Washington § 35.106.020 - Crime-free rental housing program.

(1)(a) Except as provided in (b) of this subsection, a local government may adopt and implement a crime-free rental housing program within its jurisdiction in accordance with this chapter.

(b) A crime-free rental housing program adopted and implemented by a county is applicable only to unincorporated areas of the county.

(2) Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, a crime-free rental housing program must be voluntary.

(3)(a) A local government may require a landlord to participate in a crime-free rental housing program upon exceeding a reasonable threshold of instances of criminal activity on the premises if the landlord has not made a good faith effort to deter the criminal activity.

(b) A good faith effort may include, but is not limited to:

(i) Service of notice on the tenant to comply or quit as allowed by law or the commencement of an unlawful detainer action against the tenant; and

(ii) Attendance and completion of a landlord training program approved by the local government.

(4)(a) As a prerequisite to subsection (3) of this section, upon the occurrence of criminal activity on the premises, the local police department must send a notice to the landlord setting forth the following:

(i) The date and location of the occurrence;

(ii) The nature of the occurrence; and

(iii) The name of the person who engaged in the occurrence.

(b) Notice is deemed properly delivered when it is either served upon the landlord or a property manager of the rental property, or is delivered by first-class mail to the last known address of the landlord.

(5) This section does not prevent a local government from charging a fee for participation in a crime-free rental housing program.

(6) This section does not affect a local government's authority to enforce existing law in regard to rental housing, except in regard to a crime-free rental housing program.