[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6357010,"mediaKeyId","2215648-81e750a738d197aff47b47d7adae4ccd","parentId",2215648,"title","House committee hears bill to create statutory rights for senior independent housing residents","audioSeconds",807,"startMs",136000,"endMs",943000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215648-81e750a738d197aff47b47d7adae4ccd&start=136&end=943","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215648-81e750a738d197aff47b47d7adae4ccd/thumbnail_136000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6357010/Washington/House-committee-hears-bill-to-create-statutory-rights-for-senior-independent-housing-residents","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357010-f6149d624ea3b418fafbaeb11b5a32ba/orig.mp4?Expires=1775005161&Signature=EFcp0vLAfJSVjmAVnhR858-Z7Vc9gC1gZmJneRftYdu-aSdCJcE226IXN6XSXbzEI6wdOuWu0ZiurZ7KEXHyHFmkyV2dKV2VcL7UzkJGXZ5mRHTMd6rdti2Hs7c5phmCIpSxRkAep-6T9xSQmgNB5pnkdU23-EuJ1tqHQNoszGwVM0jy8Rd7rmLboQlfzxlp7tcpXffJ8fLOpXKKsx9izw2I~idejysp62bEu1Q7jX-WlfN3DDfY5lp5sCj8mJS3cf88q99H3ott1UVNouSwn6f8epR6E4zTtA0DgZKnlo8ZZfEny5EtktH8PDbGSs7uexLaL-CyaBaeTDk5GJnSnQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House Housing","date","2025-02-03T00:00:00Z","article","The Washington State House Committee on Housing on Feb. 3 heard testimony on House Bill 1542, a measure that would define \"senior independent housing,\" establish minimum rights for residents age 55 and older who live in independent-living communities, authorize enforcement under the state Consumer Protection Act and require the Department of Commerce to report on providers and units statewide.

The bill, sponsor Representative Christine Reeves said, responds to complaints from constituents in South King County about unresponsive management and safety lapses. \"When you are recruiting specific populations of people to live in a specific housing facility, there should be some fundamental rights that are assigned to that group of people living in this facility, particularly as seniors,\" Representative Reeves said.

Audrey Vaisik, staff to the committee, told members the bill defines senior independent housing as housing \"advertised, maintained, designed or constructed for the purpose of providing housing for persons age 55 or older who do not require assistance with activities of daily living,\" and that the definition exempts facilities that provide medical care or assistance such as assisted living and nursing homes. Vaisik said the bill would create resident rights including the right to be treated respectfully, the right to organize and hold meetings, and the right to prompt communication from management in emergencies. She summarized: \"Violations of these rights may be enforced under the Consumer Protection Act, and the bill requires the Department of Commerce to submit a report that includes data on the number of senior independent housing providers, properties, and dwelling units in the state.\"

Advocates described the protections as needed for vulnerable residents. Brad Forbes of the Alzheimer's Association testified in favor and said Washington has more than 126,000 people living with dementia and that many vulnerable seniors live outside licensed long-term-care settings. \"This bill is a critical first step in providing vulnerable seniors with these protections,\" Forbes said, citing protections against \"harassment, bullying, and intimidation\" and the right to install safety or security devices.

Industry witnesses raised concerns about the bill's scope and how it would interact with existing law. Brad Tower of Commonwealth Real Estate Services and Beau Herr of Manufactured Housing Communities of Washington said the sponsor should narrow the definition so it does not unintentionally subsume age-restricted communities where no additional services are provided, or manufactured-home communities where owners lease lots and providers do not have legal access to residents' homes. Tower asked that the definition be limited to facilities that provide additional services such as housekeeping or meals. Herr noted the Manufactured Housing Landlord Tenant Act and existing dispute-resolution programs for those residents and urged clarity to avoid conflicts with those frameworks.

Members pressed on enforcement mechanisms. Representative Dufeau asked whether enforcement should rely on the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act rather than the Consumer Protection Act; Representative Reeves said she was open to amendments and noted community members had described failures that some consider \"deceitful practices\" when marketing promised services were not delivered.

No committee vote was taken. The sponsor and witnesses indicated willingness to work on technical clarifications and potential amendments to address manufactured-housing and 55-plus communities. The hearing on HB 1542 was closed without formal action; the bill will return to committee for further consideration and possible amendment.

The committee then moved on to other agenda items.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Housing - 2/3/2025 1:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","The Washington State House Committee on Housing on Feb. 3 heard testimony on House Bill 1542, which would define \"senior independent housing,\" establish minimum resident rights and allow enforcement under the Consumer Protection Act.","taxTitle","Housing, House of Representatives, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20263,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6357001,"Bill would require HOAs to answer certified inquiries within 30 days; committee suspends hearing",1101,926000,2027000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215648-81e750a738d197aff47b47d7adae4ccd&start=926&end=2027","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215648-81e750a738d197aff47b47d7adae4ccd/thumbnail_926000.jpg","/articles/6357001/Washington/Bill-would-require-HOAs-to-answer-certified-inquiries-within-30-days-committee-suspends-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357001-5e73e303604ff03a959cd5c9f7a6228c/orig.mp4?Expires=1775005162&Signature=St3dD9SGIpjushwotufWSS71Vp21LzdT6N454hkKILMdXJzq~W6iuKAR81ivr7v4Lwb8yOwxq7BthBvJ~a4OL2qu2c0qWN-tqiG3VswvCwE3LaBeuwX6BTIx2WiZvs~ydZEaSDUiBbO2sV6GKpldBoInKhpCKg9b7s44Ix24DzZA52jIlgNCUKWCK4x4TVaX5sbMbdOZZ4fc5rVQyCQvw59EJ9q7dI2NEgskg6yTZZKDa~54-0pRnxCFS6IgFIDqaHDu5k5yAHsmB4MqmzkqScmrcjCv73b7fKQ6bmjSaSHz~XgHHXAlU6eQg0VoZSEyV02o~10em7ST3Wq9L6wVNw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","On Feb. 3 the House Committee on Housing opened a hearing on House Bill 1501, which would create a process for unit owners in common interest communities to submit written inquiries by certified mail and require associations to respond within specified timeframes.

Audrey Vaisik, staff to the committee, said HB 1501 would allow a unit owner or an authorized agent to file a written inquiry by certified mail concerning association governance or operations; associations must provide a substantive response within 30 days of receipt or notify the inquirer that a legal or third-party opinion has been requested. If such an opinion is requested, the association would have 60 days to provide a substantive response. Vaisik said associations could adopt reasonable rules about frequency and manner of responses and that an association that fails to provide a substantive response would be prohibited from recovering attorney's fees and costs in a subsequent dispute arising from that inquiry.

Sponsor Representative Julie Reid said the bill aims to ensure homeowners and condo owners get reasonable responses from their associations. \"If you need to get a response from the association of which you are a dues-paying member, you are legally entitled to that response,\" Reid said. She noted the bill limits inquiries to one per month to prevent frivolous or excessive filings.

Representative Dufeau asked whether the law should include a size threshold for small volunteer associations that may lack capacity to meet the requirements and could be harmed by a prohibition on recovering attorney's fees. Representative Reid said she was open to discussing that idea with stakeholders.

The hearing was suspended later in the session because of an internet outage that affected remote participation and streaming. Committee leaders said they would defer continued testimony to a later date and accept written testimony from those unable to appear when the hearing resumes.

No committee vote occurred. Sponsor and staff said they would work with stakeholders on possible amendments, including thresholds or exceptions for small or volunteer-run associations.","House Bill 1501 would require homeowners associations to respond to certified written inquiries from unit owners within 30 days (60 if a legal opinion is requested) and would limit inquiries to one per month; the committee suspended the hearing and deferred further testimony because of technical problems.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":80,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":83,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6357006,"Committee hears changes to condo resale certificates; hearing suspended amid internet outage",717,1643000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215648-81e750a738d197aff47b47d7adae4ccd&start=926&end=1643","/articles/6357006/Washington/Committee-hears-changes-to-condo-resale-certificates-hearing-suspended-amid-internet-outage","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6357006-e66e77f0e0a4b77259a20524bf44cc31/orig.mp4?Expires=1775005162&Signature=YcNMFGaWFdgqzQHM-GIP9fAj2ZoVKauUd82jDm-IcxQjIQy~dcF8wq0Z7yYPOuUHrxwn4x7ZB~AnBM4dTYPFMVUFz5rcqXZkusTuRxOgKDZ0NBfCAmyBeSn2czj-vbNJWgQaBg0rUjjriDNRUN24cwoEfTXMIicFC5tAO5KsnhVoRvJbYJABAb6s2B8YDjOQ4PhXxQEibGutyw-KoyIQEr0tN~JfoSgIEvtsZhbHDGPchpFQEbAhwY1hj7DH0B7X0aRbIvuYSo55zfcHpWtE8LZGLsvk8OrxBF9KeO1M3NACw-2U0mYS~ncYgdDcHILodO07NzISTrgw6PJ~ypSXpA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The House Committee on Housing on Feb. 3 opened a hearing on House Bill 1500, which would revise statutory resale-certificate requirements for units in common interest communities, including condominiums and homeowner associations, and make related changes as Washington transitions to a single Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act.

Audrey Vaisik, staff to the committee, told members that currently four statutes govern residential common interest communities but that effective Jan. 1, 2028 the older statutes will be repealed and the Washington Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (staff acronym: WICIWA) will apply to all common interest communities. Vaisik summarized key proposed changes in HB 1500: additional records to be included in resale certificates; limits on what a reasonable preparation charge may include; separate billing for copying required documents; requirement that certain documents be provided electronically at no cost; protection for purchasers from liability for undisclosed alterations the association should have known about; and revisions to contract-cancellation timing when certificates are not provided on time.

Vaisik described current statutory limits on fees in the resale-certificate process: associations may charge up to $2.75 to prepare a resale certificate and up to $100 to update a resale certificate within six months of the original request. She also said a purchaser may cancel a purchase contract until five days after the resale certificate is provided or until conveyance, whichever occurs first. Vaisik said a proposed substitute retains these provisions and adds language making an authorized agent who charges a fee for a certificate liable for fees, timeliness, accuracy and completeness; the substitute also authorizes a unit owner to bring an action to enforce certificate requirements.

Representative Julie Reid, sponsor of the proposed substitute, said the bill is aimed at parity and transparency for condo buyers and to curb excessive fees charged by management companies. \"This bill is really just about some basic fairness and transparency,\" Reid said, noting that many resale-certificate items are available electronically and that the bill would restrict fees charged for documents that are already part of the certificate.

Bill Clark of Washington Realtors testified in support and emphasized the importance of timing for buyers. \"For the buyer, that information is pretty critical in terms of what, in fact, they are buying into and how that relates to the timing of the transaction,\" Clark said. He said the bill's timing clarifications would help consumers.

The hearing was interrupted by a campus-wide internet outage that disabled remote testimony and streaming on TVW. The committee suspended the HB 1500 hearing while staff worked to restore connectivity; no final action or vote occurred. The committee later suspended action on the bill pending reconvening and allowed for written testimony from those who could not appear when the hearing resumes.

Committee staff and the sponsor indicated openness to technical fixes and stakeholder-driven amendments, including work on draft-document liabilities and exceptions for unit owners who store records only in non-electronic formats.

No vote was taken. The hearing will be resumed at a later date when technology allows.","House Bill 1500 would add disclosure requirements and limit fees charged for resale certificates in common interest communities; a proposed substitute adds agent liability and an owner enforcement right. The hearing was paused when the committee lost internet access and will be continued.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

House committee hears bill to create statutory rights for senior independent housing residents

Bill would require HOAs to answer certified inquiries within 30 days; committee suspends hearing

Committee hears changes to condo resale certificates; hearing suspended amid internet outage