Hope For Ballard

An article in the Seattle Times today gives us apartment renters some hope.

OLYMPIA — Renters forced from their apartments to make way for condominiums would get more time to find a new home and extra money to pay for it under a new law expected to pass the Legislature.

House and Senate bills being considered could require developers to pay many tenants up to three months rent in relocation assistance, provide at least 120 days' notice for a condo conversion, and ban construction work during the notice period.

I didn't know it was the developers who had to offer relocation assistance. And if they would be required to pay three month's rent to the tenant (roughly $2400 per tenant, since rents run around $800 in Ballard), rather than the measly $500, that might make them think differently about starting a project. Maybe? Wishful thinking?

The cap also makes me hopeful. Sure, convert a couple of buildings into condos, but ALL OF THEM? What are those of us who can't even afford to buy a $250,000 studio condo supposed to do? Why, move to Shoreline, of course! It should be a simple concept: don't convert every single apartment building because then there will be no apartments to rent. And these freakin' real estate people think EVERYONE should buy something need to just shut it. Sound investment. Why waste money on rent? Well, that's my choice. Not yours.

*sigh*

Okay, I'm done now. Just needed to get that off my chest.