Strategy in Action

Tool : Commercial Rent Regulations

In 2016, the Seattle City Council recommended commercial rent control, but the Mayor’s Advisory Committee, made up of small business owners, developers, and community members, opposed it. They suggested that there may be negative consequences, such as reducing the landlord’s income that could lead to decreased commercial property maintenance or increases in other property fees to offset their losses. In April 2020, due to COVID-19, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed an ordinance to temporarily restrict increases in commercial rents on businesses that have less than 50 employees.

Considering the similar challenges that small businesses face following climate-related disasters such as fires and floods, cities could institute rent freezes similar to those used during the COVID-19 pandemic. Pandemic responses in multiple cities offer models for permanent policies that can be activated in the wake of climate disasters. For example, Washington, D.C., froze commercial rents, required that landlords offer tenants payment plans, and stopped evictions.