On November 4, 2025, an ordinance passed by the Bellingham City Council was codified in the Bellingham Municipal Code (“BMC”) as BMC 6.20.  BMC 6.20 impacts residential rental properties within the city limits of Bellingham by detailing and guarding certain tenant rights to speech, assembly, and association.  BMC 6.20’s impact on landlords includes but is not limited to the following:

• Landlords must conspicuously display at the property (1) the rules for use of the property’s meeting rooms and common areas, and (2) the tenant rights poster created by the city of Bellingham.
• Landlords cannot interfere with tenants talking to one another about their tenancies, housing, and any related issues.
• Non-disclosure provisions in leases are void.
• Any action taken against a tenant within two hundred ten (210) days of that tenant exercising any of their rights under BMC 6.20 is presumed retaliatory.
• Leases cannot include provisions that prohibit tenant class actions.
• A tenant, class, or tenant organization can seek court enforcement and penalties against a landlord that violates BMC 6.20.
• If in violation of BMC 6.20, a landlord may be fined by City representatives.

If you have any questions about your leases or notice forms, or need assistance in managing your tenancies, please contact Timothy D. Schermetzler or Renee K. L. Rasmussen at CSD Attorneys at Law P.S. via e-mail at tschermetzler@csdlaw.com and rrasmussen@csdlaw.com, or via phone at 360-306-3011 and 360-326-8882.