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Landlords suing over Seattle’s ‘first come, first served’ rental ordinance say it’s unconstitutional
Q13 FOX News ^ | March 24, 2017 | BY HANA KIM

Posted on 03/24/2017 9:47:42 AM PDT by Oldeconomybuyer

A lawsuit in Seattle pits some fundamental rights against each other — it’s civil rights that ban discrimination, and property rights that allow owners to decide what to do with their homes and land.

The issue is with a new law that requires landlords to rent to tenants on a “first come, first served” basis. The goal is to make sure all renters are treated equally.

But the landlords who are suing say the program is a bureaucratic nightmare and unconstitutional.

Critics say it’s all about the survival of the fastest, but supporters say it levels the playing field for renters.

The law does exempt mother-in-law units and backyard cottages. The rule is in effect now but will not be enforced until July.

If a landlord is caught violating the new rules, they could receive hefty fines, up to $11,000 for a first violation and about $27,000 for the second.

Blevins, the attorney, says the lawsuit could take a year and half before a judge makes a final ruling.

(Excerpt) Read more at q13fox.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: biggovernment; landlord; landlords; lawsuit; liberty; ordinance; propertyrights; rental; seattle; socialism; unconstitutional; washington
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To: Poison Pill

The white guy got here first....

(can’t see that working)


21 posted on 03/24/2017 10:49:35 AM PDT by silverleaf (Age takes a toll: Please have exact change)
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To: silverleaf
(can’t see that working)

Yeah, when the white guy gets there first it's rigged dontcha know!

22 posted on 03/24/2017 10:52:22 AM PDT by Poison Pill
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

My property. My decision.

Oh, that first weirdo? No, I decided to take the apartment off the market that day. Yeah, it was a coincidence I decided to put it back on the market when that nice employed couple with great references dropped by. Prove it didn’t happen that way.


23 posted on 03/24/2017 11:05:41 AM PDT by bgill (From the CDC site, "We don't know how people are infected with Ebola")
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To: Mr. Mojo

The ulterior motive is to destroy the incentive for owners to rent property, and to put Government in charge of housing, with Council Estates, like they have in Britain.


24 posted on 03/24/2017 11:32:28 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

Democrats and socialists (but I repeat myself) want the freedom of association in this country to be destroyed. Destroy that, and it’s just a hop and a skip to herding people in camps by skin color and religion. Don’t think they wouldn’t love to do it.


25 posted on 03/24/2017 11:33:12 AM PDT by backwoods-engineer (Trump won; I celebrated; I'm good. Let's get on with the civil war now.)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
Unconstitutional? Yah,as if that's ever stopped this nation's Maoists.
26 posted on 03/24/2017 12:15:15 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Deplorables' Lives Matter)
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To: bgill
Prove it didn’t happen that way.

"Proof" is in the eye of the beholder.In Seattle,and many other places,you wouldn't have a prayer.

27 posted on 03/24/2017 12:17:29 PM PDT by Gay State Conservative (Deplorables' Lives Matter)
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To: Oldeconomybuyer
My parents have a rental unit.

They ask for decent credit, first and last months rent, no history of evictions.

You would be surprised how often the last requirement is the sticking point.

28 posted on 03/24/2017 12:20:07 PM PDT by Harmless Teddy Bear (Not a Romantic, not a hero worshiper and stop trying to tug my heartstrings. It tickles! (pink bow))
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To: Abathar

They’ll just sue the landlords based on outcomes (as the government did with Wall Street firms with women under-represented at the highest levels); there was no proof of discrimination, just an unequal outcome that had to be punished with steep fines and a bunch of high-paying fake jobs for women...


29 posted on 03/24/2017 12:28:25 PM PDT by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic warfare against white males (and therefore white families).)
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To: Doogle
So Seattle, how’s that sanctuary city chit working out for ya?

To really understand just how STUPID this new law is in Seattle, one would have to understand the HOUSING SHORTAGE that exists in Seattle because of all the building restrictions that have been in place for a very long time due to "environmental" reasons in large swaths of Seattle and the surrounding area.

"First come" is less about discrimination and more about RENT CONTROL in Seattle. It will prevent bidding wars for rental properties in/around Seattle, enable a whole lesser class of "renters" and fundamentally damage the property rights not just of landlords, but property owners overall.

That which can be done to a landlord can also be done to a property owner who is NOT a landlord.

30 posted on 03/24/2017 12:29:38 PM PDT by usconservative (When The Ballot Box No Longer Counts, The Ammunition Box Does. (What's In Your Ammo Box?))
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To: Harmless Teddy Bear

I’m not surprised; I work with gibsmedats (forced into the workplace when their golden-ticket welfare bastards “aged out” of providing the life of leisure) who can’t get anything in their own names because they’ve stiffed so many people in the past (especially landlords)...


31 posted on 03/24/2017 12:30:01 PM PDT by kearnyirish2 (Affirmative action is economic warfare against white males (and therefore white families).)
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To: CurlyDave

“2. If a prospective tenant has too HIGH an income I will not take them.

Why? Experience shows that high-income tenants really want to own a house, and can qualify for one-—


Even empty nesters?

Many people with lots of money want to rent because they are sick and tired of ownership and want to travel.

I personally know 2 couples that did this.

.


32 posted on 03/24/2017 12:38:54 PM PDT by Mears
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To: CurlyDave
"Our building is near a large employer, and every vacancy we have there is at least one application from employees of this company. Sometimes there are several. I have a rule that no more than 3 of our units can be occupied by employees of this company."

Sounds like a reasonable policy, but some other landlord might take the view that he wants to provide housing close to the employer as a convenience to the employees, to SAVE THE PLANET via reduced commute distances and lower fuel consumption, and because he thinks/knows that the employer only hires solid people.

Different landlords might have different reasons for their leasing decisions, but the decision should be theirs, not the government's.
33 posted on 03/24/2017 12:47:32 PM PDT by Steve_Seattle
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To: Carthego delenda est
"Next up in libtard land: “first come first served” laws for job applicants."

Touche.
34 posted on 03/24/2017 12:49:49 PM PDT by Steve_Seattle
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To: Oldeconomybuyer

We were stationed in the beautiful hell-hole for 3 years.

The schools were an absolute nightmare. Our son was in 5th grade when we received a letter that they would learn about AIDS. If we wanted to opt him out of this seminar, we had to attend a special meeting at the school. We kept him home for 2 days. We don’t conform.

Those people are dangerous.


35 posted on 03/24/2017 1:00:48 PM PDT by submarinerswife (Allahu FUBAR)
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To: dfwgator

Yes, good point.


36 posted on 03/24/2017 1:11:07 PM PDT by Mr. Mojo
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To: marktwain

Speaking of parties, by the same logic when you hold a party you should issue a public invitation and accept the first n people who RSVP.


37 posted on 03/24/2017 3:23:32 PM PDT by AZLiberty (A is now A once again.)
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