Washington Democrats are trying to reduce housing costs by imposing a series of burdensome and economically ignorant restrictions on landlords. But their latest bill will likely mean they won't be able to keep pets in their rental properties, or their rent will rise.
Senate Bill 6064 sets a maximum pet deposit at $150. The pet fee covers damage to the unit caused by your pet. But $150 isn't enough to cover quality carpet cleaning after your dog or cat has caused damage. This does not apply, of course, if you need to repair major scratches in paint, carpet, or other flooring, or if you need to completely replace the flooring.
Sen. Drew Hansen (D-Bainbridge Island) did not explain where he came up with the $150 with the dubious title “Pet Rent” when asked by KTTH's Jason Lantz Show. But he seems to think little of it. In his testimony at the committee hearing, he cited “research information that we have about the average pet victimization.” However, he admitted that “that's probably not the right approach.”
He's right, but he's not. And it won't have the effect he thinks it will.
Lantz details: Democrats just significantly increased auto insurance premiums in Washington state.
The reality of what this bill actually means for pet owners
Hansen argued that his bill aims to keep pets and their owners together.
“Some people end up surrendering their animals to shelters because they can't afford to pay rent or deposits for their pets,” Hansen said.
He also argued that his bill has some meaning because it is illegal to claim expenses related to the birth of a child, and the birth of a child causes harm.
As Hansen pointed out, pet deposits can be “very difficult,” but so are the prices that come with owning real estate. With the fee capped at her $150, the landlord has few options. They can take the financial hit, raise rents across the board, or stop accepting pets to alleviate the financial loss they think they will suffer.
Given how expensive it is to operate a business in Washington, they are likely to take a financial hit, especially when other fees and rent increases are micromanaged by Democrats who don't believe real estate ownership is a right. It is unlikely that you will receive it. Most likely, the landlord will not accept pets or increase the rent (or create another fee called something else, perhaps a “Han Ssen fee”).
Other works by Lantz: Democrats are trying to bankrupt gun stores with 'exorbitant' fees.
Driven by ideology and become lazy
The $150 limit is prohibitively low, which is probably by design.
Hansen's staff appears to have done minimal research on average pet deposits. When questioned during a committee hearing, he ultimately acknowledged that the figure was derived from average pet deposits using national data, not Washington state data. Let's talk about apples to oranges (or cats to horses). It wasn't even $150. He said the amount was “in the $150 to $300 range.” Of course, he chose the lowest number even though he must have known that living in Washington was more expensive than Oklahoma or Wyoming, but that seems to have been part of the data he used. is. Ultimately, the fee cap may need to be changed, he said.
The entire committee hearing unfolded as one would expect when a poorly researched bill is drafted and proposed. But it didn't matter. Mr. Hansen is doing this not to help pet owners, but to hurt landlords.
Democrats are overly focused on portraying landlords as evil, greedy capitalists using their money and dim-witted tenants as eternal victims. Some landlords do, but the majority don't. They are small business owners trying to make a living in a very expensive market. But Democrats argue that they know better than the actual property owners how to run these businesses. As a result, lawmakers aim to raise rents, cap application fees and security deposits, and even force landlords to pay for eviction assistance.
While they push for fundamental reforms, they don't question whether their own policies are to blame for rent increases. That requires honest personal reflection, which they are incapable of doing.
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