Tenants’ advocate urges Spokane to ban algorithmic rent-price fixing; ordinance moved to first reading

Terry Anderson, director of the Spokane Office of the Tenants Union, told the council the proposed ordinance to prohibit algorithmic rent-price fixing is a reasonable step to keep rent-setting competitive and transparent. Anderson said pricing algorithms used by large landlords and property managers can synchronize rent increases across competing properties, which undermines competition and harms renters. He emphasized the ordinance does not set rent levels or impose rent control but prohibits coordinated pricing via automated tools and protects tenants who report issues from retaliation.

The ordinance was introduced and moved to first reading as part of a group of first-reading items; final action was deferred in the council’s first-reading process. No legislative committee report or vote on final passage occurred at this meeting.