This summer, the Olympia City Council will consider new rent control laws aimed at both renters and homeowners. While these proposals may sound well-intentioned, the new regulations will have unintended consequences that hurt the very people the council is trying to help, particularly when it comes to housing affordability and the opportunity for homeownership.

Over the past year, city leaders in Olympia have rolled out a series of new rental regulations. The city mandates lengthy notice periods for rent increases, up to 180 days for larger rent increases, and has prohibited property owners from raising rent if the unit fails a city inspection or if repair requests are left unanswered. Tenants are also entitled to install cooling devices in their units and are protected from retaliation for asserting their rights under the city’s rental housing code. Furthermore, the city requires annual rental unit registration and periodic health and safety inspections.

While these new regulations may provide short term relief for renters, they also place a heavier burden on property owners. These burdens will discourage investment in rental housing and push landlords to raise rents or reduce services to make up for the increased costs. The city’s push for more regulations will drive up housing costs, making it harder for residents to find affordable housing.

Additionally, there are proposals, targeting manufactured homes and rent-to-own agreements, mandating six months' notice for rent increases of 7% or more for manufactured home residents. This will further disincentivize property owners from maintaining affordable communities, especially as they face growing regulatory hurdles. The addition of relocation assistance would increase costs for property owners, forcing an increase in rent or, in some cases, shut down the manufactured home community entirely.

Are these policies truly helping those in need, or are they creating further obstacles to affordable housing and homeownership? Instead of continually layering on more restrictions, Olympia’s city leaders should focus on policies that encourage new housing development and reduce the regulatory burden on property owners. Only then will we see a meaningful increase in affordable housing options for all.