Help – Rental needed by Aug 31st

[guidosmom]

After returning home this Sunday from a camping trip, we walked into the house to find a note from our landlord letting us know we need to be out by Aug. 31st because they’ll be demolishing our duplex and turning it into townhomes. Why, I am not sure of since there are several townhomes on our block that have been vacant for a long time.

We had been hoping to buy a house this year, and I’d set up my ESPP at work to take the largest portion of money possible out of my pay check to go towards the down payment. This money can’t be touched until Nov. 1. :( Because of this we are looking for a rental (or possibly a purchase type of situation if it worked out). It is just me, my partner, and our 17 lbs well behaved, quiet, mature dog. We would like something with 2 bedrooms, clean, hopefully either near Admiral, the Junction, and near a bus route. We don’t have a lot of extra money for move in costs due to saving for a down payment, but can make it work. If anyone has any leads or ideas, suggestions, etc… please let me know. Thanks. We are very upset over this. The management company had promised they would give us more notice and that it wouldn’t happen for “a long time”.

Share This

[Anonymous]

“The management company had promised they would give us more notice and that it wouldn’t happen for “a long time”.”

Did you happen to get this in writing and save it?

Share This

[guidosmom]

I do not have it “in writing”, but do have the following in email:

I can assure you that they (the owner) are not going to do anything for a long time and that you would get lots of notice.

Share This

[JanS]

guidosmom…I know I will keep my eyes open for you. I’m in the Admiral District , the car is finally working, and I will be out and about..will definitely let you know.

I have my own private opinion of your landlord…will keep it to myself (this if a family oriented site – lol)

Share This

[guidosmom]

Thanks SO much JanS! Mostly I am just so upset because I really had planned on purchasing this Fall, and can’t touch my down payment until Nov. 1. :( I really appreciate any leads. I am watching craigslist and everything as well.

Share This

[Anonymous]

An email would actually be considered “in writing”, or documentation.

An email would also include the date it was sent.

Only because it seems that the fact the you are being, unexpectedly, forced to move is what is bothering you, I am inquiring if this was handled correctly by your landlord.

Were you in a lease or was this a month-to-month agreement?

Share This

[Sue]

I’m really sorry to hear this. We got displaced over a year ago due to a condo conversion, and it’s really difficult to move when you weren’t planning on it, especially with short notice. (Even if legal, I consider a month really short notice on a practical level.) I’m assuming you had no lease if they can give you 30 days notice?

There is a house (duplex) at the NW corner of Fauntleroy/Dawson that I believe is still for rent. I don’t know the details on rent or anything, but the number is 992-3910 if you want to look into it.

In any event, good luck!

Share This

[JenV]

guidosmom- the unit upstairs from me (duplex) is going to be empty around that time. please email me at vanmatrejennifer@gmail.com to discuss.

Share This

[JoB]

guidosmom..

i have been actively pursuing rentals that allow dogs in west seattle..

send me an email and i will be glad to share all of my leads…

joanne at brayden dot org

Share This

[JoB]

guidosmom..

if a funky little beach house with 3 bedrooms.. an enclosed back yard and a nice porch down by La rustica for under $1700.. with a landlord who would prefer a 6 to 8 month lease sounds attractive to you.. i know a place that is vacant now.. and was available last night.

email me at joanne at brayden dot org.

Share This

[JoB]

guidosmom..

same owner could alternatively have a townhome sublet that is up in may for under $1500 that allows dogs…

slightly more space than you need but good location near morgan junction.

Share This

[guidosmom]

Thanks so much you guys. :) I really appreciate it. I am feeling a bit more hopeful. I am just SO sick of moving, SO sick of trying to get my dog used to moving, and really wanted my next move to be into a home I purchase. Urgh… oh well… timing must not be right. Anyway, to those asking if I were in a lease, etc… here is the story:

We signed a 6 month least last November, they told us they only do 6 month leases. They told us no detail about the possibility of the property being torn down and townhomes built. It wasn’t until the mailman said he was surprised to see people living in this duplex again that we learned of this. Apparently other tenants had been living in it, they got kicked out and the property was scheduled to be demolished. Due to the economy they canceled the project and put the property back up for rent. We learned of this in Nov. and called the property manager right away. They claimed to have no idea about this and they were sure the owner would have informed them had this been the case. We relaxed a bit. Then March came and we woke up to find a yellow notice sign in a yard showing that the owner had applied for permits to build or something. Again, we called the property manager who claimed to have no idea and said she’d call the owner and find out. She got back to us a few weeks later and said he was going to be building townhomes in the future but not for a long time and that we’d have plenty of notice. Perhaps a few months later and 30 days is considered a “long time” and “plenty of notice” in their minds. The people in the homes around us are livid, and really don’t want more townhomes built up around them. When our 6 month lease was up, we tried calling the property manager (who never seems to answer unless she really wants something, like to know if our neighbor is home), we then emailed asking if we could have another 6 month lease. She completely ignored our emails as well. We left with friends this past Friday morning to go camping, came back yesterday (Sunday) afternoon to find an envelope with our names on it, with a piece of paper inside with no letterhead, letting us know we need to be out by the 31st because the duplex will be demolished on Sept. 1st. This paper was typed, and had no signature. Oh, it also said they have other apartments available downtown and that they’d give us $1,000 for our trouble. Again, no signature, and it almost seemed like we’d only get $1,000 if we move into one of their apartments. This is the second time in 2 years that my partner has been kicked out of a place for condo conversions or townhome conversions. She is so over it as well. Okay.. enough wining. Thanks so much you guys for caring, and for sending me leads on places. I really appreciate it, as does my partner and our dog. :)

Share This

[Sue]

Guidosmom, what an unfortunate series of events; I’m so sorry! When I lived at West Ridge Park, they were letting people move in even though we all knew it was supposed to be going condo, and told nobody who moved it. (Got to the point that whenever I would see someone exit the office after considering a rental, I’d let them know so nobody else would get burned without warning.) So unfair to uproot people with so little notice. I actually put myself on the DPD email list so I could see if my current rental house is put up for conversion at some point, in case my landlord doesn’t mention it ahead of time!

I just found out that the house I mentioned above apparently doesn’t allow pets, so unfortunately that won’t work for you. But if anyone else is looking for a house to rent, this is the Craiglist listing on it that I just found: http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/apa/782572923.html

I have nothing to do with this house, nor have I seen the inside – I’m just a neighbor.

Share This

[angelescrest]

I heard of one that might be for rent on Beach Drive Terrace. It has a sign now; I haven’t looked closer.

Also saw one on 100th and 32nd.

Share This

[JoB]

angelscrest

it must be because i am new to the area. .but where is beach drive terrace?

and 100th and 32nd… is that 32nd in the 10 block?

Share This

[guidosmom]

Thank you guys so much. We are learning that they might actually need to legally give 90 days notice due to a Seattle City Ordinance. We asked the property manager about this this afternoon and she said she thought it was illegal what the property owner was doing, but he said “it’s fine.” When we mentioned it she quickly asked if we’d be willing to move by the 31st if we were given financial incentive. Very interesting.

Share This

[WSB]

Belatedly reading this thread – I’ve seen this story all too many times in just our past year and a half or so of tracking development. There was a sad little lesson in this somewhat similar story from June of last year:

https://westseattleblog.com/blog/?p=1832

There are so many teardowns-to-townhomes still in progress, I can’t guess which is yours by reading this, but if you wouldn’t mind me looking it up to put on our watch list, please e-mail me at

editor@westseattleblog.com

Meantime, anyone contemplating any kind of move anywhere at any time would be strongly urged to read absolutely every shred of available background on the property, whether you are selling or renting. Sounds like that might have prevented this situation – permits are often applied for long before those yellow signs go up. To check any address in Seattle, for permits/complaints present or past,

http://web1.seattle.gov/DPD/permitstatus/

To check the property ownership history, use the King County Parcel Viewer

http://www.metrokc.gov/gis/mapportal/Pviewer_main.htm

If you’re thinking about renting an apartment complex, always worth checking to make sure it’s not up for sale. Not all commercial/multifamily properties get publicly listed, I’ve learned, but I keep an eye on this site and report WS complexes up for sale – ones with more than a few units, anyway – when they are posted, because of having heard so many times about tenants being the last to know (in this search engine, choose multifamily in the top group and West Seattle in market area):

http://www.commercialmls.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=property.searchFS

meantime … good luck finding a new residence fast!

–TR

Share This

[WSB]

Oh PS, if you haven’t found this already, it’s the one with the 90 days, from the DPD website:

>>. Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance

This ordinance applies when tenants are displaced

by housing demolition, change of use, substantial

rehabilitation, or by removal of use restrictions from

subsidized housing. A property owner who plans

development activity must obtain a tenant relocation li-

cense and a building or use permit before terminating

a tenancy. All tenants must receive a 90-day notice of

the activity that will require them to move. Eligible low

income tenants, whose income cannot exceed 50% of

median income, receive cash relocation assistance.

Call DPD at (206) 684-7899 for more information.<<

http://www.ci.seattle.wa.us/dclu/publications/CAM/InfoforTenants.pdf

The aforementioned “tenant relocation license” should show on the complaints/permits link I included in the previous post, if one has been obtained.

Share This

[Sue]

I know it’s 90 days notice (or letting you finish out your lease) for a condo conversion (which is what happened to me), but I’m not sure about a teardown – although from what was posted above, it looks like it applies. Definitely look into that. The fact that they want to now consider a “financial incentive” to get you to move sooner when you questioned it suggests to me that they may have been caught doing something they shouldn’t have (only 30 days notice).

You know, I totally respect that landlords have the right to sell the homes we rent out for conversions, tear-downs, whatever. But what disturbs me is this recurring trend to skirt the law while doing it, forcing people out with inadequate notice, hoping we don’t know our rights and/or won’t fight for them, etc. Is it too much to ask for landlords/rental agents to work with integrity?

Share This

[Sue]

JoB, 100th probably refers to 100th Street, which is a few blocks south of Roxbury.

Share This

[JoB]

sue..

thanks. i didn’t think in that direction.. though i have looked at a few houses in that area…

still looking:(

Share This

[angelescrest]

JoB,

Beach Drive Terrace is off Beach Drive, two blocks (or so) south of Jacobson and Beach Dr. The 100th and 32nd–I don’t know the streets well enough, but, yes, it’s a few blocks south of Roxbury. And, there are a sign or two along Alki/Beach Drive.

Share This

[JoB]

thanks angelcrest…

i was looking vainly for beach drive terrace in the wrong neighborhood:) i will drive over there this morning.

Share This

[guidosmom]

Thank you all! I looked up the property on:

http://web1.seattle.gov/DPD/permitstatus/

the project number is:

DV0072743

I found nothing mentioning a tenant relocation license. Is this the site it would be on?

Share This

[jschwab]

If anyone is looking for a rental, I have a house in the Admiral neighborhood for rent October 1st. 4 bedroom home, 2 car garage, large deck, $2150 per month. You can contact me at jschwab@phillipsre.com; property managed by Phillips Real Estate Services.

Thanks!

Share This

[Author]

Posts