Bellingham renter protections initiative qualifies for placement on Nov. 7 ballot
An initiative petition seeking renter protections in Bellingham has enough signatures to qualify for placement on the Nov. 7 ballot, Whatcom County Auditor Diana Bradrick said Tuesday.
The so-called Economic Displacement Assistance Measure, if passed, would require 120 days written notice of a rent increase above 8% and provide rental relocation assistance equal to three times the fair market rent.
The petition needed at least 3,093 valid signatures to qualify, according to previous reporting by The Bellingham Herald.
The signature review was conducted by the Auditor’s Office on Monday and a “certificate of sufficiency” was expected to be given to the city Tuesday morning. If the city submits resolutions by Aug. 1, the initiative will go on the November ballot, Bradrick told The Herald in an email.
This renter protections initiative is one of two submitted by volunteers with Community First Whatcom that now have enough petition signatures to qualify for the ballot.
The other initiative is a minimum wage measure that would require employers in Bellingham to pay $1 more than the Washington state minimum wage, which is currently $15.74.
The law states that City Council members have the option to adopt these measures as part of the city’s municipal code, offer competing ballot measures, or place the measures on the ballot for voters to decide.
Community First Whatcom submitted 13,720 signatures for both initiatives combined. The group plans to bring both measures to the City Council as early as its July 10 meeting.
“It’s an opportunity to make our case for the first time in a public forum,” campaign manager Jace Cotton previously told The Herald. Cotton also a candidate for the City Council’s at-large position.
Community First Whatcom raised and spent nearly $21,000 during its petition drive, according to filings with the state Public Disclosure Commission.
This story was originally published June 27, 2023 at 11:16 AM.
