Posted on 08/11/2016 10:16:56 AM PDT by PROCON
Seattle is apparently breaking new ground by requiring landlords in the city to rent their housing units to qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.
Officials say they’re unaware of any other U.S. city with a policy like the one the Seattle City Council approved Monday, along with other rental-housing changes.
The goal is to ensure prospective renters are treated equally, according to Councilmember Lisa Herbold, who championed the policy. When landlords pick one renter among multiple qualified applicants, their own biases — conscious or unconscious — may come into play, she says.
Some landlords don’t mind the policy, saying they already operate on a first-come, first-served basis. But others are upset, saying they should be able to use their own judgment to choose the renters they believe will be most reliable.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.com ...
The landlord will be required to screen multiple applications in the order in which they were received and make offers to qualified renters in that order.
A prospective renter won’t necessarily know her position in line, but she can ask SOCR to investigate by checking the landlord’s records.
Prospective renters will also have the option to sue a landlord when they think they’ve been skipped — an aspect of the policy that bothers landlord groups.
I expect a rush by landlords to unload rental property in a hurry before the Jan. 1, 2017 deadline.
Liberalism is insanity.
The ultimate goal here is to take away private property. They can’t do that just yet, so they chip away and take away some of the rights of property. They leave you with the financial responsibility, the taxes, the expenses, and the insurance.
They could always raise the qualifications. “Sorry, you’re not qualified, otherwise I would have rented to you”.
So what?
This is fascism, pure and simple. The landlords "own" the property but the city controls all aspects of the property's usage.
Watch insurance rates creep up - or skyrocket - on rental property.
That and/or a lot of conversions into AirBnB units.
Fascism is so much easier and more economical for the government...they don’t have ownership or liability but they still have complete control of the property. This isn’t socialism that we’re heading toward, it’s fascism.
“When landlords pick one renter among multiple qualified applicants, their own biases — conscious or unconscious — may come into play, she says”
So, they assume EVERYONE has biases......thanks for giving them the benefit of the doubt there lisa.
You want to rent from me?
You pass a full background/financial check.
End of story.
No drugs, no criminal background, no bad credit.
Typical rental qualification is 30%.
If I’m renting out a place for 1000 a month, the minimum financial qualification would be 40k a year income.
If I have two applicants, one that makes 40k and another that makes 60k, I’m going w/the 60.
That’s the problem, the city not the landlord decides on who is “qualified.”
The ultimate goal is to create “Council Estates” like in Britain, where the Government runs housing.
Another infringement on the concept of "Private Property."
I personally believe people have a right to discriminate if they wish, and it is a despotic act for government to interfere with how someone chooses to use or not use their own property.
This effort is probably just a vehicle for advancing communistic ideology.
Not in Seattle, you won’t.
I’d say good, let the liberals reap what they sow but everyone knows that won’t be the case.
Liberals will sow insanity but the few good, hard working folks will have to reap it.
Fascism is what the left has always been about. It is inherent in it's nature.
If that is implemented than landlords must be allowed to have a probationary period of at least 3 months where they can evict without cause by giving 24 hours notice. In cases of emergency law enforcement can be called to remove the tenant with no notice required.
Fascism is just Communism with snappier uniforms.
This is fascism, pure and simple.
Did you know there is also a movement afoot there (if not already implemented) to tax septic systems?
Discrimination! </seattlecity>
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