Bothell staff briefed the council on tenant protections and Washington's new rent stabilization law

What the records say

The June 3, 2025 City Council agenda listed a 'Tenant Protections Update' as a staff briefing under the City Manager's report, with no action requested ¹. The briefing memo, dated June 3, 2025, says Washington's 2025 legislative session enacted HB 1217, which limits rent and fee increases, requires notice for rent and fee changes, and regulates fees and deposits ¹. Key provisions summarized in the memo include: unless exempted, rent increases capped at 7% plus CPI or 10%, whichever is less, within 12 months (and not at all during the first 12 months of tenancy); a 5% cap for manufactured homes; notice of rent increases extended from 60 to 90 days; late fees restricted to 2%, 3%, and 5% of rent across three consecutive months; a tenant right to terminate a lease without penalty if a landlord exceeds the allowed increase; and attorney general enforcement with civil penalties up to $7,500 per violation ¹. The memo also recounts the city's own work: after Council direction in March 2024, staff researched potential local measures, completed a human services needs assessment, and held focus groups in which renters raised concerns about rising rent and supported longer notice for increases and caps on move-in fees and deposits, while landlords said such measures weigh more heavily on individual landlords of smaller properties ¹.

• The June 3, 2025 agenda listed the 'Tenant Protections Update' as a staff briefing under the City Manager report; no action was requested ¹.
• The briefing summarized HB 1217: rent increase caps of 7% plus CPI or 10% (whichever is less) within 12 months, a 5% cap for manufactured homes, 90-day notice for rent increases, tiered late-fee limits, lease termination rights, and attorney general enforcement with civil penalties up to $7,500 per violation ¹.
• Staff reported that Bothell renters in community engagement strongly supported longer notice for rent increases and caps on move-in fees and security deposits, while landlords said tenant protection measures fall harder on individual landlords of smaller properties than on corporate landlords ¹.
• Staff said they would begin Housing Action Plan community engagement in the third quarter of 2025, with the plan to be completed by the end of 2026, as the venue for further resident feedback on tenant protections ¹.

Why it matters

The briefing connects a new state rent stabilization law to Bothell's own housing work: staff said they would initiate community engagement on the Housing Action Plan in the third quarter of 2025, with the plan set to be completed by the end of 2026, giving residents a channel to give feedback on tenant protections ¹. Renters and landlords in Bothell have a direct stake in how the city responds to HB 1217's limits on increases, notice periods, and fees.

What changed / what's next

• The packet contains the agenda and the briefing memo but no minutes for the June 3, 2025 meeting, so the records do not establish what was said at the meeting or any resulting council direction.
• Staff indicated the next concrete step is Q3 2025 community engagement on the Housing Action Plan; residents interested in tenant protections could watch for that engagement process ¹.
• The available records do not establish the meeting's outcome.