A STATE OF UNITED HOUSING PROVIDERS
Seattle, WA – Following years of connection and especially significant collaboration in the 2025 Legislative Session, the Rental Housing Association of Washington (RHAWA) and the Clark County Rental Association (CCRA) have combined forces and merged effective November 1, 2025. This merger represents a continued unification of rental housing providers across the state and will combine the strengths of both associations to bring an unprecedented level of resources and support to housing providers in Clark County.
CCRA was established in 1981, dedicated to educating and assisting housing providers across Southwest Washington. Providing strong representation and advocacy served as one of CCRA’s other great strengths, with members of the association driving all the way up to Olympia to advocate on behalf of themselves and their fellow housing providers. Throughout its 44-year history, CCRA’s leadership developed strong relationships with lawmakers at both the state and local level, allowing them to share the perspectives of their membership and keep the Clark County area as one of the least restrictive regions in the state. Bringing together the forces of CCRA and RHAWA will strengthen these relationships, amplifying the voices of Clark County housing providers. The decision to merge with RHAWA is indicative of CCRA’s commitment to offering its membership the highest level of resources and services, as has been the case since its creation.
RHAWA has existed under various names since 1935, starting out as a Seattle-based association that grew into a regional resource throughout the Puget Sound area. In the early 2000s, RHAWA merged with another regional organization, and in 2012, it took aim at becoming a statewide organization. In 2020, RHAWA launched a Manufactured Housing Communities membership. Most recently in 2024, RHAWA merged with the Inland Landlord Association (LLA), which deepened our connection to Spokane and Spokane Valley. RHAWA’s continued growth enhances our position as the largest rental housing association in Washington State. Over the last 90 years, RHAWA has evolved into the most valuable resource for independent rental property owners and managers and manufactured housing community owners by providing industry-leading benefits, including leases and forms, a Support Center featuring best practice articles, educational courses and events, advocacy, and more. The association promotes safe and affordable housing by modeling the highest standards of ethics and integrity. RHAWA’s advocacy efforts aim to ensure the relationship between housing providers and residents is equitable, defend property rights, and encourage safe housing practices and policies.
UNITING VOICES ACROSS THE STATE
As the political landscape continues to shift with new local and statewide regulations impacting housing providers and residents, it is critical to unite the rental housing industry and strengthen our influence on state and local policies. RHAWA will continue to ensure that rental housing providers are well-equipped to navigate the complexities of the market and advocate for fair policies that benefit both providers and their residents. RHAWA tirelessly advocates on our members' behalf by:
• Acting as a Trusted Resource for Policymakers: RHAWA has been the primary resource for policymakers and cultivates relationships with state and local lawmakers. These connections allow policymakers to seek our trusted advice to foster fair solutions to industry problems without placing undue burden upon housing providers. We have a team of policy analysts, lobbyists, communications specialists, and lawyers defending members’ interests.
• Supporting Candidates that Support the Industry: RHA Political Action Committee (PAC) works to elect candidates who recognize rental housing as a valuable asset to communities, share a strong commitment to allowing rental housing to function as a market-based industry, and are willing to work with the rental housing industry toward the common goal of providing safe and healthy housing.
• Protecting the Industry through our Legal Defense Fund: Too often, regulations and burdens placed upon independent housing providers have unintended consequences, which harm rental housing providers and renters alike. RHAWA’s Legal Defense Fund has acted as the last line of defense to defend property rights for nearly 90 years. Today, we are in an era of high litigation, and RHAWA continues the tradition of initiating, defending, intervening in, and forestalling litigation where the legal issues are of substantial significance to the rental housing industry. The RHAWA Legal Defense Fund helps fortify the rental housing industry; it is there to protect our membership when a significant legal issue threatens the rental housing industry.
THE FUTURE OF RHAWA IS BRIGHT & YOUR MEMBERSHIP GRANTS YOU EXCLUSIVE ACCESS TO THE FOLLOWING BENEFITS
• Attorney-Reviewed Leases & Forms: RHAWA members gain unlimited access to an extensive library of online leases and forms that are tailored specifically to state and city laws unique to Washington. They are updated and reviewed as laws change by an experienced landlord-tenant attorney.
• Education: RHAWA believes strongly that education is a key component to owning and managing rental housing, maximizing the return on your investment, and being a community partner, which is why 14+ hours of FREE education are included with each annual membership. The Rental Housing Academy (RHA) education program is designed to provide independent housing providers, MHC owners, and others in the residential housing industry with a foundation of knowledge and skills to help them meet legal responsibilities and succeed in the business. Classes are offered ONLINE and ONDEMAND.
• Industry Events: RHAWA provides a variety of must-attend events throughout the year, including a Spring Workshop & Tradeshow, the ENGAGE – Fall Expo & Annual Business Meeting, and the Holiday Gala. LINK Meetings are informal monthly meetups held throughout Washington.
• Support Center & Community Forum: RHAWA’s Support Center provides instant self-help articles for most questions anytime. Article content is reviewed and updated by industry experts, including RHAWA staff, attorneys, and property management professionals. Members also gain access to our Community Forum, which taps into the collective knowledge of our membership.
• Advocacy at the Local & State Level: RHAWA diligently tracks the ever-changing landscape of rental housing regulation in various jurisdictions across Washington State. We actively craft or amend bill language and lead coalitions to combat onerous policies.
• Grassroots Mobilization: RHAWA mobilizes members into action, inundating the Capitol or city council with messages when necessary, or sharing members’ experiences with the media.
This merger is the result of extensive collaboration between RHAWA leadership and CCRA leadership. A special thank you goes out to the CCRA Board, CCRA Merger Task Force, Deputy Director Melissa Canfield, and Engagement Coordinator Daniel Bannon. This combination would not have been possible but for their passion and commitment to building a single, stronger, unified association. The staff and Board of Directors of RHAWA look forward to serving the housing providers of Clark County. RHAWA will continue to grow its membership across the State of Washington. From Bellingham to Vancouver, Seattle to Spokane, RHAWA is the trusted source for all the needs an independent housing provider may have.