>>> GOOD MORNING. THIS IS THE
REGULARLY SCHEDULED MEETING OF
THE SUSTAINABILITY AND RENTERS
RIGHTS COMMITTEE . TODAY IS
FRIDAY, JUNE 2nd, 2023 AND THE
TIME IS 9:34 A.M. . WILL THE
CLERK PLEASE CALL THE ROLL?
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT?
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ?
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON?
>> THREE MEMBERS PRESENT.
>> TODAY'S COMMITTEE HAS A SHOR
AGENDA. WE WILL DISCUSS AND HOL
CONFIRMATION TO APPOINTMENTS OF
THE SEATTLE'S RENTERS COMMISSIO
KATE RUBIN AND JULISSA SANCHEZ
WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT. DO WE
HAVE ANYBODY SIGNED UP FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT?
>> THERE ARE TWO REMOTE
SPEAKERS.
>> THE REMOTE SPEAKERS WILL BE
CALLED UP SOON AND THE SPEAKERS
WILL HAVE TWO MINUTES EACH. TED
WILL READ OUT THE NAMES OF THE
SPEAKERS. WHEN YOUR NAME IS
CALLED, PLEASE FOLLOW THE PROMP
TO UNMUTE YOUR SELF AND HIT
STAR SIX TO DO THAT AND BEGIN
SPEAKING.
>> HOWARD GAIL FOLLOWED BY
ANGIE ?
>> GOOD MORNING. HOWARD GAIL,
DISTRICT 7 SPEAKING ABOUT
SEATTLE'S INCREASING EVICTIONS
WITHOUT CAUSE. AFTER 18 YEARS I
AN AFFORDABLE APARTMENT, I GOT
NOTICE TO TERMINATE . LIKE
HUNDREDS OF SEATTLEITES I AM
FACING EVICTION WITHOUT JUST
CAUSE AS LANDLORDS HAVE FOUND A
WAY TO NULLIFY RECENT SEATTLE
LAWS LIMITING RENTAL INCREASES
AND CONVICTIONS TO UNJUSTLY
EVICT FOLKS FOR SIMPLE
RENOVATIONS THAT REQUIRE A
TENANT TO VACATE FOR MORE THAN
THREE DAYS. THEY HAVE UNJUSTLY
EVICTED 48 FAMILIES. LANDLORDS
THAT HAVE DISPLACED TENANTS
HAVE UNJUSTLY EVICTED HUNDREDS
OF PEOPLE IN ORDER TO RAISE REN
70 TO 100 PRESENT WITHOUT
HAVING TO PROVIDE NOTICE AND
AVOIDING ALMOST ALL TENANT
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE. WHAT IS
PROVIDED IS HALF PAID FOR BY
TAXPAYERS THEREBY FORCING
TAXPAYERS TO PAY FOR THE
LANDLORD'S ABILITY TO DISPLACED
TENANTS AND INCREASE THE VALUE
OF THEIR PROPERTY. TAXPAYERS
ARE FORCED TO PAY TO INCREASE
THE VALUE OF THE LANDLORD'S
PROPERTY. THIS IS A FLAGRANT
ABUSE OF CITY GOALS. CADENCE
AND OTHERS HAVE ADOPTED THIS
STRATEGY AT DOZENS OF BUILDINGS
ACROSS THE CITY OVER THE LAST
YEAR WITH RUBBERSTAMPING PERMIT
AND IGNORING THE HARM CAUSED T
TENANTS AND ULTIMATELY TO
EVERYONE IN SEATTLE. I SPOKE
DIRECTLY TO COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS
LAST OCTOBER WHO, DESPITE
RECOGNIZING THIS WAS A GROWING
PROBLEM, REFUSES TO RETURN MY
CALLS OR TAKE ANY ACTION. I HAV
CONTACTED OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS
AND HAVE GOTTEN NO RESPONSE. HO
CAN THE FIGHT AGAINST
HOMELESSNESS BE SEEN AS ANYTHIN
OTHER THAN PERFORMATIVE? YOU
IGNORE A SIMPLE FIX TO PREVENT
THE CITY ITSELF FROM ACTIVELY
REDUCING AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
INCREASING DISPLACEMENT AND
HOMELESSNESS.
>> ANGIE GERALD?
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
ANGIE AND I AM A SMALL LANDLORD
IN BALLARD . I HAVE A COMMENT O
THE RENTERS COMMISSION AND I
WANTED TO ASK CITY COUNCIL
UPHOLD MORE ETHICAL LEADERSHIP
AND HOW YOU TALK ABOUT MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC. THE CHAIR OF THI
COMMITTEE HAS REPEATEDLY NAMED
ONE SMALL LANDLORD WHO
PARTICIPATED IN THE MARCH
ROUNDTABLE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT REFERRED T
THIS WOMAN AS A LIAR ON MULTIPL
OCCASIONS BECAUSE SHE AND OTHER
QUOTED A STATISTIC FROM THE CIT
AUDITOR REPORT AND IT TURNS OUT
THERE WAS AN ERROR IN THE
REPORT UNKNOWN TO US . THE
OVERALL REPORT IS A VERY HELPFU
ONE AND IT IS UNETHICAL INSTEA
OF JUST CORRECTING THE RECORD.
WHY IS THE REST OF COUNCIL
ALLOWING THIS TO HAPPEN? AS
PRIVATE CITIZENS , WE ARE USED
TO BEING DISPARAGED IN THIS
COMMUNITY. OTHER DISMISSIVE
TERMS WITHOUT EVER HAVING A
CHANCE TO PARTICIPATE. DOZENS
OF COMMITTEE MEETINGS HAVE BEEN
CANCELED . THERE IS NOT TIME
AVAILABLE TO INCLUDE THE
PROVIDERS. I ASK YOU PAY CLOSE
ATTENTION TO WHO IS BEING
APPOINTED TO THE RENTERS
COMMISSION AS YOU ARE
CONSIDERING SOMEONE WHO HAS
OFFERED OFFICIAL COMMENTARY ON
NUMEROUS OCCASIONS SPEAKING
DISPARAGINGLY ABOUT A COUPLE
AT-LARGE STATING THAT WE ARE
REPRESENTING REAL-LIFE ISSUES
THAT ARE DAMAGING THE
ENVIRONMENT IN SEATTLE. IS THIS
GOING TO CONTRIBUTE TO BETTER
OUTCOMES FOR RENTERS? THERE IS
AN ARTICLE IN THE SEATTLE TIMES
TODAY ABOUT THE ONE COMMON
REFRAIN DON'T DO IT . THE
ARTICLE NOTES THE SEVERE LOSS O
SMALL RENTAL UNITS AT THE SAME
TIME COUNCIL IS RECORDING A
MASSIVE HOUSING LEVY TO CREATE
AFFORDABLE HOMES . PLEASE THINK
ABOUT THE LEADERSHIP YOU ARE
PROVIDING ON THESE ISSUES.
DECISION LARGE AND SMALL CAN B
DAMAGING. THANK YOU.
>> THAT IS THE FINAL SPEAKER FO
PUBLIC COMMENT.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU, TED. WE WIL
NOW CLOSE PUBLIC COMMENT AND
BEGIN AGENDA ITEMS ONE AND TWO.
I WILL READ BOTH ITEMS INTO THE
RECORD AND THEN WE WILL BEGIN
THE DISCUSSION. APPOINTMENT
02576, APPOINTMENT OF KATE RUBI
AS MEMBER, SEATTLE RENTERS'
COMMISSION, FOR A TERM TO
FEBRUARY 28, 2025. AND
APPOINTMENT 02577, APPOINTMENT
OF JULISSA SANCHEZ AS MEMBER,
SEATTLE RENTERS' COMMISSION, FO
A TERM TO FEBRUARY 28, 2025.
KATE RUBIN HAS ADVOCATED FOR
RENTERS RIGHTS AND HAS TESTIFIE
SEVERAL TIMES TO THIS COMMITTEE
. MOST RECENTLY KATE JOINED US
AS PART OF THE COMMUNITY FOUND
CAPPING RENT AT OVER $10 PER
MONTH AND I AM GLAD TO SHARE A
MANY KNOW ALREADY THAT WE WERE
ABLE TO WATER DOWN THE
PROPOSAL. JULISSA SANCHEZ
WORKED IN THE PAST AS A
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER FOR THE
TENANTS UNIT OF WASHINGTON STAT
AND HELPED RENTERS FIND
SOLUTIONS TO THEIR HOUSING
ISSUES AND FIGHT FOR THEIR
RIGHTS. JULISSA SANCHEZ HAS
ADVOCATED ALONGSIDE US FOR
MULTIPLE RENTERS RIGHTS LAWS A
THE CITY AND STATE LEVEL. THANK
YOU BOTH FOR BEING WILLING TO
SERVE ON THE RENTERS COMMISSION
I WILL ASK EACH OF YOU TO
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES AND SAY A
LITTLE ON WHY YOU ARE EXCITED T
BE PART OF THE COMMISSION AND
WHAT YOU HOPE TO ACCOMPLISH.
THEN WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION I
THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS FROM
COUNCILMEMBERS . GO AHEAD, KATE
AND JULISSA.
>> GOOD MORNING. THANK YOU FOR
UP APPOINTING ME TO THIS
COMMITTEE. I AM EXCITED TO STAN
UP FOR THE RENTERS . IN ADDITIO
TO BEING THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
I HAVE BEEN A RENTER IN SEATTLE
FOR OVER 10 YEARS AND I KEEP
SEEING A LOT OF NEGATIVE THINGS
SAID ABOUT RENTERS AND ALSO THI
FALSE NARRATIVE FROM LANDLORDS
THAT THE LAWS ARE ENFORCED WHE
IT HARMS THEM AND YET SOMEHOW
THEY ARE NOT ENFORCED WHEN THE
WANT TO EVICT THEIR TENANTS.
THERE WAS AN ARTICLE THIS
MORNING THAT CAME OUT SAYING
THIS SAME THING. I LOOK FORWAR
TO WORKING WITH MY FELLOW
RENTERS AND MAKING SURE WE HAVE
RIGHTS AND OUR ADVOCATES AND GE
TO STAY IN THE CITY AS PEOPLE
ARE BEING RAPIDLY DISPLACED.
>> JULISSA?
>> GOOD MORNING. CITY COUNCIL
EVERYONE HERE , I -- I WAS A
COMMUNITY ORGANIZER FOR FIVE
YEARS AND IN THOSE FIVE YEARS,
-- WHEN WE TALK ABOUT EQUITY
AND WHEN WE TALK ABOUT HOUSING
JUSTICE AND SOCIAL JUSTIN'S AS
WHOLE, SOMETIMES WE FORGET ABOU
LANGUAGE JUSTICE AND WHAT THAT
MEANS IN EQUITY. ONE OF MY
HIGHLIGHTS AT THE TENANTS UNIO
WAS ESTABLISHING THE LANGUAGE
JUSTICE PROGRAM AND ESPECIALL
WITH COVID GOING AROUND AND
TENANTS BEING INTIMIDATED BY 2
DAY NOTICES OR NOTICES TO VACAT
IN ENGLISH AND THEY DON'T KNOW
WHAT IMPLICATIONS ARE OR WHAT
THEIR RIGHTS ARE, IT WAS A TOTA
HIGHLIGHT TO BE ABLE TO SUPPORT
THEM IN NOT BECOMING HOMELESS,
AND NOT BECOMING DISPLACED . IT
WAS A HIGHLIGHT TO SEE TENANTS
GET THEIR DEPOSIT BACK AND
FIGHT AGAINST LANDLORDS WHO
WERE TRYING TO TAKE MORE THAN
THE DEPOSIT , MORE THAN NEEDED
BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE BARRIE
. ALSO IT WAS SUCH AN HONOR TO
HELP A COMMUNITY WHICH THEN
HELPED PASS JUST CAUSE IN THE
STATE OF WASHINGTON. THAT WAS
HIGHLIGHT OF MY CAREER. FRANKLY
I DO MISS WORKING AT THE
TENANTS UNION AND FOR HOUSING
JUSTICE AND IT WOULD BE AN HONO
TO WORK HERE AT THE RENTERS
RIGHTS COMMISSION . THANK YOU.
>> BUCK YOU -- THANK YOU BOTH
KATE AND JULISSA FOR SHARING
THOSE THOUGHTS. AS I HAVE DONE
BEFORE IN COMMITTEE, THE RENTER
COMMISSION HAS BEEN A VERY
IMPORTANT PART OF PUSHINGFOR
SUBSTANTIVE LEGISLATION ON
RENTERS RIGHTS , SPECIFICALLY
THE WINTER EVICTIONS WE WERE
ABLE TO A FEW YEARS AGO WITH M
OFFICE AND UNIONS. THAT
PROPOSAL INITIALLY CAME FROM
THE RENTERS COMMISSION, SO I
THINK THERE IS A LOT OF EVIDENC
THAT MEMBERS OF THE RENTERS
COMMISSION ARE PLAYING A VITAL
ROLE IN PUSHING FOR RENTERS
RIGHTS. CAN I ASK YOU BOTH TO
WEIGH-IN ON THE NEED FOR RENT
CONTROL?
>> GO AHEAD, KATE .
>> WE ARE TALKING ABOUT RENT
STABILIZATION. RENTERS DESERVE
THE SAME LEVEL OF STABILITY
HOMEOWNERS GET TO PREDICT WHAT
THEIR COSTS ARE GOING TO BE AN
PLAN OUT THEIR LIVES , LIKE
KNOWING WHEN TO HAVE CHILDREN.
THESE ARE REALLY SIMPLE THINGS
AND RENT STABILIZATION JUST
GIVES RENTERS STABILITY AND
THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART
I AM SO IN SUPPORT OF IT AND IT
IS SO DESPERATELY NEEDED . IT I
OTHERWISE TOO EASY TO GET
DISPLACED.
>> JULISSA?
>> I DO WANT TO APOLOGIZE AS I
DID DROP OFF MY SON AND I
THOUGHT I WOULD BE BACK BY THE
TIME THIS STARTED, SO I AM
PARKING MY CAR AS WE SPEAK AND
THIS IS WHY I AM A LITTLE BIT
DELAYED IN MY RESPONSE. LET M
TURN ON --
RENT CONTROL AND RENT
STABILIZATION, IT GIVES -- IT
GIVES THE TENANTS THE CONTROL
OVER THEIR LIVES AND AUTONOMY
OVER THEIR LIVES AND GIVES THE
A SOUND MIND AS THEY ARE NOT
GOING TO BE DISPLACED OVER A
RENTAL INCREASE WHEN WAGES ARE
NOT BEING INCREASED , WHEN A LO
OF OUR IMMIGRANT REFUGEE
UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITIES THAT
HAVE IN THE PANDEMIC WORKED
OUR ESSENTIAL JOBS AND THEN
GOT RENTAL INCREASES DURING TH
PANDEMIC AFTER THE MORATORIUM
WAS LIFTED AND THEN THEY FOUND
THEMSELVES HAVING TO MOVE WHEN
THEY PROVIDE -- AND THEIR
HUMANITY IS WAY MORE THAN WHAT
WE PROVIDE TO SOCIETY BUT WHEN
THEY PROVIDE JOBS THAT MAKE
OUR COUNTRY GO IN THE
BACKGROUND AND THEN FOR THEM T
BE DISPLACED FROM THEIR HOMES,
FOR THEM TO NOT BE ABLE TO MAK
ENDS MEET BECAUSE OF A RENTAL
INCREASE, THE HORRORS I HAVE
HEARD IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS
FROM ALL PEOPLE THAT SINGLE
MOMS THAT HAVE RECEIVED A $500
RENTAL INCREASE WHEN THEIR
CHILDREN ARE SICK , WHEN THINGS
ARE GOING ON AT HOME, WHEN THEY
HAVE DISABLED CHILDREN AND THE
DON'T HAVE THE SUPPORT THEY NEE
IN ORDER TO PROVIDE FOR THE
CHILDREN AND ALSO HAVE A RENTA
INCREASE. AS WE HAVE SPOKEN
WITH MANY PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING
IN HOMELESSNESS, RENTAL
INCREASES ARE ONE OF THE MAIN
REASONS THEY BECOME HOMELESS AN
ON TOP OF THAT , WE HAVE PEOPLE
WHO ARE EXPERIENCING
HOMELESSNESS WHO DO HAVE JOBS
AND CAN'T GET INTO AN APARTMEN
BECAUSE OF THE RENTAL PRICES.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU BOTH . YEAH, I
THINK YOU BOTH MADE REALLY
IMPORTANT POINTS. YOU SAID,
JULISSA, SO MANY VULNERABLE
WORKERS IN POSITIONS , ESSENTIA
WORKERS DURING THE PANDEMIC
THAT REALLY HAVEN'T BEEN GIVEN
THE KIND OF PROTECTIONS THAT
THEY DESERVE AND REALLY ALL
WORKERS DESERVE . AS YOU NOTED,
COVID ERA PROTECTIONS ARE PRETT
MUCH NOW GONE. WE NOW HAVE ALS
THE DISTINCT OUTCOME THAT IS
VERY LIKELY TO HAPPEN ON STUDEN
DEBT AND FOLLOWING THE DEBT
CEILING AGREEMENT. I REALLY
APPRECIATE BOTH OF YOU
HIGHLIGHTING ONE BETWEEN RENT
INCREASES IN HOMELESSNESS, WHIC
IS A STATISTICALLY DOCUMENTED
CONNECTION WHERE WE KNOW
NATIONALLY STUDIES HAVE SHOWN
THAT $100 INCREASE ON AVERAGE
IN RENT RESULTS IN 15%
INCREASE IN THE LIKELIHOOD OF A
COMING HOMELESS , WHICH IS A
REALLY REMARKABLE CONNECTION AN
SHOULDN'T BE SURPRISING . THIS
SHOULD BE EVIDENT JUST FROM
REAL LIFE. YOU DON'T NEED A
STUDY TO TELL YOU THAT. AS BOT
OF YOU NOTED , RENT CONTROL OR
RENT IS A BASIC REQUIREMENT
BECAUSE IT GIVES BASIC
STABILITY THAT MOST OF OUR
WORKING FAMILIES NEED AND FOR
THE CITY THAT IS MAJORITY
RENTERS, AS YOU SAID THIS IS A
BASIC NEED. I LOOK FORWARD TO ,
YOU KNOW, IF THE APPOINTMENTS G
THROUGH. WE WILL VOTE AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO HAVING YOUR HEL
AND THE ENTIRE COMMISSION TO
PUSH FOR THE REN CONTROL
LEGISLATION THAT, YOU KNOW,
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF RENTERS
HAVE SAID THEY WOULD REALLY
THINK IS URGENT. I WILL NOW
INVITE COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS AND
MORALES IF YOU HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS. PLEASE G
AHEAD.
>> SURE. I'M SORRY, I CANNOT
FIND MY HAND FUNCTION RIGHT
NOW. CAN YOU HEAR ME, CHAIR?
>> YES.
>> I JUST WANT TO THANK JULISSA
AND KATE FOR BEING WILLING TO
SERVE IN THIS CAPACITY AND TO
SPEAK TO THE ISSUE OF RENT
STABILIZATION . I MEAN, WE KNOW
PEOPLE ARE GETTING PUSHED OUT O
THE CITY BECAUSE PRICES ARE
SKYROCKETING. I HAPPEN TO BE A
HOMEOWNER. WHAT I PAID TO HAVE
A ROOF OVER MY HEAD IS
PREDICTABLE. IT IS WAY TOO MUC
MONEY, BUT AT LEAST I KNOW WHAT
TO EXPECT AND I KNOW THAT THER
IS NOT GOING TO BE, YOU KNOW,
20% OR 50% INCREASE FROM MONTH
TO MONTH. THAT IS ACTUAL
LOOSELY REASSURING. I THINK
RENTERS IN THE CITY DESERVE TH
SAME SORT OF SECURITY, SO I AM
LOOKING FORWARD TO BOTH OF YOU
JOINING THIS COMMISSION AND
CONTINUING THE CHANCE TO WORK
WITH BOTH OF YOU AND YOUR
ORGANIZATION'S ON MAKING SURE
RENTERS HAVE THE STABILITY THA
THEY NEED TO BE SECURE IN THEI
HOMES, SO THANK YOU BOTH.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES. COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
YOU HAD YOUR HAND UP .
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I
WANTED TO BRIEFLY SPEAK TO THE
APPOINTMENT OF KATE RUBIN . I A
VERY EXCITED TO CONFIRM THIS
NOMINEE . I HAVE ENJOYED
WORKING WITH KATE RUBIN ON A
VARIETY OF PROJECTS THE LAST FE
YEARS AND CAN REALLY ATTEST TO
THEIR PROFESSIONALISM AND THEIR
KNOWLEDGE OF THE SUBJECT MATTE
AND REALLY, REALLY JUST GLAD TO
HAVE A COMMISSIONER OF THIS
CALIBER STEPPING UP TO SERVE
AND CAN JUST SPEAK FROM PERSONA
EXPERIENCE, BUT I THINK SHE WIL
BE A GREAT FIT FOR THIS ROLE.
>> THANK YOU. SO IF THERE ARE
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS, WE WILL MOVE TO A
VOTE. IF THERE ARE NO
OBJECTIONS, I WILL MOVE BOTH
APPOINTMENTS AT THE SAME TIME
FOR VOTE. I MOVE APPOINTMENT
02576 AND APPOINTMENT 02577. I
THERE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU. PLEASE CALL THE
ROLE.
>> COUNCILEMBER SAWANT?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES?
>> YES.
>> THREE IN FAVOR OF.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS,
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. APPOINTMENT
02576 AND APPOINTMENT 02577 PAS
AND WILL GO TO FINAL COUNCIL
FOR PASSAGE. THANK YOU TO KATE
AND JULISSA FOR ATTENDING AND
SPEAKING AND FOR THE WORK YOU
HAVE BEEN DOING. APPOINTMENTS
LIKE THESE TYPICALLY WAIT A WEE
TO GO TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL,
HOWEVER IF THERE IS NO
OBJECTION, I WILL SUSPEND THE
RULES TO ALLOW THESE ITEMS TO B
PLACED ON THE JUNE 6th CITY
COUNCIL MEETING SO THE
APPOINTMENTS CAN BE FINALIZED I
TIME FOR KATE AND JULISSA TO
ATTEND THE JUNE RENTERS'
COMMISSION MEETING.
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, UNLESS THA
IS YOUR OLD ZOOM HAND UP FROM
WHEN YOU SPOKE EARLIER?
>> YES, NO OBJECTION.
>> OKAY. THANK YOU. SEEING NO
OBJECTION, THESE APPOINTMENTS
WILL BE SENT TO THE FULL CITY
COUNCIL FOR THIS COMING
TUESDAY, JUNE 6th. AGAIN, THANK
YOU, JULISSA AND KATE. I LOOK
FORWARD TO TALKING TO YOU IN TH
NEXT COUPLE OF MONTHS,
ESPECIALLY IN RELATION TO RENT
CONTROL AND STABILIZATION. IF
THERE ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS,
WILL ADJOURN THE MEETING.
>> THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH. SEEING N
FURTHER COMMENTS, WE ARE
ADJOURNED. THANK YOU SO MUCH,
COMMITTEE MEMBERS.