The North of 45th Working Group identified rental housing as a safety issue in 2006. In reality, the UPCC had been trying to work this problem for years before. Finally, after all these years the Mayor has recently signed a RHIP Ordinance which will have many ramifications to rental properties with ADUs and those that have no owner occupied housing. Our goal and that of many has been to require absentee landlord housing facilities to be inspected for safety over a reasonable period of time. Your all know the houses that do not meet various safety requirement just from the look of the building outside, and there are many more throughout the city.

Through the North of 45th Working Group, we have worked with the UW, the Tenant’s Union, Washington Legal Services, and City Council, and now there is an ordinance on the books that will become effective in 2014. Yes it took long, but with perseverance, we can make a difference!