[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"doc-seo-277087-105":3,"detail-sidebar-cat-1-en-105":81,"doc-detail-277087-en":126},{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":6},0,"ok",{"site_id":7,"language":8,"slug":9,"title":10,"keywords":11,"description":12,"schema_data":13,"social_meta":74,"head_meta":76,"extra_data":78,"updated_unix":80},105,"en","ordinance-protecting-vulnerable-renters-overview-of-bellingham-protections","Ordinance Protecting Vulnerable Renters - Overview of Bellingham Protections","","Ordinance Protecting Vulnerable Renters addresses Bellingham’s low vacancy rates and rising rents by adding renter protections effective March 12, 2018. It requires a 60-day written notice for substantial rent increases of 10% or more and creates a 60-day notice affirmative defense for month-to-month renters facing no-cause termination. It also prohibits source-of-income discrimination in rental applications and limits how landlords calculate qualifying income under voucher programs. Applicability covers most residential rental agreements entered or renewed after the effective date.",{"@graph":14,"@context":73},[15,34,56],{"@type":16,"itemListElement":17},"BreadcrumbList",[18,23,27,31],{"item":19,"name":20,"@type":21,"position":22},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",1,{"item":24,"name":25,"@type":21,"position":26},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/","Template",2,{"item":28,"name":29,"@type":21,"position":30},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/letters/","Letters",3,{"item":32,"name":10,"@type":21,"position":33},"https://docshare.wps.com/template/ordinance-protecting-vulnerable-renters-overview-of-bellingham-protections/277087/",4,{"url":32,"name":10,"@type":35,"image":36,"author":41,"headline":10,"publisher":44,"fileFormat":47,"inLanguage":8,"description":12,"dateModified":48,"datePublished":49,"encodingFormat":47,"isAccessibleForFree":50,"interactionStatistic":51},"DigitalDocument",{"url":37,"@type":38,"width":39,"height":40},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/ordinance-protecting-vulnerable-renters-overview-of-bellingham-protections/277087.png","ImageObject",442,249,{"name":42,"@type":43},"Cart","Person",{"url":19,"name":45,"@type":46},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-10-19","2026-09-15",true,{"@type":52,"interactionType":53,"userInteractionCount":55},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":54},"ViewAction",14,{"@type":57,"mainEntity":58},"FAQPage",[59,65,69],{"name":60,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":62},"When does the ordinance take effect, and what properties does it cover?","Question",{"text":63,"@type":64},"The ordinance took effect on March 12, 2018 and applies to properties located in the City of Bellingham.","Answer",{"name":66,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":67},"What notice must landlords give for a substantial rent increase?",{"text":68,"@type":64},"Landlords must provide a 60-day written notice when raising a tenant’s rent by 10% or more compared with the rent charged during the past 12 months of the tenancy.",{"name":70,"@type":61,"acceptedAnswer":71},"How does the ordinance protect renters regarding source of income?",{"text":72,"@type":64},"Landlords may not deny an application or advertise preferences based on a renter’s source of income, including public benefits and rental assistance subsidies, though permissible screening cannot rely on protected factors. For voucher programs, the landlord may count only the portion of rent the tenant is responsible for paying.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":32,"og:type":75,"og:title":10,"og:site_name":45,"og:description":12},"article",{"robots":77,"canonical":32},"index,follow",{"doc_id":79,"site_id":7},277087,1790115428,{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":83},"success",[84,89,94,98,103,108,113,117,122],{"id":85,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":86,"show_sort_weight":87,"slug":88},11,"Presentations",90,"presentations",{"id":90,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":91,"show_sort_weight":92,"slug":93},12,"Resumes",80,"resumes",{"id":55,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":95,"show_sort_weight":96,"slug":97},"Invoices",70,"invoices",{"id":99,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":100,"show_sort_weight":101,"slug":102},15,"Posters",60,"posters",{"id":104,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":105,"show_sort_weight":106,"slug":107},16,"Social Media",50,"social-media",{"id":109,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":110,"show_sort_weight":111,"slug":112},17,"Forms",40,"forms",{"id":114,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":29,"show_sort_weight":115,"slug":116},18,30,"letters",{"id":118,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":119,"show_sort_weight":120,"slug":121},21,"Paper Templates",5,"papers-templates",{"id":123,"doc_module":22,"doc_module_name":25,"category_name":124,"show_sort_weight":4,"slug":125},158,"General","general-158",{"code":4,"msg":82,"data":127},{"doc_id":79,"user_id":128,"nickname":42,"user_avatar":129,"doc_module":22,"category_id":114,"category_name":29,"doc_title":10,"doc_description":12,"doc_content":130,"file_id":131,"file_url":132,"file_type":133,"file_size":134,"view_count":55,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":22,"is_downloadable":22,"audit_status":22,"page_count":33,"language":135,"language_code":8,"site_id":7,"html_lang":8,"table_of_contents":136,"faqs":137,"seo_title":138,"seo_description":12,"update_tm":139,"read_time":26},18829141979164,"https://eur-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_6f874abed73319feea01a86fa6f0fab8","ORDINANCE PROTECTING VULNERABLE RENTERS  \nChanges in the Bellingham housing market have resulted in unusually low vacancy rates and a significant increase in rental costs. The current vacancy rate is approximately 1.79% . Incomes have not kept pace with rent increases.  \nTo address these concerns, the City of Bellingham enacted a new ordinance designed to provide some protection for vulnerable renters. The ordinance took effect on March 12, 2018 and applies to properties located in the City of Bellingham.  \n60-day Notice of Rent Increase  \nBMC 6.12 was enacted to increase protection for renters by providing for a 60-day notice of a substantial rent increase.  \nLandlords who wish to raise a tenant’s rent by ten percent or more must give a 60-day written notice of rent increase.  \nThis applies to any increase of ten percent or more than the rent charged during the past 12 months of the tenancy.  \nAny rent increase that does not comply with this ordinance is unenforceable. Landlords should include this provision in each rental agreement and lease.  \nLandlords must provide the notice of rent increase 60 days before the end of the rental term unless mutually agreed upon that it may be effective sooner. The ordinance has specific requirements for such mutual agreements, including that the tenant must be represented by an attorney.  \n60-day Notice to Vacate  \nBMC 6.13 was enacted to increase protection for residential month-to-month renters whose tenancies are terminated without cause by providing an affirmative defense to tenants who are not provided a 60-day notice to vacate.  \nLandlords must give tenants written notice to terminate tenancies. BMC 6.13 creates a 60-day notice “Affirmative Defense”, which residential month-to-month tenants can assert in an eviction action against a landlord who failed to provide them with a 60-day no-cause notice to terminate tenancy.  \nIn the case of eviction, the 60-day notice Affirmative Defense may be asserted by a residential month-to-month tenant who receives a no-cause termination notice regardless of what the rental agreement states. All notices contained in the Residential Landlord Tenant Act remain available to landlords.  \nSource of Income Protection  \nBMC 6.11 was enacted to increase protection for renters by prohibiting landlords from denying an application for rent based on a renter’s source of income or participation in a rental assistance program.  \nA landlord may not refuse to rent to a tenant based on a tenant’s source of income, which includes:  \n• Federal and state public benefits, such as (but not limited to) Social Security and veteran’s benefits.  \n• Rent subsidies from federal, state or local housing programs, such as (but not limited to) the Section 8 voucher program.  \nA landlord may still use screening criteria to determine whether or not to rent to a prospective tenant but may not use source of income or other protected factors (such as race, religion, disability, and other protected classes) as a basis for choosing a renter.  \nIf a landlord reviews the amount of income as part of the screening process, the landlord may count only the portion of rent the tenant is responsible for paying in determining whether a tenant’s income is enough.  \nExample: A tenant applies to rent a unit that costs $1000 per month. The tenant has a Section 8 Voucher that will cover up to $600 of the rent. The landlord requires all tenants to have a monthly income that is two times the rent amount. Before the new ordinance, the tenant’s income would have to be $2000 to qualify for the apartment. Now, the landlord must subtract the  \nvoucher amount ($600) from the total rent ($1000) before calculating whether  \nthe tenant’s income is enough. So, after subtracting the voucher amount, the tenant’s portion of the rent is $400, and 2x the tenant’s portion of rent = $800. In this example, the tenant’s monthly income now only needs to be $800 to qualify.  \nLandlords may not publish or print any statement","cbCair4knEsCm1hB","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCair4knEsCm1hB","pdf",541854,"English","# 60-day Notice of Rent Increase\n## Applicability and unenforceability\n# 60-day Notice to Vacate\n## Affirmative defense for month-to-month tenants\n# Source of Income Protection\n## Prohibited discrimination and screening limits\n# Applicability and Disputes\n## Exemptions and tenant legal assistance","[{\"question\":\"When does the ordinance take effect, and what properties does it cover?\",\"answer\":\"The ordinance took effect on March 12, 2018 and applies to properties located in the City of Bellingham.\"},{\"question\":\"What notice must landlords give for a substantial rent increase?\",\"answer\":\"Landlords must provide a 60-day written notice when raising a tenant’s rent by 10% or more compared with the rent charged during the past 12 months of the tenancy.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the ordinance protect renters regarding source of income?\",\"answer\":\"Landlords may not deny an application or advertise preferences based on a renter’s source of income, including public benefits and rental assistance subsidies, though permissible screening cannot rely on protected factors. For voucher programs, the landlord may count only the portion of rent the tenant is responsible for paying.\"}]","Ordinance Protecting Vulnerable Renters - Overview of Bellingham Protections | PDF",1789497703]