• Rent fixing ban: The City Council session Tuesday included a vote approving a Seattle ban on “algorithmic rent fixing” in the city. The final vote by the full council had been delayed a week to give the council time to consider amendments adding language clarifying the new law is not “intended to interfere with standard recordkeeping business practices of individual landlords.” and an amendment requesting that the Department of Construction and Inspections “conduct outreach efforts to educate landlords about the provisions of this bill.”CHS reported previously on the proposed ban after years of controversy and legal battles over services that critics say have allowed the property management industry to collude against renters. Earlier this year, State Attorney General Nick Brown sued property management software company RealPage and a group of large landlords alleging they colluded to inflate rents through a price-fixing scheme.” Landlords named as defendants in the complaint include Greystar, Cushman & Wakefield, LivCor, UDR, Prime Administration, Quarterra Multifamily Communities, LaSalle Properties, MG Properties and Sares Regis Management Company.
  
• Second kiosk vote: Tuesday, the council also voted — again — to move forward with a plan to add digital kiosks across the city starting with a downtown pilot in time for next year’s FIFA Men’s World Cup activities in Seattle. CHS reported here on the previous full council vote approving the plan. Tuesday, a second vote authorizing the actual installation passed. “This is a win for Seattle — these kiosks represent a near-term opportunity to enhance the pedestrian experience, improve public safety communications, and support downtown’s economic and cultural revitalization — in addition to multiple public benefits including free WiFi and multilingual wayfinding,” Council President Sara Nelson said in a press release following the vote. The Downtown Seattle Association also applauded the final vote. “These kiosks will help people navigate the city, discover local businesses and stay connected, all while generating revenue to support cleaning, beautification and events in downtown,” the DSA said. CHS reported in February as planners from IKE Smart City and the Downtown Seattle Association presented on the kiosks and tried to drum up support for their eventual addition to E Pike. For now, until there is a Pike/Pine Business Improvement District formed, the kiosks will stay off Capitol Hill.Meanwhile, local providers in the kiosk industry like LocalVIsion Seattle continue to lobby for inclusion in the program. The proposal backed by Nelson and Mayor Bruce Harrell has moved forward despite concerns over clutter and turning over the city’s right of way to the advertising platform behind the technology. IKE Smart City says there will be no cost to the city for the installation and maintenance of the kiosks which backers say would generate around $1 million a year in advertising for the DSA, the city, and the neighborhood Business Improvement Areas.

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