WE ARE RECORDING.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, THIS IS THE
REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF
THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RENTERS'
RIGHTS COMMUNITY, THE TIME IS
TO: 05 P.M., I AM COUNCILMEMBER
KSHAMA SAWANT,.
WITH THE CLERK, PLEASE CALL
ROLL.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ. .
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> PRESENT.
>> CONSUMABLE PEDERSEN.
>> PRESENT.
THREE PRESENTS.
>> AS I SHARED WITH SOME OF YOU
EARLIER, COUNCILMEMBER MORALES
WILL BE JOINING US IN A FEW
MOMENTS, AND COUNCILMEMBER
MORRIS IS EXCUSED FROM TODAY'S
MEETING.
TODAY, THE SUSTAINABILITY AND
RENTERS' COMMITTEE WILL ENGAGE
ON TWO KEY PIECES THAT COMBINED,
INTRODUCED BY MY OFFICE AND
APPROVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL
MAJORITY WOULD PROVIDE BASIC
RIGHTS AND SECURITY TO TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF RENTERS IN OUR
CITY WHO ARE STRUGGLING UNDER
THE DUAL IMPACT OF THE COVID-19
PANDEMIC AND THE RECESSION.
THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE PAID
CLOSE ATTENTION WILL HAVE
NOTICED THE BILLS HAVE NOT
INTRODUCED FORMALLY, TODAY'S
DISCUSSION WILL BE AN IMPORTANT
DISCUSSION, WE HAVE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS, RENTERS, OTHER
RENTERS' RIGHTS EXPERTS AND OUR
STAFF HERE TO HELP US WITH THE
DISCUSSION.
THE FACT IS, CORPORATE
LANDLORDS ARE GOING TO BE
FIERCELY OPPOSED TO BOTH BUILD,
WE KNOW CORPORATE LANDLORDS ARE
, AS WE SPEAK, EXERTING A LOTS
OF PRESSURE ON THE GOVERNOR AND
THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO WATER
DOWN OR EVEN COMPLETELY
REPEALED THE EXISTING
MORATORIUMS, RENTERS WHO ARE
WATCHING THIS AND ALSO OTHERS
WHO WANT TO BE PART OF A SOCIAL
JUSTICE MOVEMENT FOR RENTERS
AMONG OUR SMALL BUSINESSES AND
LANDLORDS SHOULD NOTE, IF WE
WANT TO WIN THESE BILLS AS LAW
IN SEATTLE, IT WILL REQUIRE US
TO BUILD A FIGHTING MOVEMENT TO
MAKE SURE WE BEHOLD THE ENTIRE
CITY COUNCIL TO HELP PEOPLE WHO
ARE STRUGGLING, NOT CORPORATE
LANDLORDS.
FIRST WE WILL HEAR FROM TENANTS
AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS ON THE
EXTENDING THE EVICTION
MORATORIUM AT LEAST TO THE END
OF THE YEAR, IF IT FAILS TO DO
SO, WE KNOW THE RESULTS WILL BE
CATASTROPHIC, WE ARE GOING TO
GO TO SOME OF THE SISTERS
STICKS IN A PRESENTATION.
FOR TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
SEATTLE RENTERS AND FOR
EVERYONE IN SEATTLE WHO WILL BE
IMPACTED BY THE SOCIAL AND
ECONOMIC CRISIS THAT WILL
FOLLOW THIS TSUNAMI OF
EVICTIONS, ALSO THE WORD TSUNAMI
WAS NOT USED FIRST BY
SOCIALISTS LIKE MYSELF, IT WAS
USED IN CORPORATE MEDIA.
THE CURRENT EVICTION MORATORIUM
IN THE CITY HAS BEEN EXTENDED
THREE MONTHS AT A TIME, MEANING
RENTERS ARE AT RISK OF EVICTION,
WHICH IS NOW MANY RENTERS.
NEVER HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO
CATCH THEIR BREATH AND FOCUS ON
GETTING BACK ON TRACK, BECAUSE
THE THREAT OF AN IMPENDING
EVICTION IS ALWAYS AROUND THE
CORNER.
IT IS EXTREMELY STRESSFUL AS
ANYBODY WHO HAS RENTED WILL NO.
IN ADDITION TO ALL THE OTHER
STRESS AND LIFE CHAOS THAT
PEOPLE ARE FACING BECAUSE OF
THE COMPOUNDED CRISES AROUND
THEM.
SECOND, WE WILL DISCUSS DRAFT
LEGISLATION GUARANTEEING THE
RIGHT TO COUNSEL FOR ALL
RENTERS FACING EVICTION, I
WOULD LIKE TO THANK COUNCIL
STAFF MEMBER ASHA VENKATARAMAN
AND EDMUND WITTER FOR YOUR HELP
ON THAT LEGISLATION.
DATA DISCUSSION, RENTERS'
RIGHTS LEGAL EXPERTS WILL TALK
ABOUT THE IMPACT OF HAVING
LEGAL REPRESENTATION.
FINALLY, WE WILL HAVE FIVE
APPOINTMENTS TO THE RENTERS'
COMMISSION.
IN THE COMING YEAR, WE COULD
SEE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF
EVICTIONS DISPROPORTIONATELY IN
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR, CLOGGING
SHELTERS AND STREETS OF TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, AS THE
TEST STATISTICS SHOW US,
OMINOUSLY, THIS IS FAR FROM
HYPERBOLE, THIS IS AN ACTUAL
PROSPECT UNLESS REAL POLICIES
ARE UNDERTAKEN, AND NOT JUST AT
THE CITY LEVEL, BUT ALSO AT
STATE AND FEDERAL.
IT WOULD BE A CATASTROPHE ON A
SCALE WE HAVEN'T SEEN SINCE THE
1930s.
ON TOP OF THE BRUTAL ECONOMIC
COST SEATTLE WOULD BE FORCED TO
BEAR, PAYING FOR MORE SHELTERS,
EMERGENCY HOUSING AND FOOD,
SAFETY CRISES AND SO ON.
WE KNOW THESE ARE ALREADY
MASSIVELY OVERSTRETCHED.
IN DECEMBER, MORE THAN 2000
COMMUNITY MEMBERS SIGNED A
PETITION TO THE MAYOR WHICH WAS
DEMANDING A FULL YEAR EXTENSION
OF OUR EMERGENCY ORDER
DECLARING AN EVICTION
MORATORIUM.
THEY SUCCEEDED IN GETTING THE
MAYOR TO EXTEND PROTECTIONS,
SHE ONLY DID SO FOR THREE
MONTHS TO MARCH, WE KNOW THE
KIND OF ANXIETY IT HAS
GENERATED.
WE WILL HAVE MORE OF THIS
DISCUSSION AS WE GO FORWARD
TODAY.
BEFORE WE BEGIN THOSE ITEMS, WE
HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT AND BEFORE
WE START PUBLIC COMMENT, I
WANTED TO ACKNOWLEDGE, FOR THE
RECORD, WE HAVE COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES HERE.
THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
I BELIEVE I HAVE THE NAMES HERE,
I WOULD START WITH THE FIRST
PERSON WHO IS SIGNED UP AND
PRESENT, IT IS IRENE.
EACH OF YOU WITH HALF TWO
MINUTES, I AM SURE MANY OF YOU
HAVE HEARD THESE INSTRUCTIONS
BEFORE.
IF YOU ALREADY.
>> HELLO, THANK YOU,
COUNCILWOMAN SAWANT, I WISH TO
SPEAK TO COUNSEL ABOUT THE
EXTENSION OF THE EVICTION
MORATORIUM IN SEATTLE.
I WANT TO THANK THE PEOPLE FOR
THEIR STEWARDSHIP IN THE LANDS
WHERE WE NOW LIVE, THANK YOU,
COUNSEL, FOR FIGURING OUT THE
MORATORIUM TO HELP AVOID
HOMELESSNESS.
I AM OBLIGED TO BE HERE TO ASK
YOU TO CRAFT BETTER POLICIES
THAN THE CURRENT MORATORIUM WE
HAVE.
NOT UNLIKE MANY URBAN
RESIDENTS, MY FAMILY LIVES IN
SHARED HOUSING, WE HAVE
ROOMMATES.
AS IT HAPPENS I AM THE
LEASEHOLDER.
SO, I AM A TENANT AS WELL AS A
LANDLORD.
AS A RESULT OF THE MORATORIUM,
I AM NOW INDEFINITELY
RESPONSIBLE FOR HOUSING MY
ROOMMATES.
SOME HAVE NOT BEEN PAYING RENT.
IT IS HARD FOR ME TO SPEAK IN
THE TIME ALLOTTED TO EXPLAIN
THE DIFFICULTY OF BEING IN THIS
SITUATION, I HAVE WRITTEN TO
COUNSEL SEVERAL TIMES ABOUT
THIS ISSUE AS THE MORATORIUM
HAS BEEN EXTENDED, WE HAVE USED
THE 211 LINE, EACH OF US,
INDIVIDUALLY, TO TRY TO GET
HELP WITH OUR RENT, I HAVE
CALLED THE LEGAL CLINICS TO GET
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MY
RESPONSIBILITIES AND THE
RESTRICTIONS I AM PUT UNDER
UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES.
IT USED TO BE THAT PARAGRAPH
NINE OF THE LANDLORD-TENANT LAW
ALLOWED US TO CHANGE OUR
ROOMMATES, BUT AS IT IS NOW, WE
ARE ALL GOING TO HAVE TO MOVE
OUT AND THE COST CAN BE HIGH.
I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE END OF
MY TIME.
>> YOU STILL HAVE A FEW SECONDS
LEFT.
>> [ LAUGHTER ] I'VE GOT TO
PARAGRAPHS LEFT TO READ.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU, AND I
UNDERSTAND THE SCALE OF THE
CRISES IS FAR MORE THAN CAN BE
CAPTURED IN TWO MINUTES, BUT WE
APPRECIATE YOUR TESTIMONY.
NEXT WE HAVE JACOB.
>> MY NAME IS JACOB, I'M
SPEAKING TODAY ON BEHALF OF THE
WORKERS' UNION WHICH IS AN
INDEPENDENT UNION THAT
REPRESENTS THE WORKERS.
WE STAND FULLY BEHIND THE
LEGISLATION PUT FORWARD TO
EXTEND THE EVICTION MORATORIUM
DECEMBER 21st.
MANY OF US WERE LAID OFF FROM
WORK IN MARCH, AND HAVE HAD
VARIOUS DEGREES OF SUCCESS.
WE KNOW WE ARE NOT ALONE, AND
WITH THOUSANDS OF OUR NEIGHBORS
UNDER WORK, UNEMPLOYED, AND
FACING INSECURITY, A MORATORIUM
IS THE BEST POSSIBLE STOPGAP
MEASURE TO ENSURE TENS OF
THOUSANDS DO NOT LOSE THEIR
HOMES.
EVICTIONS ARE CRUEL AND INHUMANE
AND DURING A GLOBAL PANDEMIC IN
AN UNPRECEDENTED HOUSING CRISIS
IS EVEN MORE UNCONSCIONABLE.
PLEASE STAND WITH TENANTS AND
WORKERS TO MAKE I YIELD MY
TIME.
>> THANK YOU, JACOB . NEXT, WE
HAVE, I DON'T SEE HER PRESENT.
IF SHE ARRIVES, WE WILL ADD HER
TO THE LIST.
FOR NOW, WE HAVE LAURA.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE, MY
NAME IS LAURA, I AM A RESIDENT
AND COMMUNITY LEADER, I WOULD
ALSO LIKE TO ADDRESS THE
EXTENSION OF THE EVICTION
MORATORIUM.
AS A LEADER OF A NONPROFIT AND
COMMUNITY PARTNER, WE, ALONG
WITH OUR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS,
ARE GETTING DAILY REQUESTS FOR
RENT AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE.
WE HAVE SEVERAL STUDENTS THAT
WE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE DIRECTLY
WITH YOU TODAY, BUT THEY WERE
UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE.
ONE STUDENT IS A PRIMARY
CARETAKER FOR HER INFANT
COUSIN, I THINK THIS HIGHLIGHTS
THE BURDEN OF THE MANY ROLES
THAT STUDENTS ARE NOW BEING
FORCED TO MANAGE AND NAVIGATE
DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.
OUR STUDENTS, ALONG WITH ONLINE
STUDENTS, HAVE BECOME PRIMARY
CARETAKERS.
THEIR HAVING TO SUPPORT THEIR
FAMILY'S BASIC NEEDS AND ARE
EXTREMELY WORRIED ABOUT THEIR
FAMILIES BECOMING EVICTED FROM
THEIR HOMES.
I'M NOT GOING TO DIRECTLY READ
A TESTIMONY FROM A FRESHMAN
STUDENT . LIVING IN THE SOUTH
SEATTLE AREA, KNOWN AS THE
SOUTH AND, MOST OF US, MY
ENTIRE LIFE, I'VE GROWN UP IN A
DIVERSE BASE.
EVICTION ISN'T AN UNCOMMON
THING TO MOST FAMILIES HERE,
THE SOUTH AND IS A LOW INCOME
AREA.
NOW, PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING EVEN
MORE TO BRING ANY FORM OF MONEY
HOME, AND THE MORATORIUM CAN
HELP THESE FAMILIES FROM NOT
ONLY LOSING THEIR HOMES, BUT
POTENTIALLY EVERYTHING THEY
HAVE.
IF I AM BEING HONEST, I THINK
WE ALREADY HAVE.
WE ARE COMING UP ON A WHOLE
YEAR OF THE MORATORIUM BEING IN
PLACE, I PERSONALLY THINK
WITHOUT IT, SEATTLE'S ALMOST
PROBLEM WOULD HAVE ONLY GOT
BIGGER.
SO MANY OF MY FRIENDS' FAMILIES
ARE BEHIND ON RENT AND ARE
WORRIED ABOUT WHAT IS GOING TO
HAPPEN WHEN THEY CAN'T PAY BACK
WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN TO US
WHEN WE CAN'T PAY?
WE CAN'T FORGET ABOUT OUR SMALL
BUSINESSES EITHER.
WHETHER YOU ARE A NATIVE OR
NEWCOMER, YOU KNOW THAT OUR
AREA IS DIVERSE, IF WE WERE TO
EVICT OUR LOCAL HOMES AND
BUSINESSES, WE WOULDN'T HAVE
THE CULTURE WE KNOW AND LOVE.
I GREW UP EATING AND
CELEBRATING ALL THINGS, IF THEY
LOSE DOWN BECAUSE THEY ARE
EVICTED, WHERE WILL SHOW MY
FRIENDS MY CULTURE AND FAVORITE
FOOD?
I'M BEGGING YOU TO EXTEND THE
MORATORIUM TO THE END-OF-THE-
YEAR.
I MIGHT ONLY BE A FRESHMAN IN
HIGH SCHOOL, BUT I AM ALREADY
LOSING THE PLACE AND COMMUNITY
I LOVE AND CALL HOME DUE TO
GENTRIFICATION.
PLEASE DON'T LET ME LOSE MORE
BECAUSE OF EVICTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, WE WILL HAVE LOU
SPEAK NEXT.
ARE YOU THERE?
WE CAN'T, WE CAN'T HEAR YOU,
DID YOU PRESS START SIX?
>> OKAY, CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> YES.
>> OKAY, GREETINGS TO ALL IN
THE MEETING ALL MY GOOD
FRIENDS.
[ LAUGHTER ] I AM VERY HAPPY TO
BE HERE TODAY, I AM A MORAL
SUPPORTER OF ALL OF THOSE THAT
ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING
EVICTED OR GOING THROUGH,
TRYING TO GO THROUGH EVICTION,
I SYMPATHIZE WITH YOU, BECAUSE
ABOUT A YEAR AGO, WE WERE IN
THAT SAME POSITION.
WHAT WE DID WAS WE ALL GOT
TOGETHER AND WE ORGANIZED AND
WE WEREN'T ALLOWED TO TALK TO
THE BOARD, WE NEVER DID GIVE
UP, WE GOT PETITIONS GOING, GOT
JUST ABOUT EVERYBODY TO SIGN
AND THEY FROZE OUR RENT FOR A
YEAR, THANK GOD, THIS YEAR,
COMING UP, OUR RENT DID NOT GET
AN INCREASE.
I ENCOURAGE YOU ALL TO JUST
KEEP ON DOING THE NECESSARY
THINGS YOU NEED FOR CONVICTION
AND I AM PRAYING FOR YOU AND
JONATHAN BROUGHT ME A PETITION
AND I THINK I GAVE 14 AND I
ADDED TWO MORE, 16 PEOPLE THAT
SIGNED TO UNITE WITH YOU TO,
BECAUSE I BELIEVE MORE PEOPLE
THAT SIGN, YOU HAVE A BETTER
CHANCE TO BE HEARD, SO, I
ENCOURAGE YOU NOT TO GIVE UP,
JUST DO THE NECESSARY THINGS
THAT NEED TO BE DONE, DON'T
LOSE HOPE, THERE IS STRENGTH IN
NUMBERS, AND I WAS A CARETAKER
FOR 26 YEARS, I KNOW, MYSELF,
IT IS NOT EASY, TRYING TO MOVE
SOMEONE, ALL THE ELDERLY PEOPLE
, IT IS NOT GOOD TO MOVE THEM.
JUST CONTINUE AND WE WILL KEEP
ON WRITING, I WILL CONTINUE TO
SUPPORT YOU, TOGETHER, WE CAN
WIN THIS, OKAY?
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
WISE WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND
SPECIFICALLY OF THE VALUE OF
RENTERS.
THE EXAMPLE OF THE BRIGHTON
APARTMENTS THAT LOUDELLA WAS
TALKING ABOUT, IS QUITE
INSPIRING.
HOPEFULLY WE WILL BE ABLE TO
SHARE MORE . NEXT WE HAVE SONJA.
>> HI, I AM A WORKING MOM OF
TWO, I HAVE BEEN A PREVIOUS
SMALL BUSINESS OWNER, A
LANDLORD, A RENTER, A TECH
QUARTER, I STRONGLY SUPPORT
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT AND THE
MOVEMENT FOR A FORECLOSURE
MORATORIUM, IN ADDITION TO AN
EVICTION MORATORIUM.
TO PROTECT ALL WORKING PEOPLE,
HOMEOWNERS, PANDEMIC IS CAUSING
ADDITIONAL PAIN AND SUFFERING
THAT COULD BE AVOIDED WITH
STRONG ACTION BY OUR GOVERNMENT
OFFICIALS.
SADLY, THAT HASN'T HAPPENED,
NOW WE SEE THOSE PROMISED $2000
CHECKS REDUCED TO 1400, MAYBE
LESS, SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE,
WE CAN'T WAIT FOR THAT, WE NEED
TO TAKE ACTION OURSELVES.
I AM CALLING ON THE COUNCIL TO
TAKE ACTION NOW BYPASSING
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
LEGISLATION TO EXTEND THE
MORATORIUM FOR AT LEAST THE END
OF 2021.
WE'RE LOOKING AT TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF EVICTIONS,
ESPECIALLY IN COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR.
THIS WILL LIKELY OVERWHELM THE
SHELTERS AND STREETS, PEOPLE
LOSE THEIR HOMES, I REALLY
SUPPORT THE DEMAND TO CANCEL
RENT AND MORTGAGES TO ENSURE
THE ECONOMIC CRISIS DOESN'T
LEAD TO MASSIVE DEBT AND
EVICTIONS FOR SEATTLE RENTERS.
WALL STREET, REAL ESTATE,
CORPORATIONS, THEY SHOULD TAKE
THE BURDEN OF THE CRISIS, NOT
THE RENTERS, THE SMALL
LANDLORDS, STRUGGLING SMALL
BUSINESSES.
WE CANNOT RELY ON BIG BUSINESS
TO DO ANYTHING BUT HELP
THEMSELVES, IT REALLY DOES NOT
TRICKLE DOWN.
WE MUST ORGANIZE OURSELVES.
URGE STRUGGLING SMALL
LANDLORDS TO JOIN OUR MOVEMENT,
BECAUSE WE HAVE MADE MORE POWER
TOGETHER THAN ALONE.
PLEASE CONTACT TO GET INVOLVED.
THANK YOU.
>> I WILL ECHO YOUR CALL FOR
SMALL LANDLORDS TO CONTACT OUR
OFFICE AND GET ORGANIZED
ALONGSIDE
>> NEXT WE HAVE ESTHER.
>> HI, MY NAME IS ESTHER AND I
AM TALKING ABOUT EXTENDING THE
EVICTION MORATORIUM UNTIL AT
LEAST THE END OF THIS YEAR.
I HAVE MOVED FIVE TIMES IN THE
PAST 35 YEARS, ALL CAUSED BY
GENTRIFICATION.
I WAS IN A SPOT ABOUT WHITE
PEOPLE NOW SOUGHT IS VALUABLE,
THEY MOVED RIGHT PEOPLE INTO MY
DOMICILE, AND THEY HAD NO
CONSIDERATION FOR WHERE I WOULD
LAND NEXT.
I COULDN'T LAND IN MY
NEIGHBORHOOD BECAUSE THE PRICE
OF A DOMICILE WAS RAISED TOO
HIGH, I MOVED FARTHER SOUTH
EVERY TIME, I WONDER WHAT I
WILL HAVE TO DO WITH RENT GOES
UP NOW.
I DON'T HAVE ANY SEATTLE
ALTERNATIVES LEFT.
NOW SOME LANDLORDS WANT TO
DISPLACE SOME TENANTS BECAUSE
THOSE TENANTS CAN'T PAY RENT
DUE TO COVID-19.
THERE IS NOWHERE FOR THEM TO GO
, THERE IS NOWHERE FOR THEM TO
RELOCATE.
THERE IS NOWHERE WHERE RENT OR
MORTGAGES ARE THE SAME OR
LOWER.
IF THEY HAVE CHILDREN, THERE IS
NO WAY TO GET SCHOOL IN A NEW
LOCATION WITHOUT BRINGING ABOUT
SOME TERRIBLE DISRUPTION.
A LOT OF MY NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN
SHUT OUT OF WORK BECAUSE OF
COVID-19.
THIS ECONOMIC CRISIS IS WITH US
UNTIL WHO KNOWS WHEN, WE WON'T
BE ABLE TO START PAYING BACK
LOANS, CREDIT CARDS, ETC.
IMMEDIATELY, SO WE NEED TO AT
LEAST AN EXTENSION UNTIL THE
HEALTH CRISIS IS OVER.
WE NEED TO STAY IN THE SAME
PLACE UNTIL THE COVID-19 CRISIS
IS OVER.
THANKS FOR LISTENING.
>> THANK YOU, AND WE NOTED
ESTHER WILL ALSO BE JOINING US
IN THE PANEL WE ARE LOOKING
FORWARD TO HEARING FROM HER AND
OTHER PANELISTS.
NEXT WE HAVE RENEE MARK
>> MY NAME IS RENEE, AND I WANT
TO PROTECT RENTERS FROM MASSIVE
ACTION, ALTHOUGH I UNDERSTAND
PROPERTY OWNERS NEEDED THEIR
MONEY, THERE IS CURRENTLY A
SHORTAGE.
THE MORE THE MERRIER,
THEREFORE, EMPLOY THE COUNCIL
TO POSTPONING, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT WE HAVE
KATIE.
>> MY NAME IS KATIE, THANK YOU,
WE NEEDED TO EXTEND THE
MORATORIUM UNTIL AT LEAST
NOVEMBER, 2021 TO KEEP PEOPLE
HOUSED.
I YIELD MY TIME.
>> WE HAVE TWO SPEAKERS WHO ARE
LISTED AS NOT PRESENT, WE HAVE
MATT AND ROB, I DON'T SEE THEM
AS PRESENTS.
SO, GIVEN THAT, UNFORTUNATELY,
WE WILL HAVE TO MOVE ON, BUT
MATT AND ROB, IF YOU ARE
LISTENING, PLEASE SEND US YOUR
TESTIMONY IN WRITING AND WE
WILL DEFINITELY SHARE IT WITH
THE REST OF THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS.
OUR FIRST AGENDA, I CLOSE
PUBLIC COMMENTS NOW, OUR FIRST
AGENDA ITEM IS, AS I MENTIONED
BEFORE, A DISCUSSION ON
EXTENDING THE EVICTION
MORATORIUM.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE WE HAVE
SEVERAL PRESENTERS, I WILL READ
EACH OF YOUR NAMES, PRESENTERS,
WHEN I READ YOUR NAME, RIGHT
AFTER THAT, PLEASE COME ON THE
MICROPHONE AND MAKE A BRIEF
INTRODUCTION OF YOURSELF FOR
THE RECORD WITH A SENTENCE OR
TWO.
FIRST WE HAVE ARIANNA LAUREANO.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS ARIANNA
LAUREANO, I AM A RENTER IN
SEATTLE AND AN ACTIVIST.
I WORK AT A MEDICAL DISPENSARY.
HAPPY TO BE HERE, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, NEXT WE HAVE
ESTHER LITTLE DOVE JOHN.
ESTHER, ARE YOU THERE?
WE WILL COME BACK TO ESTHER, WE
HAVE MAYA GARFINKEL.
>> I AM MAYA GARFINKEL, I AM
THE ORGANIZER DIRECTOR AT THE
SEATTLE, I'M REALLY HERE TO
TALK ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT
EXTENDING THE MORATORIUM IS.
>> LYDIA RUBENSTEIN.
>> I AM LYDIA RUBENSTEIN, I AM
THE HOUSING ORGANIZER FOR THE
TENANTS UNIT IN KING COUNTY AND
I'M EXCITED TO BE HERE TODAY.
>> THANK YOU, AND SORRY FOR
MISPRONOUNCING YOUR LAST NAME.
WE HAVE EDMUND WITTER.
>> I AM THE SENIOR MANAGING
DIRECTOR AND I ALSO RUN HOUSING
JUSTICE.
>> THANK YOU.
JONATHAN ROSENBLUM.
>> JONATHAN ROSENBLUM, TRINITY
ORGANIZER AND IN COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S .
>> THANKS FOR ALL THE
INTRODUCTIONS, FIRST WE HAVE
JONATHAN ROSENBLUM WHO WILL RUN
US THROUGH A POWERPOINT THAT
WILL HAVE SOME REALLY CRUCIAL
STATISTICS THAT FRAME THE
DISCUSSION.
JONATHAN, GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH, I AM
GOING TO SHARE SCREEN AND BEGIN
THIS POWERPOINT.
CAN YOU CONFIRM WE HAVE THE
FIRST SLIDE UP?
IS THAT VISIBLE?
GREAT.
SO, THIS IS A BRIEF
PRESENTATION LAYING SOME OF THE
FACTUAL FOUNDATION ON WHY THE
CITY COUNCIL HAS TO EXTEND THE
EVICTION MORATORIUM AND
ESTABLISH TENANT RIGHTS COUNSEL.
2020 WAS REALLY TRAGIC FOR MANY
OF US, BUT REALLY, IF YOU LOOK
AT THE TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS, IF
YOU WERE AT ONE OF THE LARGEST
COMPANIES IN THE UNITED STATES,
CHANCES ARE YOU MADE A PROFIT
AND DID VERY WELL, EVERYBODY
HAS HEARD THE STOCK MARKET IS
AT RECORD HIGH, CEO PROFITS ARE
WAY UP, BUT FOR THE VAST
MAJORITY OF US, UNEMPLOYED,
PRECARIOUSLY EMPLOYED, AND
FINANCIALLY ON THE EDGE, THESE
ARE TWO FROM THE SAME
NEWSPAPER, SHOWING THE TWO
DIFFERENT WORLDS WE INHABITED
THIS PAST YEAR.
U.S. BILLING SAW THEIR NET
WORTH RISE BY ALMOST $1
TRILLION BETWEEN MARCH AND
OCTOBER ALONE, JUST BASES OF
AMAZON, RICHEST MAN IN THE WORLD
, WE SAW AMAZON MAKING RECORD
SHATTERING PROFITS AND JUST THE
SIX MONTHS BETWEEN THE START OF
THE PANDEMIC AND SEPTEMBER, 11
1/2 BILLION DOLLARS IN PROFITS
TO THAT COMPANY WHILE THOUSANDS
OF WORKERS STRUGGLED IN THE
WAREHOUSES AND OTHER WORKPLACES
, MANY GOT COVID-19 AND A
NUMBER OF THEM DIED.
YET, THE NET WORTH OF THE CEO
OF AMAZON WENT UP TO 191
MILLION BY THE END OF THIS
YEAR, UP 66% IN JUST THE LAST
10 MONTHS OF THE YEAR.
AMAZON WASN'T THE ONLY COMPANY
IN SEATTLE THAT WAS MAKING LOTS
OF MONEY.
STARBUCKS PROFITS WERE WAY UP,
STOCK PRICES ARE MUCH HIGHER
THAN THEY WERE BEFORE COVID-19
AND THE CEO OF STARBUCKS
RECENTLY TOLD BUSINESS MEDIA, I
COULD NOT BE MORE PLEASED WITH
OUR U.S. SALES RECOVERY.
THE PICTURE IS VERY DIFFERENT
IF YOU ARE A RESTOCK.
AT FIVE, SAW A HUGE GROWTH IN
SOFTWARE REVENUE DURING THE
PANDEMIC, $300 MILLION IN
PROFITS LAST YEAR, THEY JUST
BOUGHT ANOTHER SOFTWARE START
UP FOR $440 MILLIONIN CASH,
THEY HAVE A LOT OF MONEY ON
HAND.
CORPORATE LANDLORDS ARE ALSO
DOING VERY WELL.
CORPORATE LANDLORDS TODAY
CONSTITUTE A MAJORITY, ABOUT
53% OF THE HOUSING RENTAL MARKET
IN THE UNITED STATES.
WE HAVE SELECTED A COUPLE AS
EXAMPLES, EQUITY APARTMENTS,
WHICH IS A VERY BIG CORPORATE
LANDLORDS WITH 9400 APARTMENTS
IN THE SEATTLE AREA, REGISTERED
$700 MILLION IN PROFITS IN JUST
THE FIRST NINE MONTHS OF THIS
YEAR.
ANOTHER BIG COMPANY, ETHICS
HOPPITY MANAGEMENT, WHICH ALSO
IS VERY BIG IN SEATTLE,
REPORTED $473 MILLION IN
PROFITS, I WOULD NOTE THAT,
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT, ETHICS
WAS ONE OF THE TOP EVICTING
LANDLORDS IN THE AREA.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE REAL ESTATE
BUSINESS YOU CAN SEE A BIT OF
HONESTY ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON
THE CORPORATE LANDLORDS.
LAST FALL, SEATTLE REAL ESTATE
INVESTORS ARE CONTINUING TO
ENJOY RATE OF RETURN ON
INVESTMENTS, HERE IS A QUOTE I
THINK IS REALLY VERY IMPORTAN
FOR US TO RECOGNIZE.
ALTHOUGH AFFORDABILITY
CONTINUES TO BE AN ISSUE FOR
LOCAL RESIDENTS, IT DOES HAVE A
POSITIVE ASPECT.
IN OTHER WORDS, RENTERS ARE
SHAFTED, DISPLACED, GENTRIFIED
OUT OF THEIR NEIGHBORHOODS, BUT
THAT IS A GOOD THING FOR REAL
ESTATE INVESTORS.
PURCHASES OF APARTMENTS BY
MAJOR CORPORATE LANDLORDS
CONTINUES EVEN WITH THE
PANDEMIC.
JUST IN THE LAST COUPLE OF
MONTHS, WE HAVE SEEN TWO REAL
ESTATE PURCHASES IN THE SEATTLE
AREA, DEUTSCHE BANK PAID $279
MILLION FOR A HUGE APARTMENT
COMPLEX ON THE EAST SIDE, AND
BLACKSTONE MADE A BIG PURCHASE
OF SEVERAL MULTIFAMILY
APARTMENT BUILDINGS IN SOUTH
KING COUNTY.
BLACKSTONE, YOU MAY HAVE HEARD,
IS THE LARGEST OWNER OF SINGLE-
FAMILY RENTAL HOMES IN THE
UNITED STATES TODAY, AND IT'S
CEO IS WORTH MORE THAN 21
BILLION DOLLARS.
HOW ABOUT FOR THE REST OF US?
WHAT WAS 2020 LIKE?
WE CAN PROBABLY DO A FEW SLIDES
ON THIS, I JUST WANTED TO PICK
OUT A FEW IMPORTANT FACTS.
FIRST OF ALL, BETWEEN MARCH AND
AUGUST, 57 MILLION WORKERS IN
THE UNITED STATES FILED FOR
UNEMPLOYMENT.
WE CAN SEE IN THIS CHART THAT
IT HAD A DISPROPORTIONATE
IMPACT ON THE BLACK COMMUNITY,
IN FACT, IN THE MIDDLE OF 2020
BLACK AND EMPLOYMENT WAS 50%
HIGHER THAN WHITE UNEMPLOYMENT,
THE BIGGEST RACIAL GAP IN
UNEMPLOYMENT IN SEVERAL YEARS.
THERE IS ALSO A
DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON
WOMEN WORKERS, YOU MAY HAVE
HEARD THAT, IN DECEMBER, THE
ECONOMY LOST 140,000 NET JOBS,
ALL OF THOSE WERE IN
OCCUPATIONS OVERWHELMINGLY
OCCUPIED BY WOMEN WORKERS, AND
OVERALL, SINCE THE PANDEMIC
BEGAN, WOMEN ACCOUNT FOR 55% OF
THE OVERALL NET JOB LOSS SINCE
THE START.
NOW, WE ALSO KNOW NATIONALLY,
BEFORE COVID-19, IT WAS NOT A
PRETTY PICTURE FOR WORKING-
CLASS.
78% OF U.S. WORKERS WERE LIVING
PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK JUST TO
MAKE ENDS MEET.
THREE IN FOUR WORKERS REPORTED
BEING IN DEBT AND MORE THAN
HALF THOUGHT THEY WOULD ALWAYS
BE.
NEARLY 3 IN FIVE RENTERS COULD
NOT EVEN COME UP WITH $400 FOR
AN EMERGENCY EXPENSE, THIS IS
BEFORE COVID-19 STRUCK.
THE ASPEN INSTITUTE REPORTED
LAST FALL THAT THE COVID-19
EVICTION CRISIS THAT IS COMING
COULD IMPACT 30 TO 40 MILLION
WORKERS IN AMERICA, 30, 40
MILLION PEOPLE IN AMERICA, AT
RISK OF EVICTION ONCE THE
CURRENT EVICTION MORATORIUM
ENDS.
ANALYTICS REPORTS THAT AT THE
END OF 2020, NEARLY 13 MILLION
RENTERS NATIONALLY OWED AN
AVERAGE OF $5400 IN BACK RENT,
AS THIS LAWYER ADVOCATE NOTES,
THE TIDAL WAVE IS COMING, IT IS
GOING TO BE REALLY HORRIBLE FOR
PEOPLE.
WE KNOW STOPPING EVICTIONS IS
NOT JUST AN ECONOMIC JUSTICE
ISSUE, IT IS ALSO A RACIAL
JUSTICE ISSUE.
APARTMENT LISTS.COM REPORTED AT
THE BEGINNING OF THIS YEAR, 28%
OF ALL RENTERS WERE STARTING
WITH RENT DEBT.
BUT IF YOU LOOK BEHIND THAT
NUMBER, YOU CAN SEE THAT BLACK
RENTERS ARE MORE THAN TWICE AS
LIKELY TO BE IN DEBT COMPARED
TO QUITE RENTERS, AND LATINO
RENTERS AND ASIAN RENTERS ALSO
ARE SEEING HIGHER RATES OF RENT
DEBT THEN QUITE RENTERS.
YOU CAN SEE ON THE LEFT SIDE OF
THIS CHART, RENT IS HEAVILY
SKEWED TOWARDS THE YOUNG
PEOPLE.
THE RENT DEBT CRISIS IS
PARTICULARLY ACUTE FOR YOUNG
PEOPLE AND IN COMMUNITIES OF
COLOR.
WE KNOW THAT THOSE NATIONAL
STATISTICS ALSO TRANSLATE DOWN
HERE AS WELL.
IN 2018, THE SEATTLE WOMEN'S
COMMISSION PUT OUT A REPORT
CALLED LOSING HOME, IT IS
REPORTED THAT OVER HALF OF ALL
TENANTS IN EVICTION FILINGS,
THIS IS PRE-COVID-19, OVER HALF
WERE PEOPLE OF COLOR, AND OVER
30% WERE BLACK TENANTS, NOW,
BLACK TENANTS CONSTITUTE SEVEN
PERCENT OF THE POPULATION OF
SEATTLE, YOU CAN SEE,
DISPROPORTIONATELY COMMUNITIES
OF COLOR, ESPECIALLY BLACK
COMMUNITIES, ARE IMPACTED THE
EVICTION CRISIS.
THE REPORT ALSO DEMONSTRATED
THAT MOST EVICTED RESPONDENTS,
ABOUT CLOSE TO NINE OUT OF 10,
BECAME HOMELESS, EVICTION DOES
LEAD TO HOMELESSNESS, NO
QUESTION.
IT ALSO LEADS TO PUSHING PEOPLE
OUT OF SEATTLE WILL ULTIMATELY
EVICTION PUSHES LOW INCOME
TENANTS AT A HIGHER RATE.
IT CONTRIBUTES TO ACCELERATED
GENTRIFICATION IN OUR
COMMUNITIES.
JUST TO PUT A FINE POINT ON THE
TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS WE
OCCUPIED IN 2020, I JUST PUT
THIS CHART TOGETHER THAT SHOWS
THE TOTAL RENT DEBT, ACCORDING
TO THE ANALYTICS THAT RENTERS
HAVE ACCUMULATED THIS YEAR, IS
ABOUT $70 BILLION, YOU SEE THAT
IN THE GREEN CHART ON THE LEFT.
THE TOTAL GROWTH AND THE NET
WORTH OF JEFF BEZOS IS $79
MILLION , AND THE GROWTH OF
ELON MUSK IS $158 BILLION.
AND OTHER WORDS, EITHER OF
THESE GENTLEMEN COULD WRITE A
SINGLE CHECK TODAY AND WIPE OUT
THE ENTIRE U.S. RENTAL DEBT DUE
TO THE PANDEMIC.
THAT GIVES YOU A SENSE OF THE
DISPARITY OF WEALTH THAT HAS
GROWN IN THE LAST SEVERAL
MONTHS UNDER COVID-19 AND THE
CAPITALIST RECESSION.
WHAT ARE OUR DEMANDS?
WE KNOW WE NEED TO EXTEND THE
EVICTION MORATORIUM, NOT JUST
THROUGH THE HEALTH CRISIS, NOT
JUST ONCE PEOPLE GET
VACCINATED, BUT THROUGH THE END
OF THE ECONOMIC CRISIS THAT
WILL TAKE A LONG TIME FOR
WORKING PEOPLE TO DIG OUT OF.
SECONDLY, WE NEED TO ESTABLISH
THE TENANT RIGHT TO COUNSEL FOR
ALL TENANTS FACING EVICTION,
REGARDLESS OF FINANCIAL STATUS.
AND THIRD, WE NEED TO SUPPORT
STATE AND NATIONAL CANCEL RENT
AND CANCEL MORTGAGE MOVEMENTS,
WE KNOW SIMPLY PUSHING
EVICTIONS OUT SOLVES THE
IMMEDIATE PROBLEM, BUT IT DOES
NOT SOLVE THE LONG-TERM PROBLEM
OF DEBT, WE NEED TO LOOK AT
CANCELING DEBT FOR RENTERS,
WORKING-CLASS HOMEOWNERS,
STRUGGLING SMALL BUSINESSES AND
LANDLORDS WHO HAVE LOST INCOME
DUE TO COVID-19 AND THE
ECONOMIC RECESSION.
I JUST WANT TO NOTE BEFORE I
CLOSE, FOR SMALL LANDLORDS, YOU
ARE PROBABLY AWARE THAT IF YOUR
LOAN IS FEDERALLY BACKED, WHICH
IS CLOSE TO HALF OF ALL LOANS,
YOU HAVE MORTGAGE FORBEARANCE
AND FORECLOSURE MORATORIUM
PROTECTIONS FROM THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT.
OUT OF OUR DEMAND HAS TO BE THAT
PRIVATE LENDING INSTITUTIONS
EXTEND THE SAME PROTECTIONS TO
HOMEOWNERS WHO HAVE LOANS WITH
THOSE PRIVATE INSTITUTIONS.
THANKS VERY MUCH, THAT
CONCLUDES THE PRESENTATION.
I WILL STOP SCREEN SHARING.
>> THANK YOU, AND THAT WAS
REALLY INFORMATIVE.
I WILL, OF COURSE, WELCOME ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS BY
COMMITTEE MEMBERS, ALSO I
INVITE PANELISTS TO
PARTICIPATE, OF COURSE,
COUNCILMEMBERS, PLEASE FEEL
FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS, YOU CAN
ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT THE
PRESENTATION LATER AS WELL,
THAT IS NO PROBLEM.
BUT I WILL PAUSE FOR A SECOND
TO SEE IF COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?
I DON'T SEE ANY REQUESTS FROM
COUNCILMEMBERS, SO WE WILL GO
AHEAD WITH THE PANEL, AND I
WOULD JUST NOTE, BEFORE THEY
COME ON, THAT WE DO HAVE CITY
COUNCIL STAFF TO EXPLAIN THE
DRAFT LEGISLATION AS THEY
STAND, BOTH FOR THE EVICTION
MORATORIUM EXTENSION AND RIGHT
TO COUNSEL.
FIRST, WE WILL INVITE OUR
COMMUNITY MEMBER PANELISTS TO
SPEAK, I AM NOT SURE IF YOU
WILL ALL HAVE DECIDED WHAT
ORDER YOU ARE GOING TO SPEAK
ON, OF COURSE, WE WANT TO ALSO
HAVE A FREE-FLOWING DISCUSSION.
I WILL OPEN IT UP.
ARIANNA LAUREANO, DID YOU WANT
TO START?
>> IF THAT IS ALL RIGHT WITH
YOU?
>> YES.
>> ALL RIGHT HELLO, MY NAME IS
ARIANNA LAUREANO, AGAIN, THANK
YOU FOR LETTING ME SHARE MY
STORY AND THOUGHTS.
I MOVED TO SEATTLE FOR A PLACE
WHERE I DIDN'T HAVE TO LOOK
OVER MY SHOULDER, FOR A PLACE
FOR MEDICAL DISCRIMINATION
AGAINST TRANS WOMEN IS
PRACTICALLY UNHEARD OF, I
WOULDN'T HAVE TO CARRY A
FIREARM SO I COULD EXIST IN
PEACE.
I LANDED IN SEATTLE AS MANY
TRANS FOLKS DO INTO AN ABUSIVE
SHARED HOUSING SITUATION, THIS
THEN LED TO HOMELESSNESS.
DURING THE COURSE OF MY TIME
HOMELESS IN SEATTLE, I LEARNED
A LOT ABOUT HUMANITY AND HOW
OUR MORAL BOUNDARIES HOLD UP TO
THE WEIGHT OF POVERTY.
AND HOW DESPERATELY SHORT OF
RESOURCES WE ARE.
WHEN I WAS GETTING MY LIFE
TOGETHER AND GOING ON TO DO JOB
TRAINING, I VOLUNTEERED AT A
HOMELESS YOUTH SHELTER, THE
STORIES I HEARD PRE-PANDEMIC
ABOUT HOW DESPERATE THEY NEED
IS AND HOW SHORT ON RESOURCES
WE ARE WERE TRAGIC.
NO ONE DESERVES TO BE HOMELESS.
I CAN TELL YOU THAT BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC, BEING FORCED ONTO THE
STREET WAS A DEATH SENTENCE, IT
DESTROYS YOUR BODY, YOUR MIND,
IT DESTROYS HER HEART.
THE RIGHT TO LEGAL COUNSEL IS A
RIGHT TO DEFEND YOURSELF
AGAINST THAT.
I KNOW WHAT IT IS LIKE TO BE
WALKED OVER BY SOCIETY AND HAVE
NO POWER, I LIVED ON DISABILITY
, WHICH IS $793 A MONTH PER
YEAR, FOR YEARS, I WAS
CONSTANTLY PUT IN SITUATIONS
WHERE I HAD NO POWER AND A
LANDLORD WAS PUTTING NOW.
I'VE LOST SHELTER WITHIN A WEEK
OF PAYING RENT, I'VE BEEN
HELPLESS TO DEFEND MYSELF AND
HAD EVERYTHING I OWNED TAKEN
FROM ME MULTIPLE TIMES BY
LANDLORDS AND BEEN HELPLESS TO
STOP THEM.
WHEN COUPLED WITH THE RIGHT TO
LEGAL COUNSEL, GIVES PEOPLE A
FIGHTING CHANCE, AND A CHANCE
TO ACTUALLY STAND UP FOR YOUR
RIGHTS WHEN THEY ARE VIOLATED,
REGARDLESS OF YOUR ECONOMIC
STANDING.
WHILE IT MIGHT NOT BE PERFECT,
IT DOES START PAVING THE WAY
FOR AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES
HAVING A SHOT AT HOUSING
JUSTICE.
IT ADDS A LAYER OF LEGAL
PROTECTIONS TO THOSE LIVING IN
SHARED HOUSING SITUATIONS THAT
CAN MITIGATE AND POTENTIALLY
STOP ABUSE FROM HAPPENING.
IT CAN HELP EVEN THE PLAYING
FIELD BETWEEN THOSE WITH POWER
AND THE POWERLESS TO ME, I JUST
WANTED TO SAY, THIS IS A
COMMONSENSE PIECE OF
LEGISLATION, IT SHOULD BE A
BASIC TENANT'S RIGHT IN OUR
NATION.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
MAYBE MAYA GARFINKEL COULD GO
NEXT?
PLEASE LET ME KNOW, EITHER
THROUGH VIDEO HAND WAVE OR
THROUGH RESUME RAISE HAND
FEATURE, IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO
ASK QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS.
>> THANK YOU.
I WILL JUST READ A SHORT
STATEMENT I PREPARED.
I AM AN ORGANIZER WITH HOUSING
JUSTICE AND ANTI-GENTRIFICATION,
EXPLAINED THE PANDEMIC CRISIS
IS AN ECONOMIC CRISIS, THAT
THEN BECOMES AN EVICTION
CRISIS, WE DIDN'T CREATE THIS
CRISIS, WE SHOULDN'T SUFFER THE
EFFECTS.
IT IS AND HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO
ADEQUATELY REPRESENT THE DEPTH
OF THIS CRISIS, WE CAN SAY THAT
IN 2017, ALMOST HALF OF SEATTLE
RENTERS WERE RENT BURDENED, WE
KNOW THAT NATIONALLY TENANTS
WHO ARE RENT BURDENED HAD AN
AVERAGE OF $10 IN SAVINGS, HOW
DO WE CONCEPTUALIZE THE RENT IN
THE UNITED STATES?
U.S. RENTER HOUSEHOLDS MAY HAVE
AS MUCH AS $70 BILLION IN RENT
THAT, I SPEAK WITH RENTERS WHO
ARE PAYING THEIR RENT ON CREDIT
CARDS AND ARE BORROWING FROM
FAMILY MEMBERS TO BARELY MAKE
RENT, THOSE ARE THE FOLKS WHO
ARE PAYING RENT.
UNLAWFUL EVICTIONS ARE
OCCURRING.
MANY LANDLORDS ARE NOT DOING
REPAIRS BECAUSE TENANTS ARE NOT
PAYING RENT.
LANDLORDS ARE ALREADY
THREATENING TO EVICT PEOPLE AND
ASSURING THAT ONCE THE EVICTION
MORATORIUM IS OVER, THEY WILL
RAISE THE RENT SO HIGH PEOPLE
CAN NO LONGER EVEN BEGIN TO
AFFORD IT.
RENTERS ON THIS PANEL AND THOSE
WHO HAVE CALLED IN KNOW WHAT IS
HAPPENING.
SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL, WE NEED
YOU TO ACT, IN DECEMBER OF
2020, MORE THAN 160,000 PEOPLE
IN WASHINGTON REPORTED THEY HAD
NO CONFIDENCE THEY WOULD BE
ABLE TO PAY NEXT MONTH'S RENT.
WE ELECTED OUR REPRESENTATIVES
AND SOME ARE TOO CONCERNED
ABOUT CERTIFICATION
REQUIREMENTS, HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS OF WASHINGTON RENTERS
HAVE NO OR LITTLE CONFIDENCE
THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE
RENT.
THIS JUST CAN'T BE THE
PRIORITY, LANDLORDS WILL ALWAYS
BE UPSET WHEN THE CITY
CHALLENGES THEIR POWER, WE NEED
TO PRIORITIZE HOUSING PEOPLE
AND HEALTH OVER LANDLORDS.
WE NEED YOUR PRIORITY TO BE
FIGHTING FOR SEATTLE RENTERS.
80% OF LANDLORDS IN SEATTLE WHO
HAVE BEEN ARE WHITE AND BLACK
RENTERS, BLACK WOMEN RENTERS
ARE SEVEN TIMES MORE LIKELY TO
BE EVICTE AS WIGHTMAN, THIS IS
A RACIAL JUSTICE ISSUE.
KEEPING PEOPLE HOUSED DURING
THE PANDEMIC WILL JUST BEGIN TO
ADDRESS THE HOUSING CRISIS IN
SEATTLE, WE NEED TO KEEP
FIGHTING TO KEEP PEOPLE HOUSED,
AND ONE PLUG, IF YOU ARE
INTERESTED IN FIGHTING FOR
SEATTLE RENTERS AND BUILDING
RENTER POWER, PLEASE COME TO
THE FIRST WORKSHOP OF THE YEAR,
IT IS TOMORROW, JANUARY 27th AT
6:00 P.M.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT WILL BE
THERE, SO, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> I AM SURE WE WILL COME BACK
TO YOU BOTH WITH QUESTIONS,
REQUIRING YOU TO GIVE US MORE
INPUT, THAT WAS VERY USEFUL.
NEXT, COULD WE HAVE LYDIA
RUBENSTEIN GO?
>> THANK YOU.
I AM LYDIA RUBENSTEIN, I AM
THE HOUSING ORGANIZER, I HOPE
EVERYONE CAN HEAR ME ALL RIGHT.
FIRST AND FOREMOST, HOUSING,
THROUGH AT LEAST DECEMBER 2021,
IS PRETTY MUCH A BASIC AND
NECESSARY FIRST STEP TOWARDS
ANY FORM OF A RECOVERY IN
SEATTLE.
RENTERS NEED, AND DESERVE,
HOUSING SECURITY FOR LONGER
THAN JUST A FEW MONTHS AT A
TIME.
ENSURING EVERYONE CAN ACTUALLY
STAY SAFELY IN PLACE IN THEIR
COMMUNITIES WITH PEOPLE THEY
TRUST AT THIS TIME IS THE
ABSOLUTE BARE MINIMUM TO REDUCE
THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 AND
STABILIZE COMMUNITIES DURING
THIS CRISIS.
THIS MORATORIUM ALSO CAN'T ADD
ANY MORE CERTIFICATION
REQUIREMENTS FOR TENANTS, THESE
REQUIREMENTS, SUCH AS THE CDC
MORATORIUM, ARE AN INTENSE AND
UNNECESSARY BARRIER TO
ACCESSING THESE PROTECTIONS.
THERE ARE ALREADY PEOPLE, ANY
TYPE OF CERTIFICATION, ADDED
BARRIER, SUCH AS THE HOUSTON
PUBLIC MEDIA ACTUALLY SHARED
ABOUT BASED ON A STUDY OF 100
TENANTS WHO APPLIED IN HARRIS
COUNTY, 99 OF THOSE 100
ACTUALLY FAILED THE
CERTIFICATION, MEANING ONLY ONE
PERSON WAS ABLE TO ACCESS THE
EVICTION MORATORIUM PROTECTIONS.
PLEASE DO NOT ADD ANY BARRIERS
FOR TENANTS TO ACCESS THESE
PROTECTIONS DURING THIS CRISIS.
WE ALSO KNOW, AS I SAID, THIS
IS KIND OF THE FIRST STEP,
REALLY, A RESPONSIVE STEP TO
HOUSING INSTABILITY AND TOWARDS
HOUSING JUSTICE.
WE KNOW PASSING BROADER RENTAL
PROTECTIONS ARE THE THINGS THAT
ALLOW US TO IMAGINE REAL AND
LEGITIMATE HOUSING SECURITY AND
STABILITY FOR TENANTS.
WE KNOW THAT LANDLORDS INITIATE
EVICTION PROCESSES ARE MOST
OFTEN REPRESENTED BY LAWYERS,
AND THE OPPOSITE IS ACTUALLY
TRUE FOR TENANTS, ESPECIALLY
FOR LOW INCOME NEIGHBORS AND
LOW INCOME TENANTS WHO ARE
FIGHTING TOOTH AND NAIL EVERY
DAY TO JUST KEEP AND STAY IN
ANY VERSION OF HOUSING, EVEN IF
THAT MEANS ACCEPTING REALLY
MEDIOCRE CONDITIONS.
WE KNOW THAT ONLY 8% OF
WASHINGTON, WASHINGTONIAN
TENANTS ACTUALLY HAVE LEGAL
REPRESENTATION IN THEIR
EVICTION CASE, AND THIS IS
OFTEN WHY LANDLORDS ARE ABLE TO
úGET AWAY WITH EVICTING FOR
AMOUNTS OF MONEY SUCH AS TWO
DOLLARS, WHICH IS ABSURD AND
NON-ETHICAL AND DEEPLY
IRRESPONSIBLE.
THIS IS WHY YOU HAVE GOT TO PASS
, WE'VE GOT TO PUSH MORE
DETECTIONS THAT ALLOW FOR
STABILITY, NOT JUST GETTING
PEOPLE BASIC NEEDS.
SO, WE ALSO KNOW THAT RESEARCH
SHOWS THERE IS A SEVERE AND
NEGATIVE EMOTIONAL TOLLS THAT
EVEN BEING THREATENED OR PUT AT
RISK.
THAT IS WHY WE NEED YOU TO PASS
IT LONGER FOR JUST A FEW
MONTHS.
WE KNOW RENTERS MAKE UP MORE
THAN HALF OF SEATTLE, IT IS
YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO FIGHT
THE LEGACY OF RACIST AND
PREDATORY EVICTIONS AND
GENTRIFICATION IN RESPONSE TO
TIMES OF CRISIS.
SO, PLEASE PASS ON TO SUPPORT
EXTENDING THE MORATORIUM UNTIL
DECEMBER 2021.
AND LOOK FORWARD TO MORE AND
LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS SUCH AS
ENSURING THAT TENANTS CAN
ACTUALLY RECOVER WITH LITTLE TO
NO DEBT IN RESPONSE TO THIS
CRISIS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, LYDIA.
COUNCILMEMBER ALICE?
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, THANK YOU.
I HAVE A TRAIN OF THOUGHT THAT
MAY OR MAY NOT BE RESULTING IN
SEVERAL QUESTIONS, I'M GOING TO
KIND OF PUT IT OUT THERE.
I KNOW THAT WE HAVE SOME
EXISTING PROTECTIONS RIGHT NOW,
THEORETICALLY, DURING COVID-19,
INCLUDING COVID-19 AS A DEFENSE
AGAINST AN EVICTION, BUT WE KNOW
, WE ALL HEARD STORIES ABOUT
PEOPLE GETTING PUSHED OUT ANYWAY
, ABOUT LANDLORDS THREATENING
AND PEOPLE GETTING EVICTED
DESPITE THE PROTECTIONS WE HAVE
IN PLACE, SO, AM INTERESTED TO
KNOW IF THERE IS ANY
INFORMATION ON HOW MANY PEOPLE
HAVE BEEN AFFECTED, OR ANY
INFORMATION ON WHERE THEY GO,
WHAT KIND OF SITUATION THEY END
UP FINDING THEMSELVES IN, I AM
SURE THERE HAS BEEN, THERE HAVE
BEEN FOLKS WHO END UP HOMELESS,
AND WONDERING, WHAT WE KNOW
ABOUT THAT.
MY LAST QUESTION I HAVE IS HOW
MANY CASES PER YEAR MIGHT WE
ANTICIPATE AND WHAT I AM REALLY
TRYING TO GET AT IS, AS WE ARE
THINKING ABOUT ESTABLISHING
SOMETHING LIKE THIS, WHAT DO WE
NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT THE
BUDGET EPISODES LATER THIS YEAR
FOR MAC SO WE CAN START
ANTICIPATING HOW WE ACTUALLY
GET THIS STORED UP OVER THE
COURSE OF THE YEAR.
I DON'T KNOW WHO THOSE ARE
QUESTIONS FOR.
>> THANK YOU.
EITHER OF YOU, IF YOU WANT TO
RESPOND, AND IF OUR COMMUNITY
PANELISTS WANT TO SPEAK TO
THESE QUESTIONS AS WELL, THAT
IS MOST WELCOME.
>> FOR THE PIECE, HOW MANY
CASES WE ARE LOOKING AT, I
BELIEVE THE ESTIMATE IS 12,
THIS IS SPECIFIC TO THE RIGHT
TO COUNSEL.
BE LOOKING AT 1200 CASES IN
TERMS OF THE PEOPLE THAT GO TO
EVICTION COURT.
SO, THAT IS THE ESTIMATE FOR
HOW MUCH COUNSEL IS ACTUALLY
NEEDED FOR KING COUNTY, I'M
SORRY, FOR SEATTLE.
YOUR OTHER QUESTION, CAN YOU
REMIND ME?
I'M SORRY, I FORGOT THE OTHER
ONE.
>> I AM JUST TRYING TO THINK,
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO FUND THIS
OPTION FOR PEOPLE TO ASSURE
PEOPLE THEY WILL HAVE RIGHT TO
COUNSEL, WHICH I HAVE TO SAY,
THAT IS MORE THAN I EXPECTED
YOU TO SAY, SO THINK OF THAT
INFORMATION.
>> YEAH, THANKS FOR THE
REFRESHER.
THE ESTIMATE IS ABOUT $750,000
ANNUALLY TO BE ABLE TO HAVE THE
HOUSING JUSTICE PROJECT STAFF
THAT MANY EVICTIONS, OBVIOUSLY
BUSIER'S ESTIMATE IS DIFFERENT
BECAUSE OF THE MORATORIUM
CURRENTLY, I BELIEVE, WE ARE
FUNDING THEM AT $605,000, SO,
THAT IS THE CONTRACT FOR 2021,
DEPENDING ON IF THE MORATORIUM
ENDS, THAT MIGHT REQUIRE ADDING
MORE FUNDS TO GET TO 750,000,
THAT WILL DEPEND PRIMARILY ON
THE TIMING OF THE MORATORIUM.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THAT WOULD ALLOW THAT THOSE
1200 ESTIMATED PEOPLE WOULD HAVE
SOMEBODY WITH THEM AS THEY ARE
GOING THROUGH.
THANK YOU.
>> ACTUALLY, AFTER, I WOULD
ALSO INVITE, I MEAN, ALL
PANELISTS ARE WELCOME TO SPEAK
TO THESE QUESTIONS, THESE ARE
VERY IMPORTANT QUESTIONS.
IF EDMUND, FROM THE EXPERIENCE,
WANTED TO SPEAK.
THESE ARE ATTORNEYS WHO HAVE
FIRST HAND EXPERIENCE WITH
TENANTS EXPERIENCING EVICTION.
AND WHAT A DECISIVE DIFFERENCE
IT MAKES, HOW THEY HAVE LEGAL
REPRESENTATION.
GO AHEAD.
>> I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD
. THANKS.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
EDMUND, DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK
TO THIS?
>> THANK YOU FOR TAKING THIS
ON, I THINK THIS IS REALLY
IMPORTANT.
I WANTED TO CORRECT ONE THING,
OUR CONTRACT IS 200,000 THIS
YEAR, NOT 600.
THE ONE THING, JUST TO ANSWER
THE QUESTION, WE DON'T REALLY
KNOW THE SCOPE OF THIS PROBLEM.
BECAUSE AT THAT 1200 NUMBER IS
HIGHLY FILED EVICTIONS OCCUR,
WASHINGTON IS UNIQUE IN THAT IT
DOESN'T HAVE A COURT CASE TO
GET FILED UNTIL REALLY LATE,
SO, WHEN YOU COMPARE US TO
OTHER STATES, IT LOOKS LIKE OUR
NUMBERS MIGHT BE SIGNIFICANTLY
LOWER, BUT IF YOU GO TO PLACES
LIKE MARYLAND, MARYLAND, THE
LANDLORD CAN'T EVEN DEMAND RENT
WITHOUT FILING SOMETHING IN
COURT.
THE RESULT IS, WHEN YOU LOOK AT
BALTIMORE, THEY HAVE 160,000
RENT DEMANDS FILED IN COURT,
THAT THEN TRICKLE DOWN INTO A
CERTAIN NUMBER OF CONVICTIONS.
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TENANTS,
WE DON'T KNOW HOW MANY
LANDLORDS ASK THEM TO LEAVE, I
WILL SAY, WHEN WE LOOK AT OUR
INTERNAL NUMBERS OF HOLY PEOPLE
WE DON'T INCLUDE JUST THE FILE
CASES, HOW MANY PEOPLE CAME TO
US WITH A RENTAL PROBLEM IN
SEATTLE.
THAT NUMBER, AGAIN, IS JUST THE
PEOPLE WHO COME TO US, I DON'T
KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE OUT
THERE WHO HAVE GONE TO OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS, OTHER LEGAL
SERVICES.
OR DON'T GO TO ANYONE.
I THINK THE OTHER BIG TROUBLE
WE HAVE ULTIMATELY, IN THIS IS,
HOW DO WE WORK WITH PEOPLE WHO
DON'T SHOW UP TO COURT.
HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE BIGGEST
PROBLEM, THE MOST VULNERABLE
MEMBERS WE HAVE ARE THE ONES WHO
DON'T SHOW UP TO OUR SERVICES,
DON'T HAVE CONTACT WITH THEIR
ORGANIZATIONS.
THOSE ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A
LANGUAGE BARRIER, THOSE ARE THE
PEOPLE THAT HAVE DISABILITY,
THE FIRST PERSON WHO ACTUALLY
IS THE POINT OF CONTACT
UNFORTUNATELY IS USUALLY THE
KING COUNTY SHERIFF.
I THINK A LOT OF THE BIG KIND
OF CRUX OF ALL OF THIS IS, THIS
IS SORT OF, I THINK, FEEDING
INTO OUR HOMELESSNESS CRISIS
RIGHT NOW, WHEN YOU FIGURE IT
JUST OUR NUMBERS, THERE IS
ABOUT 11,000 HOMELESS PEOPLE ON
ANY GIVEN NIGHT GENERALLY, BUT
WE HAVE A COUNTY OF 2 MILLION
PEOPLE, THAT IS NOT A TON OF
PEOPLE, BUT WE KNOW HOW VISIBLE
IT IS, WE KNOW WHAT A CRISIS
IS.
IT IS JUST, IT DOESN'T TAKE A
LOT OF PEOPLE TO BE HOMELESS
FOR IT TO BE VERY VISIBLE IN
THE COMMUNITY AND TO HAVE ALL
OF THE PROBLEMS THAT COME WITH
IT AND HAVE THE CRISIS AND
EMERGENCY WE HAVE HAD TO MAKE
EVEN IF YOU HAVE 1200 PEOPLE
WERE A FRACTION OF THAT, JUST
ADDING 1000 OF PEOPLE TO THAT
NUMBER IS GOING TO CAUSE EVEN
BIGGER CRISES, ESPECIALLY NOW.
IT DOESN'T TAKE 1 MILLION
PEOPLE TO MAKE A CRISIS, IT
TAKES A COUPLE THOUSAND, OR
EVEN LESS.
THIS IS WHY THIS IS SO CRITICAL
WRITER, I THINK WHEN WE DID
THAT REPORT A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO, PART OF IT WAS JUST TO
SHINE A LIGHT ON WHAT WAS GOING
ON, THERE WAS EVICTIONS
HAPPENING FOR $10, YET TENANTS
WHO WOULD SHOW UP AFTER THEY
WERE EVICTED, AND REALLY, NOBODY
IS FOLLOWING UP TO FIND OUT
WHERE THEY'RE GOING, I THINK
ULTIMATELY, THERE IS A LOT OF
MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES GOING ON
THAT ARE BASICALLY BEING SEEN
IN THAT COURT, THAT COURT IS NOT
ABLE TO HANDLE, AND THERE IS A
LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE LOSING
THEIR HOMES FOR VERY LITTLE
AMOUNTS OF MONEY, THAT IS A
CRISIS.
>> THANK YOU, I KNOW
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS HAS RAISED
HIS HAND, I WILL INVITE YOU IN
JUST ONE SECOND.
I ALSO HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ESTHER
ON THE PANEL, SHE HAS SPOKEN IN
TESTIMONY, BUT NOT ON THIS
DISCUSSION YET, I WANT TO GIVE
HER SOME SPACE AS WELL.
EDMUND, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
FIRST ABOUT GIVING US A LITTLE
BIT OF PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT
NUMBERS WE SHOULD EXPECT IN
TERMS OF PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING
TO BE UP FOR EVICTIONS, AND
ALSO, I AM A LITTLE TAKEN ABACK
BY THE FACT THAT YOU ARE ONLY
GETTING $200,000 IN FUNDING, WE
FOUGHT FOR AND WON $605,000.
>> IF I COULD JUST CLARIFY,
605,000 WAS THE AMOUNT OF
APPROPRIATION AUTHORITY
APPROVED BY THE COUNCIL TO FUND
THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT PROVIDE
EVICTION DEFENSE SERVICES SUCH
AS THE HOUSING JUSTICE PROJECT,
WE CAN FOLLOW UP WITH THE
DEPARTMENT TO UNDERSTAND
EXACTLY HOW THOSE CONTRACTS
HAVE GONE OUT AND BECAUSE THAT
WAS A COUNSEL ADD, WHETHER
THERE IS A DELAY IN MODIFYING
CONTRACTS, THAT WAS THE TOTAL
AMOUNT IN THE ADOPTED BUDGET.
605, CORRECT.
>> YES, THANK YOU, THAT WOULD BE
NOT ONLY USEFUL, BUT EXTREMELY
NECESSARY, I WOULD APPRECIATE
THAT.
WE WILL COME BACK WHEN WE HAVE
SOME ANSWERS.
BUT ONE THING I AM CURIOUS
ABOUT, IF YOU COULD WEIGH IN ON
THIS, MY UNDERSTANDING WAS
THERE IS NOT VERY MANY
ORGANIZATIONS DOING, PROVIDING
THIS KIND OF LEGAL DEFENSE, WE
HAVE TENDED SUPPORT
ORGANIZATIONS, WHERE TENANTS GO
TO IN TERMS OF JUST OTHER
INQUIRIES LIKE TENANTS UNION,
WHICH DO EXTREMELY VALUABLE
WORK, BUT, SO, IF THOSE DOLLARS
WERE ALLOCATED FOR EVICTION
DEFENSE, OTHER ORGANIZATIONS I
AM NOT AWARE OF?
>> I KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE, LAST
YEAR, THE GRANTS OF $340,000 IN
TOTAL WERE ISSUED FOR EVICTION
DEFENSE, OF THAT, FOR THE
HOUSING JUSTICE PROJECT, AS
WELL AS THE TENANT LAW CENTER,
I KNOW LAST YEAR, THOSE TWO
ORGANIZATIONS WERE FUNDED, I
CAN'T TELL YOU OFF THE TOP OF
MY HEAD WHAT OTHER
ORGANIZATIONS MAIN HAVE BEEN
AWARDED FUNDS THIS YEAR, THAT
IS SOMETHING WE CAN FOLLOW UP ON
UNLESS YOU HAD ANY ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION.
THOSE ARE THE TWO ORGANIZATIONS
I'M AWAR.
>> THANK YOU.
DID YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS
TOPIC BEFORE I CALL ON
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> I WANTED TO MENTION WITH
REGARDS TO AMERICANS WITH
DISABILITIES NOT SHOWING UP TO
COURT WHEN THEY ARE BEING
EVICTED, CURRENTLY, AMERICANS
WITH DISABILITIES HAVE NO HOPE
TO DEFEND THEMSELVES IN MOST
SCENARIOS.
THE BEST CHOICE WHEN YOU ARE
FACED WITH AN EVICTION WHEN YOU
HAVE NO MONEY AND NO POWER AND
NO HOPE IS JUST TO WALK AWAY.
THAT IS WHAT THEY DO, THEY
LEAVE.
AND THEY ARE GONE AND THEN
THERE HOMELESS.
THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS.
JUST WANTED TO SHOW THAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY, THANK YOU.
IT IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, WHAT
HE SAID.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, GO HEAD.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I JUST WANT TO START BY SAYING,
I AM REALLY ENJOYING THIS
CONVERSATION AND VERY MUCH
SUPPORT A RIGHT TO COUNSEL IN
EVICTION PROCEEDINGS, IN DOING
SOME RESEARCH IN ANTICIPATION
OF THE COMMITTEE MEETING TODAY,
I KNEW THAT SOME CITIES HAD
ALREADY ENACTED A RIGHT TO
COUNSEL PROVISION, I DIDN'T KNOW
THE NUMBER OF CITIES THAT HAD
ENTERED THE NATURE, IT WASN'T
JUST BERKELEY OR SOMETHING THAT
HAD ENACTED ONE, LOOKING AT THE
LIST, CLEVELAND, PHILADELPHIA,
NEW YORK CITY, NEWARK THERE IS
A PILOT PROGRAM IN HOUSTON, ONE
IN BOULDER, COLORADO, SAN
FRANCISCO.
SO, I THINK THIS IS AN EMERGING
BEST PRACTICE, REALLY EXCITED
WE ARE DISCUSSING THIS AND
LOOKING FORWARD TO VOTING IT
IN.
THIS IS MORE A QUESTION I
WANTED TO FLAG, FOR CENTRAL
STAFF IN PROCEEDING WITH THIS
AS LEGISLATION, ONE QUESTION I
DO HAVE IN REVIEWING THE
STATUTES AND SOME OF THE OTHER
CITIES, THERE IS AN ELIGIBILITY
THRESHOLD FOR PEOPLE TO GET
REPRESENTATION, THIS WAS A
QUESTION THAT I HAD BEEN
THINKING ABOUT GIVEN THE
CORRELATION BETWEEN RIGHT TO
COUNSEL AND CRIMINAL
PROCEEDINGS, WHICH IS BASED IN
HAVING A CERTAIN QUALIFYING
THRESHOLD, WE EXPECT PEOPLE
CRIMINALLY ACCUSED TO HIRE
THEIR OWN LAWYERS IF THEIR
INCOME IS AT SUCH A LEVEL.
A LOT OF THESE STATUTES SEEM TO
ACCOMMODATE OR TO BE INFORMED
BY THAT, THERE IS A COLOSSAL
VARIATION, CLEVELAND IS 100% OF
THE POVERTY LINE IS THE CUTOFF,
WHICH I THINK IS VERY
RESTRICTIVE, AND WOULD BE MUCH
TOO BROAD.
PHILADELPHIA IS A LITTLE
BROADER AT 200 PERCENT OF THE
POVERTY LINE, BUT I WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN CENTRAL STAFF OF
HOW THESE OTHER CITIES DRAW THE
LINE, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT
THIS POLICY IS INCLUSIVE, BUT I
DO THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT
FOR THERE TO BE A CUT OFF
SOMEWHERE IN THE CASE THAT
THERE IS A PERSON THAT COULD
AFFORD THEIR OWN REPRESENTATION
, MUCH IN THE SAME WAY THEY
APPLY THAT SAME STANDARD IN
CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS, WHICH, I
THINK, THERE IS A CORRELATION
BETWEEN, WE ARE TRYING TO APPLY
THE SAME FROM CRITICAL
PROCEEDINGS, I WOULD BE
INTERESTED IN THE ANALYSIS OF
THAT AS WE HAVE THIS
CONVERSATION, IT LOOKS LIKE
THERE IS A LOT OF VARIETY ON
WHERE THAT LINE IS DRAWN, THAT
MIGHT ALSO BE INFORMING THE
ANALYSIS OF PEOPLE CURRENTLY
GETTING EVICTED, I WOULD EXPECT
WOULD BE OVERWHELMINGLY
INDIGENT OR CLOSER TO THE
POVERTY LINE.
PARTICULARLY FOR ECONOMIC
EVICTIONS.
JUST KIND OF FLAGGING SOME OF
THE INFORMATION I WOULD WANT
FROM CENTRAL STAFF AS WE GO
FORWARD, BUT I'M VERY EXCITED
TO SUPPORT A RIGHT TO COUNSEL,
I APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT BRINGING THIS UP A BIT.
THE ONLY REGRET IS WE WANT TO
BE THE FIRST ONE TO DO IT,
BECAUSE A LOT OF OTHER CITIES
HAVE TAKEN THE LEAD, IT IS
NEVER TOO SOON TO ADOPT BUT
CRITICAL PROTECTION.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS, I AGREE WITH YOU, IT IS
NEVER TOO SOON TO DO SOMETHING
THAT WILL BENEFIT A LARGE
PORTION OF OUR COMMUNITY THAT
IS SUFFERING.
I WANTED TO INVITE ALL THOSE OF
YOU WHO ARE DIRECTLY WORKING
WITH RENTERS AND RENTERS LIKE
ESTHER TO RESPOND TO THIS
QUESTION, I KNOW THE POLICY
ANALYSIS AND MY OFFICE WOULD
ALSO LIKE TO RESPOND.
IN RESPONSIVE TO WHAT YOU ARE
SAYING, I AM NOT AN EXPERT ON
TENANTS, I DON'T DO THE WORK
EDMUND AND LYDIA DO, BUT JUST
FROM AN ECONOMIC STANDPOINT, I
WOULD SAY TWO THINGS, ONE IS
THIS, WHAT YOU'RE POINTING TO,
EVEN IF IT IS WELL-INTENTIONED,
IT IS A TYPE OF MEANS TESTING,
IT ENDS UP NEGATIVELY AFFECTING
THE PEOPLE WHO WOULD ACTUALLY
QUALIFY, EVEN WITH THOSE
GUIDELINES, BUT WHO ARE ALSO
VULNERABLE FOR THE SAME REASONS
AND ARE NOT ABLE TO DO IT, WE
HAVE TO DESIGNED THESE KINDS OF
PROGRAMS WHICH ARE TARGETED FOR
THE MOST VULNERABLE IN AN OPT
OUT KIND OF WAY, NOT AN OPT IN.
WE MADE A HUGE PUSH AND
SUCCEEDED IN FORCING THE MAYOR
TO DO THAT, TO STRUCTURE THE
UTILITY PROGRAM FOR OUR UTILITY
PAYMENTS AS OPT OUT AND NOT OPT
IN, IT MADE A HUGE DIFFERENCE,
THERE IS VAST EVIDENCE THAT
SHOWS IT MAKES A HUGE
DIFFERENCE.
ANOTHER THING I WOULD SAY,
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING, WHY I
THINK WE SHOULD NOT DO THAT IS
BECAUSE THE PEOPLE WHO GET
EVICTION NOTICES ARE
OVERWHELMINGLY, DARE I SAY,
EXCLUSIVELY PEOPLE WHO ALSO
WOULD QUALIFY FOR OTHER
PROGRAMS, BECAUSE THEY ARE
EXTREMELY VULNERABLE.
I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF AN UPPER-
MIDDLE-CLASS PERSON FACING
EVICTION, YOU DON'T FACE
EVICTION, YOU HAVE OTHER
OPTIONS BUT WHEN THE RENTER IS
COMPLETELY OUT OF OPTIONS.
SO, THAT IS WHAT I WOULD SAY,
BUT I INVITE EDMUND AND JOHN
WHO RAISED THEIR HANDS IF YOU
WANT TO FOLLOW-UP
>> MY NAME IS JOHN, I AM THE
COORDINATOR OF THE NATIONAL
COALITION.
JUST AS A REFERENCE POINT, OF
THE SEVEN STATES THAT HAVE
PASSED OF THE SEVEN CITIES THAT
HAVE PASSED A RIGHT TO COUNSEL,
THREE, SAN FRANCISCO, BOULDER,
AND BALTIMORE, HAVE NO INCOME
LIMIT.
CLEVELAND 100% WAS THE RESULT
OF A LONG BATTLE WITH THE CITY
COUNCIL WHERE ULTIMATELY THEY
WERE NOT WILLING TO GO ANY
FURTHER, AT LEAST INITIALLY.
THEIR RIGHT TO COUNSEL NOT ONLY
IS THE INCOME THRESHOLD THAT
REQUIRES A FAMILY TO HAVE
CHILDREN FROM IT IS A MUCH,
MUCH MORE LIMITED RIGHT TO
COUNSEL THAN WHAT EXISTS IN
PRETTY MUCH ALL THE OTHER
JURISDICTIONS.
NEW YORK CITY PROFITS LIMIT
WHICH IS 200%, THERE IS ALREADY
A BILL PENDING TO DOUBLE THAT
BECAUSE THERE IS RECOGNITION
THAT 70 PEOPLE ARE FALLING
OUTSIDE OF THE 200% THRESHOLD
IN NEW YORK CITY.
JUST THIS ONE MASTER DATA
POINT, SAN FRANCISCO, WHICH HAS
NO INCOME LIMIT, DID AN
ANALYSIS OF WHO IS APPLYING A
YEAR INTO ITS IMPLEMENTATION
AND FOUND THAT 85% OF THOSE
WERE EXTREMELY LOW OR LOW
INCOME, 9% WERE MODERATE, ONLY
6% WERE MODERATE, THOSE SIX
PERCENT WERE PROBABLY NOT FAR
ABOVE MODERATE, EVEN THOUGH
THERE WAS NO INCOME LIMIT, THE
VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO GOT
COUNSEL REALLY NEEDED IT.
I THINK THAT IS ULTIMATELY WHAT
GENERALLY HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE
A RIGHT TO COUNSEL, REGARDLESS
OF THE INCOME LIMIT OR NOT.
>> I WILL SECOND WHAT JOHN
SAID, I THINK ALSO
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
COMMENTS, IT IS A REALLY GOOD
QUESTION.
THE ONE THING I WILL
DISTINGUISH , CRIMINAL CONTEXT,
THERE'S A WHOLE SECTOR CALLED
WHITE-COLLAR CRIME, WE KNOW
CRIME IS SOMETHING COMMITTED BY
PEOPLE OF ALL CLASSES, AND ALL
RACES, THERE IS A
DISPROPORTIONATE IMPACT ON A
SPECIFIC RACE, LOW INCOME
PERSONS, THAT IS REALLY NOT
REALLY THE CASE FROM WHAT I'VE
SEEN IN EVICTIONS, THERE IS NO
WHITE-COLLAR EVICTION, FOR THE
MOST PART, I HAVE NEVER SEEN
THAT.
A LOT OF TIMES, WHEN PEOPLE ARE
STRUGGLING, IT IS BECAUSE OF
POVERTY, BECAUSE OF THOSE
STRUGGLES.
IN MY EXPENSE, WHEN WE HAVE
HAD, BUT WE DO IS TECHNICALLY
SOME TYPE OF MEANS TESTING, IT
IS MOSTLY JUST A GRANT, THE
REALITY IS, WE ALMOST NEVER
TURN EVERYBODY AWAY.
IT IS PRETTY RARE WE GET
SOMEBODY WHO DOES FALL ABOVE
THAT 200% POVERTY LINE.
SOMETIMES WILL TAKE THEM TO
OTHER AREAS.
EVICTIONS, 90%, WHAT WE ARE
TRYING TO DO IS HELP SOMEBODY
NAVIGATE THE COURT SYSTEM, THE
BENEFITS AND RESOURCES THEY
NEED, THEY CANNOT AFFORD AN
ATTORNEY.
I WOULD SUGGEST AVOIDING TRYING
TO -- THE BEST YOU CAN.
I THINK IT IS REALLY,
ULTIMATELY, NOT SOMETHING
NEEDED.
>> THANK YOU, SORRY, WAS
SOMEBODY GOING TO GO?
>> SORRY, THIS IS TED.
>> HEAD.
GO AHEAD.
>> WE LOOKED AT THE RATES THAT
PEOPLE HAVE FOR PRESENTATION,
WHICH IS A SMALL MINORITY, THIS
IS DIFFERENT.
DIFFERENT COUNTIES, WE SEE KING
COUNTY IS HIGHER THAN OTHER
COUNTIES, BUT EVEN KING COUNTY
IS LESS THAN A QUARTER OF THE
TIME, PEOPLE FACING EVICTIONS
HAVE A LAWYER PRESENT, BUT THEY
ALSO LOOKED AT THIS THING CALLED
DEFAULT EVICTIONS, WE ARE GOING
TO TALK ABOUT THAT A LOT MORE
LATER IN THIS AGENDA WHEN
EDMUND AND JOHN PRESENT ON
SPECIFICALLY ON THE RIGHT TO
COUNSEL, I KNOW THEY HAVE
PRESENTATIONS PUT TOGETHER, BUT
THERE IS, DEPENDING ON WHAT
YEAR IT IS, 30%, 50%, 65% OF
PEOPLE IN EVICTION COURT, OR
PEOPLE WHO GET UNLAWFUL
DETAINER, PEOPLE WHO FACE
EVICTION, WIND UP GETTING
EVICTED BY DEFAULT.
WITHOUT EVER HAVING, GOING TO
THE FULL, THE FULL LEGAL
PROCESS, BY DEFAULT, BECAUSE
THEY DIDN'T APPEAR IN COURT OR
DIDN'T RESPOND TO THE PAPERWORK
PROPERLY.
ALL OF THESE PEOPLE WOULD BE
PEOPLE WOULD SUDDENLY BECOME
INELIGIBLE FOR LEGAL COUNSEL IF
THEY FIRST HAD TO GO THROUGH A
MEANS TESTING TEST.
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WILL BE
DISCUSSED IS HOW TO COVER THIS
HUGE SWATH OF RENTERS FACING
EVICTION WHO WOULD OTHERWISE
DEFAULT.
. THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION,
I THINK THAT QUESTION IS BOUND
TO COME UP SOONER OR LATER, I
APPRECIATE ADDING TO THE
DISCUSSION.
I WOULD ALSO APPRECIATE YOUR
INTEREST IN THE LEGISLATION, I
WOULD LOVE TO TALK TO YOUR
OFFICE OFF-LINE AND SEE IF WE
CAN BRING THIS LEGISLATION
FORWARD, TOGETHER I AM HAPPY TO
HAVE ANY OF THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS COSPONSOR THESE, EITHER
OF THESE TWO BILLS.
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I KNOW
WE HAVE JOHN ONLY TOOK 3:45, I
KNOW OTHER ANALYSTS ALSO HAVE
IMITED TIME, I WANTED TO
QUICKLY INVITE ESTHER, WHO
HASN'T SPOKEN YET, SPECIFICALLY
ESTHER LITTLE DOVE, TALK MORE
ABOUT THE LOSS THAT HAS BEEN
FACED BY THE BLACK COMMUNITY,
YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED IT
YOURSELF, AFTER ESTHER, IF YOU
CAN COMMENT ON HOW, WHAT, WHAT
YOU THINK, WHAT PERCENTAGE OF
YOUR NEIGHBORS HAVE LOST
INCOME, IF YOU COULD EXPAND ON
WHAT THE CRISIS LOOKS LIKE ON
THE GROUND, ESTHER, GO AHEAD,
THEN WE WILL GO TO JOHN
>> I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT MY
NEIGHBORS ARE ALL ELDERLY
PEOPLE, LIKE MYSELF, AND WE ARE
ALL ON A LIMITED INCOME, WE ARE
JUST WAITING AND HOPING THAT
THE RENT WON'T GO UP FOR OUR
APARTMENT BUILDING.
IT IS AN APARTMENT BUILDING
THAT IS OWNED BY THE UNITED
CHURCH OF CHRIST, BUT HE RAISED
THE RENT LAST NOVEMBER, THAT
WAS TOUGH ON US, AND WE ARE
JUST HOLDING ON BY OUR
FINGERNAILS NOW.
SO, WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW
IS, WHETHER THE COUNCILMEMBERS
WHO ARE ON THIS CALL WOULD
LIKE, WOULD LIKE TO SUPPORT THE
RENT, THE EVICTION MORATORIUM,
BECAUSE I THINK THAT IS THE
MOST IMPORTANT THING OF ALL, IS
THAT THERE SHOULD BE A
MORATORIUM ON RAISING THE RENT,
BECAUSE NOBODY IS GOING TO BE
ABLE TO AFFORD ANYTHING MORE, I
AM WONDERING IF THE
COUNCILMEMBERS COULD COMMENT ON
THE RENT MORATORIUM PROPOSAL.
>> THANK YOU, ESTHER, I THINK
YOU KNOW WHAT MY POSITION IS,
WE HAVE BROUGHT THESE TWO DRAFT
BILLS FOR DISCUSSION, BUT OF
COURSE, MY COUNCILMEMBERS TO
WEIGH IN ON THIS QUESTION, IN
THE MEANWHILE, UNTIL I SEE
RAISED HANDS ON RESUME, I INVITE
ARIANNA.
>> MOST OF MY NEIGHBORS ARE
BEHIND ON RENT, OF EVERYBODY
IN MY BUILDING THAT IS BEHIND,
I HAVE HELPED EVERYBODY APPLY
WHEN IT CAME THROUGH, I'M THE
ONLY ONE THAT WON THE LOTTERY.
THAT WHOLE PROCESS TOOK SIX
MONTHS TO THE EVICTION
MORATORIUM, IT LITERALLY KEPT
US HOUSED WHILE WE WERE LOOKING
FOR ASSISTANCE.
THERE IS TWO SINGLE MOTHERS
WITH CHILDREN WHO ARE BEHIND
RENT IN OUR BUILDING, THERE IS
THREE VACANCIES NOW, SO, IT IS
NOT A BIG BUILDING, ONLY EIGHT
úUNITS, EVERYBODY IS BEHIND ON
RENT, THREE VACANCIES.
IN THE DISTRICT, IT IS PRETTY
BRUTAL, THE HOMELESS CITIES ARE
BOOMING, I HAVE WORKED WITH A
LOT OF HOMELESS FOLKS, A LOT OF
PEOPLE I AM TALKING TO NOW,
THEY USED TO HAVE A SHELTER IN
SEATTLE, THEY WERE WORKING
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
IT IS NOT PEOPLE WHO ARE
STRUGGLING WITH DRUG ADDICTION,
ANYMORE, IT IS PEOPLE WHO LOST
THEIR JOBS BECAUSE OF THE
POLICIES WE PASSED.
AND THE SHUT DOWN.
AS FAR AS ESSENTIAL WORKERS GO,
I AM A FULL-TIME EMPLOYEE, AND
MY ROOMMATE IS A FULL-TIME
BARISTA AT STARBUCKS, I GET 26
HOURS A WEEK RIGHT NOW.
SHE GETS ABOUT 20, WE ARE FULL-
TIME EMPLOYEES.
THE COMPANIES HAVE DONE
SOMETHING SO THEY CAN KEEP
GIVING US INSURANCE REGARDLESS
OF US NOT NEEDING HOURS, AND
THEY JUST SIMPLY DON'T HAVE ANY
HOURS ANYMORE.
BUSINESS IS BRUTALLY SLOW, IF
YOU ARE PRIVILEGED ENOUGH TO
GET A JOB, YOU ARE NOT GOING TO
GET MUCH MORE THAN A FEW
HUNDRED DOLLARS A PAYCHECK.
IT IS PRETTY BRUTAL, THE FACT OF
JUST RETURNING THINGS TO NORMAL
AND LETTING THE ECONOMY TAKE
IT, TO ME, IS INSANITY.
NOBODY IS GOING OUT, THEY ARE
TERRIFIED OF DYING FROM THE
VIRUS, NOW WE HAVE THIS NEW
STRAIN AND THE CDC IS
ESTIMATING WITHIN THREE MONTHS,
IT IS GOING TO BE THE DOMINANT
STRAIN EMANATION.
WE CAN'T END THE MORATORIUM.
IT IS GOING TO BE REALLY BAD.
IT IS ALREADY REALLY BAD.
>> ARIANNA, I THINK YOU MADE AN
IMPORTANT POINT, A LOT OF THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE NEWLY BECOMING
VULNERABLE, IT IS BECAUSE OF
THE ECONOMIC CRISIS, PEOPLE
USED TO HAVE JOBS WHO ARE NOW
UNEMPLOYED, AM I RIGHT IN
UNDERSTANDING THAT YOU USED TO
BE?
>> YES.
UFC W 21, THERE IS A HUGE
ISSUE, WE HAVE BEEN FIGHTING
FOR BASIC WORKERS' WRITES FROM
THE BEGINNING, IT IS A WHOLE
UNIT, NOT JUST A LOCAL CHAPTER,
LOSING THREE PEOPLE A DAY TO
THE VIRUS AND THERE IS NO
UNIVERSITY, IF YOU GO BACK TO
WORK, YOU ARE ROLLING THE DICE
ON YOUR LIFE, WHETHER OR NOT
YOUR EMPLOYER CARES ABOUT
GETTING YOU GLOVES OR THE
THINGS YOU NEED TO STAY SAFE.
SORRY FOR INTERRUPTING.
>> NO, ABSOLUTELY, NO APOLOGIES
NEEDED, THANK YOU FOR ADDING
THAT, FOR GIVING ALSO A NATIONAL
NATIONWIDE PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT
IS HAPPENING TO GROCERY STORE
WORKERS, OBVIOUSLY IT IS
CRUCIAL, BUT IT IS ALSO A
MASSIVE CRISIS THAT GROCERY
STORE WORKERS ARE SHOULDERING
BY THEMSELVES ALONG WITH OTHER
FRONT-LINE WORKERS, I THINK IT
IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, I THINK
IT IS IMPORTANT YOU BROUGHT
THIS UP, BECAUSE THE RENT
CRISIS DOESN'T EXIST BY ITSELF
SUMMER AND THOSE IN THE UNIT,
THESE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE
KEEPING THE REST OF US SAFE
BECAUSE WE ARE ABLE TO DO STAY
AT HOME, BUT THEY AREN'T, AND
THEY ARE ALSO FACING THE RENTAL
CRISIS, IT IS FOR THEM THAT WE
ARE FIGHTING THE MORATORIUM.
THAT WAS A VERY VALUABLE POINT
OF VIEW THAT YOU BROUGHT IN.
AND OTHER OTHER PANELISTS WOULD
LIKE TO SPEAK, JUST IN THE
INTEREST OF TIME, IF THERE ARE
NO OBJECTIONS, I WANTED TO
INVITE JOHN AND EDMUND TO GO
OVER THEIR PRESENTATION, THERE
IS A REASON WE ARE COVERING
THESE TWO TOPICS TOGETHER, THEY
ARE NOT SEPARATE, THIS IS
CRISES FACED BY RENTERS, IT IS
A PACKAGE OF POLICIES NEEDED TO
GET A RESULT.
PLEASE GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU.
CAN YOU SEE MY PRESENTATION
OKAY?
>> YES.
>> THANK YOU, SO, IT IS A
PLEASURE TO BE HERE, I'M REALLY
PLEASED THAT SEATTLE IS
CONSIDERING THIS LEGISLATION.
WE REALLY ARE SEEING AN
INCREDIBLE GROUNDSWELL AROUND
THIS ISSUE, MY ORGANIZATION HAS
BEEN INVOLVED IN ALL OF THE
SUCCESSFUL CAMPAIGNS SO FAR,
ESTABLISHED A RIGHT, I'M GOING
TO TALK FOR JUST A MINUTE OR
TWO ABOUT WHY WE DO THIS AND
TALK ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING.
BASICALLY, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT
THE CONSEQUENCE OF EVICTION,
THE FIRST THING WE SAY IS
EVERYTHING IS A CONSEQUENCE OF
EVICTION.
ALL OF YOUR BASIC HUMAN NEEDS
CAN BASICALLY BE IMPLEMENTED,
WHETHER IT IS ACCESS TO
CHILDREN, SCHOOLS,
HOMELESSNESS, PHYSICAL HEALTH,
HEALTH EFFECTS, NEIGHBORHOOD
EFFECTS, YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
BEING DEVASTATED, THESE ARE NOT
THEORETICAL, THESE HAVE ALL
BEEN STUDIED BY SOCIAL
SCIENTISTS, THERE IS DATA
DEMONSTRATING THESE HAPPENED AS
A RESULT OF EVICTIONS.
OF COURSE, THERE IS THE STATE
REVENUE LOSS FROM THESE
CONSEQUENCES.
THIS IS AN ESTIMATE DONE
NATIONALLY OF THE COST OF
EVICTIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
IT IS $315 BILLION.
THRALL OF THESE COSTS
QUANTIFIED.
AND THEN, DURING COVENANT --
COVID-19, EVICTIONS CAUSE
PEOPLE TO DOUBLE UP, INCREASES
THE SPREAD OF INFECTION.
BASICALLY, THAT IS WHY THE CDC
SAID WE HAVE TO HAVE A
MORATORIUM.
IT IS TOO DANGEROUS, BOTH ON
SHELTERED HOMELESSNESS AND
DOUBLING UP LATELY CONTRIBUTING
TO SPREADING COVID-19.
THIS IS NOT THEORETICAL, THERE
HAVE BEEN STUDIES DONE BY
ACADEMICS THAT HAVE
DEMONSTRATED AND QUANTIFIED
EXACTLY HOW MUCH EVICTIONS
ACTUALLY SPREAD THE PREVALENCE
AND HAVE ALSO LOOKED AT EXACTLY
HOW MUCH MORTALITY IT CAUSES.
THEY'VE ACTUALLY LOOKED AT HOW
AN INCREASE ACTUALLY LEADS TO A
CERTAIN NUMBER OF DEATHS, WHICH
IS, WHEN YOU SEE IT PORTRAYED,
IT REALLY SHOWS YOU EXACTLY
WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.
THERE ARE ALSO, COVID-19 HAS
CREATED LEGAL ISSUES, THE
MORATORIUM HAS A NUMBER OF
ISSUES LEGALLY, IT HAS
EXCEPTIONS, LIMITATIONS, IT HAS
SOME THINGS SUBJECT TO
INTERPRETATION, LANDLORDS
PRESSING LEGAL CLAIMS, TENANTS
DO NOT KNOW HOW TO DEFEND, THE
MORATORIUM IS CONSTANTLY
CHANGING, WE EXPECT THE CDC TO
CHANGE SOON, HOPEFULLY TO GET
BETTER.
THAT WILL LEAD TO ANOTHER ROUND
OF LEGAL QUESTIONS THAT COME
UP, THE MORATORIUM, BUT THEY
COVER CONSTANTLY CHANGES, IN
WASHINGTON STATE, WHERE
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE HAD CITY AND
COUNTY AT STATE LEVEL
MORATORIUM AT THE SAME TIME,
EXPECTING A TENANT TO KNOW WHAT
PROTECTIONS APPLY TO THEM AND
EXPECTING THE COURTS TO
UNDERSTAND WHAT LAW APPLIES IS
REALLY ASKING TOO MUCH, THIS IS
REALLY THE DOMAIN OF TENANT
ATTORNEYS TO KEEP UP WITH THIS
SORT OF THING.
THEN, WHEN COURTS ARE HOLDING
HEARINGS, THE IN PERSON
HEARINGS ARE FRAUGHT WITH DUE
PROCESS PROBLEMS.
A LOT OF TENANTS DON'T HAVE
ACCESS TO THE TECHNOLOGY TO USE
THEM, THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO
INTRODUCE EVIDENCE ON ZOOM, THE
COURTS HAVE PROBLEMS WITH
DROPPED CONNECTIONS, WHEN THEY
HOLD HEARINGS IN PERSON, BUT
GOES BACK TO THE ORIGINAL
PROBLEM.
CONCENTRATING PEOPLE IN A SMALL
INDOOR SPACE.
EITHER WAY, WHETHER IT IS, THIS
GOES TO THE COUNCILWOMAN'S
POINT ABOUT THE MORATORIUM, IF
CUSHIONS SHOULD NOT BE
HAPPENING, RIGHT TO COUNSEL IS
A SECONDARY TO THE FACTS COURTS
SHOULD BE OPEN AT ALL.
EVEN IF THEY WERE NOT OPEN,
EVEN IF THERE WAS A COMPLETE
MORATORIUM, YOU WOULD STILL
NEED A RIGHT TO CANCEL BECAUSE
LANDLORDS AMPLY FILE ILLEGAL
EVICTIONS, NOT FILE, BUT THEY
TAKE ILLEGAL EVICTION ACTIVITY
BY LOCKING PEOPLE OUT, TURNING
OFF WATER, POWER, YOU STILL
NEED COUNSELTO DEAL WITH EVEN
THE SITUATIONS THAT HAPPEN
OUTSIDE OF THE COURTROOM.
YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARD THE
STATISTICS SPECIFIC TO SEATTLE
AND WASHINGTON, THESE ARE
NATIONAL STATISTICS ABOUT HOW
MUCH MORE THIS EFFECT
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
THIS DATA SHOWS HOW OFTEN, WITH
THE TOP BEING BLACK TENANTS AND
THE BOTTOM BEING QUITE, HOW
LIKELY THEY ARE TO SAY THEY ARE
NOT ABLE TO PAY RENT.
YOU CAN SEE THOSE BARS FOR
BLACK TENANTS ARE TWICE AS HIGH
AS THEY ARE FOR WHITE TENANTS.
COVID-19 HAS MADE THINGS
ALREADY UNETHICAL EVEN
SERIOUSLY WORSE.
WHERE WE ARE NOW IS WE ARE
SEEING REALLY THE CRUSTING OF
THIS MOVEMENT.
WE HAVE SEVEN JURISDICTIONS
WHICH HAVE PASSED, WE ALREADY
TALKED ABOUT.
THIS YEAR ALONE, WE HAVE FIVE
STATES THAT HAVE INTRODUCED
STATEWIDE LEGISLATION,
INCLUDING WASHINGTON STATE,
SOME OF THESE BILLS WE ACTUALLY
HAVE A REAL CHANCE OF PASSING.
SO, WE ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT
THAT.
THERE IS ALSO A CITY ACTIVITY
AND FEDERAL, THERE HAVE BEEN
FEDERAL BILLS FILED BY A NUMBER
OF MEMBERS OF HOUSE AND SENATE,
WE EXPECT MORE TO HAPPEN IN
2021.
THERE IS REALLY A LOT OF
INTEREST FROM THE GOVERNMENT.
WE DON'T REALLY HAVE TIME TO
COMPARE ALL OF THE ELEMENTS OF
THESE DIFFERENT BILLS, YOU
HEARD EARLIER THE ELIGIBILITY
REQUIREMENTS DO VARY, THEY GO
EVERYWHERE FROM 100% TO NO
INCOME LIMIT AT ALL.
SOME OF THEM COVER SUBSIDIZED
TENANT TERMINATIONS, WHICH IS
ESSENTIAL, BECAUSE IT IS, IF
SOMEONE'S VOUCHER IS
TERMINATED, THAT IS AN
EVICTION, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE
TO STAY.
THOSE ARE, FROM OUR
PERSPECTIVE, THEY ARE
EVICTIONS, THEY NEED TO BE
COVERED.
THEY COVER DIFFERENT THINGS AS
FAR AS APPEALS, BALTIMORE, THE
BILL COVERS EVICTIONS AND
TERMINATIONS WERE A PROCEEDING
CONSIDERED FUNCTIONAL AS
DETERMINED BY THE PROVIDER.
YOU CAN SEE SOME OF THESE WERE
DONE BY CITY, THE REVENUES,
GENERALLY DONE THROUGH GENERAL
REVENUE, ALTHOUGH FEW PLACES
HAVE DONE OTHER THINGS, THE
TEXT AND IN BOULDER WAS
ACTUALLY REQUIRED BY STATE LAW,
THEY HAVE A STATE LAW THAT DOES
NOT ALLOW A BALLOT INITIATIVE
THAT IT DOES NOT CREATE A NEW
SOURCE OF REVENUE.'S THEY HAD
TO DO IT THAT WAY.
AS YOU CAN SEE, HOW LONG THESE
ARE ROLLED OUT, WHO IS
RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING IT
IS DRAMATICALLY DIFFERENT FROM
CITY TO CITY, THERE IS NO ONE
STANDARD.
TREMENDOUS SUCCESS ALREADY FROM
PLACES WHO ALREADY HAVE RIGHTS
TO COUNSEL.
THE STATISTIC I LIKE AS MUCH IS
THE FACT EVICTION FILINGS HAVE
DROPPED 30%.
THAT IS BECAUSE LANDLORDS HAVE
SEEN THAT IF THEY FILE
SOMETHING FRIVOLOUS, IT WILL BE
MET BY AN ATTORNEY, IT IS NOT
THEORETICAL, THEY WILL BE MET
BY AN ATTORNEY, THEY CAN'T FILE
SOMETHING ENTIRELY ILLEGAL OR
WRONGFUL OR FRIVOLOUS.
WE EXPECTED THAT DROP, IT IS
STILL GRATIFYING TO SEE.
DEFAULT JUDGMENTS HAVE ALSO
DROPPED, IT HAS DROPPED BY 34%
IN NEW YORK, THAT IS REALLY,
THE RESULTS HAVE COME VERY FAST
AND REALLY ARE PROOF OF THE
CONCEPT, BUT WE ARE ALSO
EXCITED ABOUT IS THE JUDGES,
THE HOUSING COURT JUDGES IN NEW
YORK CITY HAVE SAID, THIS IS
NOT MAKING THEIR JOBS HARDER,
IT IS IMPROVING EFFICIENCY AND
FAIRNESS, THE HOUSING COURT
JUDGES ARE SUPPORTIVE OF THE
RIGHT TO COUNSEL, NOW THAT THEY
HAVE SEEN WHAT IT WAS, THEY
WERE APPREHENSIVE A LITTLE
BEFORE, NOW THAT IT HAS PASSED,
THEY TESTIFIED IN FAVOR.
SAN FRANCISCO, WHICH HAS BEEN A
LOT SHORTER, IT IS ONLY BEEN IN
EFFECT FOR YOUR, HAS ALREADY
SEEN A 10% FILING DECREASE,
ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF TENANTS ARE
STAYING IN HOMES.
THE, WE ARE SEEING THE RESULTS,
SAN FRANCISCO AND NEW YORK ARE
THE ONLY TWO JURISDICTIONS THAT
HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENTED LONG
ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY HAVE DATA.
WE DON'T HAVE DATA YET FROM THE
OTHER JURISDICTIONS, AS WE GET
THAT, WE WILL SHARE THAT.
IT IS ALSO GREAT TO KNOW, THIS
IS JUST A SAMPLING OF SOME OF
THE CITIES THAT ARE WORKING ON
RIGHT TO COUNSEL, EVERYWHERE
FROM THE INITIAL PLANNING STAGES
TO POTENTIALLY LEGISLATION
GETTING INTRODUCED ANY MOMENT,
AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT IS
GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSE, IT IS
DIVERSE IN TERMS OF RED VERSUS
BLUE, THIS IS REALLY A MOVEMENT
THAT IS TAKING HOLD NATIONALLY.
JUST A COUPLE MORE THINGS
BEFORE I CLOSE, IN ADDITION TO
THE DATA WE HAVE FROM THE RIGHT
TO COUNSEL, WE HAVE DATA FROM
PRIOR STUDIES THAT SHOW JUST
HOW SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACTFUL
RIGHT TO COUNSEL IS, AT THIS
STUDY, THE MASSACHUSETTS
DISTRICT STUDY, WHICH LOOKED AT
TENANTS WHO RECEIVED FULL
REPRESENTATION COMPARED TO
THOSE WHO ONLY GOT LIMITED
ASSISTANCE FOUND THAT THOSE
WITH FULL REPRESENTATION TO
TWICE AS WELL AS THOSE WHO GOT
IT BRIEF LEGAL ADVICE AND
ASSISTANCE FROM A LOWER.
HE NEEDED THAT LAWYER TO GO
THROUGH THE ENTIRE PROCEEDING
WITH THEM, NOT JUST GIVE THEM
LIMITED SCOPE ADVICE.
ALSO, THEY PAID NOTHING TO
THEIR LANDLORDS COMPARED TO
OVER $600 THAT THE TENANTS WHO
GOT LIMITED SCOPE
REPRESENTATION WOUND UP PAYING.
OTHER STUDIES IN OTHER
JURISDICTIONS LIKE DC, IT IS
THE SAME STORY.
TENANTS WITHOUT COUNSEL ARE
MORE LIKELY TO BE SUBJECTED TO
A WRIT, SOMETIMES MORE LIKELY
TO WIND UP WITH AN UNFAVORABLE
CONSENT JUDGE, IN MINNESOTA,
THE ROUND TENANTS WERE FOUR
TIMES LESS LIKELY TO USE A
HOMELESS SHELTER IF THEY HAD
COUNSEL, GOT TWICE AS LONG TO
MOVE AS NECESSARY AND TWICE AS
LIKELY TO STAY IN HOMES.
THERE IS LOTS OF DATA LIKE
THIS, WE ALREADY KNOW RIGHT TO
COUNSEL WORKS, THIS IS NOT A
QUESTION ANYMORE.
>> SORRY.
DIDN'T MEAN TO INTERRUPT YOUR
FLOW, HERE IN HENNEPIN COUNTY,
YOU ARE SAYING THAT NOT ONLY,
IN TERMS OF PREVENTING EVICTIONS
, IT FOUND THAT TENANTS WHO HAD
REPRESENTATION, OF THE TENANTS
WHO FACED EVICTIONS, TWICE AS
LIKELY TO STAY IN THEIR HOMES,
BUT THE SECOND BULLET POINT YOU
ARE TALKING ABOUT IS OF THOSE
TENANTS WHO STILL FACE EVICTION,
ACTUALLY THEY RECEIVED TWICE AS
LONG TO MOVE OUT? IS THAT WHAT
YOU'RE SAYING?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
>> SO IT IS NOT, IT IS ACTUALLY
HELPFUL HAVING LEGAL
REPRESENTATION EVEN IF, IN THE
WORST CASE, YOU DO GET EVICTED,
YOU GOT SOMETHING.
SOME PROTECTION.
>> THE RANGE OF BENEFITS
COUNSEL PROVIDES IS SIGNIFICANT,
THE KINDS OF THINGS THAT
ATTORNEYS DO, OBVIOUSLY, WHERE
A TENANT WANTS TO REMAIN, THAT
IS THE PRINCIPAL OBJECTIVE, BUT
THERE ARE OTHER BIG QUESTIONS
THAT HAVE TO BE DECIDED.
IF THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE TO
MOVE, HOW LONG DO THEY HAVE,
WILL THE EVICTION BE FORMALLY
úENTERED ONTO THE RECORD, THAT
IS A MAJOR QUESTION, BECAUSE
THAT WILL FOLLOW THEM AFTER THE
EVICTION, IT IS A MAJOR DEAL
THAT DOES STILL THE RECORD.
HOW MUCH RENT THEY'RE GOING TO
BE FOUND TOO OLD, THAT IS A
CIVIL JUDGMENT THAT CAN ALSO
DAMAGE CREDIT, FOLLOW THEM
AROUND FOR YEARS.
ATTORNEYS ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL
IN DEALING WITH ALL OF THOSE
PROBLEMS.
YES, IN HENNEPIN, THEY GOT
TWICE AS LONG, WHERE THEY HAD
TO MOVE, THEY GOT TWICE AS LONG.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE, SOME
TENANTS DON'T WANT TO STAY, THE
HOUSING CONDITIONS MAY BE SO
POOR THAT BY THE TIME THEY ARE
COUNTED BY AN ATTORNEY, THEY
SAY, I JUST WANT OUTCOME AT
THAT POINT, THE ATTORNEY'S JOB
IS TO ENSURE THEY CAN HAVE
HOUSING STABILITY IN THE
EVICTION DOES AS LITTLE DAMAGE
AS POSSIBLE.
WITH COUNSEL, THEY CAN EXIT
GRACEFULLY AND ALSO GET HELP
APPLYING FOR RENTAL ASSISTANCE,
TRANSITION ASSISTANCE, WHATEVER
IT IS THEY NEED TO HELP MOVE TO
THE NEXT HOUSING OPPORTUNITY.
THAT IS WHAT COUNSEL CAN HELP
WITH.
>> DID I HEAR YOU SAY ALSO THAT
HAVING LEGAL COUNSEL CAN ALSO
HELP DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT
THE EVICTION GOES ON YOUR
RECORD?
TO ME, THIS IS MIND BLOWING,
SHOCKED ME, AS A SUMMARY WHO IS
A NOVICE, I DIDN'T KNOW THAT
THAT WAS EVEN AN OPTION FOR
RENTERS.
>> I WILL SAY, I WILL HAVE TO
DEFER TO EDMUND ON THAT, IT IS
STATE LAW DEPENDENT ON WHETHER
OR NOT A PARTICULAR STATE
ALLOWS THAT SORT OF LAW, IN
MANY STATES, THE EVICTION CAN
BE WHAT IS CALLED SCREENED,
WHICH MEANS IT IS NOT FORMALLY
ENTERED, THERE MAY BE AN
AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE LANDLORD
AND TENANT AS TO WHAT IS GOING
TO HAPPEN, BUT THAT, BUT THE
ACTUAL EVICTION IS NOT ENTERED
ON THE RECORD.
YES.
I'M SURE ED CAN SPEAK TO THAT.
BUT EVEN IF, EVEN IF IT IS NOT,
THAT IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF ONE
OF THE KINDS OF THINGS, THERE
ARE MANY THINGS THE ATTORNEYS
CAN DO, I WOULD SAY, ALSO, IN
THE ERA OF COVID-19, I TALKED
ABOUT THE MORATORIUM,
ENFORCEMENT IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT.
THAT IS THE THING THAT COUNSEL
HAS TO DO ANOTHER PIECE, THE
RENTAL ASSISTANCE MONEY THAT
CONGRESS HAS APPROPRIATED, 25
ALIEN DOLLARS, OF WHICH
WASHINGTON STATE IS GETTING A
SIGNIFICANT PIECE, APPLYING FOR
THAT RENTAL ASSISTANCE CAN BE
VERY DIFFICULT IN GETTING, IN
GETTING IT IN TIME FOR THE
ELECTION CASE, SOMETIMES LEGAL
REPRESENTATION IS NEEDED FOR
THAT, AND WHERE THE LANDLORD
MAY SAY, I'M NOT GOING TO
ACCEPT THIS RENTAL MONEY, IF
THE STATE LAW SAYS THEY HAVE
TO, THEN THE TENANT IS GOING TO
NEED COUNSEL TO ENSURE THE
LANDLORD DOESN'T ILLEGALLY
REFUSE TO ACCEPT RENTAL
ASISTANCE MONEY.
THAT IS ALSO SOMETHING AND CAN
SPEAK TO, I'M SURE, ABOUT HOW
IT WORKS, BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW
THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
I MENTIONED THE COST BENEFIT,
THERE ARE LOTS OF COST BENEFITS
THAT HAVE BEEN DONE THAT SHOWS
THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
BALTIMORE WAS JUST THE MOST
RECENT, WHICH IS WHY HAVE THOSE
NUMBERS HERE.
BUT ALSO, THIS STATISTIC ALSO
FROM BALTIMORE REALLY IS A
STUNNING, THIS STUDY FOUND 80%
OF TENANTS HAD A DEFENSE 80%,
BUT ONLY 8% COULD ACTUALLY
RAISE WITHOUT COUNSEL.
IT GOES TO SHOW HOW MUCH
POTENTIAL THERE WAS FOR THE
RIGHT TO COUNSEL BEFORE
BALTIMORE PASSED IT.
YOU CAN SEE THE DISPARITY IN
THE REPRESENTATION IN
BALTIMORE, 96% VERSUS 1%, THAT
IS NOT AT ALL UNUSUAL.
SKIP THESE.
SO, IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I
WILL END THERE, THERE ARE LOTS
OF OTHER STUDIES, I AM HAPPY TO
SHARE MY SLIDE DECK WITH THE
COUNSEL SO YOU HAVE ACCESS TO
ALL OF THOSE TO STATISTICS, I'M
HAPPY TO BE A RESOURCE, AGAIN,
WE ARE INVOLVED IN ALL OF THESE
EFFORTS, I AM HAPPY TO BE A
RESOURCE FOR THE COUNSEL.
>> THANK YOU, JOHN.
I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER ALICE HAS
RAISED HER HAND, I WILL CALL ON
YOU IN A MINUTE.
DID YOU WANT TO SHARE ANYTHING?
>> I WAS JUST, I THINK JOHN'S
PRESENTATION WAS COMPLETE, THE
LAST THING I WANT TO ADD IS,
KIND OF GIVE YOU A SENSE OF
WHAT WE DO, AND I THINK THE
BEST WAY TO START TO FRAME IT
IS A QUICK ANECDOTE, I HAD A
CLIENT RECENTLY WHO WAS OUT IN
SEATTLE, BEING EVICTED FROM
AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SHE HAD
BEEN, I HAD BEEN PUT IN CONTACT
WITH HER BY A CASE MANAGER, AND
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT
HER, I STARTED CALLING HER, AND
EVENTUALLY FOUND SHE WASN'T
ABLE TO MEET ME ANYWHERE, I
WOULD GO TO HER HOME AND TALK
WITH HER, I HAD GONE WITH HER A
COUPLE TIMES, EXPLAINED THINGS,
EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE.
AND THEN I TALKED TO ONE OF THE
CASE MANAGERS WHO TOLD ME SHE
HAD, WAS DESCRIBING, THERE WAS
A MAN IN A SUIT WHO KEPT COMING
AROUND TO HER, SHE DIDN'T KNOW
WHO THAT WAS, AND WHAT WAS HE
COMING CLEAR TO ME IS THAT SHE
HAD A FORM OF DEMENTIA AND
DIDN'T RECOGNIZE WHAT WAS GOING
ON.
WHICH WAS IMPORTANT INFORMATION
FOR ME TO KNOW, ONE, THAT MEANS
SHE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I
WAS DOING, SHE JUST TO SORT OF
MAYBE WAS PASSING, THAT IS
IMPORTANT BECAUSE THAT TOLD ME
A LOT OF HOW THAT COURT
PROCEEDING ACTUALLY OPERATED.
HERE WAS SOMEBODY WHO ACTUALLY
DID NOT UNDERSTAND THAT THEY
WERE BEING EVICTED.
THAT COURT WAS NOT GOING TO
KNOW THAT.
THIS PERSON WAS ABLE TO SORT OF
COME UP AS, I DON'T WANT TO SAY
PASSING OR NORMAL, BUT YOU
DIDN'T GET A SOURCE OR A SENSE
THAT IT WAS ANYTHING WRONG.
TRY TO SEE WHAT SERVICES WE CAN
PROVIDE YOU HAVE A SOCIAL
WORKER ON OUR STATE, IT
ULTIMATELY ALLOWS US TO STEER
EVICTION AWAY FROM SOMEBODY WHO
HAS DEMENTIA COMING HOMELESS
AND WHERE THERE WOULD BE NO
SUPPORT FOR THAT PERSON.
THAT IS A LOT OF WHAT WE END UP
DOING, WHETHER IT IS A SIMPLE
THING AS SOMEBODY WHO OWES
BRENT, WHICH SOMETIMES WHAT WE
DO IS CONNECT THEM TO RENT
ASSISTANCE, THAT IS HOW WE CAN
PREVENT A LOT OF EVICTIONS.
HE WROTE A NUMBER OF THE ONES
THAT HAVE BEEN PASSED.'S WE
ALSO CAN HELP GET EVICTIONS OFF
PEOPLE'S RECORDS.
A LOT OF WHAT WE DO IS PROBLEM-
SOLVING, IT IS
COUNTERINTUITIVE, BUT MOVING
THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL IS ALSO A
WAY TO DO WHAT WE ARE SEEING IN
CRIMINAL JUSTICE CIRCLES, LET'S
GET THE LEGAL FRAMEWORK OUT OF
THESE PROBLEMS, LET'S TRY TO
TREAT THEM AS SOCIAL PROBLEMS,
TRY TO HELP EACH OTHER OUT.
THAT IS WHAT ULTIMATELY
EVICTIONS ARE DOING.
RIGHT NOW, CURRENTLY, EVICTIONS
ARE JUST IT IS A RAILROAD, IT
IS A QUICKER PROCEEDING THAN
ALMOST ANY OTHER TYPE OF
PROCEEDING, WAY QUICKER THAN
CRIMINAL COURTS, HE WOULD GO
THROUGH THERE, AND A LOT OF
PEOPLE ARE SHOCKED, ALL OF A
SUDDEN THEY FIND THEY HAVE ONE
HEARING AND THEY LOSE THE WHOLE
FORM -- HOME.
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO,
ULTIMATELY, IS MAKE SURE THAT
PERSON IS ADEQUATELY
REPRESENTED, THAT PERSON HAS A
BUDDY WHO HAS A FIDUCIARY DUTY
TO TRY TO WORK WITH THAT PERSON
AND MAKE SURE THEIR NEEDS ARE
MET.
RIGHT NOW, I DON'T THINK THE
COURT IS PREPARED TO HANDLE IT,
YOU NEED SOMEBODY WHO'S GOING
TO BE WATCHING OUT FOR THE
TENANTS WHO ARE GOING TO BE
OTHERWISE DEPRIVED OF THEIR
HOMES, WHEN IT WAS A VERY
PREVENTABLE PROBLEM.
I THINK IT IS HOW, THIS IS ONE
WAY OF PROVIDING THAT ASSISTANCE
, THAT ADVOCACY.
WE CAN REALLY START TRYING TO
GET TO THE CORE OF WHAT IS
GOING ON.
THE INCOME EQUALITY, THE RACISM
GOING ON, AND WE CAN REALLY TRY
TO SEE IF WE CAN START SOLVING
THESE PROBLEMS.
>> A THANK YOU SO MUCH, I
PERSONALLY THOUGHT, WE
OBVIOUSLY HEARD A VERY POWERFUL
TESTIMONY, THIS TESTIMONY FROM
YOURSELVES AS PEOPLE WITH LEGAL
EXPERTISE WHO HAVE SEEN HOW IT
WORKS IN THE FRONT LINES IS
EXTREMELY POWERFUL, BOTH THE
STATISTICS AND THE NARRATIVES
YOU HAVE, JUST QUICKLY, JOHN,
IF YOU COULD GO TO YOUR SLIDE
IN WHICH YOU MENTIONED, THERE
IS ONE BULLET POINT I WANTED TO
DRAW ATTENTION TO, ABOUT SAN
FRANCISCO, WHERE THERE ISN'T ANY
INCOME RESTRICTION ACCESS, JUST
THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THAT. YOU
KNOW, NOT HAVING THAT
RESTRICTION, IT IS SOMETHING
REALLY POWERFUL, 85%, YEAH.
THAT IS A ONE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU WANTED TO
SAY ANYMORE, I KNOW YOU SAID
YOU TALKED ABOUT IT, I JUST
WANTED TO NOTE THAT THAT THAT
IS PRETTY POWERFUL IN TERMS OF
NUMBERS, STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
IS EXTREMELY USEFUL, THIS IS
REALLY USEFUL DESPITE OUR LACK
OF INCOME, 85% OF THOSE
RECEIVING COUNSEL ARE LOW
INCOME.
>> I THINK IT IS WHAT WE
SUSPECTED WOULD BE TRUE, WHEN
YOU ACTUALLY GET THE DATA TO
SEE IT FOR YOURSELF, I THINK
THE REALITY IS THE VAST
MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO GO
THROUGH HOUSING OR POOR.
THAT IS JUST THE REALITY.
IF THERE ARE WEALTHIER TENANTS,
THEY PROBABLY ARE GOING TO OPT
FOR PRIVATE COUNSEL, BECAUSE
THEY ALREADY HAVE WHATEVER THEY
HAVE OR, BUT BASICALLY, WHAT IS
PLAYED OUT IN REALITY IS THAT
WE ARE NOT SEEING, THEY'RE NOT
SEEING THAT IN SAN FRANCISCO, I
DOUBT WE WILL SEE THAT IN
BOULDER, AND CONVERSELY IN NEW
YORK CITY, WHERE THEY HAD A
200% INCOME LIMIT, THERE SEEM
TONS OF PEOPLE WHO JUST DON'T
NEED IT, WHO ARE NOT MEETING IT
AND DESPERATELY POOR.
BECAUSE NEW YORK IS SO
EXPENSIVE.
THAT IS TRUE FOR SEATTLE AS
WELL.
THESE LIMITS, THEY REALLY DO
PRESENT A VERY BIG PROBLEM IN
PRACTICE, YOU HAVE TO RAISE
THAT LIMIT PRETTY HIGH TO
ACTUALLY MEET THE REALITY IF
YOU ARE IN A CITY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COUNCILMEMBER MIRELES, PLEASE
GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU.
I REALIZE I'M KIND OF ACTS KING
QUESTIONS OF BACKWARDS ON THE
AGENDA, MY APOLOGIES, I WONDER
IF WE COULD GO BACK TO THE
MORATORIUM QUESTION, ESTHER
ASKED WHETHER WE WOULD SUPPORT
IT, I WILL SAY, AS A COUNSEL,
WE HAVE ALREADY PASSED SOME
VERSION OF AN EVICTION
MORATORIUM, CERTAINLY
INTERESTED IN LEARNING MORE
ABOUT THE INTENT HERE, OR THE
IMPLEMENTATION, SO, I AM
WONDERING, WE DID GET A DRAFT
LAST NIGHT, I AM WONDERING IF I
COULD ASK SOMEONE TO KIND OF
WALK THROUGH THE ACTUAL
LEGISLATION WE ARE CONSIDERING
HERE SO WE CAN HAVE THAT
CONVERSATION I REALIZE WE ARE
RUNNING OUT OF TIME.
JUST WANTED TO ASK FOR THAT
BEFORE WE CONTINUE.
THANK YOU.
>> COMMITTEE MEMBERS, I CAN
BRIEFLY WALK THROUGH THE
PROPOSAL RELATED TO EVICTION
MORATORIUMS, IF YOU ALSO WANT A
RIGHT TO COUNSEL BILL, THAT
WOULD COME, IN GENERAL, WE ARE
WORKING WITH COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT AND HER STAFF ON A BILL
THAT IS NOT YET INTRODUCED
THAT WOULD MODIFY THE
PROVISIONS EARLIER THIS YEAR.
YOU WILL RECALL THAT THAT BILL
ADOPTED IN MAY OF 2020 CREATED
A DEFENSE FOR NONPAYMENT OF
RENT DURING AND SIX MONTHS
AFTER THE END OF THE MAYOR'S
MORATORIUM ON RESIDENTIAL
EVICTIONS, BASED, I WANT TO
PAUSE THERE BECAUSE THE EMAIL
SAID IT ENDED, THAT IT WENT
INTO EFFECT AT THE END OF THE
CIVIL EMERGENCY, IT IS TIED
SPECIFICALLY TO THE EMERGENCY
ORDER THAT HAS BEEN EXTENDED
SEVERAL TIMES, THAT IMPOSES A
MORATORIUM.
WHAT THIS MEANS IS IF THE
MORATORIUM CURRENTLY IN PLACE
UNTIL MARCH 31st TERMINATES,
THE TENANT OR THEIR COUNSEL
COULD RAISE AS A DEFENSE IN
COURT THAT THEY SUFFERED
FINANCIAL HARDSHIP DUE TO THE
COVID-19 CRISIS, AND THAT WOULD
BE USED AS A DEFENSE IN
EVICTION PROCEEDINGS SIMILAR TO
OTHER DEFENSES MADE AVAILABLE
TO THE CITY'S JUST CAUSE
ORDINANCE.
AGAIN, THAT WOULD REMAIN A
DEFENSE AVAILABLE TO TENANTS
DURING AND SIX MONTHS AFTER THE
END OF THE EVICTION MORATORIUM,
IF THE TENANT CERTIFIES THAT
THEY SUFFERED A FINANCIAL
HARDSHIP.
THE BILL WE ARE WORKING ON WITH
COUNSEL SAWANT, CURRENTLY
DRAFTED, WOULD MODIFY THE
EFFECTIVE PERIOD WHEN THIS
COULD BE RAISED TO BE THE LATER
OF DECEMBER 31st 2021, OR SIX
MONTHS AFTER THE MORATORIUM
TERMINATES.
AND WOULD ELIMINATE THE
REQUIREMENT OF THE TENANT
CERTIFYING THEY SUFFERED A
FINANCIAL HARDSHIP.
EFFECTIVELY, RIGHT NOW, WITH
THE MORATORIUM IN PLACE UNTIL
MARCH 31st, OF 2021, IF THE
MAYOR DIDN'T EXTEND THAT FOR AN
ADDITIONAL PERIOD OF TIME, VIA
EXECUTIVE ORDER, THIS DEFENSE
WOULD BE IN PLACE TO THE END OF
THE YEAR, WITHOUT THIS ACTION,
THE DEFENSE WOULD ONLY BE
AVAILABLE THROUGH SEPTEMBER OF
2021.
HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT.
I WANTED TO ANNOUNCE THAT
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS HAS LET US
KNOW THAT COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS
WILL BE HAPPY TO COSPONSOR THE
RIGHT TO COUNSEL, I WOULD
REALLY APPRECIATE, THAT IS
REALLY WELCOME NEWS, REALLY
APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT.
PLEASE LET US KNOW ABOUT THE
EVICTION MORATORIUM WILL AS
WELL, AND HAPPY TO DISCUSS WITH
YOUR STAFF ALONGSIDE SEVERAL
STAFF, AND JOHN AND EDMUND AND
OUR TENANT ADVOCATES, ALSO.
IN TERMS OF DEVELOPING A DRAFT
FOR THAT DESCRIPTION.
IF YOU WANTED TO ADD ANYTHING,
YOU'RE WELCOME TO.
AS WELL, AND I WOULD ALSO URGE
OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS IN THE
SPIRIT OF ESTHER LITTLE DOV JOHN
WHO SPOKE ABOUT THE CRISIS
AFFECTING OUR SENIOR COMMUNITY,
IF OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS WANT TO
ANNOUNCE THEIR SPONSORSHIP AT
THIS TIME, OBVIOUSLY YOU CAN
LET ME KNOW LATER, BUT IF YOU
WANT TO ANNOUNCE IT NOW, THAT
WOULD BE EXTREMELY WELCOME, IT
WILL BE REALLY HEARTENING TO
THE TENANTS AND TENANT
ADVOCATES TO KNOW YOU WILL BE
SUPPORTING THIS ALONGSIDE ME.
I DO SEE HANDS RAISED BY
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS AND
COUNCILMEMBER MIRELES, I DON'T
KNOW IF THIS IS FROM EARLIER OR
IF YOU ARE PLANNING TO SPEAK,
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, GO AHEAD
MAX.
THANK YOU, I JUST WANTED TO
PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGE, SINCE YOU
SORT OF BROKE THE NEWS TO TO
THE COMMITTEE, THAT I AM HAPPY
TO COSPONSOR THE RIGHT TO
COUNSEL LEGISLATION, APPRECIATE
YOU BRINGING IT FORWARD, I DO
ALSO WANT TO SAY I APPRECIATED
THE PANEL TALKING ABOUT THE
DISCREPANCIES AND THE
THRESHOLDS AND, FOR INCOME
LEVEL, THE TESTING BETWEEN THE
DIFFERENT CITIES, SO, I AGREE,
IT SOUNDS LIKE THE BEST ACTRESS
IS TO NOT IMPLEMENT THAT POLICY
BASED ON THE EXPLANATIONS FROM
THE PANEL, I DID JUST WANT TO
CLARIFY, I WAS NOT NECESSARILY
ADVOCATING EARLIER TO PUT THAT
IN THERE, BUT DID WANT TO HAVE
AN ANALYSIS GIVEN THAT THERE IS
A WIDESPREAD AMONG A LOT OF THE
JURISDICTIONS THAT HAVE DONE
THIS, I THOUGHT THOSE QUESTIONS
WERE ANSWERED QUITE WELL AND I
JUST WANTED TO SAY, I DON'T
THINK THAT THAT WOULD BE
NECESSARY, SINCE WE DID JUST
SORT OF RECEIVED, TO ADDRESS
THE EVICTION MORATORIUM
BRIEFLY, BECAUSE IT WAS
ADDRESSED BY SOME OF THE PEOPLE
ON THE PANEL, YOU KNOW, I HAVE
SUPPORTED ALL THE EVICTION
MORATORIUMS THAT HAVE COME UP
IN THE PAST, I WANT TO REVIEW
THIS PROPOSAL WITH THE AMOUNT
OF ATTENTION IT DESERVES, YOU
KNOW, I CERTAINLY AM SYMPATHETIC
TO DOING IT AND WOULD EXPECT
TO, BUT I WANT TO TAKE A LOOK
AT THE PROPOSAL THAT WAS
DISTRIBUTED TO THE COMMITTEE IN
ANTICIPATION OF THE LATER
ACTION, BUT AS A RENTER AND
SOMEONE WHO HAS ALWAYS BEEN A
RENTER, I AM CERTAINLY
SYMPATHETIC AND EXPECT TO
FIGURE OUT A WAY TO SUPPORT IT.
APPRECIATE THOSE COMMENTS.
>> I DID NOT TAKE HER QUESTION
AS IF YOU WERE ADVOCATING FOR
ANY KIND OF TESTING, I THOUGHT
YOUR QUESTION BROUGHT OUT
REALLY IMPORTANT INFORMATION
AND INSIGHT FROM JOHN AND
EDMUND, I THINK THAT IS
SOMETHING THAT LANDLORDS WOULD
PUSH FOR, IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT
WITH SOUND, STATISTICAL
EVIDENCE, WE SHOW WHY WE
SHOULD, I WOULD ALSO SAY WITH
THE FACT IT IS PRECISELY WHY
WE, MEANING TENANTS AND TENANT
ADVOCATES, BASED ON WHAT WE
HAVE RECEIVED IN MY OFFICE,
ALSO ADVOCATING WE REMOVE THE
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT, AND
I WANTED TO INVITE MAIA OR LYDIA
TO CONTRIBUTE MORE ON THAT
QUESTION.
ALSO, EDMUND, AND WE HAVE OTHER
AGENDA ITEMS, BUT WHILE WE HAVE
OUR PANELISTS HERE, COULD YOU
TALK ABOUT, WHAT HAPPENS, WHAT
IS THIS EVICTION BY DEFAULT?
WHAT IS HAPPENING AND WHAT
OTHER STATISTICS HAS THE
PROJECT FOUND IN TERMS OF
EVICTIONS, IF YOU COULD SHARE
ONE OR TWO STORIES OF WHAT
HAPPENS TO PEOPLE WHEN THEY GET
EVICTED BY DEFAULT.
>> I THINK THIS IS PROBABLY ONE
OF THE BIGGEST ISSUES. ONE OF,
LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY, WHEN WE
HAVE CONTACT WITH TENANTS, WE
ARE ABLE TO GIVE THEM HOUSING
AT LEAST 50 PERCENT OF THE
TIME.
MORE LIKELY THAN NOT, WE ARE
WORKING WITH THEM.
REGARDLESS OF SCREENING FOR THE
MERITS OF THEIR CASE OR
ANYTHING.
WE JUST TAKE ANYBODY WHO SHOWS
UP, THE BIGGEST PROBLEM IS THAT
ALMOST HALF OF ALL TENANTS
DON'T SHOW UP TO THEIR COURT
HEARINGS.
THEY DON'T SHOW UP, DON'T MAKE
ANY CONTACT, WE LOOKED AT SORT
OF A DEEP STUDY OF CFO CASES,
45% JUST DIDN'T SHOW UP.
EITHER THEY DIDN'T UNDERSTAND
THE PAPERWORK, THEY DIDN'T KNOW
THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO RESPOND
TO THE PAPERWORK, WHICH IS
DIFFICULT TO DO, AND WHAT
HAPPENS IS THEY JUST GET A
JUDGMENT AGAINST THEM, THEY
DON'T HAVE THEIR DAY AT COURT,
THEY FOUND IT, WELL, ACTUALLY,
THIS WAS A PREVENTABLE
EVICTION, WHETHER IT IS JUST
BECAUSE IT WAS, THERE IS A
STRONG LEGAL DEFENSE AGAINST
THEM, OR EVEN SUMMARY JUST OWES
A LITTLE BIT OF MONEY.
IS A RESOURCE THERE TO HELP
THEM.
THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM, THIS IS
A PROBLEM ACROSS THE COUNTRY,
IT IS PRETTY NOTICEABLE HERE.
A LOT OF PEOPLE DON'T HAVE A
LOT OF ACCESS OR DON'T KNOW HOW
TO ADVOCATE THE COURT SYSTEM.
I HEARD A STORY FROM THE
SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES WHO ENDED UP
EVICTING SOMEONE IN SEATTLE AND
FOUND THAT WHEN THEY WENT IN,
THAT THEY SAW THE EVICTION
PEOPLE PILED ON THE COUNTER,
THEY DIDN'T SPEAK ENGLISH,
DIDN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS
GOING ON, SO THAT PERSON HAD TO
BE PULLED OUT BY THE SHERIFF,
THIS WAS SOMEBODY WHO WAS
PRETTY VULNERABLE POSSIBLY WE
COULD HAVE PREVENTED THAT
EVICTION.
ULTIMATELY, IT IS A LOT OF
PEOPLE WHO JUST DON'T HAVE THAT
SORT OF PROACTIVE ACCESS,
SOMEBODY WATCHING IT.
I THINK THIS COMES UP ANOTHER
CONTEXT.
A LOT OF PEOPLE WERE BEING
MASSIVELY EVICTED.
NOBODY IS ABLE TO STAND AND AND
STAY, I'M GOING TO PROTECT
THESE PEOPLE OR THESE TENANTS,
BEFORE THEY GET EVICTED, JUST
TRY TO GET AN INJUNCTION, STOP
ALL THIS ACTIVITY FROM
HAPPENING.
YOU NEED SUMMARY WHO HAS THAT
ADVOCACY POWER, SORT OF
ATTORNEY GENERAL STYLE POWER,
WHO CAN INTERVENE AND MAKE SURE
PEOPLE GET RESOURCES AND
ULTIMATELY, WHETHER IT IS
BECAUSE OF BEING ILLEGALLY
THROWN OUT, IF THERE IS
SOMETHING GOING WRONG OR
SOMETHING WRONG IN THAT
SITUATION, OR BECAUSE YOU JUST
A NOTICE, YOU SEE ALL THESE
CASES, YOU SEE SOMEBODY IS
REALLY VULNERABLE, SOMETHING
THAT COULD BE PREVENTED.
IT IS A HUGE PROBLEM,
ULTIMATELY, RIGHT TO COUNSEL
FRANKLY IS GOING TO MAKE A HUGE
DENT IN HELPING PEOPLE STAY
HOUSED.
WITH THAT, I THINK, REALLY, I
THINK IT IS ULTIMATELY GOING TO
BE A POSITIVE.
FOR EVERYONE.
I STILL THINK THERE IS A BIG
PROBLEM OF HOW TO GET TO ALL OF
THESE PEOPLE.
>> THANK YOU, THAT IS REALLY
VERY USEFUL, INFORMATIVE.
>> I JUST WANTED TO ECHO, YEAH,
JUST HOW A LOT OF THE TIMES WHO
I WORK WITH, THEY ARE PUSHED,
DISPLACED EVEN BEFORE THEY
RECEIVE A FORMAL EVICTION
NOTICE, THEY ARE PRESSURED
THROUGH HARASSMENT OR THEIR
LANDLORD ISN'T MAKING REPAIRS,
AND SUCH A CHRONIC WAY.
PEOPLE ELECT TO LEAVE THEIR
HOMES, IT IS NOT LIKE A FORMAL
EVICTION, LIKE DISPLACEMENT
LOOKS LIKE SO MANY DIFFERENT
THINGS BECAUSE OF PEOPLE NOT
HAVING ACCESS TO THOSE
RESOURCES, SO, JUST WANT TO
ECHO THE FACT THAT THAT IS
ANOTHER REASON WHY HAVING
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
WOULD JUST WEAKEN THIS SO MUCH,
BECAUSE EVEN BEFORE GETTING TO
THE POINT OF EVICTION, PEOPLE'S
LACK OF RESOURCES AND BEING
PRESSURED BY LANDLORDS ARE
PREVENTING PEOPLE FROM STAYING
IN THEIR HOMES.
>> THANK YOU.
I THINK THAT IS A VERY
IMPORTANT POINT, EVEN THOUGH
THE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT
IS NOT PAPERWORK THAT REQUIRES,
IT IS NOT FULL-FLEDGED TESTING,
IN WHICH CASE YOU ACTUALLY HAVE
TO PROVIDE A SOURCE OF INCOME,
BUT IT IS STILL A BURDEN,
BECAUSE IT IS PAPERWORK TO SHOW
THAT YOU ARE DESERVING OF THAT
SERVICE, BUT AS THE TWO
STATISTICS SHOW, ACTUALLY, THE
VAST MAJORITY, IF NOT ALL OF
YOUR TENANTS, WILL SEEK THESE
SERVICES ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE
QUALIFIED ANYWAY WITH NO
RESTRICTIONS.
I THINK THE EVIDENCE THAT JOHN
AND EDMUND HAVE SHARED ABOUT
THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL NOT HAVING
ANY INCOME RESTRICTIONS,
DEFINITIONS, I THINK IT IS ALSO
SORT OF VERY MUCH IN LINE WITH
WHAT MAIA AND LYDIA HAVE SHARED,
NEEDING TO STRIKE THE
CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT, AND
ONCE AGAIN, I WANTED TO THANK
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS FOR
ANNOUNCING HIS COSPONSORSHIP OF
THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL BILL,
NEITHER HAS BEEN FORMALLY
INTRODUCED YET, BUT THIS IS,
THIS IS DEFINITELY AN IMPETUS
TO GO WITH THE MEASURE.
I WOULD SAY THE MORATORIUM
EXTENSION AND THE RIGHT TO
COUNSEL MEASURES GO HAND-IN-
HAND, BECAUSE ON THE ONE HAND,
WE NEED THE EVICTION MORATORIUM
TO BE EXTENDED FOR OTHER REASONS
THAT HAVE BEEN SET, BUT EVEN
WITH THAT IN PLACE, AS JOHN
POINTED OUT, LANDLORDS WILL
STILL GO FORWARD SEEKING TO
EVICT THE TENANTS, IT IS VITAL
THAT ALL TENANTS HAVE LEGAL
REPRESENTATION TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE EVICTION MORATORIUM
EXTENSION IS FULLY ENFORCEABLE.
THAT IS WHY WE HAVE ALSO
ORGANIZED THE COMMITTEE IN A
WAY WHERE BOTH BILLS AND BOTH
THE IDEAS ARE DISCUSSED
TOGETHER, I ALSO WANTED TO ONCE
AGAIN REMIND EVERYBODY, AS MY A
SHARED EARLIER, 6:00 P.M.
TOMORROW IS THE EVENT, WHICH IS
TITLED BUILDING TENANT POWER
DURING THE PANDEMIC, OF COURSE,
WE ARE IN A STAY AT HOME AND
RESUME, THIS MEETING WILL ALSO
BE ON RESUME.
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO THAT
MEETING, I HATE TO CUT SHORT
THIS DISCUSSION, THIS WAS
EXTREMELY USEFUL, I HOPE
COUNCILMEMBERS FOUND THIS
EXTREMELY USEFUL AS WELL, BUT
IN THE INTEREST OF TIME, I WILL
GO AHEAD AND EXPRESS MY
GRATITUDE TO ALL THE PANELISTS,
WE WILL HAVE YOU BACK WHEN WE
DISCUSSED THE LEGISLATION MORE
FORMALLY, WE WILL NEED YOUR
HELP AT THAT TIME AS WELL, THIS
WAS REALLY GREAT GROUNDING FOR
US FOR THOSE UPCOMING MEETINGS.
NOW, I WILL, ARE THERE NO
FURTHER QUESTIONS? IF THERE ARE
NO OBJECTIONS, I WILL MOVE TO
OUR FINAL AGENDA ITEM, WHICH IS
THE FIVE APPOINTMENTS TO THE
CITY OF SEATTLE RENTER
COMMISSION.
WE HAVE THE REAPPOINTMENTS OF
MARCEDES T. TAITT-LAMAR ,
CHRISTIANA OBEYSUMNER, AND
LAURIE GOFF WHO HAVE ALL PLAYED
A FANTASTIC ACTIVE ROLE IN THE
PAST, WE ALSO HAVE NEW
APPOINTMENTS, MAYA GARFINKEL ,
RENTERS RIGHTS ADVOCATE, AND
SHARON E. CROWLEY, WHO IS AN
ACTIVIST AND HAS ORGANIZED
WITH THE UNION, I WILL
PERSONALLY TESTIFY TO THE
ACTIVE ROLE SHE HAS PLAYED IN
OUR CITY.
AS IS CUSTOMARY FOR NEW
APPOINTEES, THEY ARE HERE IN
PERSON ONLINE.
I ALSO WANTED TO RECOGNIZE AND
THANK JESSICA, WHO HAS BEEN A
GREAT CHAIR OF THE SEATTLE
RENTER'S COMMISSION, AND HAS
KINDLY AGREED TO CONTINUE IN
HER POSITION BEYOND THE FINAL
TERM TO GIVE TIME FOR THESE NEW
APPOINTMENTS.
WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE
YOURSELF FOR THE RECORD AND
SPEAK ABOUT THE REAPPOINTMENTS
AND WE WILL HEAR FROM BOTH OF
THEM?
>> CAN NEVER BE HEAR ME?
OKAY.
I AM WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF
NEIGHBORHOODS, AS WELL AS THE
SEATTLE COMMISSION LIAISON.
IN TERMS OF THE REAPPOINTMENTS,
AS FOR CHRISTIANA OBEYSUMNER
AND 27, YES, I WILL PRESENT TO
THEM, THEY HAVE BEEN A GOOD
PART OF THE COMMISSION AND THEY
HAVE STAYED INTERESTED ALONG
THE WAY, THEY WILL CONTINUE TO
FIGHT THIS FIGHT AND PROVIDE
THE BEST VOICES FOR RENTERS
AROUND SEATTLE, THEY SHOULD
STAY.
>> THANK YOU.
WE DO WANT AN INTRODUCTION FOR
THE RECORD FROM SHARON E.
CROWLEY, DID YOU WANT TO
INTRODUCE YOURSELF?
>> SURE, THANK YOU, I AM SHARON
E. CROWLEY , I AM AN ORGANIZER,
AND I AM ALSO A MEMBER OF OUR
UNION'S HOUSING JUSTICE WORK
GROUP, WE HAVE BEEN REALLY
EXCITED TO BE INVOLVED IN ALL
OF THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF
HOUSING JUSTICE PROJECTS AND
MOVEMENTS THAT WE HAVE OVER THE
PAST COUPLE OF YEARS,
PARTICULARLY RECENTLY, THE ONES
WITH KSHAMA SAWANT,.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU.
MAYA, YOU HAVE ALREADY
INTRODUCED YOURSELF, FOR THE
RECORD, AND I FEEL SILLY ASKING
YOU WHY DO YOU WANT TO BE ON
THIS PANEL, BECAUSE YOU AND
SHARON, YOUR WORK IS SELF-
EVIDENT, BUT WE WILL STILL GO
AHEAD AND DO THAT, THAT WILL
GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK
MORE ABOUT THAT.
IF YOU WANTED TO GO AHEAD FIRST
AND THEN SHARON.
>> HI, AGAIN, I AM 21, I GREW UP
IN NORTHEAST SEATTLE, I AM A
RENTER HERE.
THROUGH THE WORK I HAVE BEEN
DOING, KIND OF JUST BUILDING UP
SOME OF OUR WORKSHOPS AND
BUILDING POLITICAL EDUCATION,
AND AS WELL AS THE WASHINGTON
CAMPAIGN.
I HAVE REALLY SEEN THE DEPTH OF
THE HOUSING CRISIS AS WELL AS
THE WORK WITH TENANTS THAT I
DO, AND I AM INTERESTED IN
BEING PART OF THE RENTERS
COMMISSION TO JUST CONTINUE THE
WORK YOU ALL ARE DOING TO PUSH
OUT FOR THE CITY.
AND STOPPING PROGRESSIVE TACTICS
TO PUNISH ON HOUSE AND UNSTABLE
HOUSED FOLKS.
I'M REALLY EXCITED TO BE PART
OF THE COMMISSION.
THANKS SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU.
SHARON?
>> AGAIN, HI.
I ALSO AM A RENTER IN SEATTLE
AND HAVE BEEN 2001, IN FACT. I
HAVE KIND OF MOVED ALL OVER THE
CITY, SORT OF FLEEING RENT
INCREASES, AND OVER THE LAST,
PARTICULARLY SINCE THE
FINANCIAL CRISIS, I HAVE SEEN
RENT CRANK UP HIGHER AND
HIGHER, I FIRST GOT REALLY
ACTIVE IN OUR UNION'S HOUSING
JUSTICE WORK A COUPLE OF YEARS
AGO, A FEW YEARS AGO NOW.
WE DID A HOUSING SURVEY AND
FOUND THAT 30 PLUS PERCENT OF
THE MEMBERS ARE RENT BURDENED
AND OVER HALF ARE NEARLY
SEVERELY RENT BURDENED, IT IS
REALLY A SERIOUS PROBLEM, SO,
IN THE COURSE OF THAT, I HAVE
ALSO SEEN OTHER PROBLEMS WITH
HOUSING JUSTICE BEYOND JUST OUR
MEMBERSHIP CITYWIDE, SO, I AM
VERY EXCITED TO BE ON THIS
COMMISSION AND HELP PUSH FOR
PROGRESSIVE POLICIES TO ADDRESS
BOTH THE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
SHORTAGE AND, LIKE MAYA SAID,
ALSO THE EPIDEMIC OF EVICTIONS
AND HOUSE LIST OF FOLKS AROUND
THE CITY AND THE POLICE
SWEEPING THEM OUT TO PLACES
WHERE THEY TAKE REFUGE, SO, I
AM VERY EXCITED TO JOIN YOU ALL
ON THIS COMMISSION.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, SHARON
AND MAYA WERE BOTH.
I WOULD JUST NOTE, IT WASN'T
THE COMMISSION THAT ORIGINATED
THE IDEA FOR THE WINTER
EVICTIONS BAN, WHICH WE WERE
ABLE TO WIN EARLY LAST YEAR,
MANY OF YOU WERE PART OF THAT
STRUGGLE, IT WAS REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT, AND SORT OF, IN SOME
WAYS, PAVED THE WAY FOR THE
EVICTION MORATORIUM'S, WHICH
WERE, THEY WERE MASSIVELY
SUCCESSFUL, WE NEEDED THOSE FROM
ONE QUESTION I WOULD ASK FOR
YOU AS NEW MEMBERS, GIVEN THE
RICH HISTORY OF THE RENTER
COMMISSION AND ADVOCATING FOR
THESE IMPORTANT POLICIES, WOULD
YOU BRING UP THESE, THE TWO
BILLS THAT WE HAVE BEEN
DISCUSSING TODAY AND WILL COME
BACK TO LATER, EXTENDING THE
EVICTION MORATORIUM, REMOVING
THE CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT,
AND THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL, DO
YOU THINK THOSE ARE SOMETHING,
POLICIES YOU WOULD TAKE BACK
THE RENTERS COMMISSION AND A
MORE FORMAL POSITION?
YOU CAN HAVE A MEETING AND VOTE
ON THOSE, THAT IS SOMETHING
THAT WOULD REALLY PROVIDE A
REAL IMPETUS FOR
>>
>> ABSOLUTE.
FURTHERMORE, I WOULD WANT TO
PUSH FOR REAL FINANCIAL RELIEF
FOR RENTERS WHO ARE FACING HUGE
BACK RENT THAT.
>> EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, MAYA,
IF YOU WANTED TO ADD SOMETHING,
ABSOLUTELY, MY OFFICE GREATLY
LOOK FORWARD TO ANY POLICY
IDEAS, BUT ALSO POLITICAL
ADVOCACY FROM THE RENTERS
COMMISSION ON CANCELING THE
DEBT, THAT IS JUST, IT IS
ACTUALLY AN ECONOMIC BUBBLE
READY TO BURST.
>> I TOTALLY AGREE, AND REALLY
INSPIRED BY EFFORTS OF
PROGRESSIVE TAXATION IN SEATTLE
, EXCITED TO THINK THROUGH SOME
OF THOSE OPTIONS ON A CITY
LEVEL.
>> GREAT, DID COUNCILMEMBERS
HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS
OR ANYTHING TO SHARE WITH OUR
NOMINEES FOR THE APPOINTMENTS?
COUNCILMEMBER MIRELES?
>> I WILL JUST SAY THANK YOU.
WE VOTED ON 17 COMMISSIONERS IN
MY COMMITTEE LAST WEEK, AND I
THINK IT IS REALLY IMPORTANT WE
HAVE PEOPLE WHO ARE SUCH STRONG
ADVOCATES IN COMMUNITY, WHO ARE
ALSO WILLING TO EXTEND THEIR
VOLUNTEER TIME AND THEIR
ADVOCACY INTO REALLY HELPING
THE CITY CRAFT A POLICY THROUGH
THESE COMMISSIONS, SO, THANK
YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO DO
THAT AND YOUR WILLINGNESS TO
SERVE THE PUBLIC IN THIS WAY.
REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
>> I WILL ECHO THAT.
THANK YOU.
ANY OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS WOULD
LIKE TO SPEAK BEFORE I MOVE ALL
THE APPOINTMENTS? IF HE WANTED
TO ADD ANYTHING, PLEASE FEEL
FREE TO DO THAT.
>> THE ONLY THING I WANT TO
ADD, IT IS MENTIONING, I KNOW A
LOT, THE FOCUS FOR THE
COMMISSION THIS YEAR, THERE IS
DEFINITELY A FOCUS ON COVID-19,
BEING AWARE OF THAT, THERE ARE
A FEW OTHER APPOINTMENTS COMING
, I DON'T WANT TO KEEP YOU GUYS
I DID A QUESTION, BECAUSE WE
WILL HAVE OUR OFFICIAL, WE WILL
HAVE OUR NEXT MEETING THIS
UPCOMING MONDAY, TWO APPOINTING
HIS COMING IN, WE DIDN'T HAVE A
CHANCE TO DISCUSS A REPLACEMENT
, I WAS JUST WONDERING, WILL
SHE AUTOMATICALLY BE REMOVED
FROM THAT MEETING?
OR STILL BE ALLOWED TO SUSTAIN
HER ROLE FOR THAT DAY?
>> I AM NOT CLEAR, I DON'T KNOW
IF TED, IF YOU HAVE MORE TO
SHARE, I DON'T SEE WHY THAT
SHOULD BE A PROBLEM, BUT THANK
YOU FOR RAISING THAT QUESTION,
IT REQUIRES FOLLOW-UP, WE ARE
HAPPY TO DO THAT.
>> I ALSO DON'T KNOW FOR SURE,
BUT I ASSUME THAT, IF THE
COMMISSION WANTS THAT TO BE THE
CASE, THEY CERTAINLY WILL, IT
WILL BE FINE.
I DON'T, I DON'T KNOW, LEGALLY.
>> OKAY.
DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE CAN AND
WILL FOLLOW UP ON.
I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS RAISING THEIR
HAND TO SPEAK, SO, I WILL GO
AHEAD AND, ASSUMING THERE IS NO
OPPOSITION, MOVE ALL FIVE
APPOINTMENTS AS A SINGLE VOTE,
MOVE APPOINTMENT 01780, 01781,
01782, 01783 .
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
TED, WILL YOU PLEASE CALL THE
ROLL.
>> COUNCIL MEMBER SAWANT.
COUNSEL MORALES.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
CONSUMMATE LEWIS.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, THREE
IN FAVOR.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS.
THESE APPOINTMENTS WILL MOVE TO
THE CITY COUNCIL FOR A FINAL
VOTE, I APPRECIATE JESSICA, ALL
THE REAPPOINTMENTS WHO WEREN'T
REQUIRED TO BE HERE, SHARON AND
MAYA WHO ARE OUR NEW
APPOINTMENTS, LOOKING FORWARD
TO THIS.
THE WORK IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT
NOW BECAUSE OF THE ADDITIONAL
CHALLENGES WITH COVID-19.
THAT IS THE END OF THE PROPOSED
AGENDA FROM THE COMMITTEE,
UNLESS THERE ARE ANY OTHER
COMMENTS, WHICH I AM NOT SEEING
ANY, I WILL GO AHEAD AND ONCE
AGAIN THANK ALL THE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS AND COMMUNITY SERVANTS
WHO DO ALL THE WORK IN THE
COMMUNITY FOR THEIR INPUT,
THANK ALL THE COUNCILMEMBERS
FOR BEING HERE AND
PARTICIPATING IN THE DISCUSSION,
ESPECIALLY THANKS TO
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS FOR
AGREEING TO COSPONSOR THE
LEGISLATION.
I INVITE COUNCILMEMBERS TO DO
THE SAME, AND WE WILL BE
FOLLOWING UP ON BOTH OF THESE
THINGS AND THE RENTERS'
COMMISSION AS WELL, UNTIL THEN,
PLEASE, EVERYBODY, STAY SAFE
AND MEETING IS ADJOURNED, THANK
YOU.