Senate approves bill protecting renters

The state Senate approved a bill that would further protect renters in buildings converted to condominiums. Because the Senate slightly changed the measure from the original House version, the bill now goes back to the House for another vote.

The bill would require building owners to give tenants a 120-day notice of conversion, up from 90 days. It also would allow cities and counties to require owners to pay relocation assistance of up to three months' rent to low-income tenants (up from the current $500) and largely bar interior conversion work during the notice period.

Developers have converted more than 5,900 Seattle apartments into condominiums since 2004, although the pace of conversion has dropped recently as the rental market has improved and condo sales have slowed.

In a statement, City Councilmen Tom Rasmussen and Richard McIver expressed delight with the new measure.

"Seattle is experiencing unprecedented loss of apartments and displacement of renters due to conversion of apartments to condominiums," said Rasmussen, who has long pushed for changes to the law.

"The Legislature has recognized this crisis and given local government greater ability to help low-income renters who must move."

"These are much needed, very important protections for tenants," said McIver, the chairman of the Housing and Economic Development Committee.

Seattle Displacement Coalition coordinator John Fox praised the passed measure in another statement, saying he expected it to win House approval and Gov. Chris Gregoire's signature next week. Fox also promised to start pushing local leaders to enact the optional protections.

Fox also wasn't giving up on the possibility of allowing cities and counties to cap the number of conversions under certain circumstances. The idea was in earlier versions, but did not pass out of either chamber.

The coalition will push the Legislature to adopt cap provisions next year, Fox said. "Until this is done, conversions will continue to ravage Seattle and the region's rental housing market."