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Washington’s common interest community framework is undergoing its most significant shift in decades. Recent legislative changes to Washington’s Uniform Common Interest Ownership Act (WUCIOA) will unify all associations under a single statute by 2028, fundamentally reshaping governance and compliance obligations. For developers, the expansion of the express insured warranty option offers a new pathway to…

In June 2026, Congress, in a bi-partisan action, passed the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act (the “Act”) which is widely viewed as the most significant federal housing legislation in decades. While President Trump did not sign the Act into law, neither did he timely veto the Act and so, as of July 11, 2026…

As development activity continues to grow, developers increasingly face environmental obligations related to impacts on wetlands, waterways, protected species, and habitat. Conservation and mitigation banks provide a market-based mechanism for satisfying those obligations by purchasing environmental credits.

These banking systems can help manage permitting risk, project timelines, and long-term compliance responsibilities. They also present unique…

[3/20/26 Update]  Since this alert was published, a federal district court in Texas struck down FinCEN’s Residential Real Estate Rule discussed below. We will continue to monitor developments, including any appeal or further guidance, and update this alert as appropriate.

The U.S. Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) has implemented a nationwide reporting…

Effective January 1, 2026, Washington’s newly enacted RCW 61.40.010 (the “Solicited Real Property Act”) introduces a suite of statutory protections for property owners in transactions initiated through direct solicitation. While many prospective purchasers will be impacted, this provision will have meaningful implications for real estate purchasers who rely on off‑market acquisition strategies. On its face…

After a year of policy review, the City of Tacoma has amended its ordinances to provide some landlords of affordable housing with significant relief from a number of onerous burdens imposed on landlords by the City’s “Landlord Fairness Code Initiative” (For the sake of clarity, we will refer to it as the Tenant Protection Code…

Oregon’s real estate professionals are on the cusp of a sweeping regulatory overhaul. House Bill 3137, signed into law in June 2025 and taking effect January 1, 2026, introduces significant new responsibilities for brokers, tighter oversight of teams, and expanded education requirements—all aimed at enhancing accountability across the industry.

With final rules now in place…

Oregon’s new Building Performance Standards (BPS) are now in effect, setting phased energy targets for commercial and institutional buildings.

Although the first compliance deadline is not until 2028, building owners should prepare now, as the Oregon Department of Energy (DOE) has just finalized its rules regarding the incentive program for early compliance. A competitive incentive…

Before leasing land, it is important for developers to understand the benefits of using a lease-option structure instead of jumping straight into a leasehold. By deliberately separating and sequencing the grant of rights from a landowner to a developer, parties can better manage potential reporting obligations under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) and…