Dedicated responsibility
A public agency with a defined rental-housing and renter-protection mission, apart from SDCI's broader construction and land-use portfolio.
Proposal under development ยท Seattle
What if rental-housing enforcement had one independent public mission?
STLCA is developing a citizen-initiative proposal to move specified rental-housing code enforcement, renter-protection enforcement and rental registration and inspection functions out of SDCI and into a separate public authority.
Status: Planning and public discussion only. Not an adopted law, a filed petition, a qualified ballot measure or an operating public agency. The final ordinance, funding, oversight, legal authority and transition design remain to be developed and reviewed.
What the proposed structure would address
Enforcement the public can follow
Complaint intake, decisions, inspections, corrections, and case closure would be explained through a connected public record, subject to lawful privacy safeguards.
Review and due process
Independent review routes, transparency safeguards, accountable leadership and fair procedures for renters and housing providers would need to be written into law.
Two distinct paths
The SLI request
Ask today's City government to publish more complete records and explain enforcement outcomes. It does not transfer the enforcement function.
Read the SLI summaryThe planned initiative
Explore a structural change to which institution holds the responsibility, with enforceable transparency and review requirements.
Read the official City Clerk initiative guideWhat happens next
- Review the legal scope and practical design.
- Invite expertise from residents, practitioners, researchers and organizations.
- Draft and review ordinance language and transition safeguards.
- Only then evaluate formal filing and petition procedures.