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Landlords sue Seattle over first-come, first-served rule

Apartment buildings in the University District, Seattle.
KUOW Photo/Kara McDermott

The first-come, first-served law passed last summer means Seattle landlords can't thumb through a stack of applications and choose the tenant they like the most; they have to rent to the first qualified applicant.

Bill Radke speaks with Jon Grant, former director of the Tenants Union, who says this law helps renters get treated equally. We also hear from Chris Benis, a landlord who says finding the right tenant is like a job interview: You want the right person, not the first person. Benis is part of the group suing the city. 

Year started with KUOW: 1985 – 1986, 1991 – 2004, 2012