Seattle Mayor Ed Murray has signed a new ordinance that bans landlords from rejecting tenants based on their criminal history. The ordinance will go into effect 30 days after the mayor’s signature.
According to proponents, the intent is to lower barriers for people with criminal histories to obtain housing. Under the new ordinance, the following will be prohibited:
- Advertising that excludes people with criminal records from applying to rent a dwelling.
- Requiring disclosure or obtaining criminal record information regarding any occupant of a dwelling.
- Landlords may not decline someone who is on the sex offender list if the offense occurred as a juvenile (under 18). For a person on the sex offender list who was an adult at the time of the conviction, a landlord must show a “legitimate business reason” to reject the renter.
There are limited exclusions to this ordinance but they include:
- HUD federally assisted housing - HUD requirements still apply.
- Single family dwellings where landlord or subleasing tenant also lives or mother-in-law quarters.
- A detached dwelling on the same lot where the owner or a person entitled to possession lives on a permanent basis.
The ordinance contains very detailed enforcement provisions. For a first-time violation, the maximum penalty will be $11,000; for a second violation in five years, $27,500; and for a third violation in seven years, $55,000.
