SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane rent has grown 29.3% since July 2020, according to a recent rent report from Apartment List.
Over the past month, Spokane rents have gone up 3.3%. This means that for a one-bedroom apartment the median rent is $977 and for a two-bedroom, it's $1,343.
The year-over-year rent growth in Spokane is higher than the state average of 6.9 percent and the national level of 10.3%.
Nationally, Spokane ranks second nationally for the largest rent increases. Since March 2020 and the start of the pandemic, Spokane rent prices have increased by 32%. They trail Boise, Idaho, which has gone up to 39%.
Other cities that have made the top five highest rent booms nationally have been Fresno, California, Gilbert, Arizona, and Glendale, Arizona.
The highest median rent in Washington is in Bellevue at $2,380 but had the second-lowest year-to-year rent growth. Comparatively, Spokane's median rent was the lowest but had the highest year-to-year rent growth.
Washington state does not have a limit on how much a landlord can raise rents. The city cannot put a cap on rent increases because only the state has the power to do that.
The Tenants Union is instead urging renters to ask lawmakers to pass two protections. First, to require landlords to provide relocation funds to tenants forced out by high prices. Second, extending the rent increase notice from 60 to 90 days so renters have time to find alternate housing.
Terri Anderson with the Tenants Union suggested anyone in this situation call local lawmakers to ask for those protections.
