Protections adopted in December 2023 include:

• Additional notice requirements for base rent increases. For base rent increases greater than three percent but less than 10%, landlords are required to provide 120-day notice. For base rent increases of 10% or greater, landlords must give at least 180-day notice. 
• All move in fees and security deposits cannot exceed a combined one month’s rent. Tenants have the right to pay these fees in installments. The number of installments depends upon the length of the lease. 
• Late fees cannot exceed 1.5% of the tenant’s monthly rent. 
• A tenant may propose, in writing, that the landlord change the due date for rent in the rental agreement to a different day of the month if the tenant’s primary source of income is a regular, monthly source of government assistance. 
• A landlord may request, but can’t require, a prospective tenant to provide a social security number or other type of tax identification number for screening purposes. 
• Fee limitations
• All fees must be listed in the rental agreement. 
• A landlord may not charge a fee for a tenant’s access to common areas and/or a prorate share of utilities for such areas or for the performance of any landlord duty required by the RLTA. 
• A landlord may not charge a fee associated with the issuance of a notice to a tenant, even if the notice is required by state law, including but not limited to a fee for preparing and delivering a notice regarding late payment of rent, a notice to pay or vacate, or a notice of noncompliance with a rental agreement. 
• Tenants have the right to sue their landlord for violation of the code. 

Link to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Within the City of Shoreline, the US Census Bureau estimates that there are 23,492 total occupied housing units, including 9,339 renter occupied units (2022, American Community Survey). Given the number of renters in the community and seeing the effects of the housing shortage and economic instability exacerbated by the COVID-19 Pandemic, the Shoreline City Council initially held a discussion on tenant protection regulations at their June 13, 2022, Council meeting. Additional discussion was held at the Council’s Strategic Planning Workshop on March 10, 2023. Following this discussion, Council directed staff to return with a proposed set of tenant protection regulations for additional Council consideration.

The City Council first considered the draft list of tenant protections at their November 20, 2023, meeting; with additional discussion on December 4, 2023. Council considered comments from the community during these meetings.

On December 11, 2023, the Shoreline City Council approved Ordinance No. 996, which establishes a new chapter, Chapter 9.35, of the Shoreline Municipal Code (SMC) regarding residential tenant protections. The chapter adds additional protections for Shoreline renters, above those already provided under the Washington State Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RLTA, RCW, 59.18). Additionally, the Council made several amendments to the proposed protections – which were adopted in the final Ordinance No. 996 and are reflective in the final SMC Chapter 9.35.