City of Olympia, WA

01/23/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 01/23/2026 11:44

01/23/2026 - New screening protections for rental housing applicants

New tenant screening protections start April 1, 2026 for access to housing

On January 6, 2026, the Olympia City Council passed an ordinance that addresses screening practices in the rental housing application process. The ordinance amends Olympia's Rental Housing Code (OMC 5.82) to add a new section regarding screening requirements. The ordinance goes into effect on April 1, 2026, and is intended to increase access to housing options for Olympia renters.

Requiring an applicant to provide a Social Security number can have an unintended discriminatory impact on immigrants and refugees. The ordinance adds the following protections for Olympia renters:
  • Landlords are allowed to request but not require a Social Security number on applications.
  • Applicants must be allowed to provide alternative documentation to verify identity and demonstrate eligibility.
  • Protection against intimidation, harassment and/or threats based on immigration/citizenship status at any point during the application process or tenancy.
While the ordinance provides these protections to immigrants and refugees, it does not prohibit landlords from:
  • Complying with any legal obligation under federal law.
  • Requesting additional information from the applicant to determine the qualifications or verify identity of the applicant.
  • Taking adverse action based on unfavorable screening results.
Guidance about alternative documentation for screening immigrant populations is posted on the City's Landlord Information and Tenant Protections webpages.

Many landlords require a minimum income-to-rent ratio for a renter to qualify for a housing unit. With housing costs rising faster than wages, many households have difficulty meeting these requirements. The ordinance:
  • Prohibits landlords from requiring applicants to demonstrate their monthly gross income is more than 2.5 times the amount of monthly rent to qualify for a rental unit.
    • Example: Rent for a studio apartment is $1,000. Applicants who earn $2,500 per month before tax would qualify for the unit.
    • This limit is intended to be a ceiling, so landlords may choose to accept applicants who earn less than this threshold or use a lower threshold (such as two times the rent to qualify).
  • Allows households to use combined income to qualify.
  • Allows landlords to require a co-signer if the applicant makes less than 2.5 times the monthly rent.
  • Allows applicants to demonstrate a history of successful rent payment if they make less than 2.5 times the monthly rent.
Olympia's Housing Action Plan identifies implementing tenant protections as a strategy to make it easier for households to access housing and stay housed. Barriers in the screening process can make it difficult for renters to access housing. The policy regarding Social Security number requirements also aligns with the City's status as a Sanctuary City.

For more information, visit the City's Landlord Information and Tenant Protections webpages.
Contact
Christa Lenssen, Sr. Housing Program Specialist
Community Planning & Economic Development Department
360.570.3762
[email protected]
City of Olympia, WA published this content on January 23, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on January 23, 2026 at 17:44 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]