Farah EltohamyInvestigative Reporter

Fishing companies say long waits between seasons can be common, but labor experts say offshore foreign workers are “uniquely unprotected” under U.S. policies.

Residents of parks owned by Port Orchard-based Hurst & Son have reported smelly tap water, E. coli outbreaks and raw sewage exposure to state agencies.

Officials plan to reintroduce mobile home and renter rights bills involving rent stabilization, tax breaks and civil penalties against landlords.

As manufactured home communities in Washington become less affordable, residents have increasingly organized to galvanize support and push policy.

After residents filed complaints, a state investigation alleges Port Orchard-based management company Hurst & Son violated tenant protection laws.

Port Orchard-based Hurst & Son LLC bought dozens of parks in recent years. Now residents say the company is raising rents and cutting services.

Washington could be the second state to impose permanent safety regulations, but employers and workplace advocates disagree on the proposal.

Business owners and advocates have voiced concerns about who would bear responsibility for monitoring safety conditions.

Propietarios de empresas y defensores de los trabajadores han expresado sus preocupaciones por quién será responsable de monitorear las condiciones de seguridad.