[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6204680,"mediaKeyId","3778363-d1942d28057e04cbeafe501d30fa6800","parentId",3778363,"title","Committee advances ordinance to ban algorithmic rent fixing; amendment adds private fee recovery","audioSeconds",5092,"startMs",5100000,"endMs",7407,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3778363-d1942d28057e04cbeafe501d30fa6800&start=5100&end=7","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3778363-d1942d28057e04cbeafe501d30fa6800/thumbnail_5100000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6204680/Seattle/King-County/Washington/Committee-advances-ordinance-to-ban-algorithmic-rent-fixing-amendment-adds-private-fee-recovery","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6204680-1ac2b5204ef7a6a9a33999142fd96bb2/orig.mp4?Expires=1771005571&Signature=YDc88nNXpHx40Apu825cHW9OZsDQ~-QKuACKE2gQzZNmIChC2UeTkja1~5lhMJqzj16FmNCGRUDFBOb6MrhCwvMLsFpTyQeOQoxBpa2zBdTcpnWCSOaOZeVE-8BhG8i9PZngr5wWYVAUr-L0Y4oS4t~vIfny8kcV~wWqrlOBNOJ8lI8~wqeUaoy8tkn8JPyHx-Ohx1Q-tgyzeqbjtfrK1VRJhTMjh~CEYax5Q3ijhVLmgfCP4AkzLohbwsjuVxBRIYiZqwYwIa2oqyNEQgXwg-uBiNYsWjsZaBewYirIQw4yfxTgAwzq58ur7eWH~rGYwKFaKkidnql0p5f8lOCTMw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Seattle City, WA","date","2025-06-12T00:28:19Z","article","The Seattle City Council Housing & Human Services Committee voted June 11 to recommend passage of an ordinance that would prohibit algorithmic rent fixing by landlords and ban services that coordinate rental pricing across multiple properties.

Chair Cathy Moore, sponsor of Council Bill 121000, said she wanted prompt action: \"I do have some sense of urgency around the issue,\" she said, describing the measure as a tool to combat what she called an anti‑competitive practice that \"has an adverse effect on affordability.\" Moore moved the committee recommendation to pass the bill.

Council central staff summarized the measure. Tommaso Johnson, council central staff, said the ordinance defines \"coordination\" as automated, algorithmic analysis that uses public and private data to generate suggested lease terms, pricing and occupancy levels. The bill would prohibit landlords from using such coordination services and would also prohibit entities from offering coordination services to two or more landlords within city limits.

Enforcement would be both public and private. Johnson summarized the enforcement framework: the City Attorney would be authorized to seek civil penalties up to $7,500 per violation and reasonable costs and attorney fees, and the bill would create a private right of action for harmed individuals with damages capped at $7,500 per violation. The committee adopted Amendment 1, added at the suggestion of the City Attorney's Office, to expressly allow a prevailing private plaintiff to recover reasonable attorney's fees and costs.

Senator Solomon, the sponsor of a similar state bill, joined the committee by video and urged local action. \"I don't really see why we need to have that kind of practice,\" Solomon said of algorithmic coordination; he described concerns that the software can create artificial vacancies and push up prices and urged the committee to act ahead of unresolved litigation: \"This is a good time to do it, and I urge you to.\"

Public comment strongly favored the ordinance. Holly Willis, policy manager at the Coalition on Homelessness, and tenant‑advocacy groups delivering a coalition letter told the committee the software tools—cited in national reporting and in Department of Justice inquiry—contribute to rising rents and displacement. Speakers representing tenants' organizations and labor urged passage. Industry speakers urged caution and delay: Carl Charette, a developer with AvalonBay Communities, and Carter Nelson of the Washington Multifamily Housing Association asked the committee to delay a vote to allow more stakeholder input, saying the proposal could prevent property managers from using future or current technology to manage portfolios.

Committee members discussed legal and practical questions. Councilmember Saka noted federal antitrust law already outlaws collusion but said overlapping local protections are reasonable; Tommaso Johnson and the City Attorney's Office worked with state staff to align the local ordinance with the state substitute bill and to address enforceability. Councilmember Rink, a cosponsor, called the measure \"a common sense measure to help protect renters,\" and noted Seattle's large renter population.

The committee adopted Amendment 1 and voted 4–0 (Councilmembers Rink, Saka, Vice Chair Solomon and Chair Moore) to recommend passage of Council Bill 121000 as amended; the committee report will go to the full council on June 17.

What the ordinance would do: It would make it unlawful for landlords to use algorithmic coordination services that combine public and private competitive information and apply automated analysis to generate suggested lease terms or occupancy-level strategies; it would prohibit providers offering such coordination services to multiple landlords within Seattle. It creates civil penalties up to $7,500 per violation and a private right of action with the same cap; the amendment added recovery of reasonable attorney's fees for prevailing private plaintiffs.

Context: The proposal tracks language from Substitute Senate Bill 5469, which passed the state senate earlier in the year but did not advance to the house floor after the Washington Attorney General filed litigation and the U.S. Department of Justice brought related actions. Council central staff said the state AG estimated roughly 800,000 leases statewide since 2017 had been priced using similar software. The committee cited other U.S. cities that have adopted or considered similar local prohibitions, including Berkeley, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Portland, Jersey City, San Diego and others.

Next steps: The committee recommendation will be transmitted to full council; if the council passes the ordinance, affected parties could seek judicial review and enforcement will likely involve both the City Attorney and private plaintiffs.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Housing and Human Services Committee 6/11/25","oneSentenceSummary","The Seattle City Council Housing & Human Services Committee voted June 11 to recommend passage of an ordinance that would ban algorithmic rent‑pricing coordination by landlords and create civil enforcement and a private right of action.","taxTitle","Seattle, King County, Washington","taxId",2543,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6204684,"Seattle expands mobile and community-based opioid treatment and overdose-prevention services in 2025 investment plan",3607,1603000,5210000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3778363-d1942d28057e04cbeafe501d30fa6800&start=1603&end=5210","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3778363-d1942d28057e04cbeafe501d30fa6800/thumbnail_1603000.jpg","/articles/6204684/Seattle/King-County/Washington/Seattle-expands-mobile-and-community-based-opioid-treatment-and-overdose-prevention-services-in-2025-investment-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6204684-4e8175699f81806e043e94a97dfde353/orig.mp4?Expires=1771005571&Signature=EPhx0PVqTWr-trGC9eQIyDk-zm7RNiXNZu44w427bl7Gnz23Ouzivr-t-O3xa-E7ufJG2al9r1tgsFNmNw0G9n5SsjhXAW1OEcYxzF4Z7WIxKB49T4o2W8OjHDBMiaVgukO06H4oCOJcumB9vuLwBYbe7U5scVR4mhpuVoGVZ4q8coz86ZpEckz2VUYSzgPaQmPiLIH4FKy7fl6a66T5JXVRmv8Tqnghtklxp~4O-yAS7aidZzxTS4mgCshQAb09~I0b97BRFX11HyBtq3M46jtEdX6GPykS3Q3ICG0Bn5vQOUOiL8q-VCjzV-Wpbk8ngAY3AG5pNO4JjJkrFedwWg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Seattle Human Services Department and Public Health—Seattle & King County outlined a package of 2025 investments on June 11 intended to expand access to medication for opioid use disorder and community-based overdose prevention across the city.

\"The new investments will also guarantee that more than 5,000 Seattle residents will be served with, overdose prevention and medicine for opioid use disorder annually with more than a thousand new patients engaged in treatment,\" said Anne Gorman, senior policy adviser, Human Services Department, during the committee briefing.

The council committee heard that the 2025 public-health contract reallocates existing city funding to prioritize opioid and behavioral-health needs directed by Mayor Bruce Harrell. HSD told the committee that the line items dedicated to substance-use-disorder (SUD) access and treatment increased by more than 200% inside the public-health contract, and that adding in other HSD investments raises the total increase to more than 300% compared with 2024.

Public Health staff described a set of new and expanded programs intended to reach people who are unhoused or otherwise hard to engage in clinic settings. David Sapienza, an addiction medicine physician with Public Health—Seattle & King County, said the plan includes a new high-intensity street outreach team that will provide same-day access to long-acting injectable buprenorphine in the field. \"The team will consist of a nurse who will administer the injections and a community health worker,\" Sapienza said. He described minimum impact targets for the pilot: at least 75 new patients started on buprenorphine in the field, at least 150 injections administered, and 25 patients receiving oral buprenorphine prescriptions for delivery when clinically appropriate.

Public Health also described a significant expansion of the downtown Pathways clinic. Sapienza said the expanded Pathways hub will add medical and wraparound services to improve retention in care: \"Initial minimum impact measures are at least 2,500 total patient encounters, at least 800 of those for individuals experiencing homelessness... at least 200 new patients will be started on long-acting injectable buprenorphine with at least 50 remaining on the medication at the 6 month follow-up visit.\" The department said providing co‑located services such as wound care, STI testing, vaccinations and other basic medical care should increase retention.

Evergreen Treatment Services will purchase a clinical intake vehicle to accompany its mobile methadone units, Public Health said. That van will allow clinicians to perform the clinical intake visit at the site, reducing the travel and time barriers that have hindered some patients from starting methadone. Evergreen estimated the vehicle would support roughly 1,500 supportive-service contacts, engage 500 clients, and bring about 250 new patients into treatment through that intake capacity.

Public-health staff described a community‑based overdose prevention program funded through a competitive RFP. Seven applicants responded; five programs met eligibility and received full or partial awards to expand outreach across North and South Seattle. Public Health said awardees will distribute an estimated minimum of 40,000 doses of naloxone, serve a minimum of 5,000 clients, and provide at least 5,000 referrals to MOUD (medication for opioid use disorder).

Brad Finegood, a Public Health staff member who responded to a question about federal funding, warned of uncertainty: \"We are deeply concerned about the proposed Medicaid cuts and especially work requirements because we know that so many folks are are out there struggling.\" He and colleagues said cuts to federal support—SAMHSA and CDC grants and possible block-grant reductions—could affect surveillance, drug-checking and linkage-to-care work.

Committee members asked about evaluation and reporting. Public Health said the community-based awardees will report quarterly to the county on the output metrics listed above and provide narrative reports describing service delivery, client characteristics (when available) and challenges. Public Health said it will combine these program reports with surveillance data from CDC-funded work to monitor broader trends in linkage to care and service uptake across King County.

Councilmembers pressed for more detail about contracting and partners. Staff said two embedded care-navigation positions will be funded to support UW Telebup and the ORCA center, and that Catholic Community Services, DESC and the Urban League are among named partners for specific program elements. Staff offered to provide a written crosswalk mapping contract line items to the field programs and to return to council with implementation updates.

Public comment touched on the briefing's subject. Holly Willis, policy manager at the Coalition on Homelessness, urged passage of tenant-protection legislation mentioned later on the agenda and said expanded treatment funding is important to keeping people housed. Andrea Suarez, a public commenter, criticized some harm‑reduction providers for distributing paraphernalia she described as dangerous; Suarez framed those complaints as a call for the city to reconsider some community funding decisions. The committee heard both support for expanded treatment access and concerns about the role of harm-reduction programming.

The Human Services Department and Public Health described the package as a set of complementary strategies—outreach, care navigation, mobile medication access and clinic expansion—designed so people can enter treatment at multiple points. The items discussed were presented as a briefing; the committee did not take a legislative vote on the public-health contract during this meeting.

Implementation and oversight: Public Health said hiring for the mobile buprenorphine team was underway and that onboarding the nurse would determine how quickly street outreach could begin. Staff also noted the work is happening amid federal funding uncertainty and said the city will monitor data and return with updates.

What to watch next: HSD and Public Health committed to quarterly program reporting and to returning to the committee with progress updates on the mobile-treatment pilots and Pathways expansion.

","The Seattle Human Services Department and Public Health—Seattle & King County outlined a package of 2025 investments on June 11 intended to expand access to medication for opioid use disorder and community-based overdose prevention across the city.","actionData","errors"]

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Committee advances ordinance to ban algorithmic rent fixing; amendment adds private fee recovery

Seattle expands mobile and community-based opioid treatment and overdose-prevention services in 2025 investment plan