[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-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],{"_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",6326729,"mediaKeyId","2323761-4d4894016e4a8840f0d2cb922c6b19fc","parentId",2323761,"title","Committee hears bill to pilot rent-payment credit reporting for tenants","audioSeconds",1784,"startMs",0,"endMs",1784000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2323761-4d4894016e4a8840f0d2cb922c6b19fc&start=0&end=1784","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2323761-4d4894016e4a8840f0d2cb922c6b19fc/thumbnail_0.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6326729/Washington/Committee-hears-bill-to-pilot-rent-payment-credit-reporting-for-tenants","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6326729-ec5249c2a2be5145d5c58ba1e6e36dc2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770435516&Signature=StrY58UAuMz9yB~biXYUkFC5LKB6DgalrVyrLNAUMamVWkfyrEfvsXPDquDk6KOVWSy8-kWvrfe3jwFsz7w8wjOefd1NGaLPBOiyoKeHQTfbIiktR8v4CeuZ50nOVKQy2t-8KYAKQ7neEJXRkIjulqaJCRXS7Bl6OGFCbQQ-bSfPcM3ykE4IJLJCEbQJQS8lk-o8OBS0A~I8-NRARQp~q-YcEVYXY7Pzos0dfUrOgbNBwDWqxJsG8aFRD4Dcf-aKbhQsc5U~Tp0hnwgiyA5Er-pW74H06GzzbwWO7ZQJdWEmpFIMeVQPquyxBe~9iO3WfLXXNvt7ei-mEyTY71Z2JQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House Housing","date","2025-02-17T00:00:00Z","article","House Bill 19-27, which would create a rent-payment reporting pilot allowing tenants to opt in to have rent payment history reported to consumer reporting agencies, drew broadly supportive testimony on Feb. 17 before the Washington State House Housing Committee.

The bill matters because proponents say reporting on-time rent payments could help renters — particularly low-income households, students and single parents — build credit scores and improve access to loans and housing, a step supporters say can create a clearer pathway to homeownership.

Audrey Vasek, staff to the committee, summarized the bill: the Department of Financial Institutions (DFI) would contract with a third party to administer a pilot and must adopt rules by Dec. 1, 2025, including a standard tenant opt-in/opt-out form. The third-party must begin recruiting participants on Dec. 15, 2025, attempting to include no more than 10 landlords and at least 100 tenants. Tenants and landlords must agree in writing to participate; landlords would commit to at least 14 months and may not charge tenants to participate. Subject to appropriations, landlords could be reimbursed for reasonable participation expenses. DFI must report to the Legislature by July 1, 2028, on participation, costs, reporting mechanisms and impact on tenant credit. The bill would expire July 1, 2029.

Audrey told the committee the bill is modeled on a Colorado pilot: \"the Colorado pilot program ran from October 2021 to April 2024 involving 6 landlords and 443 tenants,\" and participants saw an average credit-score increase of 62 points, she said, as part of the factual background to HB 19-27.

Rep. Natasha Hill (Vice Chair, sponsor) urged the committee to approve the pilot, saying it helps people historically left out of credit-building: \"This is a huge opportunity for us, to allow folks who've historically been left out...to receive a positive credit reporting for paying their rent on time,\" she said. Several tenant-advocacy and labor groups also testified in support. Nicole Gomez of the Washington Federation of State Employees, representing public employees, cited the Colorado outcomes: \"Tenants who participated in the program saw an average credit score increase of 62 points,\" and urged lawmakers to back the bill. Alice Alleray, acting chair of the Spokane Youth Action Board and a member of the Office of Homeless Youth, said as a formerly homeless person she supports measures that expand access to credit and stable housing.

Supporters described the program as voluntary and tenant-driven. When Rep. Dufeau asked whether the pilot would report only positive payments, Nicole Gomez and staff responded that this version of the bill is intended to be positive-reporting by design. At one exchange a committee member read language in the bill-analysis noting the standard form must tell tenants rent payment information \"may be reported regardless of whether the payment is timely, late, or missed,\" and staff said that while Colorado's statute included similar language, Colorado implemented positive-only reporting in practice. Rep. Natasha Hill and multiple proponents emphasized the bill requires written tenant consent to participate.

Technical questions from members addressed program details: how reporting would appear to future landlords or creditors, whether gaps or negative items would be shown if only positive payments are reported, and how landlords might use reported information. Les Bowen, a tenant who had a landlord voluntarily report his payments, described his experience: he said his credit score rose more than 60 points after two months of positive reporting and that lower interest costs followed.

Committee staff closed the public hearing on HB 19-27 after receiving testimony from tenants, labor and advocacy groups; the committee did not take a final vote during the Feb. 17 hearing. Members asked staff and proponents to provide additional technical information on implementation, dispute-resolution processes with credit reporting agencies, and how landlord participation incentives would work.

The committee invited amendments ahead of upcoming executive meetings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Housing - 2/17/2025 1:30 PM","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 19-27, which would create a rent-payment reporting pilot allowing tenants to opt in to have rent payment history reported to consumer reporting agencies, drew broadly supportive testimony on Feb. 17 before the Washington State House Housing Committee.","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},6326725,"Committee debates revisions to eviction law, habitability and accommodation defenses",2927,1757000,4684000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2323761-4d4894016e4a8840f0d2cb922c6b19fc&start=1757&end=4684","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2323761-4d4894016e4a8840f0d2cb922c6b19fc/thumbnail_1757000.jpg","/articles/6326725/Washington/Committee-debates-revisions-to-eviction-law-habitability-and-accommodation-defenses","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6326725-e233d89c28f2cc263b1f372687dfc0d2/orig.mp4?Expires=1770435516&Signature=dDsz-PQ8F1oNeWJzMi9-gWK17kpIMYlOQVS70Jbu5ygSgLcFLfYHmDPmrDUUYhsB1qzXX-JR1EFYLMemLMQfire9Rd6HSpIb7CeP53Br9PGh8sXgBMWMGWZ~NmB9u-tbRVadDctPixoQyEeAUXOw0nsIAyXY4x3DRbQtJmfMH5TCT7bsrSq8bqdwgNUpS1lX4lTaSH46e4kK1sgG-qycmsPzlkJeIs2qmtPLc8kEVlRtnMmnxJ-m70jlpiznfirx-5MgK2CQ6iY6OCV74WZqqZOSTi0SRdFiZpurTfMpMyG3KySILhtD5vwm1Xse2sdkswUSoqaw-HIm6oqzSHX8LQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","House Bill 19-15, a broad revision to eviction-related provisions of Washington's Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA), drew contested testimony Feb. 17 before the Washington State House Housing Committee, with landlord groups urging rejection and tenant advocates and legal services urging support.

The bill matters because it would change eviction notice periods, create new defenses for tenants in unlawful detainer actions, alter repayment-plan rules after judgments, and restrict when landlords can obtain money judgments — changes that parties on both sides said could affect the speed of evictions, housing stability for low-income tenants and landlords' legal and financial risks.

Audrey Vasek, staff to the committee, summarized the bill's main changes: it reorganizes causes for eviction to place required notice periods at the start of each cause; for certain covered dwelling units (including some federally funded units), nonpayment would require at least 30 days' written notice rather than the 14-day standard; notices for substantial breaches must specify acts, date/time and identities involved; the bill defines unlawful harassment consistent with the civil protection order law; and it removes obsolete references to an expired eviction-resolution pilot and rescinded proclamations.

Significant substantive changes would create two affirmative defenses for tenants in unlawful detainer proceedings: that unpaid rent resulted from the landlord's failure to maintain habitability under statute or common-law implied warranty, and that a landlord failed to provide reasonable accommodations for a tenant's disability. The bill would also bar a landlord from receiving a money judgment for rent in actions that were not brought for nonpayment of rent. Repayment plans after a judgment would be limited to situations where the back rent can be repaid in less than six months (extending the current 90-day window to six months), and repayment plans may not include fees and costs — only back rent.

Rep. Richards, the bill sponsor, said the measure largely codifies existing case law and clarifies the statute so tenants and landlords can better understand rights and procedures. \"This is just an effort to bring forward the timeframe for a particular notice and for what behavior to the very front of the sentence so that an average lay person can... know exactly what they need to do,\" Richards told the committee. He said longer notice for federally subsidized units reflects existing practice and gives tenants more time to pursue rental assistance.

Landlord and housing-industry witnesses strongly opposed the bill. Mac Mayo, of the Washington Multifamily Housing Association and a housing-law practitioner, said the proposal \"will exacerbate problems by putting all of the risk on the housing providers\" and warned that codifying habitability and accommodation defenses would clog courts and lengthen processes. Gordon Haggerty, a small rental housing provider in Seattle, told the committee he needs \"to be able to get [dangerous tenants] out quickly and safely\" and argued the bill would raise costs and drive small providers from the market. Several other housing providers described increased legal exposure, difficulty collecting unpaid rent and unintended consequences such as higher rents, larger security deposits and tighter tenant screening.

Panelists and members discussed practical timelines. Mac Mayo described the eviction process in some jurisdictions as taking several months in practice, factoring in notices, summons and complaint, show-cause hearings and sheriff-execution of writs; he said a complex, behavior-based eviction can take roughly five months from start to sheriff execution in his experience.

Opposing those concerns, Christopher Brunetti of Northwest Justice Project said the bill would strengthen the \"Just Cause\" protections and codify defenses recognized by appellate courts. He told the committee the changes would give trial courts better guidance, help preserve housing for low-income tenants (particularly those on federal subsidies or fixed incomes), and expand the practical availability of repayment plans by increasing the permissible repayment period to six months. \"These are the poorest, most vulnerable tenants in our state,\" Brunetti said, arguing that extending notice and repayment windows can help tenants obtain assistance and avoid homelessness while still preserving remedies for landlords.

Committee members asked about several points: how the bill affects the ability to accept rent while proceeding on non-rent bases for eviction; whether the bill would strip landlords of attorney-fee recovery in good-faith actions; interactions with existing Washington Supreme Court and Court of Appeals decisions (witnesses referenced Wilson v. Daniels and other appellate opinions); and uncertainty created by litigation over CARES Act-era protections. Sponsors and staff said some changes are intended to codify current judicial interpretations; opponents said codification would create more litigation and financial exposure.

The committee closed the public hearing on HB 19-15 after hearing from dozens of stakeholders and asked parties to submit amendments for upcoming executive-session deadlines. No final committee vote was recorded on Feb. 17.","House Bill 19-15, a broad revision to eviction-related provisions of Washington's Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA), drew contested testimony Feb. 17 before the Washington State House Housing Committee, with landlord groups urging rejection and tenant advocates and legal services urging support.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee hears bill to pilot rent-payment credit reporting for tenants

Committee debates revisions to eviction law, habitability and accommodation defenses