Notable multifamily policy and legal moves from this summer
This summer, U.S. state and local governments have been active on issues affecting the multifamily housing sector: California sued non-compliant cities, Michigan updated building codes, Arizona cracked down on landlord air conditioning issues, and Seattle streamlined environmental reviews and banned "junk fees."
This summer, state and local officials have been active on issues that impact the multifamily sector.
California is taking cities to court for failing to meet housing planning deadlines, and local housing groups are suing three cities over alleged violations of a new state law that permits housing development near public transit stops.
Michigan updated its state construction code to allow for single staircases in more multifamily buildings, which is expected to produce a diverse range of housing. Arizona, for its part, is cracking down on landlords who don’t provide adequate air conditioning.
At a city level, Seattle is trimming environmental reviews to get housing built more quickly. It also recently banned rental “junk fees” in an effort to bolster transparency and affordability for tenants.
Read on for more detail about recent policy and legal moves relevant to the apartment industry.