In the closing moments of the Washington legislative session, lawmakers came together to finalize agreements on two significant bills: one that imposes limits on rent increases and another that offers unemployment benefits to striking workers. These pieces of legislation are now pending Governor Bob Ferguson’s decision.
If the rent stabilization bill is signed into law, it will place Washington among a few trailblazing states like Oregon and California that are actively seeking novel approaches to address the homelessness crisis. Alongside Oregon, Washington is taking a forward step towards providing unemployment benefits to striking workers, a move precipitated by recent strikes involving Boeing factory employees, hospital nurses, and teachers in the Pacific Northwest.
The Washington legislature managed to pass its bill with a 27-21 vote, though not without some amendments. Meanwhile, Oregon legislators continue their discussions on similar legislation. Initially, a 12-week cap was proposed for unemployment benefits, but this was slashed to four weeks in the House before a compromise of six weeks was reached in the conference committee.
Democratic State Senator Marcus Riccelli, who is behind Washington’s bill, emphasized that the legislation aims to equalize conditions for workers, even if the benefits period was reduced. He remarked, “A strike is a last resort, but the bill gives striking workers the ability to afford basic needs like food and housing. The absence of a safety net places intense pressure on workers to resolve strikes quickly.”
To scrutinize the effect of the bill, the Employment Security Department will be required to report strike-related data to the Legislature starting in 2026. The bill is scheduled to expire on January 1, 2036. Presently, only New York and New Jersey offer unemployment benefits to striking workers, although Connecticut Senate Democrats have revitalized discussions around similar legislation following a gubernatorial veto last year.
The rent-control measure in Washington successfully passed through both houses, but two unexpected amendments introduced on the Senate floor sent House Bill 1217 to a conference committee. These amendments adjusted the cap from 7% to 10% plus inflation, while single-family homes were excluded.
Critics of the bill voiced concerns that such a law would deter developers from investing in the state and claimed that similar strategies adopted in Oregon and California only compounded those states’ financial hardships rather than mitigating homelessness. Oregon’s rent-control measure, which passed in 2019, was amended to limit rent hikes to either 7% plus the annual average change in the Consumer Price Index for the U.S. West or 10%, whichever is lower.
During its reconciliation process, Washington’s conference committee managed to slightly lower the cap to 7% plus inflation or 10%, whichever is lower. Protections for the 38% of renters residing in single-family homes were restored in this iteration, while rent increase caps for manufactured homes remained fixed at 5%.
On Sunday, after considerable debate, the legislature approved the revised rent-control measure with a 54-44 vote, as five Democrats joined Republican opposition. Michele Thomas, who directs policy for the Low Income Housing Alliance, expressed satisfaction and optimism, saying that the state has made a substantial move towards enhancing tenant protections.
“Oversized rent hikes jeopardize nearly 1 million renter households with the risk of displacement and homelessness as rents continue their upward trajectory,” Thomas commented. “This legislation will help keep these individuals in their homes while we persist in our pursuit of stronger protections and more affordable housing for our community members.”