SPOKANE, Wash. – Sean Flynn, president of the Rental Housing Association, announced that his members are filing a lawsuit against multiple entities, including the City of Spokane.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, government leaders in Washington enforced an eviction moratorium, a legally authorized delay in the performance of a legal obligation or the payment of a debt.
Flynn expressed his concerns about the restrictions imposed during the pandemic.
“It closed the courthouse doors and said that we were not allowed to remove people from our private property when they weren’t paying us. Effectively saying we had to house these people for free, which the entire industry did for free for a long time during COVID,” he said.
The pandemic’s financial impact led to more than 300,000 job losses in Washington by the end of 2020. In many cases, property owners had to cover the shortfall when renters couldn’t pay.
Flynn clarified that the lawsuit isn’t against the law that aids renters, but rather about the lack of compensation for property owners.
“You’re totally allowed to do that government, State of Washington, City of Spokane, County of Spokane,” he said.
He argued that the lack of compensation is a violation of property owners’ constitutional rights. The lawsuit highlights that the initial halt on evictions was established until April 2020, later extending to June 2021, providing more leeway for renters.
“If the government can come in and take whatever it wants, whenever it wants and doesn’t have to pay you, then we don’t live in a republic anymore,” Flynn said.
Flynn also emphasized the impact on smaller property owners.
“If you’re a small housing provider, this puts your lights out,” he said.
The lawsuit seeks to address these concerns and advocate for compensation for property owners affected by the eviction moratorium.
