January 9, 2018 Executive Director

Legislative

jacob-hilton-228976

Legislative Updates as of April 6, 2018

The proponents of the split roll campaign have reduced the money they are paying for signatures and have announced that they plan to put the measure on the November 2020 ballot instead of the November 2018! While this is good news it means that the threat is indeed real and the 2020 ballot is not necessarily a good one for us – as you recall Hillary Clinton carried California by a 4 million vote margin. We will be updating you with more information but wanted to give you this heads up immediately.

Legislative Updates as of March 23, 2018

Legislative Updates as of March 13, 2018

The IREM In-district Meeting period is right around the corner! From March 26 – April 6, your U.S. Senators and Representative will be back in their home districts to meet with constituents, so now is the time to schedule your meetings.

If you have already scheduled a meeting, please remember to submit your meeting details as soon as possible.

How to Get Started

  • Know Your Federal Legislators. Not sure who to contact? Click here to find your Federal Elected Officials and their contact information.

 

  • Request a Meeting. Call your legislator’s district office to request a meeting and ask for the scheduler’s email. Feel free to use this template letter when submitting a written request.

 

  • Tell Us About It. As you make your appointments, submit your meeting details to us! Don’t worry if the meeting isn’t finalized, you can resubmit information at a later date.

 

  • Be Prepared. Make sure your meeting is a success. Prepare yourself by reading the IREM Issue brief. Also, you can help the legislators and their staff prepare by sending the IREM Fact Sheets in advance.

Legislative Updates as of February 12,2018

Legislative Updates as of February 9, 2018

  • Update: Rent Controll Bills in Washington State
    Residential – IREM, Rent Control 

WA House Bill 2583 (HB 2583) and WA Senate Bill 6400 (SB 6400), concerning local authority to address affordable housing needs through regulation of rent and associated charges, were introduced early in the 2018 session. These bills would permit local cities and counties to allow rent control on rented/leased residential properties as they see fit and would repeal the 1981 state preemption against rent control.

Hearings on both bills were conducted in their respective Committees and there was an abundant amount of testimony supporting and opposing the legislation. Proponents of the bill argued that it would give more affordable housing to low income tenants especially those living in the Seattle area. Supporters also spoke of the need to keep affordable housing in Seattle and rent control was one of the tools in the “tool box” to allow low income tenants to live, work and retire in Seattle.

However, Christy Mays, Legislative Chair for Western Washington and other IREM members testified against the legislation. IREM members from Oregon even attended the hearings in opposition to the rent control bills.

Neither of these bills were voted out of committee therefore, they are dead for the 2018 session unless they are amended onto another bill or placed into the budget, which is highly unlikely.

However, there is talk of reintroducing the legislation in 2019, when there may be greater support in the state legislature.

IREM will continue to work with the Washington chapter and Public Affairs

 

 

 

 

 

 

Legislative Updates as of January 10, 2018