Olympia posts survey to gather feedback on proposed renter screening policies
City staff recommended back in May a number of policies that would limit what tenants can be screened for when seeking housing.
Spokesperson Carrie McCausland said the city is now seeking public input on some of these policy proposals in a survey open until Aug. 8.
She said the city is collecting feedback from the public on income-to-rent ratios and other tenant screening ideas suggested by landlords, tenants and service providers.
“We’re asking for people’s thoughts on questions a landlord may ask pertaining to immigration status, income-to-rent ratios, and histories associated with eviction, credit or conviction,” McCausland said. “Although interest has been high, given that about half of Olympia residents rent their homes, we’d like to hear from an even wider array of folks.”
According to a news release from the city, common screening criteria include an applicant’s criminal, credit and rental history, as well as income or employment information and documents that verify a person’s identity, such as a Social Security number.
The release says these screening practices can create barriers to housing for immigrants and refugees, people who have been subjected to domestic violence, people of color, people with disabilities, formerly incarcerated people, and others.
According to the city’s Engage Olympia website, Black or African American and Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander tenants were involved in eviction proceedings in Thurston County at nearly three times the rate of their proportion of the population.
Policies that curb rejection of applicants due to criminal history may prevent homelessness and recidivism. Formerly incarcerated people are almost 10 times more likely to be homeless than the general public. People with unstable housing were up to seven times more likely to re-offend, according to the city.
The survey comes in two options: One survey option is for renters, housing advocates and case managers, and the second survey option is for landlords and property managers. You can access the survey on the city’s Engage Olympia website.
Results from the survey will be shared with the City Council at a study session on Sept. 16.
Policy recommendations discussed in May
Criminal history
Staff recommend that landlords not be allowed to reject tenants based on criteria that may not be relevant to their current situation. That includes arrests or charges that didn’t result in a criminal conviction, convictions that occurred 5 to 7 years prior to their application, and convictions that have been sealed, expunged or dismissed.
The list also includes convictions for conduct that is no longer illegal in Washington, as well as convictions adjudicated by the juvenile justice system, and/or participation in a diversion program.
The city is considering allowing landlords to screen for older convictions that are associated with specific offenses, such as the manufacture of methamphetamine in a rental property, arson of a rental property and violent offenses against a landlord or other tenants, or offenses that require a tenant to register as a sex offender.
Staff is recommending the city consider exempting owner-occupied properties from the screening limitations, which is a step Seattle has taken.
Credit history
Staff recommend that landlords be prohibited from rejecting tenants solely for having no credit history or insufficient credit history. They also recommend that landlords not be permitted to consider medical or education/vocational training debt.
Landlords might also be prohibited from rejecting applicants based on their credit score or credit history if they pay their rent using a Housing Choice Voucher or have a co-signer who has guaranteed their rent payments.
Staff also recommend that landlords provide a written explanation for denying an applicant and give the applicant an opportunity to provide additional information. Similar to the City of Philadelphia, Olympia could prohibit landlords from automatically denying an applicant because their credit score is below a certain numerical threshold.
Rental history
Staff recommend that landlords not be allowed to take adverse action based on certain rental history criteria. The list includes evictions where the tenant prevailed, evictions that were withdrawn, settled or dismissed, and evictions where an order of limited dissemination, or a lack of information, was entered. Judgments against the tenant that have been satisfied and no-fault evictions are on the list of recommendations as well.
Social Security number
City staff recommend adopting similar measures to the cities of Tacoma and Portland, which prohibit landlords from rejecting applicants if they do not provide a Social Security number or inquiring about an applicant’s lawful presence in the U.S. The recommendation is that alternative documentation be allowed to verify the identity and financial eligibility of an applicant. Examples of those documents include a birth certificate, driver’s license, individual Tax Payer Identification Number (ITIN), non-immigrant visa, or Certificate of Naturalization (INS I-550).
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