SPOKANE, Wash. – The Spokane City Council is considering a new ordinance that would ban the use of artificial intelligence algorithm-based programs used for rental management.

One popular algorithmic rent-fixing tool used by realtor companies is RealPage, which uses AI to approve or deny tenant applications, manage utilities and set rent prices as determined by an algorithm.

The focus of the ordinance is to limit the influence of technology companies over the rental market.

Councilmember Zack Zappone told NonStop Local that the council is aware there’s a housing crisis in Spokane, and is therefore “looking into different strategies that we could do to address that.”

Zappone also said there is not much evidence that many Spokane-based companies even use algorithmic rent-fixing programs.

See Full Page