In response to a letter written by Ian B. Crosby pertaining to rental housing inspections (Jan. 9), Rental Housing Association (RHA) has clarifications to offer as some of Mr. Crosby's statements were misleading and misinformed.
First, his assertion that the current, complaint-based system has proven to be a failure, without providing one fact or example, is false. According to Seattle's Department of Planning and Development (DPD) more than 95 percent of all code complaints reach compliance each year. Rental housing laws and codes ARE sufficient to remedy egregious, unsafe conditions, but only if they are enforced by local jurisdictions. Problem properties will only be remedied through the consistent application of existing law and code by responsible local government.
Mr. Crosby also seems to be confused as to the percentage of rental units that receive code complaints each year. In a given year, DPD receives approximately 4,000 code complaints, of which only 475 are related to housing. While 475 of 4,000 does equal 11.875 percent, this percentage merely shows the number of complaints attributable to housing in relation to the total number of code complaints received each year by DPD. As a percentage of the total number of rental units in the city of Seattle (approximately 140,000 units), 475 complaints represents only .0034 percent! This also assumes all 475 housing code complaints are attributable to rental housing, and that each complaint case occurred at a unique property.
RHA has offered to work collaboratively with the city as well as neighborhood groups to find solutions to known housing problems in specific neighborhoods. Punishing all rental housing owners in Seattle is not the answer.
Julie Johnson, president
Rental Housing Association