Washington House passes ‘rent stabilization’ bill, moves to Senate
House Bill 1217, which caps yearly increases at 7% of a tenant’s rent and creates limits on some move-in and late fees, passed 53-42 on Monday.
/ March 10, 2025
A bill to cap how much landlords can raise rents passed the Washington state House of Representatives on Monday, marking a win for progressive Democrats and housing advocates who have been pushing the policy since last year.
The “rent stabilization” proposal caps yearly increases at 7% of a tenant’s rent and creates limits on some move-in and late fees. It has garnered support from housing advocates who say it is needed to help prevent evictions and homelessness, and opposition from business groups and property owners who argue it would limit new housing construction at a time when the state needs more homes.
The proposal, House Bill 1217, passed 53-42. Five Democrats voted with Republicans against it.
During Monday’s floor debate, bill sponsor Rep. Nicole Macri, D-Seattle, said it is a balanced approach that will give both landlords and renters predictability.
“This policy is a lifeline,” Macri said. “We must give people stability right now, and stability starts with a home.”
A bill with a 7% cap on rent increases also passed the House last year. The proposal failed to receive a vote in the Senate after Republicans and some moderate Democrats in key committees refused to support it. With more progressive Democrats in both the House and the Senate and growing support among Washington residents, passage may be more likely this year.
While the current version of the bill would prohibit landlords from raising a tenant’s rent more than 7% a year, the bill doesn’t cap the rent at the start of someone’s lease. A landlord must give a 90-day notice before any rent increase.
The proposal would limit how much a property owner could charge for move-in and late fees for manufactured and mobile homeowners. The current version of the proposal does not have any limits on these fees for tenants renting apartments or other homes.
A tenant could sue a landlord who does not follow the law, but must first provide a written demand giving the landlord an opportunity to rescind the increase.
The bill includes some exemptions, including construction that is 12 years old or less and housing owned by a nonprofit organization or a public housing authority.
During Monday’s debate, Republicans argued that the policy will deter housing developers from building in Washington, increasing costs for renters in the long run. They also argued it would force property owners to increase tenants’ rent every year to keep up with market rates.
Rep. Andrew Barkis, R-Olympia, said the state needs to focus on building more housing.
“This is not going to provide stability,” Barkis said. “The only stability and predictability that we’re going to have is that tenants’ rents are going to go up 7% every year.”
Democrats argued that the state has made strides in increasing the housing supply in recent years with policies to allow for more density and historic funding for new housing construction.
“We’re doing some great work, but we have to make sure that our renters have protections,” Rep. Strom Peterson, D-Edmonds, said. “The housing crisis they are facing is trying to get rent payments in every single month.”
The bill now heads to the state Senate, where the proposal died last year. Democratic senators have been working on the legislation and moved their version through the Senate Housing Committee last month – an early indication that support for the policy may be growing in that chamber.