The Spokane Valley-based Landlord Association of the Inland Northwest has been absorbed by the Seattle-based Rental Housing Association of Washington in an arrangement that's expected to bring more attention to Spokane-area housing concerns, says Sean Flynn, president and executive director of the Rental Housing Association. 

"This has been a long time coming," Flynn says. "We saw the writing on the wall with where Spokane's regulatory environment was going to head. ... We're (here) to become more active as that shift happens to help forestall and fight those changes."

Flynn describes the rental association is a bipartisan, issue-based organization that advocates on behalf of its members.

"We want what's good for our membership—to increase the supply of housing but also to create a regulatory environment that's good for people who provide housing," says Flynn.

The state association plans to provide Spokane-area members with a more extensive technological infrastructure, such as the ability to download leases and other rental-related forms, and offering online rental payments and screenings.

"You can download most any document you may need to operate your rental, and it's lawyer-reviewed and up to date," Flynn says.

The organization also plans to spearhead advocacy efforts that balance the needs of landlords, tenants, and community members.

The rental association has zeroed in on some priorities impacting Spokane-area rental housing providers, including challenging the creation of a protected class of individuals experiencing homelessness from housing and employment discrimination. On Aug. 16, the Spokane City Council delayed voting on the controversial legislation for two weeks.

The organization also worked to lobby against Ordinance C36515, that was approved by the Council in April. 

The ordinance, which became effective June 1, introduced guidelines for housing providers to address rent increases, such as including details about the percentage of the rent increase, the new rent amount, and the effective date on tenant notices. Increases of 3% or less now require a 120-day notice and rent increases over 3% call for a 180-day notice.

"There's a lot that this Council is doing around real estate that could be very bad for the industry," Flynn asserts. "It's important that the industry as a whole speaks in a unified voice to help educate this Council on why some of these decisions will not have the intended effects."

Steve Corker, former president of the Landlord Association of the Inland Northwest, has joined the rental association's board of regents. Earlier this year, the state association hired Daniel Klemme, former vice president of the Spokane group.

Rental Housing Association has 14 full-time-equivalent employees, including Klemme who works at an office in Spokane Valley in membership development and government affairs.

The associaton serves about 6,000 members, the majority of which are housing providers in Western Washington, Flynn notes.

The previous landlord association had a smaller, regional footprint serving Eastern Washington that included members from the Spokane, Tri-Cities, and Yakima areas.

Combining the two entities has been a four-year process, Flynn says. 

In the end, it made sense for both organizations, he says. "We're excited for RHA to have an official office in Spokane, and we will continue to stay active there to help our members and the industry."