Drafter

Clerk 09/27/2021

Title

A MOTION requesting the executive to develop a rental housing report.

Body

                     WHEREAS, the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University has stated that a large and growing share of United States households cannot find housing that they can afford, and

                     WHEREAS, King County established the regional affordable housing task force in 2017 through Motion 14873 with the charge to develop a recommended countywide affordable housing strategy, and

                     WHEREAS, the regional affordable housing task force's 2018 five-year action plan states that renters are twice as likely to be severely cost burdened compared to homeowners and includes a strategy to propose and support legislation and statewide policies related to tenant protection to ease implementation and provide consistency for landlords, and

                     WHEREAS, the regional affordable housing task force's 2018 five-year action plan was accepted by the council with Motion 15372, and

                     WHEREAS, King County established just cause provisions and additional tenant protections in June 2021 through Ordinance 19311, and

                     WHEREAS, the council is committed to finding solutions to the lack of availability and affordability of rental housing options in unincorporated King County;

                     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:

                     A.  The council requests that the executive create a rental housing report to identify rental housing stock and trends in unincorporated King County.  The report should focus on private market dwelling units available for rent and should include at least the following:

                       1.  An identification on the number of dwelling units currently utilized for rental housing;

                       2.  A calculation on the average rental cost of a dwelling unit in each subarea geography or community service area in unincorporated King County;

                       3.  An analysis of the availability and demand based on housing type by subarea geography or community service area, including single-family and multifamily dwelling units; and

                       4.  An analysis of the trends in rental costs of dwelling units over the last five years and a projection of housing rental costs of dwelling units will change over the next five years;

                     5.  An analysis of the impact of major governmental policies on the rental market, including COVID-19 eviction moratoriums and changes in rental regulations and tenant rights.

                     B.  The executive should electronically file the rental housing report no later than

February 1, 2022, with the clerk of the council, who shall retain an electronic copy and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers.