Supporters of a proposed ballot measure in Bellingham aimed at protecting renters say they have collected enough signatures to move it forward. According to the Bellingham Herald, the backers want to place the measure before voters on the November ballot, as concern grows in the city over rising rents.
At the heart of the measure is a ban on certain landlord practices tied to technology. It would bar landlords in the city from using software that raises rent prices artificially through algorithms, a tool that critics say has helped push housing costs upward across many markets.
The proposal goes beyond software alone. It would also prohibit two or more landlords from agreeing together on an established rental price, and it would create whistleblower protections along with anti-retaliation safeguards for both renters and employees who come forward.
To reach the next stage, the campaign had to clear a signature threshold. The Herald reports that more than three thousand one hundred signatures were required for the measure to move ahead. That figure is based on ten percent of the number of ballots cast in Bellingham's last mayoral race.
With the signatures in hand, the next step falls to local government. The Bellingham City Council will need to greenlight the measure before it can proceed, and the council's next meeting is scheduled for July thirteenth, when the proposal could take another step toward the ballot.
The push in Bellingham is not the only rental effort underway in the region. In Seattle, Mayor Katie Wilson is expected to announce proposed legislation on Wednesday aimed at eliminating rental junk fees. Her office says the hidden fees make comparing homes nearly impossible for prospective renters.
Taken together, the two efforts reflect a broader push across Washington cities to rein in rising housing costs and to add new protections for tenants. Both proposals now face their own next steps, with local officials set to weigh in on how far each will advance.