SEATTLE — The Seattle City Council voted against a bill to bring rent control to the city if the state lifts its ban.
The council voted 6-2 against it. One of the two members who voted in favor of the bill is its sponsor Kshama Sawant.
"According to the real estate industry's own figures, the shortage of apartments is not the problem. The problem is the shortage of affordable housing," Sawant said.
Sawant pushed for the rent control trigger law to take effect in the event the statewide ban is lifted. Washington state has prohibited cities, like Seattle, from implementing rent control policies since 1981. So, if the city council had approved the measure, the state would still have needed to revoke its ban on rent control for the cap to take effect.
Sara Nelson was among the six council members who voted against the proposal.
"I'm concerned that this proposal will decrease existing housing supply because rental revenues won't keep pace with increasing maintenance costs and property taxes which will result in housing providers either just selling their properties or converting them into condominiums," Nelson said.
The bill proposed the creation of rent control provisions, regulations against rent increases, and establishing a board to authorize exceptions.
The legislation, sponsored by Councilmember Sawant, was voted down 2-3 by the Sustainability and Renters Rights Committee on July 21.
Under the proposal, rent control limitations would have applied to all rental housing units in the city, except for short-term rentals, hotels and motels, emergency shelters, and government-owned housing.