‘It doesn’t treat the disease’: Gee says WA’s 9.7% rent cap is a Band-Aid on a deeper affordability crisis

Washington officials announced this week that landlords can raise rents by up to 9.7% next year. The state’s rent stabilization law limits annual increases to 7% plus inflation, with a maximum rent cap of 10%.

KIRO host Gee Scott said on “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio that while he supports the rent cap because most workers aren’t seeing 10% raises, he views it as a temporary fix that fails to address the deeper affordability crisis.

“A lot of people aren’t getting 10%. I also understand the landlords, homeowners. Look, respectfully, I’m a homeowner. I understand cost,” Gee said. “You want to have something fixed? Cost today is different than it was just even a year ago. Totally understand those things. When you start talking about these caps, it just kind of goes back to my whole thing about the weeds in the backyard. The cap just kind of goes in and plucks the little leaves off the weeds. But it doesn’t go in there and dig into the problem.”

“It doesn’t treat the disease of what we have going on locally, nationally, and the biggest problem is affordability,” he continued. “So at the end of the day, we gotta fix that problem. But the cap is kind of temporary. It’s a Band-Aid. It’s a Band-Aid on a cut that you’re gonna keep changing the Band-Aid. At some point, don’t you want the actual wound to heal? So yes, the Band-Aid is needed right now.”

Landmark rent cap law goes into effect

In May 2025, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson signed into law landmark House Bill (HB) 1217, which improves housing stability for tenants subject to the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act and the Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act by limiting rent increases, as stated on the Washington State Legislature’s website.

Two amendments were added to HB 1217 by the Senate, changing the cap from a flat 7% to a choice of whichever is lower between a 7% raise with inflation or a flat 10%. The second amendment exempts single-family homes, which represent approximately 38% of Washington renters.

Rent increases were capped at 9.68% for 2026.

‘I feel for both sides of the equation’: Ursula worries law could have unintended consequences

KIRO host Ursula Reutin said she understands the need to protect renters but worries the cap could have unintended consequences for small landlords who are also struggling with rising costs.

“I feel for both sides of the equation,” Ursula said. “I absolutely feel for renters. I mean, costs are brutal, and renters need protection. I also worry, though, about unintended consequences. Many landlords are not those giant corporations. There are people also dealing with rising property taxes, or insurance, or repairs and maintenance.”

“And so, if the cap prevents good property owners from covering those costs, some could leave, and could that not exacerbate the situation? That’s my concern,” she continued. “So I think yes, this is a reasonable compromise, but I think they need to be paying full attention to: is it driving some of those responsible small landlords out of the market?”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 am to 12 pm on KIRO Newsradio.