2007 House Bill 2014 (Addressing the regulation of conversion condominiums.)

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• Introduced by Rep. Maralyn Chase, (D-Shoreline) on February 5, 2007, to modify regulations of conversion condominiums. Among other changes, the bill allows any city, town, code city, or county legislative authority to adopt laws or ordinances that restrict the number of conversion condominiums within any other time period chosen by the legislative authority.
  • Referred to the House Housing Committee on February 5, 2007.
    • Substitute offered to the House Housing Committee on February 26, 2007, to remove language that stated that a local jurisdiction is not limited to the criteria listed in statute for what they might require with respect to condominium conversions. Language is also removed which granted a local legislative body the authority to restrict the number of condominium conversions within its jurisdiction. Existing tenants of units subject to an impending conversion to condominiums may be provided, by a condominium declarant, with the opportunity to terminate their leases early without cause. A limit is placed on the amount of relocation assistance a local jurisdiction can require a declarant pay to tenants to no more than three months of a tenant's rent. Limitations on construction activity within the 120-day notice period are altered to allow for construction anywhere outside of a building as well as within buildings that are vacant or within buildings which house tenants who have been given the opportunity to terminate their leases early. Interior construction may also be conducted for the purpose of preparing model units and a unit to be used as a sales office. Regardless of the circumstance, construction may not violate a tenant's right of quiet enjoyment during the 120 day notice period. Cities and counties planning under the GMA must report to the DCTED on specific performance measurement data. An effective date of August 1, 2007 is added and the act does not apply to conversion condominium projects which have already delivered to tenants notices of conversions before the effective date of the act.
  • Referred to the House Rules Committee on February 28, 2007.
• Passed in the House (94 to 3) on January 18, 2008. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on January 21, 2008.
  • Referred to the Senate Consumer Protection & Housing Committee on January 21, 2008.
    • Amendment offered in the Senate on February 27, 2008, to change the effective date from 2007 to 2008. The Residential Landlord-Tenant Act is amended where it references condominium conversions, to comply with the increased notice (from 90 days to 120 days). The reporting requirements are narrowed so language regarding a tenant's income and a converted unit's mortgage payment is eliminated.
    • The amendment failed in the Senate by voice vote on March 6, 2008.
  • Referred to the Senate Rules Committee on February 27, 2008.
    • Amendment offered by Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, (D-Seattle) on March 6, 2008, to make a tenant who qualifies for relocation assistance that is either elderly or has special needs, his or her relocation assistance is the greater of three times his or her monthly rent or the sum of actual relocation assistance, up to $1,500. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 6, 2008.
    • Amendment offered by Sen. Brian Weinstein, (D-Eastside Suburbs) on March 6, 2008, to change the effective date from 2007 to 2008. The Residential Landlord-Tenant Act is amended to provide the proper notice of a condo conversion. A tenant's annual (vs. monthly) income is to be considered when determining eligibility for relocation assistance. If a declarant or developer has provided tenants with an option to terminate their lease, the declarant may begin limited construction of a sales office and/or a model unit. If required by the city or county, a declarant is to provide conversion notice to the city or county when tenants are provided with such notice, and upon completion of a conversion a developer is to report limited information to the city or county for the purpose of the city or county complying with its annual report for CTED. The reporting requirements are minimized, so a city/county planning under the GMA is only required to report the following information annually to CTED: (a) The number of apartments converted into condominiums; (b) the number of condominium projects; and (c) the total number of apartment tenants who receive relocation assistance. The amendment passed in the Senate by voice vote on March 6, 2008.
• Passed in the Senate (36 to 11) on March 6, 2008. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on March 8, 2008. Passed in the House (64 to 29) on March 8, 2008. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Signed by Gov. Christine Gregoire on March 21, 2008.

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Introduced by Rep. Maralyn Chase, (D-Shoreline) on February 5, 2007. Passed in the House (94 to 3) on January 18, 2008. New Comment