CURRENT - January 2023

Worried About Occupancy in

Sailing into the New Year

Sean Flynn | RHAWA Board President and Executive Director |  president@RHAwa.org

RHAWA continues to provide the highest level of service to its members across Washington state. We are the largest association of small housing providers in the state which also means that we are held to the highest standards an association can be held to. As RHAWA continues to provide its members with the highest level of service possible, we are consistently improving the organization, adding services, and bolstering our staff’s knowledge base. Because of this desire to always be improving, there will be a slight increase in membership dues effective at the start of the year. However, we did not want to increase our membership dues without providing a clear explanation of what you are getting out of your membership with RHAWA. In this article I will detail some of the

IN THIS ISSUE

Sailing into the New Year 3

Screening: Tenant Selection 4

Education + Events: January Calendar 5

Education + Resources: Property Manager Series Tickets on Sale! 6 2023 Legislative Session: Grassroots Advocacy & Legislative Session Preview 8

Government Affairs

Local Government Update 11

Introducing RHAWA's 2023 Board of Directors and RHAWA Staff 12

Support Center

Plan Your Rental Operations Tasks for 2023 14 City of Redmond Laws 16

Membership Engagement

Getting Involved in 2023 18

Industry in Motion 20

Vendor Listings 21

Membership Engagement

LINK Up with RHAWA in 2023 26

Finance

5 Ways to Avoid Paying Capital Gains Tax 28

Financing Strategies for 1-4 Unit

Properties When Rates are Elevated 30

Tenant Tips and Precautions 34

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changes that RHAWA will be implementing this year as well as highlighting our ongoing efforts that will always be there for you.

I will start by highlighting the aspects of RHAWA that have always, and will always, be key benefits to our members. A service that many members consider to be our number one benefit; leasing forms, are updated constantly in order to reflect changes in state laws and local laws. Local laws change like the tides, and it is crucial for our team to act quickly in this area in order to ensure our forms are in compliance at all times. Furthermore, it is often necessary to consult with local attorneys on certain forms, which as some of you are aware, attorney fees are rising as well.

CONTACT US

Accounting + Membership Administrator

Geoff Schertz: (206) 905-0606

Board Administrator Jim Nell: jnell@RHAwa.org

Business Development Specialist

Luke Brown: (206) 905-0610

Creative Director

Sisi Mereness: (206) 905-0605

Deputy Director Melissa Canfield: (206) 905-0615

Education + Resources Denise Myers: (206) 905-0614

Grassroots Organizer Daniel Bannon: (206) 905-0609

Member Services Specialist (Resource Desk) Sue Lewis: RHAwa.org/supportcenter

Member Services Specialist (Screening) Val Kushi: (206) 283-0816 | screening@RHAwa.org

CONNECT WITH US

Facebook: Like us at facebook.com/RHAofWA

Instagram: Follow us at @RHA_ofWA

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/rentalhousing-association-of-washington

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

RHAWA is also passionate about investing in the education and success of its staff. RHAWA is dedicated to improving the skillset of the staff through educational events and training courses which directly benefit the efficiency and effectiveness of the association. One such event was a marketing conference which educated members of our team on effective tools utilized by social media companies. The lessons learned at this event resulted in some of the recent changes to the CONNECT Forum—which has seen a notable increase in member engagement—as well as the upcoming reorganization and visual overhaul of our website. The more skilled our employees are, the better they can assist you with all your rental housing needs.

Forum will also be receiving a visual refresh to accompany the website overhaul. As mentioned earlier, recent changes to the CONNECT Forum have nearly doubled our members engagement on the platform. Further changes to this system will continue to drive engagement and will further the mission to make the CONNECT Forum a hub of rental housing advice and member interaction.

RHAWA Current is published every month by the Rental Housing Association of Washington. Copyright ©2022 RHAWA Current with all rights reserved. Reproduction or use without permission of editorial or graphic content in any manner is prohibited. All copyrights, trademarks, and servicemarks are property of their respective owners. P.O. Box 31103 Seattle, Washington, 98103.

We have received feedback from membership that the website could be visually and organizationally improved. Because of this, we are making significant changes to our website this year which is no small feat. Our hope is to make the website more visually appealing, but also to make the website easier to use. Categories and services will be reorganized and simplified to make it easier to find the page you are looking for and get you there faster. Certain pages may be combined to streamline the website and make it an overall more useful asset for our members. We want to reduce confusion and expedite your use of our website so you don’t have to waste time looking for the right page and can use our services with as little headache as possible. The CONNECT

Make sure to also keep on the lookout for in-person events this year. Although in-person events may be more costly, they are incredibly valuable as it allows our members to meet face to face with one another as well as meet staff. We are excited to start seeing our members at our events once again and finally move back to a “normal” level of interaction. RHAWA will host five large events this year. These include the Spring Workshop + Tradeshow, Legal Forum, Membership Appreciation Day, Annual Business Meeting, and Annual Gala.

Speaking of in-person meetings, we are also implementing changes to our LINK meetings to make them even more valuable to our members. The LINK meetings were historically all scheduled on the same day; however, this makes it difficult for us to ensure that staff is able to attend these meetings and engage with our members. In 2023, LINK meetings will be held throughout the month at various locations and each meeting will take place

DIRECTORS

Cathy

Jason Dolloph Kaitlyn Jackson

Mark Mullally

Sharon Cunnington Synthia Melton

LEGAL COUNSEL

Christopher Benis

Sean Flynn

RHAWA CONTINUES TO PROVIDE ITS MEMBERS WITH THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF SERVICE POSSIBLE, AND IS CONSISTENTLY IMPROVING THE ORGANIZATION, ADDING SERVICES, AND BOLSTERING OUR STAFF’S KNOWLEDGE BASE.

Tenant Selection

Screening Department |  screening@RHAwa.org |  (206) 283-0816

It is best practice to select the first applicant who meets the minimum Application Criteria. These criteria must be provided to each prospective tenant before the housing provider receives their application. Other methods of selecting a tenant may lead to Fair Housing Complaints. A housing provider should welcome all applicants the same to avoid unconscious bias and any perception of discrimination. If an applicant does not meet the minimum criteria, the housing provider must send them an Adverse Action Notice to either reject them or offer conditional tenancy.

Laws and Common Practices

• Create an Application Criteria Notice and provide it to all applicants.

• Welcome all applicants.

• Offer tenancy to the first qualified applicant.

• Give Adverse Action Notice.

Create an Application Criteria Notice and provide it to all applicants

Under RCW 59.18.257, the housing provider must give prospective tenants an Application Criteria Notice prior to receiving their application. See Sup-

port Center article Inform Tenants of Application Screening Criteria.

Do not include any criteria related to a protected class. See Support Center article Provide Fair Housing.

The housing provider can charge applicants only for the cost of screening, not to exceed area charges if conducting the screening themselves.

See RHAWA Forms, Application Criteria Guidelines and Application Criteria Guidelines (Seattle) for more information.

Welcome All Applicants

Because Fair Housing law prohibits steering prospective tenants to specific units or away from applying altogether based on membership in a protected class, the best practice is to welcome all prospective tenants to apply for the home they want. By giving all prospective tenants the same Application Criteria Notice, the housing provider allows them to decide if they will be denied based on their circumstances. This practice reduces the risk of a fair housing complaint. See Support Center

article Provide Fair Housing

Offer Tenancy to the First Qualified Applicant

Selecting the first qualified applicant is common practice in Washington and required in Seattle under SMC 14.08.050. See First-In-Time Tenant Selection (Seattle). While it is not a best practice from a fair housing perspective, housing providers outside of Seattle may choose to pool applicants and then select the most qualified. When using this procedure, it is important to have a detailed disclosure to explain how they determine the “best” applicant in an unbiased manner and document their decision-making process.

Give Adverse Action Notice

Whenever a housing provider denies tenancy based on any screening results, they must send a completed Adverse Action Notice to the applicant in compliance with RCW 59.18.257. As is the case with RHAWA Screening, this is often a service provided by screening companies.

If the applicant does not quite meet the

minimum criteria, the housing provider may elect to make a conditional offer of tenancy, using RHAWA Form, Adverse Action Notice (e.g., accept with a cosigner, higher security deposit, etc.).

In the case of multiple applicants, if a housing provider makes a conditional offer of tenancy to an applicant that falls short of the criteria, and denies an applicant that meets criteria, the denied applicant may assume the decision was based on a discriminatory reason.

City of Seattle:

• An alternate version of the Adverse Action Notice is available for Seattle due to the ban on considering Criminal History in tenant screening under the Fair Chance Housing Ordinance, SMC 14.09.

• Under SMC 14.08.050 housing providers should refrain from offering conditional terms to applicants who do not meet the published screening criteria. Instead, they should consider altering the criteria, notifying all applicants in the order received, and relisting the vacancy with the new criteria.

Formal legal advice and review is recommended prior to selection and use of this information. RHAWA does not represent your selection or execution of this information as appropriate for your specific circumstance. The material contained and represented herein, although obtained from reliable sources, is not considered legal advice or to be used as a substitution for legal counsel

JANUARY CALENDAR

Denise

Myers

| Education + Resources Director |  dmyers@RHAwa.org |  (206) 905-0614

NEW YEAR'S HOLIDAY OFFICE CLOSED

2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION KICK OFF

When: Wednesday, January 4 | 6 - 7:30pm

Register: FREE Location: ONLINE Only

Join lobbyists Chester Baldwin and Jim Henderson to discuss the upcoming legislative session. Preview the upcoming bills and learn how to get involved and join the grassroots advocacy efforts. Our success in this session will be determined by your involvement and participation. Your lawmakers need to hear from you, and we will teach you how to make your voice heard.

HOW STATE LAWS ARE MADE

When: Thursday, January 5 | Noon - 1pm

Register: FREE Location: ONLINE Only

If the old cartoon from Schoolhouse Rock is the extent of your knowledge, use your lunch hour to learn how bills are proposed and passed into State law in Olympia. Following curriculum provided by the State legislature, Chester Baldwin will explain the official lawmaking procedures from drafting to voting in both chambers, and how things really work through the legislative biennium.

ROOMMATES IN YOUR RENTALS

When: Wednesday, January 11 | 3 - 4pm

Cost: $30 Member | $60 Freemium Subscriber $90 Guest Location: ONLINE Only

With the continuing housing shortage and historic inflation rates, it is increasingly common for people to seek roommates as a solution to rapidly rising household costs. Many housing providers far from university districts are dealing with the unique challenges of having roommates in residence for the first time. Experienced landlord and attorney, Chris Benis will share laws and best practices for common situations including changes in tenancy, screening new roommates, and disputes between roommates.

2023 LEGISLATIVE SESSION GRASSROOTS BRIEFING ROOM

When: Monday, January 16 - Monday, April 24

Cost: FREE

Location: ONLINE Only - Virtual Meeting Room

Join Government Affairs staff and Lobbyists to discuss the current state of the Legislative Session, upcoming hearings and detailed analysis of bills that would affect housing providers. We meet every Monday at 11am and hold special briefing rooms before key hearings. Register today to be able to attend these critical meetings and to receive updates on when the next hearings are.

ROOMMATES IN YOUR RENTALS

When: Wednesday, January 18 | 2 - 4pm

Cost: $30 Member | $60 Freemium Subscriber $90 Guest

Location: ONLINE Only

With the continuing housing shortage and historic inflation raUnderstand the general concepts of Estate Planning as well as how owning investment properties can complicate your estate for your loved ones. There are taxes, partnership matters, and family issues to be considered. Whether you own one rental property or one hundred, it is important to plan for how your legacy and rental business will be dealt with after you pass away. As an estate planning attorney and second-generation rental property investor, Julie Martiniello has extensive experience helping families plan for the transition of their rental business and other assets in their estate.

LINK MEETING

Tuesday, January 10 – So King Co.

– Claim Jumper, Tukwila Thursday, January – Pierce Co.

– Harbor Lights, Tacoma Tuesday, January 17 – East King Co.

– Dukes Seafood, Bellevue Thursday, January 19 – Snohomish Co.

– Bobs Burgers, Everett

Cost: FREE

Join us as we discuss different subjects related to the housing industry.

JUST CAUSE TERMINATION LAWS

When: Thursday, January 26 | 3 - 4pm

Cost: $30 Members | $200 Freemium Subscribers

Location: ONLINE Only

A general security deposit can normally be used to pay for any outstanding debt owed by the tenant to the landlord. Unfortunately, it is easy to make mistakes under the intricacies of various laws governing rental property security deposits. This includes a new rule under the emergency moratorium that requires offering a payment plan before using the deposit to pay rental arrears. Attorney, Maxwell Glasson will review all the state and local laws governing the security deposit as well as best practices to follow when collecting and completing refund accounting at move out.

Property Manager Series Tickets on Sale!

Register for entire series by January 31st to save

Denise Myers | Education + Resources Director |  dmyers@RHAwa.org |  (206) 905-0614

RHAWA believes strongly that education is a key component to owning and managing rental housing, maximizing the return on your investment, and being a community partner. The more owners and managers who ethically operate their business with a solid understanding of the law, the better chance we have to limit overreaching regulations imposed by the government.

The Rental Housing Academy's (RHA) education program is designed to provide independent housing providers, MHC owners, and others in the residential housing industry a foundation of knowledge and skills to help them meet legal responsibilities and succeed in the business. RHAWA provides deeply discounted education on rental operations, Residential and Manufactured Housing Landlord-Tenant Acts, property investment, and rental business management. Informal discussions and presentations are offered to explore trending issues and targeted topics of interest in the rental housing industry. RHA's curriculum is created collaboratively so you receive objective and well-vetted information. Our engaging instructors are selected based on tenure in the rental housing business and speaking experience.

RHAWA is proud to announce our new series designed specifically for Property Managers meets each Thursday at noon beginning on February 3rd. All PM Series live virtual class sessions will be available to all members to attend individually for $30 or attend the entire series for just $160. Ticket options are also available for Freemium subscribers and guests. Buy your series ticket by January 31 here to attend all twelve classes and save $200

(or more)! ...Or register for individual sessions on the calendar, each Thursday at Noon. All sessions in this series are included in the Annual Class Pass. Class Pass holders should register for individual classes as usual. This series is offered as as ONLINE only. After class, all participants will receive a link to recorded session and downloadable materials for review.

SCHEDULE OF TOPICS

BUILDING A CAREER IN THE HOUSING INDUSTRY

Thursday, February 9 | Noon - 1pm | ONLINE Only

With this class, we kick off a new 12-part series designed for Property Managers in Washington State. In this session, you will learn best practices for developing a successful and satisfying career in the housing industry. We will explore:

• Various career opportunities in the industry and how to develop a career as a real estate professional.

• Education and licensing requirements in Washington State.

• Standards for professional appearance, behaviors, and communication.

WORKPLACE ETHICS

Thursday, February 16 | Noon - 1pm | ONLINE Only

In this session, you will learn best practices for creating and participating in a safe, fair, and ethical workplace. We will explore:

• Prevention of sexual and other types of harassment.

• Promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace.

• Reporting unethical behaviors.

FAIR HOUSING BASICS

Thursday, February 23 | Noon - 1pm | ONLINE Only

Instructor: Maxwell Glasson, Attorney

In this session, you will learn best practices for providing fair and equal housing opportunities to prospects and tenants. We will explore:

1. Protected classes in various jurisdictions, including source of income and criminal history.

2. How to process accommodation requests, including use of service animals.

3. How to respond to retaliation and harassment claims involving tenants and/or staff members.

UNDERSTANDING YOUR MARKET

Thursday, March 2 | Noon - 1pm | ONLINE Only

In this session, you will learn best practices for understanding and managing your company's presence in your market area. We will explore:

• Technology and methods for conducting an accurate market survey.

• How to evaluate your property and set rent based on analysis of comparable properties.

• Monitoring feedback and managing your company reputation.

All written, presented and recorded content provided by RHAWA for this course are for the use of the participants enrolled in the course. Copyrighted course content may not be further disseminated. Formal legal advice and review is recommended prior to selection and use of this information. RHAWA does not represent your selection or execution of this information as appropriate for your specific circumstance. The material contained and represented herein, although obtained from reliable sources, is not considered legal advice or to be used as a substitution for legal counsel. Event Cancellation and other policies RHAwa.org/cancellation-policy.

Denise Myers

ADVERTISING AND SALES

Thursday, March 9 | Noon - 1pm |

In this session, you will learn best practices for advertising and following up with prospective tenants. We will explore:

• Where to advertise for the best results.

• Tips and best practices when using various platforms.

• Writing appropriate and effective ad copy and effective marketing pho tography.

• How to build a relationship-based sales process.

WORKING WITH PROSPECTIVE TENANTS

Thursday, March 16 | Noon - 1pm | ONLINE Only

In this session, you will learn best practices for working with prospective tenants close sales quickly with qualified tenants while following all fair housing laws. We will explore:

• Responding to inquiries, explaining rental terms and screening criteria.

• Effective and safe techniques for showing the property.

• Evaluating applications and properly following up with all applicants.

LEASING AND MOVE-IN

Thursday, March 23 | Noon - 1pm | ONLINE Only

In this session, you will learn best practices for starting a new tenancy. We will explore:

• Setting lease terms to comply with all local laws

• Reviewing expectations and properly executing the lease

• Welcoming new tenants and move-in logistics

TENANT RELATIONS

Thursday, March 30 | Noon - 1pm | ONLINE Only

In this session, you will learn best practices for managing good working relationships with your residents. We will explore:

1. Building relationships and creating a sense of community.

2. Responding and following up to issues and maintenance requests.

3. Managing incident reporting, including documentation and taking corrective action.

PARTNERING WITH COMMUNITY RESOURCES

Thursday, April 6 | Noon - 1pm | ONLINE Only

In this session, you will learn best practices for establishing effective working relationships with organizations that support tenants. We will explore:

• Your responsibilities when working with prospective tenants on rental

assistance.

• Connecting tenants in crisis situations to appropriate support organizations.

• Partnering with organizations that place individuals in housing.

MANAGING RENTS AND FEES

Thursday, April 13 | Noon - 1pm | ONLINE Only

In this session, you will learn best practices for managing rental operations income. We will explore:

• Securing and processing lease renewals.

• Giving notice to increase rent in compliance with local laws.

• Charging and collecting fees appropriately.

EVICTION LAWS AND PROCEDURES

Thursday, April 20 | Noon - 1pm | ONLINE Only

In this session, you will learn best practices for enforcing compliance with rental terms and managing other circumstances that require ending a tenancy. We will explore:

• Notices and eviction procedures for rules violations.

• Notices and procedures for non-payment, including the Eviction Resolution Pilot Program.

• Other good causes to end tenancy and related procedures.

• Best practices when preparing for court, what to expect in court.

HOUSING INDUSTRY LEGISLATION

Thursday, April 27 | Noon - 1pm | ONLINE Only

In this session, you will learn how to participate as an active stakeholder in setting of housing policy. We will explore:

• Recent and pending legislative changes impacting Washington housing providers.

• The impact of voting and communicating with state and local representatives.

• How to actively participate through industry advocacy groups.

GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY & LEGISLATIVE SESSION PREVIEW

Daniel Bannon, Grassroots Organizer | Chester Baldwin, RHAWA Lobbyist

The 2023 Legislative Session begins on January 9, 2023, which is just around the corner. We are looking forward to YOU joining our events and legislative calls-to-action to amplify the voice of small housing providers, educate lawmakers, and support rental housing in Washington.

This year we will undoubtedly see an onslaught of regulations targeting housing providers, many of which we have seen before. Ideas are already being discussed and a strategic plan developed well before the opening day of the legislative session. Rent control, further restriction including increased notice periods, and eliminating late fees are just a few examples of the policies that we are preparing to take on for small housing providers. We will need your help now more than ever as we not only fight to stop these harmful regulations, but also push for things that will help housing providers, such as electronic notices and statewide preemption. The solution to bad housing policy is to not only stop the harmful legislation, but to promote and bolster legislation that will make it easier to provide housing. Improving a small housing providers ability to run their business will keep small providers in the market, reduce costs, make it easier to negotiate lease terms, and encourage a more cooperative rental housing environment. The legislative problems we currently face can be solved in Olympia with legislation and RHAWA is always looking to find these solutions and spread our ideas. But, of course, our success with these goals is dependent on you being involved, joining us, and sharing your voice. Together we can make the difference!

GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY

Grassroots advocacy is necessary to defend the rights of housing providers. As we are reminded by our President and Executive Director Sean Flynn, one housing provider’s testimony is worth ten of our lobbyists. While some of you might be nervous to give testimony or speak to your lawmakers, we strive to make it as easy as possible, from one click registration to speak, to having our staff, lobbyists and fellow housing providers give advice and feedback on your testimony, it's never been easier to share your experience with the lawmakers. Learning how to effectively advocate on your own behalf during session will also help teach you the skills necessary to engage with local issues as well. It is difficult to understand and follow every local issue that arises in city councils but learning how to interpret and present talking points during Legislative Session will ensure that you are fully prepared for anything that may come down the line in your local jurisdiction. Again, it is essential for these lawmakers to hear your lived experiences so they can truly understand the needs and struggles of small housing providers.

In addition to harnessing the voices of our members, we must ensure that all facets of the rental housing industry work together to create a robust and effective grassroots advocacy effort.

RHAWA has brought together property managers, rental housing owners, manufactured housing owners, and industry professionals from across the state to form the Rental Housing Association Coalition (RHAC). Mem-

bers of the coalition will be invited and included in our Legislative Session preparation in order to present a unified voice in our advocacy efforts.

LEGISLATIVE EVENTS

LEGISLATIVE SESSION KICKOFF

When: Wednesday, January 4 | 6 - 7:30pm Register: RHAwa.org/events Cost: FREE to Attend Location: ONLINE Only

Join RHAWA government affairs team and lobbyists, Chester Baldwin and Jim Henderson, to discuss the upcoming legislative session with lawmakers who work hard to support us on the hill. You can help drive the solutions to our challenges by advocating for policies that build a healthy housing economy for all, so don't miss this opportunity to learn how to get involved. Make your voice heard and join us in defending your rights as a housing provider.

Please note: Registering for the kickoff event will automatically register you for all other Legislative Session events.

HOW STATE LAWS ARE MADE

When: Thursday, January 5 | Noon - 1pm Cost: FREE to Attend Location: ONLINE Only

If the old cartoon from Schoolhouse Rock is the extent of your knowledge, use your lunch hour to learn how bills are proposed and passed into State law in Olympia. Following curriculum provided by the State legislature, Chester Baldwin will explain the official lawmaking procedures from drafting to voting in both chambers, and how things really work through the legislative biennium.

BRIEFING ROOMS

Staff and lobbyists will be available to consult with you two hours before any critical hearings in the Virtual Briefing Room throughout the session. They can assist you with signing up for your remote committee testimony and help you prepare your speaking points prior to your appointment.

WEEKLY ONLINE MEET-UP

Hop into our Monday morning meet-up to learn what the most pressing bills are for the week. You will receive an event reminder with a join link prior to each meet-up.

LEGISLATIVE SESSION RECAP

This event will discuss the 2023 Legislative Session from start to finish. We will be going over our hardest fights, biggest opportunities, and key takeaways. Don't miss this opportunity to peek behind the curtain and

figure out not just what happened, but why it happened. Learn what messaging is effective and how we can bolster our grassroots advocacy efforts. We will also be talking about what comes next, and how to prepare for the upcoming elections.

COMMUNICATIONS

CALLS TO ACTION

Watch your inbox for hearing announcements, upcoming events, and Calls-to-Action! Content from this coalition is developed and approved by our RHAC leadership advocacy team. All Calls-to-Action and advocacy updates will include a way to submit written testimony, or a link that will grant you easy access to the sign-up process.

ADVOCACY CENTER

The Advocacy Center is your go-to resource to make sure you're ready to participate in our advocacy efforts. This page is continually updated with our most up-to-date campaign.

SESSION PREVIEW

The 2023 legislative session will kick off on Monday January 9, 2023, in Olympia with most lawmakers and most staff returning in person after a 2-year COVID hiatus. During that 2-year hiatus all Legislative meetings and activity has been done remotely, over Zoom. Most people are excited to be returning in person and to have the opportunity to sit together with lawmakers and discuss our important issues.

The coming session will likely bring many challenges for our small housing providers as the State looks for ways to keep rents down and tenants in housing. And with at least 25 new lawmakers in 2023, this means that we have a lot of work to do in educating these new members about the challenges facing small housing providers. This is a big opportunity for RHAWA and small housing providers to develop and build relationships with your local lawmakers, these lawmakers really care about what you think. Through your participation in the Rental Housing Association Coalition, we will provide you with the information and talking points for each of the housing bills that will have hearings during the upcoming legislative session. We will also help make it as easy as possible for you to reach out to your lawmakers with our crafted messages to educate them on housing provider issues.

While we won’t see any official legislation under much closer to the start of session, we know that there will be a HUGE effort to pass a rent control policy for WA state. We remain the only state on the West Coast that does not have a statewide rent control policy and your participation in the Rental Housing Association Coalition has been the driving force behind stopping rent control… and with your help we are going to stop rent control again in 2023! In addition to rent control, we expect to see 

GRASSROOTS ADVOCACY & LEGISLATIVE SESSION PREVIEW

legislation again this coming session attempting to put the ARCH provisions into state law including:

1. Notice of Rent Increase – Require at least 120 days' written notice of rent increases >3%, and 180 days' notice of rent increases >10%, except in subsidized housing.

2. Limits on Late Fees – Cap on fees for late payment of rent at 1.5% of a monthly rent.

3. Limits on Move-In Fees – Cap on move-in fees and security deposits of no more than one month's rent except in subsidized tenancies and allow tenants to pay in installments.

The election will determine the final makeup of the legislature, but RHAWA is a bipartisan organization which has supported candidates from both sides of the aisle because anyone who understands what it is to be a small housing provider, especially in these times, is a friend of ours and someone that we want to continue to educate and build relationship with. We need to help lawmakers to understand that historically, small mom-and-pops housing providers have been the only source of naturally affordable housing units in the State and now because of the Explosion of New Housing Laws since 2017, those units are quickly leaving the market. And rent control and other regulations will Increase rents and reduce housing supply. The dramatic increase in regulation and legislation on small housing providers has taken its toll, and small housing providers are leaving the market by the thousands. While no statewide data exists to show the full magnitude of rental housing units lost, Seattle data exists, and the recent rash of laws targeting small

housing providers has caused thousands to sell their units and flee the market. Seattle alone has lost more than 2,400 single family rental homes in the last year (Seattle RRIO Study – https://data.seattle.gov/ Permitting/Rental-Property-Registration/j2xh-c7vt). Also, there will likely be additional legislation to attempt to regulate housing providers in various way. Unfortunately, the root problem is underfunding and undersupply of affordable housing by governments at every level.

In addition to defending against harmful legislation, we intend to work with a bipartisan group of lawmakers to introduce proactive legislation as well. We believe that working on legislation to allow electronic notices is a WIN/WIN for housing providers and tenants alike and that there is lawmaker support for carefully making a change like this. Additionally, the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA) was established in 1973 and was meant to balance the duties and responsibilities of housing providers and tenants, unfortunately, over the past handful of years the changes to that Act has had the effect of unbalanced the scales and has made many processes unworkable. There needs to be considerable work done in modernizing and fixing the RLTA in a more holistic way to address many legitimate concerns that now exist. Finally, we will be working with lawmakers to educate them on how beneficial a State Rental Assistance Program would be if that program were stackable with Section 8 and accessible to assist community members experiencing a financial hardship or needing a hand up. It could help low-income tenants bridge the gap between financial need and market rents, especially in Seattle and the Puget Sound.

Local Government Update

Advocacy Team |  advocacy@RHAwa.org |  (206) 905-0609

With the 2023 Legislative Session starting in just a manner of days that doesn’t mean that local governments have stopped passing their own policies. We have seen more local regulations this year than nearly any year before. Local governments have passed more and more differing regulations on housing providers, making it harder than any other time in Washington’s history to operate rental housing. Here are the most recent regulations being discussed across the state.

We start with the A Regional Housing Council (ARCH) recommendation that you have all been hearing so much about this year. As of now the following cities have adopted some version of the ARCH recommendations: Issaquah, Kenmore, Kirkland, Port Townsend, and Redmond. The City of Olympia passed a similar regulation but with the significant difference of banning non-refundable fees.

ARCH isn’t the only thing we have to worry about as Burien has passed a first in the state screening regulation with very little discussion or input. In total, Burien passed the ARCH regulations, Rental Registration and Inspection Ordinance (RRIO) penalty raises, modified their Just Cause, and passed the first ever portable screening requirement. Burien also made the ordinance an emergency ordinance, meaning it went into effect immediately after its October 24 passage. The ordinance not only has the provision that housing providers cannot require a Social Security Number from a prospective tenant, but also requires a housing provider to accept any other form of tenant financial screening information, including portable tenant screening. The ordinance does not have any provision regarding the timeliness of the report, meaning the portable report has no requirement for it to be recent by any standard. The ordinance also does not identify what these other informational sources must look like.

Spokane considered joining the wave of cities putting more regulations on their housing providers. The council is considering portable tenant screening, a rental unit door fee, RRIO, and a mandatory training for housing pro-

viders. This came up very quickly and through strong advocacy efforts from our members, it has been delayed until mid-January. This will come up during session, so keep an eye on your email for calls to action related to both session and this issue.

Tacoma and King County are discussing regulations but don’t have ordinances in the hopper quite yet. Tacoma is discussing screening restrictions, roommate protections, late fee caps, and rent increase regulations. King County is discussing roommate protections in the same vein as Seattle. As these jurisdictions continue discussions and potentially look to pass something, we will keep you updated.

There are some positive developments as well. Both the State and Seattle emergencies ended on October 31. This begins the clock for many of the regulations related to COVID, which

LEGISLATIVE SESSION KICKOFF

January 4, 2023 | 6 - 7:30pm | FREE ONLINE Event

Join RHAWA leadership and lobbyists to discuss the legislative session with lawmakers who work hard to support us on the hill. Help drive solutions to our challenges by advocating for policies that build a healthy housing economy for all. Make your voice heard and join us in defending your rights as a housing provider.

Register at RHAwa.org/events

were put in place over the long pandemic eviction moratoriums. We are now, finally, beginning to see the end of the COVID pandemic and will begin the long road to normalcy. Many of the protections for non-payment of rent are still in place until the end of April, which means that there is still the chance that the State Legislature tries to extend, or make permanent, the regulations.

This legislative session is shaping up to be another long fight for housing providers and we are looking to be more proactive than ever. To do so we need your help. Check the Advocacy Center, keep an eye out for our Calls to Action, and as always please reach out to Daniel Bannon at dbannon@RHAwa.org is you have any questions.

DEFEND YOUR RIGHTS

Join the Fight Against Onerous Regulations During the 2023 Legislative Session

Each year the nominating committee meets for the purpose of selecting qualified candidates for the Board of Directors. It is a long and difficult process to select the board of directors, especially this year when there were so many qualified candidates that applied. At last October’s Annual Business Meeting, the membership voted on the following board members for 2023.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

SEAN FLYNN | Board President

Sean Flynn is owner of Flynn and Associates, PLLC. His firm focuses on representing clients in real estate and trust and estate litigation, planning and transactions. He also manages several of his own rental properties. He serves on nearly every RHAWA committee and has instructed many classes for the association. He also serves on the Board of Directors for the Washington Business Properties Association and the Partnership for Affordable Housing.

Sean attended the University of Washington for his bachelor’s degree. He holds an MBA with a concentration in Finance from Clark University. He also holds a J.D. from Seattle University School of Law. While in law school, Sean founded the Real Estate Law Student Association and was chosen by his classmates to deliver the commencement address during the graduation ceremony.

If not in the office, Sean can be found via VHF, traversing the Puget Sound on his sailboat, Mary Anne. Sean lives for family, friends, and BBQ. He is regularly the mixer of hardwood smoke and good times.

Christopher is known as a tireless advocate for housing providers. He has been practicing residential and commercial landlord-tenant law, judgment enforcement, and appeals since 2009. He serves on the Board of Directors for RHAWA, is the 2021 Vice President of the organization, and is the Co-Chairman of the Legislative Committee.

Christopher works with numerous housing provider's groups to provide input on state and local legislation; he has testified on landlord-tenant relations and law before the Tacoma City Council and the Washington Legislature. Christopher is also committed to education. He is a frequent presenter at legal education courses hosted by state and local bar associations and private groups and is a licensed clock hours instructor for Washington Real Estate Brokers.

When Christopher is not working for his clients, he enjoys cycling, running, and watching Husky football.

Larry Crites has been an active real estate broker in Seattle since 1986 and a rental property owner since 1987. Larry initially invested in single family houses and duplexes and then moved up to small apartment buildings over the last 10 years. Larry has always been an owner operator, so has personal experience with rental issues across the spectrum of investment types that most RHAWA members own.

Larry has been a RHAWA member since 2001. Concern for the direction of regulation in Seattle has motivated him to become more active. He has served on the PAC, legislative committee, and the executive committee.

Larry has been very active in the community, from coaching youth soccer to various board memberships, including local school PTA and a medical relief non-profit. He enjoys outdoor activities, including soccer, hiking, skiing, sailing, and volleyball.

Neil Wilson is an independent rental property owner and former CPA who lives on Seattle’s Beacon Hill with his wife Susan. Together, the couple operates 6 rental units on two adjacent lots and work hard to create a safe, happy, and healthy environment for themselves and their tenants, who are also their neighbors. His rental journey began with an aging, 1912 duplex. He has expanded his current portfolio to include a managerial partnership in two local manufactured housing communities.

William Shadbolt purchased his first rental property in 1993. Since 2010 he has been purchasing mainly bank owned property, rehabbing them and renting them out. His focus is South Seattle and Renton but includes property as far north as Broadview. He has tenants on the Section 8 program with both King County Housing Authority and with Seattle Housing Authority. He is one of the owners of Broad Reach Management, Inc., a greater-Seattle property management company. William is an active member of RHAWA, serves on the Legislative and Legal Defense Fund committees. He is chair of RHAWA's Political Action Committee. He currently sits on the Board of Directors for Housing Connector and Partnership for Affordable Housing. He is also involved with the Washington Business Properties Association. He has previously served as a Board of Director for TRENDS. He is a licensed real estate broker. In his spare time, he enjoys sailing and skiing.

Christopher Cutting Board Vice President

Larry Crites Board Secretary

Neil Wilson Board Treasurer

William Shadbolt Past Board President

DIRECTORS

Cory Brewer Director

Cory Brewer is the General Manager at Windermere Property Management /

Lori Gill & Associates. His firm oversees management of approximately 1,500 residential rental homes throughout the Greater Seattle Area, as well as commercial & multi-family properties.

Sharon Cunnington Director

Sharon Cunnington is a real estate investor, business operator, and private lender who has been the buyer / seller in dozens of real estate transactions totaling over $5 million in the last 15 years. As a licensed real estate broker, Sharon specializes in helping fellow investors find positive cash flow investment properties – she hangs her license with Wilson Management, Inc. Sharon’s portfolio consists of single and multi-family properties located predominately in the Pacific NW and Midwest. Locally, she is a Board member of RHAWA and a member of the Women’s Business Exchange. As a software industry veteran, Sharon has over 23 years' experience leading large scale international technology businesses. Her expertise ranges from product development and business strategy, to operations efficiency and project management. She is a graduate of Washington State University with graduate courses from Harvard and Kellogg School of Business.

Chris Dobler Director

Chris Dobler is a partner and Vice President of Dobler Management Company, Inc, and a Pierce County based multi-family property management company with a portfolio of over 5,500 rentals. She graduated from Central Washington University with a degree in business finance, has been a licensed real estate agent since 1986, and is fluent in Spanish.

She has over twenty-five years of property management and investment experience, specializing in human resources, marketing and legal aspects of property management.

Chris has her Certified Property Manager designation from the Institute of Real Estate Management. She is a former President of the Rental Housing Association of Pierce County. She has received several industry related awards, including RHAWA's Member of the Year award in 2019, as well as recognition for her community-oriented endeavors.

Jason Dolloph Director

After working as a golf professional for 18 years, Jason Dolloph went to work as a property manager for a Seattle property management and development firm for about a year and a half. Jason was then fortunate enough to work for the Mullally Development Company. It was through their involvement that Jason became familiar with RHAWA. Jason became interested in how different levels of politics were trying to dictate how property mangers can operate. Feeling it’s important to become part of the solution, Jason chaired RHAWA's legislative committee.

Devin Easterlin Director

Devin graduated from college with degrees in Philosophy Pre-Law and Business, then attended law school, where he specialized in real estate transactional law. Devin is currently a licensed real estate agent and a licensed attorney and has worked in the property management industry for over ten years. Devin grew up in Kirkland and has lived in the Seattle area for over twenty-five years. Devin is a partner at SJA Property Management.

Chris Gurdjian Director

Christopher Gurdjian has been active in the real estate industry since 1999, first as a lender and then as a real estate developer, completing his first residential development deal in 2004. Today Christopher is a principal at Legacy Group Capital, where he serves as the President of Real Estate Acquisitions and as a member of the corporate leadership team. Legacy Group Capital acquires and assigns approximately 65 - 75 residential development deals per year and is a small balance sheet, residential portfolio lender providing primarily first deed of trust loans and occasional profit participation seconds to a growing base of real estate investors and builders. Legacy is also the only private lender in the Puget Sound region holding a consumer lending license, allowing them to lend on owner-occupied transactions. By year-end 2020, Legacy will have successfully lent approximately $165 Million in commitments for the year and closed over 1,000 transactions since its start in 2006.

Christopher is also a founding partner of 11 Capital. 11 Capital acquires and manages approximately $100 Million worth of real estate each year and has amassed a portfolio approaching $1 Billion in aggregate value. Assets purchased by 11 Capital include 50200 unit multifamily buildings in West Coast markets and 400+ unit self-storage facilities in the Puget Sound region.

Christopher believes in challenging

SUPPORT CENTER

Plan Your Rental Operations Tasks for 2023

Denise Myers | Education + Resources Director |  dmyers@RHAwa.org |  (206) 905-0614

As new laws have increased risk and complicated rent increase notice requirements, it is more important than ever to take a proactive approach when managing rental properties. Following is a simple path to follow that will open the lines of communication with your tenants while keeping you on top of the physical condition and cashflow for each of your properties.

Check in with Tenants

Draft a nice “happy new year” email to your tenants. Provide them with a heads-up that you will be scheduling an inspection and following up with any maintenance issues you find. Encourage them to let you know about any repair needs or any other concerns they may have.

Inspect Properties

Since a routine inspection is not urgent, schedule at least one week out from your notice. Give written notice to enter using RHAWA Form, Entry to Premises Notice, making sure to allow time for you and your tenants to agree to a different date as needed. Unless you are experienced in home maintenance and do your own work, have your maintenance professional or home inspector accompany you. Not only does this improve your chances of catching hidden problems like slow water leaks, it also helps the tenant understand that it is not your intention to snoop on them, but to take care of the property. Also to that end, avoid critiquing the tenant’s housekeeping or other personal behaviors. If you do have legitimate concerns about the tenant complying with the rental agree-

ment, follow up afterwards in writing, escalating with a 10-Day Comply or Vacate Notice as needed.

Schedule Repairs and Routine Maintenance

Follow up with your tenants, thanking them for making time for the inspection. Schedule any immediate repairs and inform them of your plans for routine and seasonal maintenance throughout the upcoming year. Routine annual maintenance should include moss removal, gutter cleaning, fireplace and vent cleaning, detector battery replacement, filter replacements, and winterization of landscaping and other exterior water sources.

If a repair is needed because of normal wear and tear, such as an oven heating element that is no longer functioning, let them know you will cover the cost. If a repair is required due to tenant damage, such as a broken window, explain that you will charge them for the cost of the repair. For large damage repair costs, consider offering them a payment plan.

For single-family homes or other types of properties where completing exterior work may invade a tenant’s private space, make sure to give Entry to Premises notice beforehand.

Schedule Rent Increase & Lease Renewal Notices

If your tenants are on fixed term leases, it is critical to plan for lease renewal notices several months in advance, or you may find yourself stuck with current rent or forced into month-to-month

agreements. Schedule lease renewal notice dates for each tenant on your calendar so you don’t forget! Following are the various required notice periods based on location of the property:

• Washington State: Any increase requires 60 days’ notice.

• Auburn: greater than 5% requires 120 days’ notice.

• Burien: greater than 3% requires 120 days’ notice; greater than 10% requires 180 days’ notice.

• Issaquah: greater than 3% requires 120 days’ notice.

• Kenmore: greater than 3% requires 120 days’ notice; greater than 10% requires 180 days’ notice.

• King County (unincorporated): greater than 3% requires 120 days’ notice.

• Kirkland: greater than 3% requires 120 days’ notice; greater than 10% requires 180 days’ notice.

• Port Townsend: greater than 3% requires 120 days’ notice; greater than 10% requires 180 days’ notice.

• Redmond: greater than 3% requires 120 days’ notice; greater than 10% requires 180 days’ notice.

• Olympia: greater than 5% requires 120 days’ notice; greater than 10% requires 180 days’ notice. Formal service per RCW 59.12.040 is required for any rent increase greater than 5%.

• Seattle: Any increase requires 180 days’ notice. Increases greater than 10% have special notice service requirements and may result in the housing provider compensating the tenant for up to 3 months’ rent in relocation costs.

Most housing providers limit rent increases to once a year, but if you need to increase any periodic charge (rent, utilities, parking, etc.) more than once a year, you must account for all increases in the last 12 months when determining the required notice period.

It is a best practice to include a letter to

tenants with or prior to the rent increase notice. Explaining the need and rationale for rent increases goes a long way toward their understanding and acceptance. Help your tenants understand the nature of rental operations, the requirement to save money for major maintenance projects, the expenses of mortgage payments, property management, insurance, taxes, utilities, etc., and they are more likely to remain satisfied customers when the rent goes up.

Distribute Required Disclosures and Other Information

When you renew a lease or give an annual rent increase notice on month-tomonth tenancies, make sure to reissue any required disclosures. The following disclosures must be reissued with each rental agreement change or at least once a year (a link will suffice.)

• Lead-Based Paint Pamphlet (Required for property built before 1978)

• Lead-Based Paint Disclosure Addendum (Required for property built before 1978)

• Renting in Auburn (Required in City of Auburn)

• Renting in Burien (Required in City of Burien)

• Renting in Seattle - Renter's Handbook (Required in City of Seattle)

• Renting in Tacoma (Required in City of Tacoma)

This is also good time to provide other important information or reminders for your tenants, such as:

• Mold Handout (Required at initial lease signing for all Washington rentals)

• Summary of property rules

• Summary of responsibilities such as yard maintenance (for single-family homes), filter replacement, clearing simple drain clogs, changing lightbulbs, etc.

• Schedule of routine maintenance or other community/property events.

Formal legal advice and review is recommended prior to selection and use of this information. RHAWA does not represent your selection or execution of this information as appropriate for your specific circumstance. The material contained and represented herein, although obtained from reliable sources, is not considered legal advice or to be used as a substitution for legal counsel.

SUPPORT CENTER

City of Redmond Laws

Denise Myers | Education + Resources Director |  dmyers@RHAwa.org |  (206) 905-0614

Check out the latest in our Support Center where we have completed law summary articles for Redmond, Burien, Kenmore, and Federal Way, as well as a few articles on specific areas of Seattle law. In addition, we’ve created a separate article called Local Government Rental Law Codes which simply lists all of the local government rental regulations we are aware of, including links to either the code, or ordinance if it is not yet codified. This list of local law references includes eleven cities (+ one county) with extensive rental regulations, and an additional ten cities that have a rental registration/inspection programs, but no other rental regulations. Our goal is to provide members with law summary articles for all of these and more as new laws appear. As we work to write summaries of all city laws, remember, we already have instructions with our forms that reflect all local laws. RHAWA members can

access these instructions within various tenant notice forms, and in the Lease Signing section, there is a separate instruction document, Leasing Requirements by Local Jurisdiction.

CITY OF REDMOND LAW SUMMARY

Redmond Tenant Protections RMC 9.54, effective July 30, 2022 creates additional tenant rights in the City of Redmond. This ordinance applies to all tenancies governed by RCW 59.18 (Residential Rentals) and RCW 59.20, (Manufactured Housing Communities) and includes regulations on the following:

• Use of SSN in Screening

• Move-In Cost Cap

• Move-In Cost Payment Plan

• Notice to Increase Rent

• Late Rent Fee Cap

• Rent Due Date Accommodation

Use of SSN in Screening

A landlord shall not require a social security number for the purposes of screening a prospective tenant, as allowed under RCW 59.18.257. A landlord may request a social security number and screen prospective tenants. A landlord shall not refuse to enter into a rental agreement with a prospective tenant because the prospective tenant does not agree to provide a social security number. A landlord may utilize information including, but not limited to, previous names, addresses, personal references, and work history to screen prospective tenants. A landlord shall maintain the right to take adverse action because of inaccurate, unfavorable, or unavailable screening results.

Move-In Cost Cap

The total of all move-in fees and deposits charged by landlord must not exceed one month's rent.

Move-In Cost Payment Plan

• Tenants entering rental agreements with terms lasting six or more months may choose to pay their move in fees and security deposits in six equal monthly installments over the first six months occupying the dwelling unit.

• Tenants entering rental agreements with terms lasting fewer than six months or month-to-month rental agreements, may choose to pay move in fees and security deposits in two equal monthly installments over the first two months occupying the dwelling unit.

Upon request, use the Deposit Payment Schedule (Extended) addenda at lease signing.

Notice to Increase Rent

When raising rent at the beginning of a rental period or term lease renewal, landlords must give:

• 120 days' written notice for rent in-

creases greater than three percent (3%); or

• 180 days' written notice for rent increases greater than ten percent (10%).

• As required under WA State law, 60 days' written notice for any rent increases 3% or less.

If the rental agreement governs subsidized housing where the amount of rent is based on the income of the tenant or circumstances specific to the subsidized household, the landlord shall provide a minimum of thirty (30) days' prior written notice of an increase in the amount of rent to each affected tenant.

Late Rent Fee Cap

Late fees and penalties due to nonpayment of rent charged to a tenant shall not exceed 1.5% of the tenant's monthly rent.

Rent Due Date Accommodation

Similar to state law RCW 59.18.170, landlord must accept tenant written proposal to change rent due date if their primary source of income is governmental assistance that is not received until after the date rent is due per the agreement. Unlike in state law which limits the due date adjustment to five days, in Redmond there is no such limit.

Formal legal advice and review is recommended prior to selection and use of this information. RHAWA does not represent your selection or execution of this information as appropriate for your specific circumstance. The material contained and represented herein, although obtained from reliable sources, is not considered legal advice or to be used as a substitution for legal counsel.

Getting Involved in 2023

Bannon | Grassroots Organizer |  dbannon@RHAwa.org |  (206) 905-0609

Many of our members are eager to help RHAWA in our ongoing efforts to support housing providers. If you are a member of RHAWA and have wondered how you can get more involved, this article is for you. Involvement with RHAWA as a member mostly takes the form of volunteering. We have a multitude of volunteer opportunities which will be explained at length in this article. Our volunteer opportunities include; Grassroots Advocacy, contributing to Current, assisting with education or joining a committee.

Volunteers are the lifeblood of any association and RHAWA is no exception. Dedicated volunteers are essential to the ongoing success of RHAWA’s programs and publications. These opportunities allow you to strengthen your skills and build your network. And, of course, as a volunteer, you can give back to the industry that supports you. When we contribute as individuals, the whole benefits.

BECOME A GRASSROOTS ADVOCATE

As a grassroots membership-based organization, RHAWA is made stronger by the involvement of its members. RHAWA's government affairs team is always looking for members to:

• Respond to Call to Actions: Show your support by attending mobilizations and emailing elected officials. Sharing your personal experience with lawmakers is the best way to communicate the needs of small housing providers.

• Attend our monthly LINK meetings. LINK meetings are not only a way to meet other members, but they can be an opportunity to learn more about the industry as well as learn about the experiences of fellow small housing providers.

• Share your story by participating in public testimony or by speaking with staff. Our staff is always looking to interview members about their experiences as a small housing provider. These stories can be beneficial in both our education and outreach efforts. If you would like to share your story with staff, contact Daniel Bannon at dbannon@RHAwa.org today!

• Make a donation to either our PAC of our LDF. PAC donations allow us to support candidates running for office who are sympathetic to small housing providers, it is essential that we assist these moderate lawmakers in running for office in order to bring balance to the legislature. LDF donations allow RHAWA to take legal action in situations where laws appear to violate the rights of small housing providers.

BECOME A CONTRIBUTING AUTHOR

It’s been said you can’t claim to be an author until you’re published. If that’s the case, we’ve got a couple ways for you to become an official author right here! RHAWA is more than happy to review any and all articles pertaining to the rental housing industry for inclusion on RHAWA's blog or in our Current newspaper. RHAWA cannot guarantee all submitted articles will be published. Articles must be educational and cannot compete with products and services offered by RHAWA. RHAWA reserves the right to edit or refuse articles. RHAWA may give permission for articles to be reprinted with the stipulation that credit be given to the original author and the publication.

Submit your article for consideration to Sisi Mereness at smereness@ RHAwa.org. Articles are selected the first week of each month and will most likely appear in the following month's edition.

If you're interested in advertising opportunities, refer to Current's ad agreement for specs, rates, and deadlines, or contact Luke Brown at lbrown@RHAwa.org.

BECOME AN EDUCATION VOLUNTEER RHAWA is looking for volunteer educators for our ongoing seminars and other educational resources - become part of a fast moving, vibrant community that is experiencing dramatic growth.

• Instruct a Class – We provide you with adult learning training, all the class material and work with your schedule. You provide an enthusiastic and engaging personality, experience with group facilitation, great communication skills, and act as a representative of the Rental Housing Association of Washington. Review our Instructor Handbook for policies and benefit information.

• Contribute to Curriculum – Relying upon your knowledge and experience in the industry, you help us build and maintain curriculum and other educational resources. We publish and produce all materials, citing, and recognizing all contributors. Contact Denise Myers at dmyers@RHAwa.org to learn more.

• Host a LINK Meeting – You take a leadership role at a monthly member networking meeting at a restaurant in your area. We mail you discussion guides on various rental operations topics and invite members to the meetings. Based on the topic, you lead discussion yourself, or invite an appropriate professional from your area to help. Contact Daniel Bannon at dbannon@RHAwa.org to learn more.

Daniel

JOIN A COMMITTEE

Take an active role in determining how the association allocates its resources. RHAWA is at its best when the Board of Directors, staff, and members all have input and can collaborate to further the interests of independent housing providers throughout Washington.

• Budget + Finance – To act in place and stead for the Board on matters specifically regarding the fiduciary responsibility of RHAWA and Washington nonprofit corporation law. Contact Geoff Schertz at geoff@RHAwa.org for more information.

• Education + Resources – To discuss and recommend improvements to educational resources and programs. Contact Denise Myers at dmyers@RHAwa.org for more information.

• Legal Defense Fund (LDF) – To review and recommend to the Board of Directors legal positions in which RHAWA may choose to become involved. Contact Chloe Moser at cmoser@RHAwa.org for more information.

• Legislative – To ensure RHAWA actively promotes the interests of the rental housing industry to state, county and local legislative bodies. Makes recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding legislative policy. Contact Daniel Bannon at dbannon @RHAwa.org for more information.

• Manufactured Housing – To develop and grow Manufactured Housing Membership in RHAWA. Contact Luke Brown at lbrown@ RHAwa.org for more information.

• Political Action Committee (PAC) – To raise funds for activities of the Political Action Committee (PAC). To determine which candidates for state, county, and local offices support the rental housing industry, and should be financially supported by RHAWA through recommendations made by the PAC. Contact Daniel Bannon at dbannon@RHAwa.org for more information.

JOIN THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

The primary mission of the Board of Directors is to set policy and provide strategic direction for Rental Housing Association of Washington.

RHAWA’s Board Members are actively engaged in the activities of the Association at the board, committee, and membership levels. The officers are elected from the current Directors at the last Board meeting of the year for the following year.

The Board values and promotes consensus, cooperation and participation. They make it a point to honor different viewpoints. Each director is accountable to the membership and not to any particular segment or interest group of the membership. Find the application at RHAwa.org/ volunteer.

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Sailing into the New Year

on its own individual date. Not only will this ensure that a staff member will almost always be present at these meetings, it will also allow members who wish to attend multiple meetings throughout the month to do so. Each LINK meeting location has a unique style resulting from the culture our incredible LINK facilitators and regular attendees have built. This means that you can learn new skills and meet unique groups of people at every LINK meeting you attend. We are also considering adding an additional LINK meeting this year in the direct Seattle area! In order to do this, we would need a member to volunteer as a facilitator for this meeting. If that is something you would be interested in helping come to fruition, reach out to Daniel Bannon.

I would also be remiss to forget to mention our advocacy efforts. Every year, we fight for your rights as small housing providers. This fight is ongoing, and we utilize all the resources we have to improve the legislative landscape for our members. This manifests itself in our advocacy team and lobbyists providing public testimony at city council meetings which often occur late in the evening. We also host meetings with local lawmakers where we explain the struggles of our membership and offer suggestions as to alternative policies. Further than this, during election season RHAWA will host fundraisers for candidates who are supportive and sympathetic to the needs of small housing providers. Electing moderate lawmakers to office is key to maintaining balance at the local and state level, and as a bipartisan organization, it is essential for RHAWA to promote these kinds of lawmakers.

We hope you are looking forward to 2023 and everything we have planned; we certainly are excited to have you on board with us. Thank you for taking the time to read through this article and thank you for your membership. The efforts of RHAWA would not be possible without our members and we are always grateful that you support us in the work that we do. If you have further questions regarding the association, feel free to reach out and ask questions, we love hearing from our members.

Industry in Motion

Submissions are compiled and printed, depending on space available. RHAWA does not guarantee submissions will be included.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Interested in Submitting Your Annoucement?

We

WA SUPREME COURT CLEARS WAY FOR STATE TO COLLECT CAPITAL-GAINS TAX

For your general information, the Capital Gains tax, which was passed in the Washington State legislature, was challenged and overturned by the Douglas County Superior Court. Even though oral arguments are scheduled to begin on January 26, 2023, on Wednesday, November 30, the state Supreme Court has granted the Attorney General’s request to allow the Department of Revenue (DOR) to collect the capital gains income tax before a final ruling in the case. The court motion stated:

“The Court voted unanimously in favor of the following result: Now, therefore, it is hereby ORDERED: That the motion for a stay of the lower court’s order pending review is granted. The lower court order is stayed pending this Court’s final decision in this matter. DATED at Olympia, Washington this 30th day of November 2022.”

Washington can collect a new state capital gains tax, following a Washington Supreme Court order that comes as the justices are about two months from hearing a challenge to the tax’s constitutionality.

This allows the Department of Revenue to collect the 7% tax on the sale and exchange of assets like stocks and bonds, pending the court’s decision.

The tax only applies to profits over $250,000. The first returns are due in April 2023. A department spokesperson said the stay would allow the agency to put the tax into place, and payments would be refunded if the state Supreme Court finds the new law unconstitutional.

This decision could pave the way for not only a Capital Gains Tax but also an Income Tax in WA State.

We will continue to oppose the capital gains tax for its unconstitutionality.

For further information see the Seattle Times article (https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/politics/wa-supreme-courtclears-way-for-state-to-collect-capital-gains-tax/) and the Washington Policy Center (https://www.washingtonpolicy.org/publications/detail/dor-given-green-light-to-collect-capital-gains-income-tax-while-state-supreme-court-considers-case).

VENDOR LISTINGS

We encourage you to consider the vendors found within these listings for your rental business needs. When seeking competitive bids, be sure to mention your RHAWA membership as many offer member discounts. RHAWA does not specifically endorse any business listed herein. References are always recommended. If you would like to submit a customer testimonial for our records, please submit to publications@RHAwa.org. Please note that changes made to a vendor member profile will not be reflected in the CURRENT Vendor Listings unless the change is also sent to publications@RHAwa.org.

ACCOUNTING | BOOKKEEPING

Brink & Sadler

(253) 582-4700 | brinkandsadler.com

Hutchinson & Walter, PLLC (425) 455-1620 | hutchcpa.com

ADVERTISING | VACANCY LISTINGS

Pacific Publishing Co. | Print + Internet (206) 461-1322 pacificpublishingcompany.com

Seattle Rental Group | Property Management (206)315-4628 | www.seattlerentalgroup.com

AIR CONDITIONING

Alpine Ductless, LLC (360) 529-7567 | alpineductless.com

Fischer Heating and Air (206) 783-1190 | fischerheating.com

ASSOCIATIONS

Brink Property Management

Dean Foggitt

(425) 458-4848 | brinkpm.com

ATTORNEYS

Access Evictions

Travis Eller

(425) 641-8010 | accessevictions.com

Christopher T. Benis, Attorney at Law

First Avenue Law Group, PLLC

Vendor of the Year 2006 (206) 447-1900 | firstavenuelaw.com

Demco Law Firm, P.S. (206) 203-6000 | demcolaw.com

Dimension Law Group PLLC

Synthia Melton (206) 973-3500 | dimensionlaw.com

Flynn and Associates, PLLC Sean Flynn (206) 330-0608 | theflynnfirm.com

Glasson Legal (206) 627-0528 | glassonlegal.com

Gourley Law Group / The Exchange Connection (360) 568-5065 | gourleylawgroup.com

Holmquist & Gardiner, PLLC (206) 438-9083 | lawhg.net

Jeffery Bennett (503) 255-8795

Law Office Of Shaun Watchie Perry (206)729-7442 | swp-law.com

Ledger Square Law (253) 327-1701 | ledgersquarelaw.com

Ling & Liang PLLC (206)462-2884 | ling-liang.com

LT Services (206) 241-1550 | ltservices.net

Loeffler Law Group, PLLC (206) 443-8678 | loefflerlawgroup.com

Maxwell Glasson (206) 627-0528 | loefflerlawgroup.com

Micheal D Mclaughlin, Attorney at Law (253) 686-9786

Reed Longyear Malnati & Ahrens, PLLC (206)624-6271 | www.reedlongyearlaw.com

Seattle Real Estate Law Group (206) 623-4846 | seattlerealestatelawgroup.com

BANKS

Eastside Funding (425) 230-0000 | eastsidefunding.com

First Federal Savings and Loan (206) 586-1701 | ourfirstfed.com

First Financial Northwest Bank Tom Jarzynka (425) 264-2757 | ffnwb.com

Homebridge Financial (206) 915-3742 | homebridge.com

Luther Burbank Savings Bank Tiana Jackson: (425) 739-0023 lutherburbanksavings.com

Pacific Crest Savings Bank Scott Gibson (425) 670-9600 | (800) 335-4126 paccrest.com

You’ll like what you see from the Crest. 425.670.9600

Scott Gibson sgibson@paccrest.com Johnny Smith jsmith@paccrest.com

Kevin Hogan khogan@paccrest.com

Umpqua Bank | Multifamily Lending

Matt Couch (425) 602-1250 | umpquacrelending.com

Washington Federal Vendor of the Year | 2015

Tim Marymee: (206) 777-8213 | (800) 324-9375 washingtonfederal.com BATHTUB

Fischer Restoration (888) 345-2532 | fischerrestore.com

Tub Cove Inc. New Tubs, Surrounds and Bathroom Plumbing (206) 522-1711 | tubcove.com

+1

CARPET CLEANING

Genesee Carpet Cleaning (206) 569-5573

CARPORTS

Carports

(360)897-1200

Bellan Group, LLC Susan Bellan (206) 383-0102 | bellan.com

Construction Expeditors, LLC (206) 595-8852 | (877) 644-1700 constructionexpeditors.com

(425) 881-0911

Fischer Restoration (888) 345-2532 | fischerrestore.com

Haynes Contracting LLC (253) 335-7905 | haynescontractingllc.com

Interland Design Jake Cervilla (425) 290-9639 | interlanddesign.com

Kanso Homes, Inc. (206) 278-3403 | kansohomes.com

Maintco (425) 822-5505 | maintcogc.com

Masonry Restoration Consulting (425) 344-3893

masonryrestorationconsulting.com

Next Level Property Maintenance (206) 922-8119 | nxtlevelpm.com

Pro Realty Options, Inc. (425) 745-2400 | prorealtyoptions.com

T.E. Kelly Company, LLC Tim Kelly: (206) 240-1950

The Wall Doctor, Inc. Gary Borracchini (425) 822-8121 | thewalldoctor.com

Top-Rung Construction LLC Gary Gilmer (253) 893-1101 | fieldsroofservice.com

CARBON MONOXIDE + SMOKE DETECTION

Envirotest |

Donald B. Kronenberg (206) 877-3191 | seattlemoldandairquality.com

Greenwood

CHIMNEY CLEANING | REPAIR (MASONRY)

The Chimney Specialists, Inc.

Pierce Co.: (253) 475-0399 | (888) 979-3377 Seattle: (206) 782-0151 | (888) 979-3377

So. King Co.: (253) 833-0144 | (888) 979-3377 thechimneyspecialists.com

Masonry Restoration Consulting (425) 344-3893

CLEANING

CleanSpace Cleaning Services (206) 462-3200 | cleanspace2day.com

Genesee Carpet Cleaning (206) 569-5573 | genesseecarpetcleaning.com

COLLECTIONS

Puget Sound Collections Garrett Michaud (206) 728-5000 | pugetsoundcollections.com

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Capstone Commercial Real Estate Advisors John Downing (206) 324-9427 | capstonerea.com

CBRE - Mountain-Northwest Division Marketing (206)292-6088 | www.cbre.us/seattle

Colliers International (206) 223-1428 | colliers.com/seattle

CPX LLC (866) 405-1435 | cpxone.com

DVF Legacy Investments (206) 650-6113 | pugetsoundinvesting.com

First Federal Savings and Loan (206) 586-1701 | ourfirstfed.com

HFO Investment Real Estate (971) 717-6337 | hfore.com

Icon Real Estate Services Inc. Jeremiah Roberson (425) 633-3330 | iconre.org

Kidder Mathews

Dylan Simon: (206) 414-8575

Jerrid Anderson: (206) 499-8191 DylanSimon.com

COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE

Lee & Associates

Multifamily Team

Candice Chevaillier

(206) 284-1000 | lee-nw.com

Paragon Real Estate Advisors, Inc.

Vendor of the Year | 2016

(206) 623-8880 | (800) 643-9871

paragonrea.com

Pilot Ventures LLC

Jason Kono (206) 566-6600 | pilotnw.com

Prospector Property Management (206) 508-6366

prospectorpropertymanagement.com

Foundation Group, LLC (206) 324-7622 | foundationgroupre.com

Westlake Associates (206) 505-9400 | westlakeassociates.com

Windermere Real Estate Commercial

Therasa Alston (206) 650-4777

COMMERCIAL REINVESTMENTS

+ FINANCIAL SERVICES

1031 Capital Solutions (800) 445-5908 | 1031capitalsolutions.com

First Federal Savings and Loan (206) 586-1701 | ourfirstfed.com

CONSULTING

Alliance Flooring Services (253) 850-1288 | allianceflooring.com

Real Estate Transition Solutions Exchange - 1031 Real Estate (206) 502-4862 | www.re-transition.com/rhawa

Redside Partners, LLC

Craig Swanson (206) 323-1771 | redsidepartners.com

CONSTRUCTION + DEMOLITION

Haynes Contracting LLC (253) 335-7905 | haynescontractingllc.com

CONTRACTORS

+1 Construction

(206) 313-6587 | plusoneconstruction.com

A&A Electric (206) 212-1888 | anaelectric.com

ABC Towing, Inc.

Seattle: (206) 682-2869

Tukwila: (206) 767-4024

abc4atow.com

Bellan Group, LLC

Susan Bellan

(206) 383-0102 | bellan.com

Bravo Roofing, Inc.

GoldStar Vendor + Vendor of the Year | 2014

John Paust, Estimator: (206) 948-5280 (253) 335-4825 | (360) 886-2193

john@bravoroofs.com | bravoroofs.com

Construction Expeditors, LLC (206) 595-8852 | constructionexpeditors.com

Diamond Roofers, LLP | Flat & Low Slope (206) 202-7770 | diamondroofers.com

ER Flooring (360) 402-9566 | erflooring.com

CONTRACTORS

First Choice Remodeling, Inc. (253) 846-9000 | firstchoiceremodelinginc.com

Global Paving LLC (253) 286-7943 | globalpavingllc.com

Masonry Restoration Consulting (425) 344-3893

Pioneer Masonry Restoration Co. (206) 782-4331 pioneermasonry.com

Reinhart Electric & Service (425) 251-5201 reinhartelectric.net

Maintco (425) 822-5505 | maintcogc.com

T.E. Kelly Company LLC Tim Kelly: (206) 240-1950

CRIMINAL BACKGROUND CHECKS

Rental Housing Association of Washington Chartrice Young (206) 283-0816 | RHAwa.org

DECKS

EMPLOYMENT SCREENING

Rental Housing Association of Washington (206) 283-0816 | RHAwa.org

ENERGY CONSERVATION + WEATHERIZATION

Capstone Solar (206) 580-3448 | capstonesolar.com

Energy Benchmarking Services Michael Jones (206) 245-8737 | EnergyBenchmarkingServices.com

SRC Windows (253) 565-2488 | srcwindows.com

ESTATE PLANNING

Dimension Law Group PLLC

Synthia Melton (206) 973-3500 | dimensionlaw.com

Flynn and Associates, PLLC Sean Flynn (206) 330-0608 | theflynnfirm.com

Dunn

DOORS

DRAIN CLEANING

Best Plumbing Group (206) 633-1700 | (425) 771-1114 bestplumbing.com

Day & Nite Plumbing & Heating Inc.

Vendor of the Year | 2020 (425) 775-6464 (800) 972-7000 dayandnite.net

Fischer Plumbing, Inc. (206) 783-4129 | fischerplumbing.com

The Pipe Guys (253) 537-2830 | pipeguys.com

DRYER VENT + DUCT CLEANING

Olympic Estate Group, LLC G.A. “Jeri” Schuhmann (206) 799-0544 | OlympicWealthStrategies.com

EVICTIONS

Access Evictions

Travis Eller, Attorney at Law (425) 641-8010 | accessevictions.com

Demco Law Firm, P.S. (206) 203-6000 | demcolaw.com

Glasson Legal (206) 627-0528 | glassonlegal.com

LT Services, Inc. (206) 241-1550 | ltservices.net

Loeffler Law Group, PLLC (206) 443-8678 | loefflerlawgroup.com

Maxwell Glasson (206) 627-0528 | loefflerlawgroup.com

EXCHANGE — 1031 REAL ESTATE

1031 Capital Solutions (800) 445-5908 | 1031capitalsolutions.com

Gourley Law Group / The Exchange Connection (360) 568-5065 | gourleylawgroup.com

Investment Property Exchange Services, Inc. (425)582-3487 | www.ipx1031.com

Kay Properties & Investments Dwight Kay (855) 899-4597 | kpi1031.com

The

Seattle: (206) 782-0151 | (888) 979-3377

So. King Co.: (253) 833-0144 | (888) 979-3377

Pierce Co.: (253) 475-0399 | (888) 979-3377 thechimneyspecialists.com

VentMasters (206) 362-5190 | ventmasters.net

DRYWALL

The Wall Doctor, Inc.

Gary Borracchini (425) 822-8121 | thewalldoctor.com

EDUCATION – REAL ESTATE

Rental Housing Association of Washington

Denise Myers (206) 283-0816 | RHAwa.org

ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE + REPAIR

A&A Electric (206)

Real Estate Transition Solutions

Exchange - 1031 Real Estate (206) 502-4862 | www.re-transition.com/rhawa

FINANCIAL | LIFE INSURANCE SERVICES

Diamond Cut Insurance Group, Inc.

Larry Janowicz (425) 879-5198 | larry@dcigi.com

Olympic Estate Group, LLC G.A. “Jeri” Schuhmann (206) 799-0544 | OlympicWealthStrategies.com

VENDOR LISTINGS

INSURANCE

Brent Ward State Farm Insurance

(425) 488-9100 | (888) 532-1875

brentwardagency.com

Diamond Cut Insurance Group, Inc.

Larry Janowicz (425) 879-5198 | larry@dcigi.com

State Farm Insurance (206)322-3910 | myseattleinsurance.com

INVESTMENT + FINANCIAL SERVICES

Colliers International

GoldStar Vendor + Vendor of the Year | 2018

Tim McKay: (206) 223-5586

INVESTMENT + FINANCIAL SERVICES

CPX LLC

(866) 405-1435 | cpxone.com

Dan Chhan: (206) 223-1265

Joe Levin: (206) 223-5583

Sam Wayne: (206) 515-4498

Brittany Rondello: (206) 515-4495 colliers.com

Flynn Family Lending Matt Flynn (425) 221-8660 | flynnfamilylending.com

Havium. Inc (888) 642-8486 | havium.com

Kidder Mathews

Dylan Simon: (206) 414-8575

Jerrid Anderson: (206) 499-8191

DylanSimon.com

Luther Burbank Savings Bank

Tiana Jackson: (425) 739-0023 lutherburbanksavings.com

McTaggart Real Estate (206) 322-9495 | darcoapts.com

Paragon Real Estate Advisors, Inc. Vendor of the Year | 2016 (206) 623-8880 | (800) 643-9871 paragonrea.com

Peak Mortgage Partners Dave Eden (206) 660-3014 | peakmp.com

Sound Reatly Group Charles Burnett, CCIM (206) 931-6036 | soundmultifamily.com

Umpqua Bank | Multifamily Lending Matt Couch (425) 602-1250 umpquacrelending.com

Wilson Property Management, Inc. Gary Wilson, CPM (425) 453-0089 | wilsonmanagementinc.com

Seattle

Kanso Homes, Inc. (206) 278-3403

Tacoma Housing Authority (253) 281-7674 | tacomahousing.net LANDSCAPING

Echo Yard Maintenance (206) 909-6873

Coin Meter (503) 750-8442 | coinmeter.com

Hainsworth Laundry

Jason Hainsworth (509) 534-8942 | hainsworth.biz

LENDERS, MORTGAGE CAPITAL

CrossCountry Mortgage LLC (206) 650-4041 | keaneloans.com

Eastside Funding (425) 230-0000 | eastsidefunding.com

First Financial Northwest Bank Tom Jarzynka (425) 264-2757 | ffnwb.com

Flynn Family Lending Matt Flynn (425) 221-8660 | flynnfamilylending.com

Homebridge Financial (206) 915-3742 | homebridge.com

LENDERS, MORTGAGE CAPITAL

Kidder Matthews Simon and Anderson Team (206) 747-4725 | dylansimon.com

Luther Burbank Savings Bank Tiana Jackson: (425) 739-0023 lutherburbanksavings.com

MASONRY SERVICES

Masonry Restoration Consulting (425) 344-3893

masonryrestorationconsulting.com

Pioneer Masonry Restoration Co. (206) 782-4331 | pioneermasonry.com

METER + BILLING SERVICES

Guardian Water & Power Chris Apostolos (206) 271-6913 | (877) 291-3141 x139 guardianwp.com

METER + BILLING SERVICES

Submeter Solutions, Inc. Jeff Lowry: (425) 228-6831 (888) 64-METER (63837) | submetersolutions.com

MOLD | MOLD INSPECTIONS

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Affinity Real Estate Management (206) 812-9155 | affinityrem.com

All County Evergreen Property Management (253) 238-9590 | allcountyevergreen.com

Allen Property Management

Mike Larson (253) 582-6111 | (800) 995-6111 haroldallen.com

Bell-Anderson & Assoc., LLC, AMO (253)852-8195 | bell-anderson.net

Brink Property Management

Dean Foggitt (425) 458-4848 | brinkpm.com

Cadence Real Estate (206)258-4871 | www.cadencere.com

Capstone Commercial Real Estate Advisors John Downing (206) 324-9427 | capstonerea.com

Champions Real Estate Services (425) 744-5550 | nwchampions.com

Fischer Plumbing, Inc. (206) 783-4129

Call for purchase or refinance transactions.

Tiana Jackson 425.739.0023 Seth Hallock 425.440.2099

Lending on multifamily real estate. ©2022

Pacific Crest Savings Bank Todd M. Hull | Scott Gibson (425) 670-9624 | (800) 335-4126 pacificcrestbank.com

Peak Mortgage Partners Dave Eden (206) 660-3014 | peakmp.com

First Federal Savings and Loan (206) 586-1701 | ourfirstfed.com

Sound Community Bank (206) 448-0884 x202 | soundcb.com

Umpqua Bank | Multifamily Lending Matt Couch (425) 602-1250 | umpquacrelending.com

Washington Federal Vendor of the Year | 2015 Tim Marymee (206) 777-8213 | (800) 324-9375 washingtonfederal.com

LIGHTING

Tacoma Public Utilities Power: (253) 502-8600 Water: (253) 502-8723

TacomaPowerRebates.com/multifamily

LOCKSMITH

Pacific Northwest Locksmith (206) 531-0411 | pnwlocksmith.com

LUMBER

Dunn Lumber (206) 632-2129 | (800) 248-3866 dunnlum.com

MAINTENANCE

First Choice Remodeling, Inc. (253) 846-9000 | firstchoiceremodelinginc.com

Multifamily Elites (425) 698-1631 | multifamilyelites.com

Pro Realty Options, Inc. (425) 745-2400 | prorealtyoptions.com

Real Property Management Today (253) 426-1730 | rpmtoday.com

RentalRiff (541) 600-3200 | rentalriff.com

Envirotest | Mold, Air Quality Analysis, Inspections Donald B. Kronenberg (206) 877-3191 | seattlemoldandairquality.com

ON-SITE LAUNDRY SERVICES

Hainsworth Laundry

Jason Hainsworth (509) 534-8942 | hainsworth.biz

PAINTING | PAINT

Extreme Steam Carpet Cleaning (425) 330-9328 | extremesteamcc.com

Interland Design Jake Cervilla (425) 290-9639 | interlanddesign.com

Ohlsen's Property Renewal (206) 228-2123 | propertyrenewals.com

PEST INSPECTIONS

NWK9 Bed Bug Detectives (206) 801-3522 | nwk9bedbugdetectives.com

Straight Street Building / Home Inspection John Leon Gonzalez (206) 999-1234 | hi@homeinspect.ws

PIPE RESTORATION

Best Plumbing Group (206) 633-1700 | (425) 771-1114

Fischer Plumbing, Inc. (206) 783-4129 | fischerplumbing.com

The Pipe Guys (253) 537-2830 | pipeguys.com

Tub Cove Inc. One-piece one-of-a-kind bath walls (206) 522-1711 | tubcove.com

PLUMBING

Best Plumbing Group (206) 633-1700 | (425) 771-1114 bestplumbing.com

Day & Nite Plumbing & Heating Inc. Vendor of the Year | 2020 (425) 775-6464 | (800) 972-7000 dayandnite.net

Fischer Plumbing, Inc. (206) 783-4129 | fischerplumbing.com

POOL LEAK DETECTION

American Leak Detection (425) 747-7118 | americanleakdetection.com

PRINTING

Pacific Publishing Co. (206) 461-1322 | pacificpublishingcompany.com

Cornell & Associates Inc (206)329-0085 | www.cornellandassociates.com

Dave Poletti & Associates (206) 286-1100 | davepoletti.com

Dobler Management Company Inc. (253) 475-2405 | doblermanagement.com

Elita Living Real Estate LLC

Erica Vincent (206) 323-0771 | elitaliving.com

Emerald Heights Property Management

Ryan Dosch (206) 457-2475 emeraldheightspm.com

First Comercial Properties NW. (206) 985-7275 | fcpnw.com

Icon Real Estate Services Inc.

Jeremiah Roberson (425) 633-3330 | www.iconre.org

Jean Vel Dyke Properties, LLC (206) 725-3103 veldyke.com

Jevons Property Management Enrique Jevons (206) 880-7935 | jevonsproperties.com

Krishna Realty (425) 209-0055 | krishna-realty.com

Lexington Asset Management (310) 650-3343

Longley Property Management Inc. Venita Longley (206) 937-3522 | longleypm.com

Madeson Management LLC Melissa Melia (206) 673-4282 | madesonmanagement.com

Madrona Real Estate Services, LLC

Bradford Augustine (206) 538-2950 | MadronaRealEstate.com

Maple Leaf Management LLC Michelle Bannister (206) 850-8095 | mapleleafmgt.com

Marathon Properties Jeff O’Hare (425) 745-9107 | marathonpropmgmt.com

Multifamily Elites (425) 698-1631 | multifamilyelites.com

Nathaly Burnett Property Management (253) 732-9535 | beyondseattle.com

Next Brick Property Management (425) 372-7582

Niche Realty Associates LLC (206) 851-4694 | nichrealtyassoc.com

Northfield Properties Inc. (425) 304-1250 | (425) 304-1250

North Pacific Property Management Joshua Fant (206) 781-0186 | (800) 332-1032

northpacificpropertymanagement.com

Pacific Crest Real Estate (206) 812-9155 | pacificcrestre.com

Park 52 Property Management

Paul Jakeman (253) 473-5200 | park52.com

People’s Real Estate, Inc.

Lisa Brannon (425) 442-9941 | peoplespm.com

Phillips Real Estate, LLC (206)22-8600 | philipsre.com

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Pilot Ventures LLC | Property Management (206) 566-6600 | pilotnw.com

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

Rental Housing Association of Washington (206) 283-0816 | RHAwa.org/RMAP

Yardi Kelly Krier (805) 699-2040 | yardi.com

RECYCLING + GARBAGE

Junk Busters-Big Haul (360) 390-2014 | junkbustersllc.com

REAL ESTATE BROKERS

Prospector Property Management (206) 508-6366

prospectorpropertymanagement.com

Real Estate Gladiators (425)260-3121 | www.realestategladiators.com

Real Estate Investment Services (REIS)

Lakewood: (253) 207-5871

Seattle: (206) 319-5981

REISinvest.com

Real Property Management Today (253) 426-1730 | rpmtoday.com

Redside Partners, LLC

Craig Swanson (206) 323-1771 | redsidepartners.com

Rentals Northwest Richard Wilber (253) 581-8616

Renters Marketplace Larry Cutting (425) 277-1500 | rentersmarketplace.com

Seattle's Property Management (206) 856-6000 | seattlespropertymanagement.com

Seattle Rental Group Property Management (206)315-4628 | www.seattlerentalgroup.com

SJA Property Management (425) 658-1920 | sjapropertymanagement.com

SJC Management Group

Jason Clifford (253) 863-8117 | sjcmanagement.com

Spartan Agency, LLC (253) 863-6122 spartanagency.com

SUHRCO Residential Properties (425) 455-0900 | (206) 243-5507 suhrco.com

Foundation Group, LLC (206) 324-7622 | foundationgroupre.com

The Paris Group NW (206) 466-4937 | theparisgroupnw.com

T-Square Properties | Real Estate Brokers (425) 485-1800 | www.tsquaremanagement.com

Weber & Associates Property Management (425) 745-5838

Westlake Associates (206) 505-9400 | westlakeassociates.com

Wilson Property Management, Inc. Gary Wilson CPM (425) 453-0089

wilsonmanagementinc.com

Windermere Property Management

/ Lori Gill & Associates (425) 455-5515 wpmnorthwest.com

Capstone Commercial Real Estate Advisors

John Downing (206) 324-9427 | capstonerea.com

Champions Real Estate Services (425) 744-5550 | nwchampions.com

Colliers International (206) 223-1428 | colliers.com/seattle

Cornell & Associates Inc (206)329-0085 | www.cornellandassociates.com

Dave Poletti & Associates (206) 286-1100 | davepoletti.com

DVF Legacy Investments (206) 650-6113 | pugetsoundinvesting.com

Elita Living Real Estate LLC

Erica Vincent (206) 323-0771 | elitaliving.com

HFO Investment Real Estate (971) 717-6337 | hfore.com

Jean Vel Dyke Properties, LLC (206) 725-3103 | veldyke.com

Kidder Mathews

Dylan Simon: (206) 414-8575

Jerrid Anderson: (206) 499-8191 DylanSimon.com

Krishna Realty (425) 209-0055 | krishna-realty.com

Leading Edge Property Management (425) 405-2358 | edgehomerentals.com

Lee & Associates Multifamily Team Candice Chevaillier (206) 284-1000 | lee-nw.com

Windermere Property Management / JMW Group (206) 621-2037 | windermere-pm.com

Windermere Property Management / WPM South, LLC

Ed Verdi (253) 638-9811 | wpmsouth.com

WPI Real Estate Services, Inc. (206) 522-8172 | wpirealestate.com

Madrona Real Estate

Bradford Augustine (206) 538-2950 MadronaRealEstate.com

McTaggart Real Estate (206) 322-9495 | darcoapts.com

Next Brick Property Management (425) 372-7582

Niche Realty Associates LLC (206) 851-4694 | nichrealtyassoc.com

North Pacific Property Management (206) 781-0186 | (800) 332-1032

northpacificpropertymanagement.com

Paragon Real Estate Advisors, Inc.

Vendor of the Year | 2016 (206) 623-8880 | (800) 643-9871 paragonrea.com

REAL ESTATE BROKERS

Park 52 Property Management

Paul Jakeman (253) 473-5200 | park52.com

The Paris Group NW (206) 466-4937 | theparisgroupnw.com

People’s Real Estate, Inc. (425) 442-9941 | peoplespm.com

Phillips Real Estate, LLC (206) 622-8600 | phillipsre.com

Prime Metropolis Properties, Inc. (425) 688-3003 | pmp1988.com

Real Estate Gladiators (425)260-3121 | www.realestategladiators.com

Real Estate Investment Services (REIS) Lakewood: (253) 207-5871 Seattle: (206) 319-5981 REISinvest.com

Seattle Land Broker Inc. (206) 973-3022 | seattlelandbroker.com

SJA Property Management (425) 658-1920 | sjapropertymanagement.com

Sound Reatly Group Charles Burnett, CCIM (206) 931-6036 | soundmultifamily.com

SUHRCO Residential Properties (425) 455-0900 | (206) 243-5507 suhrco.com

Tecton Corporation (206) 448-4100 | tecton.com

The Chang Group (425) 678-2288 | changgroup.com

Foundation Group, LLC (206) 324-7622 | foundationgroupre.com

T-Square Properties | Real Estate Brokers (425) 485-1800 www.tsquaremanagement.com

Westlake Associates (206) 505-9400 | westlakeassociates.com

Windermere Property Management / Lori Gill & Associates (425) 455-5515 | wpmnorthwest.com

Windermere Real Estate Commercial Therasa Alston (206) 650-4777

Windermere Real Estate / East Buck Hoffman (206) 660-3764 | buckhoffman.com

WPI Real Estate Services, Inc. (206) 522-8172 x105 | wpirealestate.com

BricksFolios Real Estate Solutions Jyotsna (Jo) Dixit (425) 503-1225 | brickfolios.com Havium. Inc (888) 642-8486 | havium.com

Kay Properties & Investments Dwight Kay (855) 899-4597 | kpi1031.com

712-7504 | adt.com

653-ROOF(7663) | axisroofandgutter.com

SEWER

633-1700

783-4129

DRAIN VIDEO INSPECTIONS

(425) 771-1114

Best

(206) 633-1700 | (425) 771-1114 bestplumbing.com Fischer Plumbing, Inc. (206) 783-4129

Exceptional Brokers. Superior Service. info@ParagonREA.com | www.ParagonREA.com

SUBMETERING

Guardian Water & Power

Chris Apostolos

(206) 271-6913 | (877) 291-3141 x139 guardianwp.com

TEMPORARY HOUSING

Short Term Suites (206) 652-9356 | shorttermsuites.com

TENANT SCREENING

Rental Housing Association of Washington Chartrice Young, Lea Leong (206) 283-0816, option 2 | RHAwa.org

SafeRent Solutions (419) 367-7615

THIRD PARTY BILLING | UTILITIES

206-271-6913

Submeter Solutions, Inc.

Jeff Lowry: (425) 228-6831 (888) 64-METER (63837) | submetersolutions.com

TAX CONSULTING | PREPARATION

Brink & Sadler

Johann Drewett (253) 582-4700 | brinkandsadler.com

Hutchinson & Walter, PLLC (425) 455-1620 | hutchcpa.com

TAX-DEFERRED EXCHANGES (1031)

Investment Property Exchange Services, Inc. (425)582-3487 | www.ipx1031.com

Real Estate Transition Solutions 1031 Exchanges & Delaware Statutory Trusts

Vendor of the Year | 2017 (206) 686-2211 | re-transition.com

Guardian Water & Power

Chris Apostolos (206) 271-6913 | (877) 291-3141 x139

guardianwp.com

Submeter Solutions, Inc. Jeff Lowry: (425) 228-6831 (888) 64-METER (63837) | submetersolutions.com

TOWING + IMPOUND MANAGEMENT

ABC Towing, Inc. Seattle: (206) 682-2869 Tukwila: (206) 767-4024 abc4atow.com

TRAUMA SCENE CLEAN-UP

Bio Clean, Inc. (425) 754-9369 | biocleanwa.com

Conservice (435) 419-4960 | conservice.com

Tacoma Public Utilities

Power: (253) 502-8600 Water: (253) 502-8723

TacomaPowerRebates.com/multifamily

LINK Up with RHAWA in 2023

LINK meetings have provided a place for our members to gather, share stories, and knowledge for several years at this point.

Personally, I find LINK meetings to be one of the most valuable and engaging resources that RHAWA facilitates for its members. There is just something special about being able to sit down with fellow housing providers to discuss your businesses. While they have already proven to be a valuable resource to our members in their current format, we will be implementing changes to the LINK meeting format in 2023 which will make the LINK meetings even better than they already are. In 2022, we began sending staff members to our LINK meetings to engage with members and allow for more interaction between staff and membership. We have received positive feedback from the attendees of the LINK meetings regarding staff’s presence at the meetings and we will be expanding staff presence at LINK meetings in 2023. To make this change happen, we will need to restructure the current schedule of LINK meetings.

Moving forward, LINK meetings will not be held on the same day, they will be staggered throughout the month. The new schedule is as follows:

• 2nd Tuesday – January 10

So King Co.

Claim Jumper, Tukwila

• 2nd Thursday – January 12

Pierce Co.

Harbor Lights, Tacoma

• 3rd Tuesday – January 17

East King Co.

Dukes Seafood, Bellevue

• 3rd Thursday – January 19

Snohomish Co.

Bobs Burgers, Everett

Not only will this allow us to send a staff member to nearly all link meetings every month, but it will allow members who wish to attend multiple

meetings to do so. As mentioned before, the most important aspect of our LINK meetings is the opportunity for members to meet each other and share their knowledge. It is also important to note that staff presence at LINK meetings does not mean RHAWA staff will lead LINK meetings, that responsibility still rests on our incredible LINK facilitators who devote their time and effort to making the LINK meetings what they are. Staff presence at LINK meetings is mainly to serve as a support role while also allowing members to get familiar with the RHAWA team. There will likely be a different staff member at each meeting every month which will allow our members to pick the brain of staff members on a variety of RHAWA activities: from graphic design to grassroots organizing.

If you have never attended a LINK meeting, we encourage you to check it out! If you live in or around the King County area there is certainly a link meeting close by and we would love to have you there. We are also interested in expanding our LINK meetings much further than the current locations they take place. Some of the areas we are most interested in expanding to include Spokane County, Clark County, and Kitsap County. If you live in any of these areas and are looking to get more involved with RHAWA’s outreach efforts, please reach out and we will work with you to make this goal a reality. LINK meetings are one of the best ways to meet with other like-minded individuals in your area and we look forward to bringing this opportunity to more areas of the state.

We also received feedback that attendees of the LINK meetings would like to have more presentations and speakers at the LINK meetings. Because of this, we will be scheduling more speakers at LINK meetings while also making sure there is enough time for thorough conversation after the presentations. The individuals who are scheduled to present at LINK meetings will be included

in advertising materials for link meetings and will be present for questions after the meetings. Special guests at LINK meetings may include vendors, local lawmakers or consultants who work with RHAWA frequently. We hope to make LINK meetings a more comprehensive and holistic snapshot of some of the most valuable aspects of our association, while also allowing members to relax and mingle.

Those who have attended a LINK meet-

ing know how special these meetings can really be and I hope you are looking forward to these upcoming changes. I certainly am looking forward to attending the meetings and building stronger relationships with members I have already met as well as meeting some new faces. Thank you for taking the time to read this breakdown of all the changes that will be coming to our link meetings in 2023 and I look forward to seeing you at one of these meetings!

Daniel

Daniel Bannon

5 Ways to Avoid Paying Capital Gains Tax

Austin Bowlin, CPA – Partner | Real Estate Transition Solutions | Vendor Member

Never has there been so much pressure on Washington citizens to pay more in taxes. It seems like the barrage of proposed new taxes and tax rate increases gains more strength with each passing year. Not all proposals will be implemented, and many will be tried in court, however, there is a clear trend in our city halls and state legislature toward increasing the tax burden. Here is a sample of what has changed in the last couple of years:

• Implementing a Washington State capital gains tax of 9%

• Changing the Washington State real estate excise tax to graduated brackets ranging from 0.75% to 2.5%, previously, the state tax was a flat 1.28%

In order to alleviate some of the anger invoked in most property owners when they discover their tax bill may, or will increase, we have compiled a list of tax deferral strategies that are worth considering should you decide to sell your investment property.

Sell and 1031 Exchange Your Property

A well-known option, a 1031 exchange allows an owner to defer all tax associated with the sale of investment property other than excise tax. Many owners are under the perception that an exchange must be between two investment properties of the same type – such as a triplex for a triplex. This is not the case. Instead, the IRS states the property is considered “like-kind” as long as it is investment property of any sort, regardless of property type. There is quite a bit of flexibility within 1031 exchanges for those who know how to navigate them effectively. There are also quite a few stumbling blocks that can trip investors up while performing an exchange. The benefit to exchanging investment real estate is that if you hold real estate until you or your spouse pass away, you will realize a “step-up in basis,” eliminating all capital gains and depreciation recapture tax liability deferred to that date. Furthermore, the deferred tax can be viewed as an “interest-free loan” from the government – allowing you to earn income off your

LEGISLATURE TOWARD INCREASING THE TAX BURDEN.

entire investment amount.

Sell

and

Utilize an Installment Sale

Another commonly presented option is the installment sale. Generally, we do not recommend this approach unless the seller is receiving a premium in the sales price for accepting an installment contract. There are risks associated with this method, such as the buyer’s ability to make the payments promised and the condition of the property should it need to be repossessed. This method spreads out the taxes associated with the sale throughout the life of the installment contract. It should also

be noted that there is an unfavorable tax treatment, should the seller pass away during the note payment period.

Sell and 1031 Exchange Property to be 721 UPREIT

An option we recommend to investors when they may not want to be permanently invested in real estate, value liquidity, and would still like to mitigate tax consequences, is to exchange into a property that will roll into a Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) after a defined period of time. This approach allows the best of both worlds because the seller is not exposed to the buyer’s

performance over multiple years, the exchange dollars will eventually convert to REIT shares in approximately two years’ time, and, most importantly, the seller can then choose to sell their REIT shares as they please – allowing the flexibility to sell when they are in a lower tax bracket or when they need the liquidity.

Sell and 1031 Exchange into an Eventual New Primary Residence or Vacation Home

Lastly, if a seller is interested in the eventual purchase of a new primary residence or vacation home, they have

IT SEEMS LIKE THE BARRAGE OF PROPOSED NEW TAXES AND TAX RATE INCREASES GAINS MORE STRENGTH

WITH EACH PASSING YEAR. NOT ALL PROPOSALS WILL BE IMPLEMENTED, AND MANY WILL BE TRIED IN COURT, HOWEVER, THERE IS A CLEAR TREND IN OUR CITY HALLS AND STATE

the option to 1031 exchange into this property using proceeds from the sale of an investment property. This approach allows for repurposing investment real estate equity to personal use real estate; however, it is very important that the newly acquired property (either a primary residence or vacation home) be rented out for 1-2 years following the exchange so that it first qualifies for 1031 exchange purposes. The properties do not need to be rented for the entire year, however, “personal use” limitations do apply during this 1-2 year period.

Benjamin Franklin once famously wrote, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” Our firm works diligently on behalf of investment property owners to address taxes and make sure real estate transitions (sales, charitable contributions, estate giving, etc.) happen in

a tax-efficient manner for our clients. Even with the threat of increased and new taxes looming large, there are strategies we would be pleased to explain further to you, should you be considering a transaction in 2023.

Austin Bowlin, CPA is Chief Exchange Strategist & Partner at Real Estate Transition Solutions. As Chief Exchange Strategist, Austin leads the firm's team of licensed 1031 Exchange advisors & analysts and provides consultation on tax liability, deferral strategies, legal entity structuring, co-ownership arrangements, 1031 replacement property options, and Delaware Statutory Trust investments. If you are selling your investment property and would like to learn more about tax-deferred 1031 Exchanges and Delaware Statutory Trusts, contact Real Estate Transition Solutions to schedule a complimentary consultation with one

of our FINRA-licensed 1031 Exchange Advisors. Our consultations are informal and can be done via phone, via web conference, or in person at one of our offices. To schedule your consultation, call (206) 502-4862 or visit us at www.re-transition.com/rhawa.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The information herein has been prepared for educational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to purchase or sell securitized real estate investments. Such offers are only made through the sponsor's Private Placement Memorandum (PPM), which is solely available to accredited investors and accredited entities. Case studies and examples are for illustrative purposes and not representative of future results. There are risks associated with investing in real estate properties, including, but not limited to, loss of entire investment principal, declining market values, tenant vacancies, and illiquidity. Because investor situations and objectives vary, this information is not intended to indicate suit-

ability for any particular investor. This material is not to be interpreted as tax or legal advice. Please speak with your own tax and legal advisors for advice/guidance regarding your situation. DST 1031 properties are only available to accredited investors (generally described as having a net worth of over $1 million dollars exclusive of primary residence) and accredited entities only. If you are unsure if you are an accredited investor and/or an accredited entity, please verify with your CPA and Attorney. Securities offered through Aurora Securities, Inc. (ASI), member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services offered through Secure Asset Management, LLC (SAM), a registered investment advisor. ASI and SAM are affiliated companies. Real Estate Transition Solutions (RETS) is independent of ASI and SAM.

Examples of our recently closed loans

Seattle MIXED-USE

Seattle

Seattle FLOATING HOME

Edmonds SINGLE-FAMILY HOME

Seattle FLOATING HOME

Edmonds ADULT FAMILY HOME

Flexible lending with great community bank service and simplicity.

Financing Strategies for 1-4 Unit Properties When Rates are Elevated

Eric Aasness, Sales Manager, NMLS #506980 |  eric.aasness@homebridge.com |  206-576-0921 | RHAWA Vendor Member

Mortgage rates are driven by the bond market. And the bond market is driven by fear! Fear of inflation.

We’ve had plenty of that over the past two years, causing mortgage rates to reach their highest levels in over a decade. Until March of this year, the Federal Reserve was still pumping money into the economy, insisting that inflation was “transitory.” It was only this March when the “T word” was stricken from their vocabulary and they started aggressively hiking rates. The purpose of the hikes is to slow the economy: higher costs lead to less spending and higher unemployment, ultimately reducing inflation. Painful medicine, but here we are.

The good news is that home prices have softened as a result, and sellers are now more amenable to contributing towards your closing costs. We don’t expect housing prices to plummet, though. Inventory is still very tight at less than 2 months. And mortgage rates will follow the economy. As it slows and we (most likely) enter a recession, rates will fall. When that happens, buyers will come-in from the sidelines and competition for homes will take off again. Even though rates are

still elevated, the housing market today is more favorable for buyers than it has been in years.

Many of my clients don’t want to sit on the sidelines waiting for rates to drop. They have embraced the “Marry the House, Date the Rate” strategy: Buy now while the market is favorable, then refinance once rates fall to lower levels.

A Temporary Buydown does an excellent job of keeping your payments low while we wait for opportunities to refinance. A temporary buydown gives you a discounted rate and payment for up to three years, reverting to the permanent (note rate) at the end of that period. The program has been around for years, but we blew the dust off it this year as a strategy to keep payments more affordable.

There are four buydown variations available:

The cost of a temporary buydown is difference in rate between the bought-down rate and the final note rate during the buydown period. The cost can range between ¾% to 4% of the loan amount depending on the loan amount and the version used. Most lenders require this to be paid by the seller, which needs to be negotiated into your purchase contract. This is important because non-owner-occupied properties limit seller contributions to a maximum of 2% of the sales price, so we must choose a buydown program that fits within these guidelines.

With all buydown options, the buydown funds are deposited into an escrow account at closing and are used to finance the program. If you refinance before the end of the buydown period, any remaining funds are applied to the payoff of your mortgage, giving you full benefit of the seller contribution.

Mortgage rates appear to have hit their peak and are now starting to fall. They will drop further as the economy slows, but there’s debate about how long that will take. If you find a property that catches your eye, this program may be a good option to help you take advantage of our favorable market opportunities now.

For more information, reach out and I’ll be glad to answer your questions! Eric Aasness, NMLS 506980, is a Branch Sales Manager with Homebridge Financial Services and a 35-year mortgage banking veteran specializing in financing 1-4 unit properties.

Eric Aasness

his partners and team members to actively achieve their goals, ensuring all have the ability and path to grow to the level each desire. He maintains that leadership is the key to personal and corporate growth and is dedicated to building all organizations he is active in with leadership as the focal component. Christopher is also quite passionate about helping those afflicted with substance abuse issues and homelessness, believing these are closely interrelated. He believes deeply in developing programs to address the root problems around these afflictions and is committed to giving time and financial resources towards these matters. Christopher firmly believes in landowner rights and identifying methods to successfully provide affordable housing for those in need.

Kaitlyn Jackson Director

Kaitlyn is an Associate Attorney at Dimension Law Group, PLLC. Kaitlyn’s practice focuses on Business Law, Commercial and Residential Real Estate, Landlord-Tenant matters, and Estate Planning.

Kaitlyn currently serves on the Board of several non-profits, including the Executive Board of Highline Schools Foundation. In addition, Kaitlyn is heavily involved in leadership roles within Highline Soccer Association. Kaitlyn received her Juris Doctorate from Seattle University School of Law and two Bachelor’s Degrees from Seattle University. Prior to attending law school, Kaitlyn gained important legal experience as a paralegal at several large and mid-size law firms.

Kaitlyn is passionate about helping people, families, and businesses navi-

gate estate planning, business, and the ever-changing commercial and residential real estate markets. She is a member of the Washington State Bar Association.

Cathy Jeney Director

Cathy Jeney is a partner at Paragon Real Estate Advisors. She has remained a consistent, top producing commercial broker for over 18 years, representing clients in the acquisition and disposition of their commercial real estate. Cathy has closed 2,984 units in 202 separate transactions, totaling $283 million in sales.

Her work ethic, thoroughness, diligence and 110% commitment ensure her clients achieve their real estate goals as well as a smooth transaction. In addition, her strong negotiation and interpersonal skills allow Cathy to successfully represent her clients.

This, combined with her extensive market knowledge, enthusiasm, professionalism and ability to overcome obstacles has earned her an impressive reputation and consistent repeat business. Her remarkable track record stems from commitment to the industry, meticulous detail and follow-through, ability to overcome obstacles and hands-on experience.

Part of Cathy’s work satisfaction stems from the relationships formed while assisting clients with their real estate needs.

When not working, Cathy can be found mentoring children, hiking, biking, traveling, and giving back to the community.

Synthia Melton Director

Synthia Melton is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Dimension Law Group. Synthia’s practice focuses on Business Law and Commercial and Residential Real Estate, including Landlord-Tenant law. Synthia works primarily with real estate investors and small business owners on matters involving complex transactional and litigation matters. She also serves as general counsel to various small to mid-size businesses throughout Washington State.

Synthia received her Juris Doctorate degree from Seattle University School of Law and her bachelor’s degree in Law & Diversity from Western Washington University. Synthia has a passion for working with Seattle’s small to mid-size business owners, assisting with their personal, family, and business needs. Synthia’s background and experience as an investor, entrepreneur, and attorney allow her to bring a unique approach to understanding the needs of her clients and offer alternatives and solutions to navigate the complexities of our legal system.

In 2016, Synthia was named a “Rising Star” for Business Law by Super Lawyers. When she is not advising entrepreneurs and small business owners, she is involved in several non-profits in Seattle focused on housing and higher education, including the College Success Foundation and YWCA of Seattle, King, Snohomish.

Mark Mullally Director

Mark Mullally is a Seattle native and 3rd generation member of properties managed by Mullally Development Company. He has over 15 years’ experience managing multifamily property in both Seattle and Phoenix.

Daniel Bannon Grassroots Organizer

Daniel is in charge of garnering excitement and engagement with RHAWA’s membership. His role includes the oversight LINK meetings, the CONNECT forum, social media content, and other communications on behalf of RHAWA. His responsibilities also include developing working relationships with legislators, members, and media representatives.

Daniel recently graduated from the University of Washington with a double major in Political Science and Law, Societies and Justice. Throughout his undergraduate studies, he took an interest in real estate; working as a property manager and real estate agent.

Daniel enjoys hiking, listening to music, and eating good food. He has a fascination with video production, cars, and shoes.

Luke Brown Business Development

Luke grew up in San Diego and moved to Seattle to attend the University Of Washington, where he majored in Economics. During his time at UW, he was fortunate enough to have valuable work experience in property management, sales, and retail. Since graduating earlier this year, he's become the new business development representative at RHAWA. He will be working closely with the executive director to oversee membership growth and also to make sure your experience with RHAWA is as beneficial as possible. He's looking forward to getting to know more of you over the coming year!

Melissa Canfield Deputy Director

Melissa joined RHAWA in 2008. She was originally responsible for consistent association branding and design. Over the years she has worn just about every hat on the team. Most recently, she served as Project Manager where she worked to strengthen the value of RHAWA by overseeing the implementation of new online platforms and the production of industry events and publications. She was promoted to Deputy Director in 2021.

Outside of work, Melissa is fueled by a never-ending need to explore. She is obsessed with all things letterpress, enjoys gardening, traveling, and is in constant search of the perfect tomato soup or whiskey.

Val Kushi Member Services (Screening)

Born and raised in South America, Val went from a small town living culture to London in early 2000. She has a bachelor's degree in Tourism from a Brazilian University but her passion lies in helping others and that's why she joined RHAWA in early 2020. She takes pride in solving problems, helping members, working as a team, and being challenged.

Her passion is her family, hiking, and traveling. Her dream is to backpack in Europe and Asia with all of them but also to live in the country where she can raise animals and grow her own vegetables.

Sue Lewis Member Services (Support Center)

Sue works part time as a Resource Specialist. She is committed to using her experience to help others avoid pitfalls and continuing to make rental housing a smart choice for both landlords and tenants. With over 25 years in the industry. Sue has worked in all aspects of Property Management from an apartment manager all the way up to a Training Director.

Sue supports many local charities by blending her love of arts and crafts into items for local auctions and items for shelters, disabled and homeless. Her hobbies include; reading, writing, quilting, knitting, needle work, bead work, and stamped art.

Sisi Mereness Creative Director

Sisi is a Creative Director with 10+ years' experience in capturing, compiling and analyzing the latest concepts in design theory and applying them to her client’s local and international marketing plans. She has empowered her creative team and leading clients to ensure strategic development and implementation of best-in-class campaigns. She drives innovation with compelling Human Centered Design (HCD) solutions to position companies for sustainable revenue growth and heightened consumer engagement. Sisi aims to maintain workflow, with multiple timelines, while meeting established budgets to deliver within tight deadlines. She enjoys building working relationships with executive leadership, internal partners across business units, as well as external vendors.

Denise joined RHAWA in 2016 to lead the Education department upon relocating from San Diego to be closer to family. In that time, she has recruited dozens of new instructors and developed a comprehensive learning program for Washington rental housing providers, including over 70 courses on law, business practices and rental operations. She holds a Master's in Education Technology and has over 25 years' experience in developing innovative learning resources for customers and employees in various industries.

In her free time you can find Denise at her home pottery studio, where she creates hand crafted functional and decorative pieces from clay. Denise also enjoys listening to music, watching movies, and adventuring with her husband of 35 years.

Geoff Schertz Accounting Administrator

Geoff joined the Association in 2001. He is responsible for all accounts receivable and accounts payable for RHAWA and assisting members with billing questions. He also assists with membership and website questions.

He graduated from the University of Illinois in 1995 and moved to Seattle in December of 2000. Geoff enjoys watching baseball, playing slow pitch softball, and playing bar trivia with friends.

Geoff looks forward to serving the membership and assisting members any way he can.

Denise Myers Education + Resources

Tenant Tips and Precautions

Bruce Davis, Sr., President | Day & Night Plumbing & Heating, Inc. | 2020 Vendor Member of the Year

Nobody reads the Instructions. Okay… almost nobody. One of my ‘jobs for many years has been to train and educate Plumbers, Electricians and HVAC Techs, and I’ll often tell them…

“Let me give you one tip that will set you above and apart from 99.9% of all other Technicians in your field; “Always Read the Instructions on anything and everything you are installing, repairing and/or working on… always! If you simply do that, it will set you apart from everyone else, because almost no one else does.”

I learned this very early in my life because I quit school at fifteen and went to work, and I always needed to hustle to learn and catch-up. And I found that if I just always read the instructions on whatever I was working with, it would prep and equip me with depth and details most of my peers didn’t have. I also found of course, that by doing that I’d automatically pick up great details, improve the quality of whatever I was doing, and prevent issues and problems that I’d otherwise have to learn through experience.

I mention all that, because I said last month I’d share a ‘Tips and Precautions’ card that I recommend to all landlords. Honestly, very few landlords I know follow my advice on this; “that’s what the lease if for”… they say. But those who do, say it seems to help with the most important issue there is with their tenants, Clear Communication.

On the right there are some things I’ve seen that will help tenants and should fit on a single-sided ‘brochure-size’ paper.

Again, the above list should be edited to your specific property. Keep it on one side of the paper and put it on the side of the fridge or tape it to the inside of a cabinet where it can be seen at a glance.

Bruce Sr. is President of Day & Nite Plumbing & Heating, a 68-year-old family owned and operated plumbing and heating business in Lynnwood, Washington. Bruce can be contacted a: Bruce@ dayandnite.net. Day & Nite Plumbing &Heating Inc. 16614 13th Ave. W. Lynnwood, WA 98037 (800) 972-7000.

TENANT TIPS, PRECAUTIONS & GUIDELINES

CONTACT INFORMATION: Manager’s Name, phone #, email, and mailing address. Please remember to make sure you get a response on any text or email.

PARKING: …describe parking specifics/requirements incl. guest parking.

GARBAGE SERVICE: Describe specifics/details i.e. (Pick-up is weekly on Friday mornings; service will NOT accept things stacked-up next to cans/ dumpsters)

SAFETY ISSUES:

q Keep porch lights replaced.

q Keep all doors and windows locked day and night.

q Keep batteries changed every 6-months in Smoke Alarms and Carbon Monoxide Alarms. (Some states require landlords to do this…)

q Never bar-b-que indoors.

q Never use generators or non-vented heaters indoors.

q Never use anything containing lead or asbestos in your unit.

q Keep all poisons/chemicals/medications stored out of children’s reach.

q Always keep firearms and ammunition lockedup securely.

ALWAYS REPORT WATER-LEAKS PROMPT-

LY: Water that shows up anywhere that is unusual always needs repairs/attention; contact us right away please!

KEEP DRAINS CLEAR: Normally any and all foreign objects in any drain are not the owner’s responsibility…

q Always run plenty of water before, during, and for 1-minute after using Garbage Disposer.

q Never put leafy or stringy greens into the disposer like celery, corn husks, etc.

q Never put/pour grease down any drain.

q Always clean your Disposer Monthly, by dumping 2-trays of ice cubes through it as fast as it will take with cold water running. This will usually freeze, scour and dislodge slime and ‘left behind’ sludge.

q Never put anything down the toilet except human waste and toilet paper. No feminine products. No wipes or diapers… even if they claim to be ‘flushable’ products.

q Never use chemical drain-cleaners; they do more harm than good.

YOU BREAK IT – YOU BUY IT: Damaged and/or abused things must be repaired or replaced by tenant; Owner handles normal ‘wear and tear’ and repairs and maintenance on fixtures and equipment.

MILDEW: Keep ventilation fans in kitchen and bathrooms ON during use, and 30-minutes beyond. Never let wet clothes or rags ‘pile-up’ for more than 24 hours.

PURCHASE RENTERS INSURANCE: Renters insurance is strongly recommended, so tenant will be covered for many damages, thefts and law-suits from you guests. Often $1.00 a day gets plenty of coverage.

DUE DATES/DEADLINES: Rent is due ‘in hand’ on (describe when)

EVERY YEAR THERE ARE NEW LANDLORDS, NEW TENANTS, AND NEW LESSONS THAT NEED TO BE LEARNED REGARDING THE UPKEEP OF RENTAL PROPERTY. FOR SAFETY’S SAKE THESE TIPS, PRECAUTIONS, GUIDELINES, ARE WORTH REPEATING.

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It’s difficult to find Real Estate clock hour courses that are relevant to managing rental properties in today’s complex legal landscape. The Rental Housing Association of Washington is the best source for up-to-the-minute education and resources on the laws and best practices for operating rental properties in Washington State and now has a complete line up of rental-housing-focused continuing education for Real Estate license renewal. All courses are available on-demand with special pricing for RHAWA members. Register at RHAwa.org/products/certificate-courses.

We Stand by Stability

(torch