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Olympia council advances tenant-screening limits; ordinance moves to second reading 6–1
Summary
The Olympia City Council voted 6–1 on Dec. 16 to approve on first reading and forward to second reading an ordinance that limits landlord screening to 2.5 times monthly rent, allows combined household income and bars requiring a Social Security number; staff set an April 1, 2026 implementation window for outreach and vendor transitions.
Olympia — The City Council voted 6–1 on Dec. 16 to advance an ordinance meant to ease barriers to rental housing applications by limiting the income a landlord may require and prohibiting mandatory Social Security numbers.
The ordinance, presented by Krista Linson, the city’s senior housing program specialist, would cap income-to-rent screening at 2.5 times the monthly rent, permit applicants to use combined household income to qualify, allow landlords to request (but not require) a Social Security number, and require landlords to accept alternative documentation to verify identity and payment history. Staff recommended an effective date of April 1, 2026, to give landlords time to adjust…
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