber, 2025 – 14,600 construction jobs lost since 2019 due to housing policy.
• St. Paul Planning & Economic Development, 2022 – 80% drop in multifamily permits after rent caps.
• Minnesota Multi-Housing Association, 2023 – $4.5M annual property tax loss due to rent control.
Legislative & Migration Data
• Washington State Legislature, 2025 – HB 1217 & SB 5222 rent control proposals.
• U.S. Census Bureau, 2023 – WA gained 83,619 residents, while OR (-6,896) and CA (-268,052) saw declines.
The condo conversion process in Washington is becoming an increasingly popular strategy for property owners and real estate developers seeking to maximize their investments. With housing demand on the rise, converting properties into condominiums through Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) and Detached Accessory Dwelling Units (DADUs) offers significant financial benefits. This strategy allows owners to create separate properties with their own loans, providing opportunities for rental income or even selling individual units.
Whether you’re a homeowner with a spacious lot or a real estate developer looking to optimize your portfolio, converting your property into condominiums can be a game-changer.
What is Condominium Conversion?
Condominium conversion refers to the process of dividing a property into separate, legally independent units that can be sold and owned individually. For many property owners, this can be an excellent way to increase the value of their land. When combined with the construction of ADUs or DADUs, condominium conversion allows for the creation of multiple, fully independent living spaces that can be sold or rented out.
The ability to convert property into condominiums is especially appealing in urban areas where space is at a premium and zoning laws have become more flexible. With the right approach, both homeowners and developers can tap into the financial benefits of creating separate condo units on the same piece of land.
Why Build an ADU or
Building an ADU or DADU on your property provides several financial and lifestyle benefits:
1. Rental Income: A separate dwelling unit can provide a steady stream of rental income, making it easier to pay off existing loans or
generate additional cash flow. This is especially attractive in high-demand rental markets like Seattle.
2. Increased Property Value: Adding an ADU or DADU to your property not only increases the overall value of your land but can also make it more appealing to buyers. A property with multiple units offers greater flexibility and potential for returns.
3. Multi-Generational Living: For homeowners looking to accommodate extended family members, an ADU can be the perfect solution. It allows for proximity while maintaining privacy and independence for all parties.
4. Future-Proofing: As housing demand grows, properties that offer multiple living spaces are likely to continue increasing in value. Building an ADU or DADU now ensures your property remains competitive in the future.
For both individual property owners and developers, getting approved building permits for an ADU is the first step toward creating independent units. Here’s a breakdown of the process:
1. Check Local Zoning Laws: Before anything else, it’s essential to review the local zoning regulations in your area. Washington State has specific guidelines for building ADUs. You’ll need to ensure your lot meets the minimum size requirements and that the proposed development complies with local City and/or County ordinances.
2. Obtain Necessary Permits: Getting building permits and building new structures requires approval from the local jurisdiction. Be prepared to submit detailed plans to your local planning department, including architectural designs, engineering reports, and utility plans.
3. Survey the Property: A land survey ensures accurate boundaries for each new unit. The surveyor will
prepare the topographical and boundary survey map, which establishes where property the lines are and ensures compliance with setback requirements and other zoning restrictions. (The survey is required in many jurisdictions, but not all.) This is especially important when building DADUs, as they are often placed in a yard, and are detached from the main house.
4. Utility Planning: Each new unit will need access to utilities such as water, electricity, and sewage. In many cases, you can extend the existing utilities from the primary home, but in others, you may need to create independent connections for each unit.
5. Final Building Permit Approval: Once your plans are in order and the property has been surveyed, you’ll need to go through the permit approval process with the jurisdiction, and they will review and either approve or request changes. You can expect around 2-4 rounds of submittals and corrections before your permits are approved, but it varies by jurisdiction. It takes anywhere from 1-12 months to get approved permits, depending on what is being permitted, and whether or not you’re
using pre-approved plans (which are offered by some jurisdictions).
Once your ADU or DADU has been permitted, the next step is to convert the property into condominiums. Approved permits and/or completed construction are not typically required to be before you record the condominium, so it’s important to speak with an experienced attorney to determine what is required for your project. Condominium conversion transforms the units into legal condominium units that can be sold separately, each with its own title and loan.
Here’s how the process works:
1. Find an experienced Condominium attorney: To begin, you’ll need to find an attorney. It’s important to work with an attorney who has experience with creating condominium units.
2. Draft the Condominium Declaration: The attorney will work with you to draft the condominium declaration. This legal document lays out the division of the property into individual units and defines the responsibilities of each unit owner.
Let’s unpack the unlawful detainer case(s) to find out how this family lived without paying rent for 2.5 years in a $2 million Bellevue, Washington home. The Kims signed a 9-month lease in July 2022 and paid first month’s rent of $4,400.
One month later, they stopped paying rent. The homeowners filed an eviction in November 2022. The case was delayed until February 2023 when the Kims showed up in court and the Housing Justice Project (pro-bono legal counsel for tenants) paid their rent for them.
At this point, the Kims haven’t paid rent for 7 months (7x$4,400=$30,800). The very next month after their eviction case is dismissed, they fail to pay rent again. The homeowners file their second eviction case in July 2023.
The second case is continued in September 2023 and dismissed in November with an order of limited dissemination (homeowners can’t disclose eviction case to future landlords.)
Now, the Kims are at 16 months without paying rent (16X$4,400=$70,400). Following the second eviction case, they continue to not pay rent. The homeowners are forced to file a third eviction case in January 2024. Meanwhile, the Kims file two anti-harassment cases and a contempt case against the homeowners.
The third eviction case continues until March 2024 when the Housing Justice Project, once again, pays the Kims’ rent for them through April 2024 (now “in excess of $88,000”). Meanwhile, the homeowners are paying their own legal expenses this entire time.
The Kims, once again, fail to pay rent in May 2024 and the fourth eviction case is filed. At this point, the Kims have lived in the $2 million home for 22 months without paying rent (22x$4,400=$96,800). The homeowners increase rent to $4,900.
Finally, the fourth case is dismissed — 9 months after being filed — on February 10, 2025, when the Kims vacate the Bellevue property 30 months after moving in. (22x$4,400 + 8x$4,900=$136,000).
Can anyone deny that the eviction system is seriously broken in King County?
Caitlyn (Axe) McKenney is a research fellow and program coordinator for Discovery Institute’s Center on Wealth & Poverty. Her work has centered on government fiscal accountability, political rhetoric, and addiction with a focus on human dignity ethics. The Discovery Institute is a public policy think tank advancing a culture of purpose, creativity, and innovation. Learn more at discovery.org.
Tenant notices are tools provided under the law to change or enforce the terms of a rental agreement. Over the last few years, tenant notices have become more complicated and they are much more likely to result in losing a dispute if anything is done incorrectly, such as the number of days notice given, information included on the notice, how the notices are “served” and many other factors. Since Washington State and several local governments require specific disclosure language, there are now several different versions of the same form, based on local jurisdictions. During the pandemic, the CARES Act further complicated notices by establishing a 30-day minimum for pay or vacate notices. Unfortunately, many Washington courts allowed for this minimum to extend to all types of vacate notices, but in February of this year, we finally caught a break from a Washington Supreme Court ruling that eliminates that scope creep. Even so, it’s still complicated and you must be very careful. If you are unsure or inexperienced with giving notices, we recommend you have your lawyer do it for you or at least get their advice.
Any notices regarding the end of tenancy must be served on the tenant in compliance with the Washington legal code, RCW 59.12.040. While some notices must simply be given to tenants in writing, RHAWA recommends serving most notices following the instructions provided on our forms page. Always select the appropriate notice form for the situation and use the most current version available at RHAwa.org/rental-forms-leases-notices. The following Support Center article goes over the process in detail.
1. Determine the timing for the service of notice
Count the day of service + an extra day for mailing, then count calendar days depending on the required waiting period listed below, and be prepared to take permitted action on the following day.
• 1 day: Notice of Entry for showing.
• 2 days: Notice of Entry for maintenance/inspection.
• 3 days: Notice to Quit.
• 10 days: Notice to Comply or Vacate.
• 14 days: 14-Day Pay or Vacate Notice.
If serving notice based on a number of days prior to the end of a rental period, beginning from the last day of a rental period, count calendar days backward depending on the required notice period listed below. Add two more days for posting/delivering and mailing.
• 60 days: Rent increase (NOTE: there are several local law variations).*
• 30 days: Other change in terms.*
• 20-120 days: End of tenancy.
• 60 days: End of term.
*"Service" is not required by state law, but is required by several different local laws.
2. Prepare the notice form
Download and complete the appropriate and most recent version of the Tenant Notice form from RHAwa.org/ rental-forms-leases-notices.
• List all known adult occupants on the “Resident(s)” line.
• Completely fill out the form with all required details. Any details omitted at service can have a serious impact on results in court.
• Make two copies for each adult occupant, and two additional copies for “all other occupants."
• Prepare one set for hand delivery and the other set for mailing.
3. Try to deliver, then post the notice
Attempt to deliver the notice by hand to all residents. If you are unable to contact the resident(s), then post the notice on the door.
• Ring or knock on the door and wait for an answer.
• Place one notice into the hand of each resident or give enough copies for each occupant to one responsible person plus an additional copy for any other occupants.
• If no one answers, post a copy “conspicuously” on the door. (RCW 59.12.040)
4. Mail the notice
While not required if you hand-deliver a copy to each resident, mailing the notice is still recommended.
• Just mailing a notice is not sufficient. You MUST deliver or post the notice.
• Only regular first-class mail meets the legal requirement for “mailing.” (RCW 59.12.040)
• Must be mailed from the county in which the rental property is located.
• Mail copies in separate envelopes to each known occupant and an additional copy addressed to “All Other Occupants."
• For proof of mailing, you can request a receipt, or “certificate of mailing” from the post office.
• Certified mail and/or other service methods may be additionally re-
quired by the terms of your lease (not in RHAWA forms), or local law such as in Seattle when serving a 10% or greater rent increase notice.
5. Complete the Declaration of Service Form
A Declaration of Service form is included in all RHAWA tenant notice form packets. This is important evidence you will need if you go to court.
• The person who served the notice must complete the document.
• Complete this form on the same day as the service.
• Retain along with a copy of the notice served.
If the tenant has not taken the required action by the date specified in the notice, work with an attorney to enforce compliance.
This article was written and edited by RHAWA representatives and is intended for the use of RHAWA members only. Copyrighted members-only materials may not be further disseminated. Formal legal advice and review are recommended prior to the selection and use of this information. RHAWA does not represent your selection or execution of this information as appropriate for your specific circumstance. The material contained and represented herein, although obtained from reliable sources, is not considered legal advice or to be used as a substitution for legal counsel.
Luke Brown | Marketing & Sales Associate | lbrown@RHAwa.org |
Time is running out! This is your last opportunity to secure a sponsorship at RHAWA’s exclusive Housing Provider Workshops this May. These events are the only chance to get in front of 100150 highly engaged rental housing professionals at each of our three one-day tradeshows in Federal Way, Lynnwood, and Spokane.
These workshops attract decision-makers actively seeking solutions in legal, financial, maintenance, and technology services for their rental businesses. As a sponsor, you’ll gain:
• Direct Access to Housing Industry Leaders – Engage with independent landlords, property managers, and housing professionals ready to invest in your services.
• Regional Reach & Maximum Impact – Choose one event or bundle all three for statewide exposure.
• Exclusive, One-on-One Networking – Unlike large tradeshows, these workshops foster intimate, high-value connections.
• Prime Timing for Peak Leasing Season – Position your brand right when housing providers need your services most.
• Premium Brand Visibility & Recognition – Get featured through speaking opportunities, booth placement, and logo placement on event materials.
• Exclusive Attendee List for Easy Follow-Ups – Stay connected with qualified leads after the event.
Secure your spot today and put your brand in front of Washington’s rental housing industry leaders.
905-0610
Be a part of NOT ONE, BUT THREE impactful events this May, reaching rental housing providers across Washington! These focused gatherings offer a unique chance to connect with a highly engaged audience of rental property owners, management professionals, and other important industry stakeholders. Showcase your brand and connect within the region’s rental housing community.
Bundle discount: all 3 for or any 2 for $1,000.
Federal Way HP Workshop
Date: May 8, 2025
Date: May 8, 2025
Time: 9:30am - 4:00pm*
Time: 9:30 am - 3:30 pm*
Place: Performing Arts & Event Center 31510 Pete von Reichbauer Way S Federal Way, WA 98003
Place: Performing Arts & Event Center 31510 Pete von Reichbauer Way South
Lynnwood HP Workshop
Date: May 15, 2025
Date: May 15, 2025
Time: 9:30am - 4:00pm*
Time: 9:30 am - 3:30 pm*
Place: Embassy Suites by Hilton 20610 44th Ave West Lynnwood, WA 98036
Place: Embassy Suites by Hilton Seattle North Lynnwood 20610 44th Ave West
Spokane HP Workshop
Date: May 22, 2025
Date: May 22, 2025
Time: 9:30am - 4:00pm*
Time: 9:30 am - 3:30 pm*
Place: CenterPlace Regional Event Center 2426 North Discovery Place Spokane Valley, WA 99216
Place: CenterPlace Regional Event Center 2426 North Discovery Place
* Tentative time subject to change.
RHAWA is excited to bring our Housing Provider Workshop Statewide Tour directly to you! This exclusive event is designed to make it easier than ever for rental housing providers across Washington to access expert education, industry insights, and valuable networking—without having to travel far from home. With three stops across the state, this tour ensures that landlords, property managers, and housing professionals get local, relevant information tailored to their specific region.
Our one-day workshops are packed with high-value educational sessions led by industry experts, covering the most pressing topics that housing providers need to stay informed and successful.
• 2025 Legislative Update: Understand the latest state and local laws impacting rental housing, including key legislative wins, challenges, and compliance updates.
• Reducing Liability & Protecting Your Business: Learn strategies to minimize legal risks, navigate new regulations, and safeguard your investments with expert legal guidance.
• Maximizing Your Rental Investments: Gain insights into property acquisition, management, and tax strategies to help you grow your portfolio and maximize your ROI.
• Market Trends & Housing Industry Forecasts: Stay ahead of the curve with expert analysis on Washington’s rental market, economic shifts, and future opportunities.
• Exclusive Vendor Access: Engage with trusted vendors and
service providers offering solutions to help you run your rental business more efficiently.
This one-day event is structured to provide actionable insights and practical takeaways, ensuring that every attendee leaves better equipped to manage their properties successfully.
Our lineup of industry-leading speakers includes experienced attorneys, seasoned housing providers, financial experts, and real estate professionals who will share valuable insights on legal updates, market trends, and best practices for rental housing success. This is just a preview of our incredible speakers—stay tuned for more! Additional speaker announcements will be shared on our website and in upcoming emails.
Austin Bowlin, CPA, Chief Exchange Strategist, Partner at Real Estate Transition Solutions
Bryan Gwynn, Designated Broker, Urban Settlements
Chris Benis, Attorney, First Avenue Law Group
Max Frame, Vice President,
Christopher Cutting, Attorney, Cutting Law Office / LT Services
Cory Brewer, VP Residential Operations, Windermere Property Management/Lori Gill & Associates
Candice Chevaillier, CCIM, Principal, Lee & Associates Pacific Northwest
Daniel Klemme, Government Affairs & Membership Development, RHAWA
Julie Martiniello, Co-Owner & Managing Partner, Dimension Law Group, PLLC
Kathryn Shabalov, Managing Broker, MacPherson's Property Management
Maxwell Glasson, Attorney, Williams Kastner
Ryan Downing, Principal and Broker, Capstone Commercial Real Estate Advisors Sean Flynn, President & Executive Director, RHAWA
Synthia Melton, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Dimension Law Group, PLLC
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE – A FULL DAY OF LEARNING &
Get ready for a power-packed day designed to provide you with critical insights, expert advice, and valuable
Tickets are on sale NOW! | RHAwa.org/hpwst | Contact Chloe Moser: cmoser@RHAwa.org
*Event time are subject to change. Please check the calendar at RHAwa.org/events.
connections to help you navigate the rental housing industry with confidence. From a keynote on market
trends to legal updates, risk management strategies, and investment insights, each session is crafted to give
you actionable takeaways. Plus, you’ll have plenty of time to network with exhibitors and fellow housing providers
Registration + Exhibitor Reception
9:30am - 10:00am
10:00am - 11:00am
11:00am - 12:00pm
throughout the day. Check out the full schedule below and get ready for an informative and engaging experience!
Meet and greet exhibitors and fellow members while checking in and enjoying coffee and a quick bite.
Welcome + Keynote
An industry leader shares thoughts on current trends in rental housing and way forward.
2025 Legislative Session Outcomes
RHAWA lobbyist and attorneys will review and discuss the rental housing related bill battles fought, lost and won in the 2025 session.
12:00pm - 1:00pm Lunch + Exhibitor Reception
Best Practices for Reducing Liability in Your Rental Business
1:00pm - 2:00pm
2:00pm - 3:00pm
3:00pm - 4:00pm
EVENT SPONSORS:
Focusing on new laws and trends in the industry, a panel of experts will discuss the growing liabilities in the rental housing business and how to best mitigate various risks. Any recently passed laws will be addressed.
Getting the Most Out of Your Investment
Strategies for buying, improving, holding and selling rental properties to maximize your return on investment. Expert professionals in taxes, estate planning, and real estate investment will discuss current trends and best practices.
Exhibitor Reception
*Event time are subject to change. Please check the calendar at RHAwa.org/events.
Tickets are on sale NOW! | RHAwa.org/hpwst | Contact Chloe Moser: cmoser@RHAwa.org
*Event time are subject to change. Please check the calendar at RHAwa.org/events.
WORKSHOP LOCATIONS – BRINGING THE EVENT TO YOU!
We’ve carefully selected three convenient locations across Washington to make it easier for you to attend in person, connect with experts, and network with fellow housing providers—right in your region. Each
May 8
Performing Arts & Event Center
Date: May 8, 2025
Time: 9:30am - 4:00pm*
Place: Performing Arts & Event Center 31510 Pete von Reichbauer Way S Federal Way, WA 98003
Phone: (253) 835-7010
This state-of-the-art venue is conveniently situated in the heart of Federal Way, offering easy access for both local and out-of-town attendees. For those traveling from afar, the venue is just a short drive from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac), making it a hassle-free destination. Additionally, the area boasts a wide range of hotels and restaurants within a few miles, ensuring comfortable accommodations and dining options for all our guests. Whether you're coming from nearby or across the state, the Event Center provides a welcoming and accessible location for an unforgettable experience.
venue offers easy access, comfortable accommodations, and a welcoming atmosphere to enhance your experience.
Wherever you are in Washington, there’s a Housing Provider Workshop near you! Join us at the location
May 15
Embassy Suites by Hilton
Date: May 15, 2025
Time: 9:30am - 4:00pm*
Place: Embassy Suites by Hilton 20610 44th Ave West Lynnwood, WA 98036
Phone: (425) 775-2500
This premier venue offers exceptional convenience for attendees, whether you're local or traveling from afar. Situated just off I-5, the hotel is easily accessible by car, and for those flying in, it’s only a 30-minute drive from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (Sea-Tac). The Embassy Suites by Hilton provides spacious accommodations, complimentary breakfast, and evening receptions, ensuring a comfortable stay for out-of-town guests. Additionally, the surrounding area features a variety of dining options and shopping destinations, all within a short distance. offering ample time to enjoy the program and connect with fellow attendees.
that best fits your needs and experience a full day of learning, networking, and industry insights—closer than ever before. Tickets Are on Sale NOW! Secure your spot today and join us at Washington’s premier rental housing event of the year!
May 22
CenterPlace Regional Event Center
Date: May 22, 2025
Time: 9:30am - 4:00pm*
Place: CenterPlace Regional Event Center 2426 North Discovery Place Spokane Valley, WA 99216
Phone: (509) 720-5200
Nestled in the heart of Eastern Washington, this modern and versatile venue is easily accessible for attendees from Spokane Valley, Spokane, and beyond. For those traveling from out of town, the venue is just a short drive from Spokane International Airport (GEG), making it a convenient destination. The CenterPlace Regional Event Center is surrounded by a variety of hotels, restaurants, and shopping options, ensuring a comfortable and enjoyable experience for all guests. No matter where you’re coming from— near or far—this event is the perfect destination, combining accessibility with a warm, welcoming atmosphere for an event you won’t forget.
We encourage you to consider the vendors found within these listings for your rental business needs. When seeking competitive bids, be
mention your RHAWA membership as many offer member discounts. RHAWA does not specifically endorse any business listed herein. References are always recommended. If you would like to submit a customer testimonial for our records, please submit to publications@RHAwa.org. Please note that changes made to a vendor member profile will not be reflected in the CURRENT Vendor Listings unless the change is also sent to
Gatewise | Simple Multifamily Smart Access Kurtis Gilbreth (404) 985-1247 | gatewise.com
|
Brink & Sadler (253) 582-4700 | brinkandsadler.com
Hutchinson & Walter, PLLC (425) 455-1620 | hutchcpa.com
Omlin, Gunning & Associates PS Accounting/bookkeeping; Real Estate Investors (509) 467-2000
Chris Bourassa, C.P.A Shareholder Quickbooks Consultant 9515 N. Division, Suite 200 Spokane, WA 99218 (509) 467-2000 Fax: (509) 466-0537 chrisb@ogacpa.com
White Clover Properties (425) 230-6000 | whiteclover.org
Pacific Publishing Co. | Print + Internet (206) 461-1322 pacificpublishingcompany.com
Seattle Rental Group | Property Management (206) 315-4628 | seattlerentalgroup.com
Fischer Heating and Air (206) 783-1190 | humaheating.com
Hurliman Heating and Air Conditioning hurlimanjp@gmail.com (509) 891-5110 | hurlimanheating.com
Envirotest | Mold, Air Quality Analysis, Inspections Donald B. Kronenberg (206) 877-3191 seattlemoldandairquality.com
Greenwood True Value Hardware (206) 783-2900 | greenwoodhardware.com
Brink Property Management
Dean Foggitt (425) 458-4848 | brinkpm.com
Armitage & Thompson PLLC
Jessica Thompson (509) 252-5048 | jat@law-wa.com
Jessica Thompson | Attorney at Law (509) 252-5048 | jat@law-wa.com
Astuno & Associates APC (888) 231-3004 | jj@astuno.com
Bradley Kraus (503) 255-8795 | Kraus@warrenallen.com
Carroll, Biddle, & Bilanko, PLLC (206) 818-9962 | bcarroll@cbblegal.com
Cam Mcgillivray Attorney At Law (509) 262-4617 | ccMcgillivray@yahoo.com
Christopher T. Benis, Attorney at Law
First Avenue Law Group, PLLC
Vendor of the Year | 2006 (206) 447-1900 | firstavenuelaw.com
Demco Law Firm, P.S. (206) 203-6000 | demcolaw.com
Dimension Law Group PLLC
Synthia Melton (206) 973-3500 | dimensionlaw.com
Eller Law Firm PLLC (206) 801-1188 | accessevictions.com
Flynn and Associates, PLLC
Sean Flynn (206) 330-0608 | theflynnfirm.com
GR Law Group (509) 456-0400 | grlawspokane.com
Gourley Law Group / The Exchange Connection (360) 568-5065 | gourleylawgroup.com
Holmquist & Gardiner, PLLC (206) 438-9083 | lawhg.net
Humphries, Patterson, & Lewis Law (509) 838-4148 | Neil E. Humphries
Jack W. Hanemann, P.S. (360) 357-3501 | Cody@hbjlaw.com | hbjlaw.com
Jeffery Bennett (503) 255-8795 | bennett@warrenallen.com
Ledger Square Law (253) 327-1701 | ledgersquarelaw.com
LT Services (206) 241-1550 | ltservices.net
Loeffler Law Group, PLLC (206) 443-8678 | loefflerlawgroup.com
Micheal D Mclaughlin, Attorney at Law (253) 686-9786
Steven Schneider Law Firm (509) 838-4458 | stevenschneiderlaw.com
CMG Home Loans
Eric Aasness (206) 915-3742 | eaasness@cmghomeloans.com
Eastside Funding (425) 873-8873 | eastsidefunding.com
Luther Burbank Savings Bank (425) 739-0023 | lutherburbanksavings.com
Pacific Crest Savings Bank
Scott Gibson (425) 670-9600 | (800) 335-4126 | paccrest.com
Union Bank
Brandon Bemis (206) 715-0877 | unionbank.com
WAFD Bank (206) 777-8213 | tim.marymee@wafd.com www.wafd.com
Shine a Blind On-Site Ultrasonic Mini-Blind Cleaning + Repair (425) 771-7799 | shineablind.net
Cimarron III, LLC (425) 232-4209 | rchuffy3@gmail.com
Ideal Inspection Services LLC RRIO Certified + Licensed Inspector (206) 930-0264 | idealinspectionservice.com
Straight Street Building / Home Inspection
John Leon Gonzalez (206) 999-1234 | hi@homeinspect.ws
+1 Construction (206) 313-6587 | plusoneconstruction.com
ABC Cleaning (253) 432-1748 | abcservices0723@gmail.com Bellan Group, LLC
Susan Bellan (206) 383-0102 | bellan.com
Construction Expeditors, LLC (206) 595-8852 | (877) 644-1700 constructionexpeditors.com
Steven Whipple Law Group, PLLC (509) 869-3223 | whiplaw@gmail.com whiplawgroup.com
1312 N Monroe Street, Suite 253 Spokane, Washington 99201
o: (509) 838-4458
e: SS@StevenSchneiderLaw.com w: StevenSchneiderLaw.com
Downey & Sons Property Care (206) 832-6204
erin.garcia@downeyandsonspc.com
FINNMARK Property Services (206) 418-8056 | alvinr@finnmarkps.com finnmarkps.com/about/ Maintco (425) 822-5505 | maintcogc.com
Masonry Restoration Consulting (425) 344-3893
masonryrestorationconsulting.com
Next Level Property Maintenance (206) 922-8119 | nxtlevelpm.com
RKC Construction, Inc. Kyle Caulk (206) 595-3565 | cajames.com
T.E. Kelly Company, LLC Tim Kelly | (206) 240-1950 The Wall Doctor, Inc. Gary Borracchini (425) 822-8121 | thewalldoctor.com
The Chimney Specialists, Inc.
Pierce Co.: (253) 475-0399 | (888) 979-3377
Seattle: (206) 782-0151 | (888) 979-3377
South King Co.: (253) 833-0144 | (888) 979-3377
thechimneyspecialists.com
Masonry Restoration Consulting (425) 344-3893
masonryrestorationconsulting.com
ABC Cleaning (253) 432-1748 | abcservices0723@gmail.com
Bio Decon Solutions (360) 393-5660 | scott@biodeconsolutions.com
Lund's Carpet Cleaning
benlund1957@gmail.com (509) 922-6153 | carpetcleaningspokane.com
Mordecai Elmblad Cleanco Carpet Cleaning & Cleaning (509) 655-1916 | cleanco-wa.com
Capstone Commercial Real Estate Advisors
John Downing (206) 324-9427 | capstonerea.com
CBRE - PNW Multifamily | Private Capital Group (206) 292-1600 | cbre.com
DVF Legacy Investments (206) 650-6113 | pugetsoundinvesting.com
Icon Real Estate Services Inc.
Jeremiah Roberson (425) 633-3330 | iconre.org
Kidder Mathews
Dylan Simon: (206) 414-8575
Jerrid Anderson: (206) 499-8191
DylanSimon.com
Foundation Group, LLC (206) 324-7622 | foundationgroupre.com
Lee & Associates Multifamily Team
Candice Chevaillier (206) 284-1000 | lee-nw.com
Paragon Real Estate Advisors, Inc. Vendor of the Year | 2016 (206) 623-8880 | (800) 643-9871 Pilot Ventures LLC Jason Kono | (206) 566-6600 | pilotnw.com
+1 Construction (206) 313-6587 | plusoneconstruction.com
A&A Electric (206) 212-1888 | anaelectric.com
Prospector Property Management (206) 508-6366 prospectorpropertymanagement.com COMMERCIAL REINVESTMENTS + FINANCIAL SERVICES
Straight Street Small Business/ Commercial R.E. Inspections
CCPIA Certifified member ID CCPIA-000146 (206) 999-1234 | iNspect.ws
Westlake Associates (206) 505-9400 | westlakeassociates.com
Windermere Real Estate Commercial Therasa Alston | (206) 650-4777 1031 Capital Solutions (800) 445-5908 | 1031capitalsolutions.com
Brooklynn Masonry Bryan Funk | (253) 722-7904 Bryan@brooklynnmasonry.net
RKC Construction, Inc.
Caulk | (206) 595-3565 | cajames.com
Bellan Group, LLC
Susan Bellan (206) 383-0102 | bellan.com
Bravo Roofing, Inc.
GoldStar Vendor + Vendor of the Year | 2014
John Paust, Estimator: (206) 948-5280 (253) 335-4825 | (360) 886-2193 bravoroofs.com
Construction Expeditors, LLC (206) 595-8852 | constructionexpeditors.com
Danika Plumbing LLC
Frank Gaborik (425) 335-3515 | danikaplumbing.com
Diamond Roofers, LLP
Flat & Low Slope (253) 220-8316 | shannonh@diamondroofers.com diamondroofers.com
ER Flooring (360) 402-9566 erflooring.com
Homestead Construction (509) 926-0755 | homesteadconstructioninc.com
Andrea Malone | (509) 926-0755 andrea@homesteadconstructioninc.com homesteadconstructioninc.com
Jac Of All Trades (208) 500-8937 | jac@thejacofalltrades.com
Leading Charge Samantha@northwestpartnersllc.com northwestpartnersllc.com/leading-charge-loadmanagement-system
Masonry Restoration Consulting (425) 344-3893 masonryrestorationconsulting.com
Maintco (425) 822-5505 | maintcogc.com
Pioneer Masonry Restoration Co. (206) 782-4331 | pioneermasonry.com
Reinhart Electric & Service (425) 251-5201 | reinhartelectric.net
T.E. Kelly Company LLC
Tim Kelly | (206) 240-1950
Pacific Crest Real Estate (206) 812-9155 | pacificcrestre.com
Carroll, Biddle, & Bilanko, PLLC (206) 818-9962 | bcarroll@cbblegal.com Demco Law Firm, P.S. (206) 203-6000 | demcolaw.com
Eller Law Firm PLLC (206) 801-1188 | accessevictions.com
LT Services, Inc. (206) 241-1550 | ltservices.net
Loeffler Law Group, PLLC (206) 443-8678 | loefflerlawgroup.com
gourleylawgroup.com
Real Estate Transition Solutions (206) 502-4862 | info@re-transition.com re-transition.com/rhawa
Sound Realty Group
Charles Burnett, CCIM (206) 931-6036 | soundrealtygroup.com
Velocity 1031 (425) 247-3307 | velocity1031.com FINANCIAL | LIFE INSURANCE SERVICES
American Family Insurance
Cisneros Agency, LLC
Jonathan Cisneros (425) 513-8723 | amfam.com
Country Financial Financial, Insurance & Life Insurance Services
john.kapelac@countryfinancial.com (509) 228-9125
CPK Mortgage, Inc. (831) 682-5647 | cpkmortgage.com
Extant Realty
Rachel Vinson (509) 251-2871 | rachel@extantrealty.com
Olympic Estate Group, LLC
G.A. “Jeri” Schuhmann (206) 799-0544 | jerischuhmann1@gmail.com
FLOOD/SEWER CLEANUP
Restora Services (425) 761-2136 | info@restoraservices.com restoraservices.com
SERVPRO of Central & NE Seattle (206) 687-3580 | servprocentralseattle.com nick@servprocentralseattle.com
FLOOR COVERINGS
ER Flooring (360) 402-9566 | erflooring.com
Haight Carpet & Interiors (206) 719-5790 | markv@haightcarpet.com
Visible Difference
Carpet cleaning; Floor coverings
James Giles (509) 534-1390 | jgiles97@hotmail.com
Rental Housing Association of Washington (206) 283-0816 | RHAwa.org
Tacoma Housing Authority (253) 281-7674 | tacomahousing.net GUTTER CLEAN + INSTALLATION Axis Roof and Gutter, Inc. (360) 653-ROOF(7663) | axisroofandgutter.com
Next Level Property Maintenance (206) 922-8119 | nxtlevelpm.com
TQ Handyman LLC
Trevor Rose (206) 222-5129 | tqhandyman.com
Valencias Handyman (509) 346-3694 | Javiervv065@icloud.com
Greenwood True Value Hardware (206) 783-2900 | greenwoodhardware.com
Bio Decon Solutions (360) 393-5660 | scott@biodeconsolutions.com
Restora Services (425) 761-2136 | info@restoraservices.com restoraservices.com
SERVPRO of Central & NE Seattle (206) 687-3580 | servprocentralseattle.com nick@servprocentralseattle.com
| AIR CONDITIONING (HVAC)
Fischer Heating and Air (206) 783-1190 fischerheating.com
Hurliman Heating (509) 891-5110 | hurlimanjp@gmail.com
hurlimanjp@gmail.com | (509) 891-5110
Seattle Rental Inspection Services (RRIO) (206) 854-0390
seattlerentalinspectionservices.com
Straight Street Home Inspector, Lic# 707,74657 FREE! WDIR/SPI report with every H.I. report (206) 999-1234 | iNspect.ws
Taurus Home Inspections
Lisa Lotus | WA State Home Inspector #2261 (206) 676-0023 | taurushomeinspections.com
HOARDING
Bio Clean, Inc. (425) 754-9369 | biocleanwa.com
INSURANCE
American Family Insurance Cisneros Agency, LLC Jonathan Cisneros (425) 513-8723 | amfam.com
Americus Insurance shawn@americusinsurance.net (509) 944-5414 | americusinsurance.net
Brent Ward State Farm Insurance (425) 488-9100 | (888) 532-1875 brentwardagency.com
Country Financial Financial, Insurance & Life Insurance Services
john.kapelac@countryfinancial.com (509) 228-9125
Leavitt Group Northwest
Michael Hufschmid (253) 929-4643 | leavitt.com
Madison Avenue Insurance Group Inc (206) 805-6244 | stacey@madisonaveins.com madisonaveins.com
INVESTMENT + FINANCIAL SERVICES
CBRE - PNW Multifamily | Private Capital Group (206) 292-1600 | cbre.com
Jack W. Hanemann, P.S. (360) 357-3501 | Cody@hbjlaw.com | hbjlaw.com
HOUSING
Tacoma Housing Authority (253) 281-7674 | tacomahousing.net
Echo Yard Maintenance (206) 909-6873
ACRAnet
Lender, Mortgage & Screening
Cole Hockett | (509) 324-1350 | acranet.com
Darco Inc (206) 322-9495 | darcoapts.com
Extant Realty
Rachel Vinson (509) 251-2871 | rachel@extantrealty.com
Flynn Family Lending (833) 359-6648 | nghi@flynnfamilylending.com flynnfamilylending.com
GoodRoots Companies, Inc (480) 710-6074 goodroots.io
Kidder Mathews
Dylan Simon: (206) 414-8575
Jerrid Anderson: (206) 499-8191 DylanSimon.com
Luther Burbank Savings Bank (425) 739-0023 lutherburbanksavings.com
Omlin, Gunning & Associates PS Accounting/bookkeeping; Real Estate Investors (509) 467-2000 chrisb@ogacpa.com
Paragon Real Estate Advisors, Inc. Vendor of the Year | 2016 (206) 623-8880 | (800) 643-9871 paragonrea.com
Peak Mortgage Partners
Dave Eden (206) 660-3014 peakmp.com
Ruston Investors, LLC (206) 713-5245 deluxebargrill@comcast.net
Sound Realty Group
Charles Burnett, CCIM (206) 931-6036 | soundrealtygroup.com
Velocity 1031
Exchange - 1031 Real Estate (425) 247-3307 | velocity1031.com
Lender, Mortgage & Screening Cole Hockett | (509) 324-1350 cole.hockett@acranet.com
CrossCountry Mortgage LLC (206) 650-4041 keane@keaneloans.com
CMG Home Loans
Eric Aasness (206) 915-3742 | eaasness@cmghomeloans.com cmghomeloans.com/mysite/eric-aasness
CPK Mortgage, Inc. (831) 682-5647 | cpkmortgage.com
Eastside Funding (425) 873-8873 | eastsidefunding.com
Flynn Family Lending (833) 359-6648 | nghi@flynnfamilylending.com flynnfamilylending.com
Kidder Matthews Simon and Anderson Team (206) 747-4725 | dylansimon.com
Luther Burbank Savings Bank (425) 739-0023 lutherburbanksavings.com
Pacific Crest Savings Bank
Todd M. Hull | Scott Gibson (425) 670-9624 | (800) 335-4126 pacificcrestbank.com
Peak Mortgage Partners Dave Eden | (206) 660-3014 | peakmp.com
WAFD Bank (206) 777-8213 | tim.marymee@wafd.com www.wafd.com
Locksmith (206) 571-1847 | Lockanddroad.com
Locks (206) 664-1209 |
White Clover Properties (425) 230-6000 | whiteclover.org
Brooklynn Masonry
Bryan Funk | (253)722-7904
Bryan@brooklynnmasonry.net
Maintenance Man Unlimited Seattle LLC (206) 517-8000
mmuwa.com | info@mmuwa.com
Masonry Restoration Consulting (425) 344-3893 masonryrestorationconsulting.com
Pioneer Masonry Restoration Co. (206) 782-4331 | pioneermasonry.com
Envirotest
Mold, Air Quality Analysis, Inspections
Donald B. Kronenberg (206) 877-3191 | seattlemoldandairquality.com
Maintenance Man Unlimited Seattle LLC (206) 517-8000 mmuwa.com | info@mmuwa.com
Downey & Sons Property Care (206) 832-6204
erin.garcia@downeyandsonspc.com
Extreme Steam Carpet Cleaning (425) 330-9328 | extremesteamcc.com
FINNMARK Property Services (206) 418-8056 | alvinr@finnmarkps.com finnmarkps.com/about/ RODDA PAINT
Tim Puckett | (509) 868-3552 | roddapaint.com
Sherwin WIlliams (425) 495-4124 | sherwin.com
Eden Advanced Pest Technologies (509) 327-3700 | edenspokane.com
Prosite Pest Control
raymond@prositepestcontrol.com (509) 925-5900 | prositepestcontrol.com
Straight Street Building/Home WDIR Reports
SPI/WDOs, Mold, Asbestos, Lead testing (206) 999-1234 | iNspect.ws
PLUMBING
365 Plumbing (253)478-9298 | 365plumbingseattle.com
Danika Plumbing LLC
Frank Gaborik
frank.g@danikaplumbing.com (425) 335-3515 | danikaplumbing.com
Day & Nite Plumbing & Heating Inc.
Vendor of the Year | 2020 (425) 775-6464 (800) 972-7000 dayandnite.net
Downey & Sons Property Care (206) 832-6204 erin.garcia@downeyandsonspc.com
The Drain Specialists
Sewer & Septic Lines, Sinks, Bathtubs & Toilets (509) 467-5555 | ktwinston@me.com
Pacific Publishing Co. (206) 461-1322 | pacificpublishingcompany.com
Allen Property Management
Mike Larson | (253) 582-6111 800) 995-6111 | haroldallen.com
Bell-Anderson & Assoc., LLC, AMO (253)852-8195 | bell-anderson.net
Brink Property Management
Dean Foggitt | (425) 458-4848 | brinkpm.com
Capstone Commercial Real Estate Advisors
John Downing (206) 324-9427 | capstonerea.com
Cornell & Associates Inc (206) 329-0085 | cornellandassociates.com
Dave Poletti & Associates (206) 286-1100 | davepoletti.com
Dobler Management Company Inc. (253) 475-2405 | doblermanagement.com
Emerald Door Property Management (206) 992-7334 | emeralddoor.com
Foundation Group, LLC (206) 324-7622 | foundationgroupre.com
Icon Real Estate Services Inc.
Jeremiah Roberson (425) 633-3330 | iconre.org
Jean Vel Dyke Properties, LLC (206) 725-3103 | veldyke.com
Jevons Property Management
Enrique Jevons (206) 880-7935 | jevonsproperties.com
Krishna Realty (425) 209-0055 | krishna-realty.com
Longley Property Management Inc.
Venita Longley | (206) 937-3522 | longleypm.com
Madrona Real Estate Services, LLC
Bradford Augustine (206) 538-2950 MadronaRealEstate.com
Maple Leaf Management LLC
Michelle Bannister (206) 850-8095 | mapleleafmgt.com
Nathaly Burnett Property Management (253) 732-9535 | beyondseattle.com
Next Brick Property Management (425) 372-7582
North Pacific Property Management
Joshua Fant | (206) 781-0186 | (800) 332-1032
northpacificpropertymanagement.com
Pacific Crest Real Estate (206) 812-9155 | pacificcrestre.com
Park 52 Property Management Paul Jakeman | (253) 473-5200 | park52.com
People’s Real Estate, Inc.
Lisa Brannon | (425) 442-9941 | peoplespm.com
Pilot Ventures LLC | Property Management (206) 566-6600 | pilotnw.com
DVF Legacy Investments (206) 650-6113 pugetsoundinvesting.com
Darco Inc (206) 322-9495 | darcoapts.com
Foundation Group, LLC (206) 324-7622 foundationgroupre.com
GoodRoots Companies, Inc (480) 710-6074 | goodroots.io
Jean Vel Dyke Properties, LLC (206) 725-3103 | veldyke.com
Kidder Mathews Dylan Simon: (206) 414-8575
Jerrid Anderson: (206) 499-8191 DylanSimon.com
Krishna Realty (425) 209-0055 | krishna-realty.com
Lee & Associates Multifamily Team Candice Chevaillier (206) 284-1000 | lee-nw.com
Prime Metropolis Properties, Inc (425) 688-3003 | pmp1988.com
Prospector Property Management (206) 508-6366 prospectorpropertymanagement.com
Real Estate Investment Services (REIS) Lakewood: (253) 207-5871
Seattle: (206) 319-5981 | REISinvest.com
Real Property Management Today (253) 426-1730 | rpmtoday.com
Renters Marketplace Larry Cutting (425) 277-1500 | rentersmarketplace.com
Ruston Investors, LLC (206) 713-5245 | deluxebargrill@comcast.net
Seattle's Property Management (206) 856-6000
seattlespropertymanagement.com
Seattle Rental Group (206) 315-4628 | seattlerentalgroup.com
SJA Property Management (425) 658-1920 | sjapropertymanagement.com
TQ Handyman LLC
Trevor Rose: (206) 222-5129 trevor@tqhandyman.com
Viaclarity Inc (206) 853-1568 | divalerie1259@outlook.com
Weber & Associates Property Management (425) 745-5838
Westlake Associates (206) 505-9400 | westlakeassociates.com
White Clover Properties (425) 230-6000 | whiteclover.org
Windermere Property Management / JMW Group (206) 621-2037 | windermere-pm.com
Windermere Property Management / WPM South, LLC
Ed Verdi | (253) 638-9811 | wpmsouth.com
WPI Real Estate Services, Inc. (206) 522-8172 | wpirealestate.com
Azibo | Financial Services Platform (855) 920-3565 | azibo.com
Gatewise | Simple Multifamily Smart Access Kurtis Gilbreth (404) 985-1247 | gatewise.com
Allied Property Experts (206) 717-5777 | apex-re.com
Capstone Commercial Real Estate Advisors John Downing (206) 324-9427 | capstonerea.com
Cornell & Associates Inc (206) 329-0085 cornellandassociates.com
Dave Poletti & Associates (206) 286-1100 | davepoletti.com
Madrona Real Estate
Bradford Augustine (206) 538-2950 | MadronaRealEstate.com
McCue & Associates, Inc (425) 748-9902 | scott@mccueproperty.com
Next Brick Property Management (425) 372-7582
North Pacific Property Management (206) 781-0186 | (800) 332-1032 northpacificpropertymanagement.com
Paragon Real Estate Advisors, Inc. Vendor of the Year | 2016 | paragonrea.com (206) 623-8880 | (800) 643-9871
Park 52 Property Management Paul Jakeman | (253) 473-5200 | park52.com
People’s Real Estate, Inc. (425) 442-9941 | peoplespm.com
Prime Metropolis Properties, Inc (425) 688-3003 | pmp1988.com
Real Estate Investment Services (REIS) Lakewood: (253) 207-5871 Seattle: (206) 319-5981 | REISinvest.com
SJA Property Management (425) 658-1920 | sjapropertymanagement.com
Sound Reatly Group
Charles Burnett, CCIM (206) 931-6036 | soundmultifamily.com
Westlake Associates (206) 505-9400 westlakeassociates.com
Windermere Real Estate Commercial
Therasa Alston | (206) 650-4777
WPI Real Estate Services, Inc. (206) 522-8172 x105 | wpirealestate.com
ACRAnet (509) 324-1350 | acranet.com Azibo | Financial Services Platform (855) 920-3565 azibo.com
99Gem (206) 579-9533 | D.Perkins5637@gmail.com Lorna Arnold (206) 276-0588 | shorttermsuites.com
Water & Power Chris Apostolos | guardianwp.com (206) 271-6913 | (877) 291-3141 x139
SCENE CLEAN-UP
Bio Clean, Inc. (425) 754-9369 | biocleanwa.com
Conservice (866) 947-7379 | conservice.com
Pacific Publishing Co. | Print & Internet (206) 461-1322 pacificpublishingcompany.com
Renters Marketplace Larry Cutting (425) 277-1500 | rentersmarketplace.com
365 Plumbing (253) 478-9298 | 365plumbingseattle.com
Day & Nite Plumbing & Heating Inc.
Vendor of the Year | 2020 (425) 775-6464 | (800) 972-7000 dayandnite.net
Greenwood True Value Hardware (206) 783-2900 greenwoodhardware.com
Masonry Restoration Consulting (425) 344-3893 masonryrestorationconsulting.com
DE-EL Inc (360) 926-6330 | jwade@deelinc.com deelinc.com
Shine a Blind | Blinds On-Site Ultrasonic Mini-Blind Cleaning + Repair (425) 771-7799 | shineablind.net
SRC Windows (253) 565-2488 | (800) 870-2488 srcwindows.com
Submissions are compiled and printed, depending on space available. RHAWA does not guarantee submissions will be included.
Interested in Submitting Your Announcement? We welcome information about industry job postings, new employee and location information, and more. If you have questions, or would like to submit an item for consideration, email publications@RHAwa.org.
Dear RHAWA Members;
I would like to remind everyone that your discount is available at any Rodda Paint store using Account # 536894
Corey Hjalseth | External Affairs Manager | chjalseth@RHAwa.org
Goodman Real Estate’s lawsuit was dismissed on a cold and blustery Valentine's Day where there was no love lost in the courtroom and the only warmth of the day came from the heating duct system of the King County Courthouse building. A ship called The Demeter was thrown into the harbor by intense storms… wait wrong story. We will get back to that later.
For those who are not familiar with the GRE Downtowner lawsuit please check out my article from the November 2024 issue of Current. You can also watch a great video on the RHAWA YouTube channel which goes into extreme detail on data used for the lawsuit. Also, on the RHAWA YouTube channel you will find my interview with George Petrie, the CEO of Goodman Real Estate, which owns and operates the Addison affordable housing building.
The lawsuit, initially filed in October 2024 by Stoel Rives, LLC on behalf of GRE Downtowner, LLC, argued that the crippling rental regulation ordinances passed by the Seattle City Council between 2018 and 2022, have led to the destruction of the living environment for the community and residents, and has resulted in a taking of GRE Downtowner property. A taking generally means devaluing a property and/or an inability to operate the property for the intended purpose. Just for quick review the policies passed in the City of Seattle were:
sues incurred, the building has essentially lost almost all value due to high vacancy rates and high costs. The City has financially taken from GRE by forcing them to abide by rental policies that do not work, especially for low-income housing buildings that already must abide by HUD rental guidelines.
Even if GRE Downtowner wished to sell the building the buyer pool would be extremely shallow. The list would be short as a result of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit requirements for the building and because of increased security costs, inability to evict non-paying tenants, and increased security and operations costs. The Addison building lost over $2 million in 2023. Any buyer that wanted to purchase the building would first have to overlook all the financial squalls and additionally would need to continue the fulfillment of the LIHTC obligations.
owners’ reasonable expectations to use the property for its intended purpose?
3. Character of the Government Action-Are the rules broadly applicable or do they seem to focus and target one area or property?
to the public by establishing landlord-tenant relationships.”
The main complaint outlined by Stoel Rives on behalf of GRE was a per se taking by the City of Seattle as they vastly changed the landlord-tenant rules after the Addison opened its doors in 2015 and because of the financial is-
In his ruling, Judge Jason Poydras referred to a 1978 case Penn Central Transportation v. City of New York, where the City of New York prevented the Penn Central train company from building a structure above Grand Central Terminal after the city adopted a Landmarks Preservation Law. Penn Central wanted to build an office tower on top of the terminal to increase the usage of their property and argued that barring them from doing so was a taking by the City of New York. The court decided that the New York Landmark Preservation Law did not deter the original usage of the structure or significantly devalue the current building. In this case, the court relied on a three-factor test to determine a governmental taking.
1. Economic Impact-Has the regulation significantly reduced the market value of the property?
2. Investment-Backed Expectations- Do the regulations significantly interfere with the property
“there’s insufficient information contained in the record to support GRE’s claim that the cumulative effect of the ordinances named in the complaint has affected a partial regulatory taking of the Addison.” Said Judge Poydras as he ruled to dismiss the case. “The ordinance at issue, for example, are the results of the City’s efforts to reduce the number of individuals unhoused in the winter months and reducing housing barriers to persons with criminal records. The ordinances at issue, to the extent they impact GRE Downtowner’s property interest in the Addison, do so in the wake of the City’s broader efforts to regulate landlord-tenant relationships by adjusting the benefits and burdens of economic life to promote the common good.”
There seems to be a loose agreement amongst legal scholars that the Penn Central case is not applied in a black-or-white way. Rather, it is a very fact-specific test which results in different courts applying the test differently. Property owners generally do not fare well in cases put to the Penn Central Test.
Another issue from the lawsuit that is rolled into the economic taking factor is the question over a housing provider’s right to exclude tenants from the property. The Fair Chance Housing and the Roommate Ordinance make this nearly impossible to effectively manage for housing providers as these policies prohibit proper background screening and who is granted residency at the Addison.
In his ruling, Judge Poydras said: “… because the rights, including but not limited to the right to exclude the public from the Addison, was already modified when GRE opened up the Addison
Now I want to take everyone back to my Demeter crashing into the bay and let’s go way back to 1897 when a now classic gothic horror novel written by Mr. Bram Stoker was first published. That novel was Dracula where the Transylvanian vampire lives in a castle with many locked doors and mysteries.
There were many rules established for vampires in the novel such as their ability to only transform into different shapes during the dawn and dusk hours and the now classic adornment of the garlic necklaces for protection. Another rule described in the novel is that vampires, even Dracula, are not allowed to cross the threshold of any dwelling without being expressly invited to enter. Dracula has multiple points where he simply hovers outside of a window in bat form because he is unable to enter the structure. However, once allowed to enter, as the unfortunate Lucy Westenra does when in a trance, she lifts the window to allow the Transylvanian bat in, the Count can come and go as he pleases for all time. Or in other words, the book’s characters living in that coastal cottage in Whitby, England no longer had the ability to exclude that supernatural being from the premises.
This brings me to another case cited in this decision, and that is Yee V. City of Escondido where Yee was the owner of two mobile home parks and a mobile home park rent control law was passed in 1988. This rent control law set limits for how much Yee could raise his rents. This limitation on raising rents along with other regulations limiting causes for eviction and mobile home ownership changes, he argued, was a personal taking of his property.
The case made it all the way to the California Supreme Court where the
Continued on page 28
The Rental Housing Association Coalition (RHAC) Legislative Day on the Hill was a resounding success, bringing together housing providers from across Washington state to advocate for fair and effective rental housing policies. Nearly 100 meetings took place throughout the duration of the event. Legislative Day on the Hill provided members of the Rental Housing Association Coalition (RHAC) with a unique opportunity to engage directly with their lawmakers, discuss key leg islative issues, and promote policies that benefit both housing providers and tenants.
Throughout the day, RHAC members met with their respective legislators, ensuring that the voices of housing pro viders were heard at the highest levels of state government. These meetings were instrumental in building relation ships with policymakers and fostering a greater understanding of the chal lenges faced by the rental housing in dustry. By engaging in direct in-person conversations, members were able to emphasize the critical role that rental housing providers play in Washington’s economy and communities.
The primary focus of attendees was advocating against rent control. In their meetings RHAC members effectively communicated the economic harm that rent control policies can bring, including reduced investment in rental housing, decreased housing supply, and the unintended consequences of making it harder for tenants to find affordable
processes for both landlords and tenants. By promoting policies that encourage positive relationships and increased housing development, RHAC members played a crucial role in shaping legislation that benefits everyone involved in Washington’s rental market.
streamlining regulations to reduce administrative burdens, and ensuring fair
Beyond advocacy, Legislative Day on the Hill was also an opportunity for RHAC members to strengthen their network within the rental housing community. Attendees had the chance to spend time with the RHAC Government Affairs team & lobbyist Chester Baldwin, learning more about the association’s ongoing legislative efforts and the strategies being used to influence policy decisions. These interactions provided valuable insights into the legislative process and equipped members with the knowledge and confidence to continue advocating for housing providers in the future.
The event was not only productive but also an enjoyable experience for all who attended. Attendees found value in the camaraderie of fellow housing providers, the guidance of the RHAC’s
dedicated staff, and the expertise of our seasoned lobbyist working on their behalf in Olympia. The sense of unity and shared purpose among attendees underscored the importance of collective action in influencing legislative outcomes.
RHAC’s Legislative Day on the Hill strengthened the association’s efforts in protecting the rights of housing providers and ensuring a healthy rental market in Washington state. The relationships built, policies advocated for, and knowledge gained during the event will have lasting effects as RHAC continues its mission to support rental housing professionals.
Looking ahead, we remain dedicated to our work of engaging with lawmakers, educating the public on the realities of rental housing, and fighting for policies that promote a balanced and thriving housing market. Legislative Day on the Hill was a powerful reminder that when housing providers come together to advocate for their interests, they can make a meaningful impact on the future of rental housing in Washington state.
court ruled 9-0 against Yee. In their decision, the Court distinguished between regulations that merely limit the use of property (such as rent control) and those that physically take possession of the property. Since Yee still had the right to sell the property and evict tenants under certain conditions, the ordinance was not a taking. This decision reinforced the idea that economic regulations, such as rent control, do not automatically violate property rights under the Takings Clause. This case was also taken up to the Supreme Court in the 9th District which is why it applies outside of the state of California.
The court in the GRE case seemed to imply that if that law in question that caused the alleged taking, under a Yee analysis, regulating a landlord-tenant relationship, then a takings claim could not satisfy a Penn Central Analysis Test. Hence, like Dracula invited across the threshold once a property owner invites a tenant into a unit, the government may drain the owners property rights with no recourse in form of a takings suit.
RHAWA was able to talk with George Petrie, CEO of Goodman Real Estate after the lawsuit was dismissed.
“We, and other affordable housing providers are experiencing many of the unintended consequences of decisions by previous city councils, and we have real concerns for the stability of the residents and our building operations with this dismissal,” said Petrie. “We hope that the city will work to provide real housing solutions for the residents’ well-being as well as guidance to other affordable housing providers so that we can continue to operate in Seattle.”
When RHAWA spoke with Petrie a decision had not been made as to whether an appeal would be filed.
“We are disappointed that our suit was dismissed and will be taking time to strategize with our legal team how to best advocate for the residents of Addison, the community, the lenders, and the investors.”
So, what does this all mean for housing providers? It appears that by the court framing homelessness, eviction issues, and other housing policies as shaped around these broad issues for the greater social good, then these policies will override property rights every time. Once you begin a landlord-tenant relationship, your rights to your property can change very rapidly with a very low opportunity for recourse. If a regulation is framed in the context of addressing a crisis, the government can do what it wants.
With the legal framework in place that heavily favors the government in takings cases one would be wise to continue the fight against bad policy on a political and legislative level. Passing bad policy is not illegal and if the courts continue to apply Penn Central and Yee as this court did, our legal options remain limited.
We could even bring this back to the bi-partisan bill making its way through the state legislature with SB 5434 which would allow the legislature to terminate a governor’s emergency powers with a majority vote of the legislature, a tool that was not in the tool belt when former Governor Jay Inslee held on to his emergency powers for over three years. We need a lot of Dr. Van Helsing’s to show everyone the way.
My point with all this is that these types of policies and laws can only effectively be remedied at the legislative level. It is clear the courts will not be with housing providers on these issues in any sense and so these laws must be changed at the state level for any real change. It will take GRE and all other affordable housing providers rallying and illustrating how Seattle-like policies destroy tenant safety and future housing and community investment.
We will keep a vigilant watch on how this case progresses further. Again, if you wish to learn more about the lawsuit and GRE, please check out the RHAWA YouTube Channel.
1. The Federal Housing & Urban Development (HUD) updated two forms that are provided on the RHAWA Forms Page in sections 1. Application & Screening and 4. Tenant Notices.
• HUD VAWA Form 5380
• HUD VAWA Form 5382
2. Due to a Washington Supreme Court ruling, the CAREs Act 30-day minimum termination notice requirement applies only to Pay or Vacate Notice. All Washington Courts should now accept other termination notices served properly in accordance with Washington’s Residential Landlord Tenant Act. One exception is for rental properties located in unincorporated King County where local law requires a minimum 30-day notice for any notice that can terminate tenancy.
The following forms have been discontinued:
• 30-Day Comply or Vacate Notice (State and local law versions, except King County)
• 30-Day Notice to Quit (State and local law versions, except King County) The following form has been revised to remove instructions to give 30 days’ notice on CAREs Act covered properties for causes requiring 20 days:
• End of Tenancy Notice
3. Based on HUD Guidelines from April 2024 and Fair Housing Complaints in Washington State an individualized assessment of all screening information is now recommended, similar to the Washington Attorney General’s recommendations for Criminal History screening. These recommendations are now reflected in the following form:
• Application Criteria Guidelines
Always download the latest version to stay in compliance.
In a significant legal victory for rental housing providers, the Washington State Supreme Court has agreed with RHAWA’s position that the CARES Act’s 30-day notice requirement applies only to evictions for nonpayment of rent—not to all evictions. This ruling in Housing Authority of King County v. Knight clarifies an important aspect of federal law, resolves conflicting lower court interpretations, and upholds landlords' ability to address serious lease violations in a timely manner.
The case arose when the King County Housing Authority (KCHA) sought to evict a tenant, Andre Knight, for repeated nuisance and criminal activity at the property. The Housing Authority had documented years of violations, including police reports of shootings,
stolen vehicles, and drug-related incidents. After multiple warnings and failed compliance efforts, KCHA served Knight a three-day notice to vacate in accordance with Washington state law for nuisance-related evictions.
However, the trial court dismissed the eviction action, ruling that the CARES Act required a 30-day notice, even for lease violations unrelated to rent. A split emerged in the Washington Court of Appeals—Division Two (Pierce County and South) held that the CARES Act's notice requirement applied to all evictions (Pendleton Place, LLC v. Asentista), while Division One (King County and North) ruled it applied only to nonpayment of rent (Housing Authority v. Knight). Given this conflict, the Washington Supreme Court granted review.
The Court firmly sided with the narrower interpretation, ruling that the CARES Act’s 30-day notice requirement applies only to evictions based on failure to pay rent. The justices highlighted that:
• The CARES Act was designed as emergency economic relief during the COVID-19 pandemic, primarily to prevent tenants from being evicted due to financial hardship.
• The statute’s notice provision must be read in conjunction with its eviction moratorium, which was explicitly limited to nonpayment of rent.
• Expanding the 30day notice requirement to all evictions would override state landlord-tenant laws and traditional property rights—an action that Congress would have had to make “unmistakably clear,” which it did not.
In short, the Court ruled that Washington landlords are NOT required to provide 30-day notices for lease violations unrelated to rent, restoring the state’s established eviction procedures for cases involving nuisance, criminal activity, and safety concerns.
RHAWA played a pivotal role in this case by submitting an amicus curiae
Continued on page 34
The declaration will establish the rights of the owner of each unit.
3. Create the Condominium Map: You will need to work with a surveyor who will create the condo map, which will define the units, yards, parking, driveways, etc. Often, people use the same surveyor who did the boundary survey that was needed for the building permits. Your attorney should assist with this process to ensure the map meets all the legal requirements.
4. Establish a Homeowners Association (HOA): All condominiums require an HOA. The HOA is responsible for managing the Common Elements (shared spaces) and has certain responsibilities. Sometimes, these include utilities and exterior maintenance. While HOAs can seem daunting, they are necessary for ensuring the smooth
operation of condo properties. Your attorney will assist in getting the HOA incorporated, as well as getting it transferred to the new owners if you sell any of the units.
5. Record the Condominium Declaration & Map: Once you and your attorney have finalized the declaration and the condominium map, they get recorded with the County. Some counties require review of the condominium documents.
6. Obtain Separate Financing: One of the primary benefits of condominium conversion is the ability to secure separate loans for each unit. This allows homeowners and developers to finance each unit independently, which is especially useful if you plan to sell or rent one or more of the units.
7. Sell or Rent the Units: Once the units are officially designated as condominium units, you can sell them individually or rent them out. For homeowners, this can be an excellent way to generate passive income, while developers can capitalize on the opportunity to sell multiple units on a single property.
While the idea of building ADUs and recording a condominium on your property is appealing, it’s essential to understand the legal complexities involved. From zoning regulations to creating a condominium declaration, the process can be overwhelming without proper legal guidance.
This is where Dimension Law Group comes in. Specializing in land use and real estate law, Dimension Law Group has extensive experience helping individual homeowners and real estate developers navigate the condominium process. Our team can assist with everything from drafting legal documents, working with the surveyor to create the condo map, and ensuring compliance with local and state regulations.
Whether you’re a homeowner looking to create an additional source of income or a real estate developer seeking to maximize your investment, building ADUs and converting your property into condominiums offers a unique opportunity to unlock its full potential.
By following the steps outlined above, you can create multiple independent units, each with the flexibility to rent or sell, all while boosting your property’s value.
With the right planning, legal support, and a focus on future growth, converting your property into condominiums can be the key to financial success.
For expert guidance on navigating this process, contact Dimension Law Group today and take the first step toward transforming your property.
Learn more by attending Katy Sweeden’s class this month…
Turning ADUs into Condos: The Seller’s Guide to Washington Law Wednesday, April 9 | 2-5pm | CRE 3 clock-hours
Continued from page 5
Even with the Senate rent control bill SB 5222 dead, don’t take a breath just yet.mThe House of Representatives Rent Control bill HB 1217 made it to the House floor and was voted through. The House version, 2S HB 1217, is the vessel the legislature hopes to hold the water across the finish line.
So where does the bill go AFTER is passed out of the house? Well, the bill will come over to the Senate and will need to go through the entire process of public committee hearings all over again and will need to clear at least two committees in the Senate before having the opportunity to come to the Senate floor for a vote. We believe we can stop this bill on the Senate side, but we need your consistent support and presence in hearings to help make that happen.
Some of the bills RHAWA supported also unfortunately will not be moving forward. I want to start by saying that
WENT
THIS YEAR THAN ANY PREVIOUS SESSION.
In past years, bills that RHAWA supports are not put on a committee agenda for a hearing. This year, we believe these bills received hearings because lawmakers see the sense in these ideas, and legislators wanted something to support that would help tenants and housing. Not Rent Control.
• HB 1099-Tenant Assistance Program or TAP would have given tenants short-term gap funding if they were unable to pay rent in the event of a sudden life emergency or crisis.
• HB 1089/SB 5740 -These companion bills dealt with eviction reform to improve tenant safety.
• HB 1088-Would have established a task force to overhaul the RLTA which has barely been touched since its original inception in 1973.
• SB 5661-The Harmonization Bill which would have established one supreme law of the land for the entire state to follow and would not allow local jurisdictions to implement more restrictive laws.
Again, unfortunately, these great bills will not be moving forward, but we are extremely encouraged to see increased interest in some of the commonsense bills that will actually help housing and tenants in Washington. These things take time and it is important to be patient as we continue to present al ternatives to restrictive rental housing policy.
If you are looking for further updates and information, check out the 2025 Legislative Session Update videos on the RHAWA YouTube Channel. Also, check out the RHAC Advocacy Center on RHAwa.org/advocacy-center-state. Make sure to keep an eye on your in box for further bill updates as we move through the back nine of this year’s legislative session.
This article was written and edited by RHAWA representatives and is intend ed for the use of RHAWA members only. Copyrighted members-only materials may not be further disseminated. For mal legal advice and review are recom mended prior to the selection and use of this information. RHAWA does not represent your selection or execution of this information as appropriate for your specific circumstance. The mate rial contained and represented herein, although obtained from reliable sourc es, is not considered legal advice or to be used as a substitution for legal counsel.
Whether you’re based in King, Pierce, Spokane or Snohomish County, our Link Meetings are the perfect way to tackle hurdles head-on, and discover solutions to keep your business thriving.
Bruce Davis, Sr. | Day & Nite Plumbing & Heating, Inc. | 2020 Vendor Member of the Year
Getting a good deal on heating and cooling equipment for your home is all about the timing. If it’s the middle of a heatwave or a freeze and your equipment breaks down, you’re more likely to take what you can get, when you can get it. But if you’re able to anticipate the need, your options grow exponentially. Here are a few tips that should make it easier to determine when and where to buy your equipment.(Due to supply chain issues and prices that are on the rise, this article from our archives has never been a more cautionary tale.)
Two of the best times to shop for new or replacement HVAC equipment are late spring and early summer. Summer, fall, and winter are typically busy seasons for heating and cooling companies. But a month or two after tax season we usually experience a lull in our workload, and most of us tend to run our best specials during this time to keep our people busy.
When things heat up in the summer, prices generally go up and crews fill up. Just getting estimates from a few good companies can be a challenge. The same thing occurs in winter due to the cold, and things get especially expensive if we have a ‘freeze’ for any length of time. A ‘freeze’ to us in the HVAC and plumbing business is basically any time the temperature stays below freezing during the daytime for more than 3 or 4 days: not just overnight. Fall can be a busy time too. Vacations are over, the kids are back at school and winter is on the way. Folks turn their attention to home heating and want to get ready with both replacements and maintenance.
If you’ve been thinking about adding air-conditioning to your existing central air or upgrading your all-electric heating with a new Ductless System, providing both heating and cooling, this is a great time to have your situation looked at. If you don’t have an HVAC company you already work with and/or you would like a second opinion, design, and pricing; be sure to research them and choose carefully.
We always recommend several steps be taken when choosing any contractor for your home or business….
• Check Licenses and Credentials with the State. In Washington, Labor and Industries makes it very simple to go online to verify a company is properly licensed and insured; https://secure.lni. wa.gov/verify/ will take you to their search site. Checking the Better Business Bureau is also good but realize that a good/great rating with them may simply mean that the company answers their complaints promptly. Be sure to take the time to read the posted issues and unresolved issues.
• Check Their Location and Time in Business. A great economy like ours tends to attract companies that are not local, and/or are brand new start-ups. A tactic that is often employed by larger or new companies is to buy a small local company that has been around for many years. Once they own it they can technically advertise they have been in business for all those years. If you stick with local people and companies that have been working in their field and in this area for at least 5 years, it will automatically save you a lot of headaches when it comes to service and warranty issues with your project and equipment.
• Check for Good, REAL Referrals. With the advent of the Internet, it’s easy to go online for a half-hour, read a bunch of reviews and think you have a ‘feel’ for a person or company. Just remember, anyone can write and post a comment/review; a good or bad one. There is no substitute for a personal ‘Word of Mouth’ referral from someone you know; family, or work, school, church, realtor or property manager, and/or the name of a customer offered by the company you are considering that you are free to write to or call yourself. Online reviews are normally sorted and ‘graded’ by mathematical algorithms and are not vetted in any reliable, personal way. Keep that in mind when considering them.
• Check Pricing for a Good Value. There are lots of ‘old sayings’ about what things cost.
o The cheapest price rarely buys the Best Value…
o There is no such thing as a free lunch…
o The pain of poor quality lasts far longer than the excitement of the cheapest price…
These and many more ‘old sayings’ exist because they are basically true. Pricing needs to be a consideration, but it isn’t the most important thing in these kinds of projects. Generally, the price range for a good company is somewhere in the medium to medium-high range; with the value and
warranty being excellent. A couple of reasonable things to look for in pricing include…
o Good Terms of Payments that fit your situation and exposure.
o Reasonable discounts for real considerations… things like a somewhat flexible timetable, paying down payments, progress payments, and final balance in cash, and/or agreeing to a larger volume of business with things like future work, and/or agreeing to a Maintenance Contract are things your contractor should value and should grant you discounts for; don’t be afraid to ask!
Buying heating and cooling equipment is a big deal. Determining when to buy and who to buy from are the processes you should become familiar with, to ensure you get the best deal possible.
Bruce Davis, Sr. is a Licensed Journeyman Plumber, Licensed Electrician, HVAC/R Electrical Administrator, HVAC/R ,and Certified WA State C.E.U. Instructor. Day and Nite Plumbing and Heating, Inc has been in Lynnwood serving Snohomish and N. King County for over 68-years, and Bruce Sr. has been President and working at this family-owned business for 36-years. Bruce can be contacted at: Email: Bruce@dayandnite.net. Day and Nite Plumbing and Heating Inc. 16614 13 Ave. W., Lynnwood, WA 98037, (800) 972-7000.
Continued from page 3
position, please email me at dbannon@ RHAwa.org to be considered. I can help you learn everything there is to know about facilitating a LINK meeting and I will also be there to assist you with your first several meetings.
We are looking forward to meeting you at one of our future LINK meetings! As always, if you have any questions about any of the meetings reach out to us as follows:
Western WA: Daniel Bannon | dbannon@RHAwa.org | (206) 905-0609
Eastern WA: Daniel Klemme | dklemme@RHAwa.org | (206) 905-0611
Continued from page 29
(friend of the court) brief, advocating for the correct interpretation of the CARES Act. This legal effort was fully funded by our Legal Defense Fund (LDF), which relies entirely on donations from our members.
This ruling is a major win for housing providers because it:
• Prevents unnecessary delays in evictions related to serious lease violations.
• Restores clarity and consistency in Washington’s landlord-tenant laws.
• Reinforces that federal regulations should not override established state eviction procedures unless explicitly stated.
Our Legal Defense Fund made this victory possible, and continued member support is critical to defending against overreach and protecting housing providers' rights. Serving as the last line of defense to defend your rights as a private property owner, our LDF exists to uphold your rights against state and local laws which violate our state and federal constitutions. Please consider donating to the LDF today to help us continue fighting for fair and balanced housing policies.
Donate to the Legal Defense Fund by going to RHAwa.org/ldf or scan this QR code:
While this decision is a victory, housing providers must remain vigilant as tenant advocates continue pushing for expanded eviction protections through legislation and local ordinances. RHAWA will continue to monitor developments, advocate for fair housing policies, and provide resources to ensure members stay informed and compliant.
We also note that a bill has been introduced into both the Senate and House of Representatives to fully repeal the CARES Act. Given it was only meant to be a temporary law, we hope that the bill passes. Some wind was added to the sails when Iowa Supreme Court ruled that it had expired entirely, including for non-payment. Make sure to
check our blog for the most up to date information about this bill.
This case underscores the importance of legal advocacy and why RHAWA remains committed to protecting the rights of rental housing providers. If you have questions about this ruling or need legal guidance, please contact our team or visit our advocacy resources.
Stay informed. Stay engaged. Support the Legal Defense Fund. Together, we ensure a fair and balanced rental housing system in Washington State.
This article was written and edited by RHAWA representatives and is intended for the use of RHAWA members only. Copyrighted members-only materials may not be further disseminated. Formal legal advice and review are recommended prior to the selection and use of this information. RHAWA does not represent your selection or execution of this information as appropriate for your specific circumstance. The material contained and represented herein, although obtained from reliable sources, is not considered legal advice or to be used as a substitution for legal counsel.
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The Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is your shield and spear against unjust laws and government overreach. Like Spartans in battle, we stand strong to protect your rights and defend your livelihood. From rent control to constitutional challenges, the LDF is here to ensure fairness and justice for rental housing providers across Washington State.
McCready/Margola
But even the strongest phalanx needs every warrior in formation. Your support strengthens our fight. Every contribution empowers the LDF to defend and attack on behalf of rental housing providers. We’re
Representative Andrew Barkis, a long-time advocate for rental housing providers will return to Olympia this January thanks to your support. His work aligns with RHAPAC’s goals for 2025, advancing policies that benefit housing providers, tenants, and communities statewide.
The RHA Political Action Committee (RHAPAC) bridges the gap between housing providers and lawmakers, fostering collaboration to strengthen the rental housing industry. In the 2024 election, RHAPAC supported qualified candidates and continues to work in Olympia for fair policies that protect your business and promote statewide housing growth.
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