LandlordSolutions 2023 holiday hours

At LandlordSolutions, we believe in taking time to celebrate with loved ones during the holiday season. To ensure that our team can enjoy these special holiday moments, we'll be observing a holiday schedule.




Thanksgiving

Wednesday, November 22nd: closing at noon
Thursday, November 23rd: closed
Friday, November 24th: closed

Christmas

Monday, December 25th: Closed

New Years

Monday, January 1st: Closed

At LandlordSolutions, we value the importance of spending quality time with loved ones during the holidays. We hope you have a fantastic holiday season filled with joy and laughter. If you have any questions or require assistance, don't hesitate to contact us before or after our holiday closures. From all of us at LandlordSolutions, we wish you a happy and peaceful holiday season!

Resources for Homelessness Prevention in Pierce County

People in Pierce county who are at risk of homelessness or experiencing homelessness can turn to a range of different resource to get relief from their situation. Housing providers should be aware of these resources and be prepared to share these resources with at-risk residents.

 

Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance

Eviction Prevention Rent Assistance Program

WA Eviction Rent Assistance

Youth and Young Adults Eviction Rent Assistance

• Living Access Support Alliance (LASA) (Lakewood city limits): 253-582-5320

Tacoma Ministerial Alliance

• Parkland / Spanaway Our Lady Queen of Heaven: 253-537-5266

St. Vincent De Paul: call 211 for referral to local SVDP affiliate for assistance

• Family Unlimited Network: rent and utility assistance: 253-460-3134

Metropolitan Development Council

• All Saints Community Services: provides financial aid people in the Puyallup ZIP code area 98371 through 98373: 253-848-2000

Eatonville Family Agency: must have a 3 day pay or vacate notice

Families Unlimited Family Advocacy Program: Serves families with children in ZIP codes 98466 and 98467. Must have a pay or vacate notice and owe less than $200

• Gig Harbor Peninsula: serves ZIP code 98329: 253-858-8800

• Martin Luther King Jr Housing Development Agency: must have a 3 day pay or vacate notice: 253-597-4804

• The Department of Commerce’s Commerce Behavioral Health Rental Assistance (CBRA) is a statewide rental assistance resource administered locally in each region. The eligibility criteria is:

 

Housing Authority

Tacoma Housing Authority

Pierce County Housing Authority

 

Coordinated Entry

WA Coordinated Entry Sites

Associated Ministries

Nativity House Shelter

Family Housing Network Family Day Center

Tacoma Rescue Mission Men’s Shelter

 

Emergency Housing

Emergency Housing County Resources

Tacoma Rescue Mission

Nativity House Shelter

Recovery Innovations Community Building: for people struggling with mental health challenges transitioning from Residential Treatment Facilities into a home in the community:

Salvation Army: families and single women

Agape House: Christian ministry resource, requires pastor’s referral. Transitional housing for single men and women as well as one- or two-parent families:

Guadalupe House: clean and sober transitional housing for single adults experiencing homelessness:

Living Access Support Alliance: single and two-parent families

Network Tacoma: single and two-parent families

• Helping Hands House Puyallup & Sumner: one- or two-parent families: 253-848-6096

Aging and Long-Term Care - WA by County: 1-877-501-2233

• Department of Commerce: Emergency Shelter Assistance Program: 1-360-725-4000

Additional Resources

 

Housing Resources for Native Americans

Cowlitz Tribal Housing Services

 

Housing Resources for Veterans

Catholic Community Services Supportive Services for Veteran Families

Pierce County Human Services Veterans Assistance Programs

• House of Matthews Transitional Housing and Rapid Employment: transitional housing in a dormitory style setting: 253-861-1812

• Making a Difference Foundation: transitional housing and shelter: 206-262-7770

Veterans’ Assistance Program

National Call Center for Homeless Veterans: Hotline: 1-877-424-3838 or 1-877-4AID VET – Provides homeless veterans and at-risk veterans free access to trained counselors 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Additional Washington State Resources

WA State Department of Veterans Affairs

Washington State Resources for Veterans, Families & Caregivers

 

Housing Resources for Victims of Domestic Violence

Exodus Housing Safe Choices Program: transitional housing for homeless families with children who are homeless due to domestic violence:

YWCA: single women and women with children

Family Renewal Shelter: for single women and women with children

Tacoma Rescue Mission

Crystal Judson Family Justice Center: 800-764-2420; email familyjusticecenter@co.pierce.wa.us

 

Community Action

Pierce County Human Services

Washington State Community Action Partners

 

Affordable Housing Options

Pierce County Human Services Low-Income Housing

Pierce County Housing Authority Apartments

Tacoma Low Income Housing

PublicHousing.com

Apartment Finder

Padmapper

Affordable Housing Online

LIHI Housing Options - 1-206-442-9455

Additional resources

 

Legal Assistance

Pierce County Human Services

Tacoma Pro Bono

YWCA Pierce County Legal Services

Northwest Justice Project

• Legal assistance

 

Statewide Hotlines

WA State Mental Health Services – National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

WA State Recovery Help Line: 1-866-789-1511

WIN 211 - Washington Information Network: 1-877-211-9274

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233

Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence: 1-206-389-2515

 

Additional Resources

Attacks on the Vote No On Measure 1 campaign

Tacoma for All is using the media to spread misleading attacks against "Vote No On Measure 1." Recent stories in Q13 Fox and the Tacoma News Tribune highlight these dirty tricks to confuse voters. Let's fact check their claims:


Lie #1
: Ty Moore claimed that we are spreading disinformation by saying that Measure 1 puts the gains from new tenant protection laws passed in July 2023 at risk.

Lie #2: Proponents of Measure 1 claim that the Vote No On Measure 1 campaign is funded by outside money.

Lie #3: The Vote No On Measure 1 campaign broke campaign financing rules

5 Tips for Running an Effective Eviction Process

Evictions are incredibly stressful for everyone involved. In Washington state, residential tenants have many rights that can allow them to remain in a property for what may seem like an eternity. While these tenants still owe the rent on the property, they will continue to occupy the property during the eviction process, often without paying rent. Experience shows that many housing providers never see a dime of the rent that accrues during the eviction. Even worse, some people have become “professional tenants,” experts at milking the system and living rent free as they bounce between properties. 

In Washington state, housing rights activists have become proficient at using technicalities, administrative errors, and other methods to drag out the eviction process at the expense of the housing provider. Even a small mistake can result in a dismissal, forcing the housing provider to start the eviction process from the beginning and costing them thousands of dollars in legal fees and missed rent payments. Current legislation already makes it difficult to win an eviction decision in Washington, but some common mistakes can result in additional months or even years of unpaid rent. In this blog post, we will share our 5 most effective tips to increase the chances of a successful eviction. 

 

#1 – Using the correct forms  

Unfortunately for housing providers, eviction laws in Washington state have changed significantly over the past decade. To add more complexity to the mix, different cities may require different forms to be served and renters with housing subsidies like Section 8 may require service of different forms or additional language in the forms. Failure to serve the correct forms or the correct language may be grounds for your case to get dismissed. 

Housing providers need to ensure that their actual eviction notice is compliant. Some housing providers served their renters 3-day notices or 20-day notices, neither of which are compliant with the most recent RCWs. In Washington state, housing providers usually issue a 14-day notice or a 30-day notice to Pay or Vacate. There are additional rules and restrictions when it comes to Notices to Terminate Tenancy as Washington state law requires “just cause” to terminate a rental agreement. Contact us if you have questions about required forms for your eviction process. 

 

#2 – Serving the notices properly 

Some housing providers attempt to serve notices themselves, a practice that can often lead to unintended slip-ups that result in a case dismissal. Some of the most common process service mistakes include not serving enough copies and/or not serving additional required city notices. We recommend working with a licensed professional process server to make sure that all the required documents and notices are served in compliance with all relevant regulations. 

 

#3 – Gathering all the required documents 

Many renters will continue to fight the eviction after all required notices have been properly served. Often, these cases will need to be settled in court. Before preparing for the courtroom, a housing provider should focus on gathering all the required documents. Documents include:
 

 

#4 – Preparing for the court hearing 

Housing providers are encouraged to review the tenant's file thoroughly before the hearing. Plaintiffs will be testifying under oath about their personal knowledge of the matter. We recommend housing providers answer only the questions asked and not to get sidetracked in providing information not relevant to the question. Housing providers are also encouraged to visit the unit in question the day before the hearing to visibly verify that the renter has not yet vacated the property. In court, you can expect to be asked some of the following questions: 

 

#5 – Consulting with an expert 

The eviction process can be challenging to manage, and mistakes can prove costly. If this all seems like too much to handle, let LandlordSolutions help you manage your eviction process. Contact us about your upcoming eviction and let us do the heavy lifting! 

Get Involved to Stop Measure 1

 

LandlordSolutions covered the dangers that Measure 1 poses to Tacoma's housing market in a previous blog post. If Measure 1 passes, it may lead to an increase in prices and make it more difficult for renters to find housing in Tacoma. Research put together by the RHA shows that a similar law passed in Seattle resulted in a loss of 5,000 affordable housing units, a decrease of 22%.

 

 

If Tacoma loses over 20% of its affordable housing units, rents may increase for all residents. Measure 1 would also make it more difficult to evict renters who are causing problems for other residents and place a heavy financial burden on local housing providers. If you feel strongly about opposing Measure 1, LandlordSolutions has put together some resources for you to get involved in the campaign to defeat this initiative.

 

Get Involved!

1. Voter pamphlets will be mailed out on October 20th. Don't forget to Vote No!

 

2. Share the Vote No on Measure 1 website, RHA's Measure 1 website, and the Measure 1 One Pager with your network.

 

3. Share the Vote No video on social media.

 

4. Volunteer with the RHA for doorbelling, Rah Rah Squad, speaking opportunities, and more.

 

5. Attend the RHA Link Meeting in Tacoma on Wednesday, October 18th.

 

6. Reach out to advocacy@tpcar.org or dbannon@rhawa.org for additional resources or guidance.

7. Initiative petition language:

Initiative and Referendum Process - City of Tacoma

https://www.cityoftacoma.org/cms/One.aspx?portalId=169&pageId=167080

If you expand the ‘2023 Initiative Petitions’ button near the top of the page you will see a list of links.

A link to the full text of Petition No. 1, which became Measure No. 1 on the ballot is here:

http://cms.cityoftacoma.org/cityclerk/files/Documents/2023InitiativePetition/2023-01_FullLanguageWeb.pdf

8. Washington Observer - Realtors go big against Tacoma eviction ban

9. Like and follow the No on Tacoma Measure 1 Facebook page

LandlordSolutions is moving to a new office!

LandlordSolutions is thrilled to announce that we are moving to a spacious new office in the heart of downtown Tacoma.

After 23 years of business at our 2201 North 30th Street location, LandlordSolutions has outgrown our Old Town office. Although it is bittersweet to be leaving our beloved Old Town location, we are excited to be moving to 711 St. Helens Ave in downtown Tacoma!

We'll be moving to our new office between October 16th and October 31st. We expect to be fully moved in and ready to take meetings at our new location in downtown Tacoma on Wednesday, November 1st.

Moving can be hectic but we don't expect any disruption to any of our services. We're looking forward to welcoming you to our new location soon!

Tacoma Housing Providers Must Have Current Rental Business License to Evict or Increase Rent

An update to Tacoma's Rental Housing Code passed in July 2023 requires housing providers to have a current City of Tacoma rental business license and rental license before being able to start eviction proceedings or increase rent on their property. Housing providers who do not have a current license can expect their cases to be dismissed.

A recent case in Los Angeles shows just how extreme these types of measures can be. After renting a guest house on a multi-million dollar property in LA for 6 months on Airbnb, a tenant stopped paying rent and refused to move out. That tenant has been living rent free for over 540 days and the city has consistently ruled against the property owner, preventing eviction of this problem tenant because the property owner does not have a current license and because a shower was not built according to code. To make matters even worse, the tenant is preventing the property owner from entering the property to fix the issues.

The key lesson is that housing providers who do not have a current license from the city can expect no sympathy in a courtroom. LandlordSolutions strongly recommends all operators or managers with property in the City of Tacoma to make sure that they have a current rental business license for each ownership entity. For housing providers who work with a property manager, BOTH the property owner and the property management company need to have a current rental business licenses.

Housing providers wishing to check on the status of their license or their property manager's license can visit the City of Tacoma's rental business license database and perform a query. Landlord Solutions has prepared a short how-to guide for how to search for entities in this database.

 

Step 1 - open the rental business license database

 

Step 2 - click on the "Filter" button

 

Step 3 - select your search filters

 

Step 4 - view your results

 

If you have questions about this process, please reach out to the City of Tacoma Tax and License Department via phone at (253) 591-5252 (Monday-Friday, 9 AM–4 PM) or via email at licenseinfo@cityoftacoma.org for additional guidance.

Important Update About Serving an Eviction Notice with a CARES Act Notice


LandlordSolutions' attorney recommends all property managers NOT to include a CARES Act notice when serving an eviction notice.

 

A Seattle court has dismissed an eviction case because a 30-day CARES Act notice was included when serving a 30-day notice to Pay-or-Vacate. According to the ruling, a slight difference in wording on the notices was "confusing." This latest dismissal follows a trend of reversals in the Seattle court system that have left King County housing providers “confused” on how to comply with the constantly changing laws.

Effective immediately, LandlordSolutions' attorney recommends NOT to include a CARES Act notice when serving an eviction notice. Doing so may be grounds for your eviction case to get dismissed.

As a reminder, if you have a tenancy that is covered under VAWA (Violence Against Women Act), you are required to give the VAWA language and to attach HUD forms 5380 and 5382 when you serve an eviction notice.

VAWA LANGUAGE

If the lease violation(s) detailed herein is/are the result of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking, we want to ensure that you understand your protections under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). VAWA protections are not only available to women but are available equally to all individuals regardless of sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. HUD’s Notices under VAWA are attached to this notice. If this is applicable to you and you wish to exercise your rights under VAWA, you may do so by completing and submitting the Certification for (or other form of Alternate Documentation as specified in the Notice and Certification), so it is received in the management office no later than 14 business days from the date of your receipt of this notice.

New Notice Requirements for Tenancies Covered by VAWA

The Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) includes housing protections for members of vulnerable communities.

If you are applying for, receiving assistance under, or living in public housing, any housing operated by a public housing authority, voucher programs, homeless assistance programs, federally assisted housing for persons with disabilities or for elderly persons, or any other housing receiving assistance from HUD, you may have housing protections under VAWA.  If you are a tenant in a HUD-funded program, certain VAWA protections may also apply to other residents and persons associated with you, including residents and affiliated individuals.

VAWA applies to many different HUD grantees under what are called “covered housing programs.”  (See 34 U.S.C. § 12491(a)(3)).  HUD’s covered housing programs include:

  • Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly, including the direct loan program under section 202;
  • Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities;
  • Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) program;
  • Homeless programs under title IV of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, including the Emergency Solutions Grants program, the Continuum of Care program, and the Rural Housing Stability Assistance program;
  • HOME Investment Partnerships (HOME) program;
  • Multifamily rental housing under section 221(d)(3)/(d)(5) of the National Housing Act with a below-market interest rate (BMIR);
  • Multifamily rental housing under section 236 of the National Housing Act;
  • HUD programs assisted under the United States Housing Act of 1937; specifically, public housing under section 6 of the 1937 Act, tenant-based and project-based rental assistance under section 8 of the 1937 Act, and the Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation Single Room Occupancy;
  • Housing Trust Fund; and
  • Other Federal housing programs that provide affordable housing to low and moderate-income persons through restricted rents or rental assistance, or other affordable housing opportunities, which HUD identifies as covered by VAWA.  This will ordinarily occur in a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO).
     (See 34 U.S.C. § 12491.)

VAWA also protects your right to report crime and emergencies from your home, regardless of whether your housing is assisted under a covered housing program. (See 34 U.S.C. § 12495).

If you have a tenancy that is covered by VAWA, when you serve an eviction notice, you are required to give the VAWA language – see below—and to attach HUD forms 5380 and 5382 to the eviction notice.

VAWA LANGUAGE

If the lease violation(s) detailed herein is/are the result of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking, we want to ensure that you understand your protections under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). VAWA protections are not only available to women but are available equally to all individuals regardless of sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation. HUD’s Notices under VAWA are attached to this notice. If this is applicable to you and you wish to exercise your rights under VAWA, you may do so by completing and submitting the Certification for (or other form of Alternate Documentation as specified in the Notice and Certification), so it is received in the management office no later than 14 business days from the date of your receipt of this notice.