>> THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING.
THANK YOU. FOR MAKING TIME TO
ATTEND THIS VERY IMPORTANT
MEETING OF THE SUSTAINABILITY
AND RENTERS' RIGHTS COMMITTEE O
THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL. TODAY
IS FRIDAY, JULY 21st, 2023. TH
TIME IS 9:34 A.M. I AM THE CHAI
OF THE COMMITTEE, COUNCILMEMBE
KSHAMA SAWANT.
>> [ ROLL BEING CALLED ]
>> THANK YOU. WELCOME, MEMBERS
OF THE COMMITTEE. TODAY'S
MEETING HAS TWO ITEMS ON THE
AGENDA , BOTH ON RENT CONTROL.
FIRST, THERE WILL BE A COMMUNIT
PANEL DISCUSSION ON RENT
CONTROL. THEN THE COMMITTEE WIL
DISCUSS AND VOTE ON THE RENT
CONTROL BILL AND AMENDMENTS ,
AFTER WHICH IT IS EXPECTED TO G
FOR A FINAL VOTE AT THE FULL
CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON AUGUST
1st. SO I URGE EVERYONE WHO IS
HERE TODAY TO SPEAK IN PUBLIC
COMMENT TO STAY UNTIL THE END O
THE MEETING AND THEN RETURN ON
AUGUST 1st SO THAT
COUNCILMEMBERS KNOW THAT RENTER
IN SEATTLE WILL HOLD THEM
ACCOUNTABLE FOR HOW THEY VOTE.
THIS IS THE THIRD COMMITTEE
MEETING OFFICIALLY DISCUSSING
THIS RENT CONTROL LEGISLATION.
IT WAS DISCUSSED IN DETAIL AT
THE JUNE 30th COMMITTEE MEETING
AND THEN WE HELD A PUBLIC
HEARING LAST WEDNESDAY IN THE
COMMUNITY WHERE ABOUT 100
SPEAKERS GAVE PUBLIC TESTIMONIE
. WE HAVE NOT YET HEARD ANY
COUNCILMEMBER PUBLICLY EXPRESSE
SUPPORT FOR THIS LEGISLATION .
AND I WILL SAY IT IS A LITTLE
BIT DISAPPOINTING. HOWEVER, I
HOPE THEY ALL VOTE YESTERDAY
WITHOUT ANY WATERING DOWN. EVEN
BEFORE THIS, MY OFFICE HAS
RELEASED DRAFTS OF OUR RENT
CONTROL LEGISLATION THREE YEARS
AGO. THE BILL BEFORE US IS
SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS WHAT
WE HAVE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE
PUBLIC AND TO ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVES THEN. AND MY
OFFICE HAS BEEN RELENTLESSLY
ADVOCATING FOR RENT CONTROL
SINCE I FIRST TOOK OFFICE IN
2014. MY OFFICE ORGANIZED A
PUBLIC DEBATE AGAINST A
REPUBLICAN LEGISLATOR AND
LANDLORD LOBBYIST OVER RENT
CONTROL IN 2015. THE SAME YEAR
THAT WE SUCCESSFULLY PASSED THE
CITY COUNCIL RESOLUTION URGING
THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO LIFT
THE BAN ON RENT CONTROL.
SOCIALIST ALTERNATIVE, MY
ORGANIZATION, HAS GATHERED TENS
OF THOUSANDS OF PETITION
SIGNATURES FOR RENT CONTROL
SINCE THEN. AND WE HAVE SEEN TH
NEED FOR RENT CONTROL ONLY GROW
AS RENT SPIRALS OUT OF CONTROL.
I WANT TO CONTINUE MAKING A FEW
MORE REMARKS, BUT I JUST WANTE
TO LET EVERYBODY WHO SIGNED UP
FOR PUBLIC COMMENT IN PERSON AN
ONLINE NO THAT GIVEN THE NUMBE
OF SPEAKERS WHO HAVE SIGNED UP,
WHICH I WELCOME, WE WILL HAVE T
LIMIT EACH PUBLIC TESTIMONIAL T
45 SECONDS. IT MIGHT NOT SEEM
LIKE A LOT AND IT IS CERTAINLY
MUCH LESS THAN TWO MINUTES, BUT
YOU CAN SAY A LOT IN 45 SECONDS
IF YOU ARE PREPARED. I URGE YOU
ALL TO PREPARE YOUR COMMENTS AS
YOU HAVE A FEW MINUTES BEFORE W
START PUBLIC COMMENT. THE REASO
WE HAVE LIMITED THE IS SO THAT
WE HAVE A VOTE IN A TIMELY
MANNER. AT THE PUBLIC HEARING
LAST WEEK, RENTER AFTER RENTER
EXPRESSED DEEP FRUSTRATION WITH
OUT-OF-CONTROL RENT , BUT ALSO
SHOWED A REAL WILLINGNESS TO
FIGHT, WHICH IS WHAT WE NEED T
WIN RENT CONTROL. FOR THE LAST
42 YEARS, WASHINGTON STATE
LEGISLATORS IN OLYMPIA HAVE
MAINTAINED LAW PROHIBITING ANY
REGULATION ON RENT. IMAGINE,
NOT ONLY IS IT LEGAL FOR YOUR
LANDLORD TO DOUBLE YOUR RENT,
BUT STATE LAW MAKES IT ILLEGAL
TO PASS A LOCAL LAW PREVENTING
IT. DEMOCRATS HAVE CONTROLLED
THE WASHINGTON STATE GOVERNOR'S
MANSION FOR 30 OUT OF THE LAST
30 YEARS. THE SENATE FOR 20
YEARS. THE HOUSE FOR 23 YEARS.
THEY HAVE CONTROLLED ALL THREE
CENTERS OF GOVERNMENT POWER FOR
15 OF THOSE 30 YEARS, YET THE
BAN ON RENT CONTROL HAS REMAINE
INTACT FOR 43 YEARS. WE KNOW
THIS IS NOT A NEUTRAL ACT. THIS
MAN IS A GIFT FOR THE REALISTIC
GUIDELINES. THEY HAVE
PREDICTABLY REPLIED
CONGRATULATING THEMSELVES FOR A
BILL THAT WAS NEVER EVEN GIVEN
HEARING IN COMMITTEE, LET ALONE
VOTED ON. AS THE PARTY IN
POWER, THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
DECIDES WHICH BILLS ARE BROUGHT
TO A VOTE. WE HAVE TO ASK, WHY
WOULD LIFTING THE RENT CONTROL
BAN NOT GIVEN A VOTE? WHO IS
ACCOUNTABLE? THERE ARE NEVER AN
VOTES, SO THEY WANT US TO
BELIEVE THAT NOBODY IS TO BLAME
TODAY, OUR RENT CONTROL BILL
WILL BE PUT TO A VOTE AND
COUNCIL MEMBERS ON THIS
COMMITTEE WILL HAVE THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SHOW WHERE THEY
STAND. AND THEN IT WILL GO TO
FULL CITY COUNCIL ON AUGUST
1st. OUR RENT CONTROL
LEGISLATION BANS RENT INCREASE
IS LRGER THAN THE RATE OF
INFLATION. SOMETIMES COSTS GO
UP FOR LANDLORDS. ALL OF OUR
COSTS GO UP. THAT IS WHAT
INFLATION IS. CORPORATE
LANDLORS HAVE BEEN RAISING
RENTS FAR FASTER THAN
INFLATION. THAT HAS MEANT THAT
RENTERS HAVE FALLEN FURTHER AND
FURTHER BEHIND. LET'S KEEP IN
MIND WAGES HAVE NOT GONE UP BY
THE SAME RATE AS THE COST. FAR
FROM IT. SO, RENT CONTROL WILL
AFFECT ONLY THOSE LANDLORDS WH
GOUGE THEIR TENANTS. IF YOU ARE
A SMALL LANDLORD WHO DOES NOT
GOUGE YOUR TENANT, THEN THIS LA
WILL NOT AFFECT YOU. THE
UNVARNISHED TRUTH IS THAT FOR
PROFIT LANDLORDS AND PROPERTY
MANAGEMENT CORPORATIONS RAISE
RENTS EXORBITANTLY NOT BECAUSE
THEIR COSTS ARE GOING UP BY THE
SAME RATE BUT SIMPLY BECAUSE
THEY CAN. GIVEN THE BALANCE OF
POWER THEY HAVE AGAINST
WORKING-CLASS AND LOW INCOME
RENTERS. NOT SURPRISINGLY, A
SURVEY OF LANDLORDS AND TENANTS
FROM LAST YEAR SHOWS THAT THE
LIKELIHOOD A LANDLORD WILL
RAISE THE RENT GOES UP WITH THE
NUMBER OF PROPERTIES THEY OWN.
IN FACT, THE SURVEY SHOWS THAT
MANY MOM-AND-POP SMALL
LANDLORD'S PLAN TO RAISE THE
RENTS LESS THAN WHAT THEY
BELIEVE TO BE THE MARKET RATE.
THE BIGGEST RENT INCREASES IN
THE MOST OFTEN ARE BY LANDLORDS
WHO OWN MORE THAN 100 OR MORE
RENTAL UNITS. WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT ACTUAL CORPORATE LANDLORD
OR SLUMLORDS. I WANT TO THANK
ALL OF THE SMALL LANDLORDS WHO
SPOKE IN FAVOR OF RENT CONTROL
AT THE PUBLIC HEARING LAST WEEK
AND THE SMALL LANDLORDS AND
HOMEOWNERS WHO HAVE SIGNED A
JOINT LETTER URGING THEY PASS
OUR RENT CONTROL LEGISLATION.
NATIONALLY, WE KNOW THAT THE
MAJORITY OF APARTMENTS ARE OWNE
BY BIG LANDLORDS. ACCORDING TO
DATA FROM THE 2021 RENTAL
HOUSING FINANCE SURVEY CONDUCTE
BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF
HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT
AND THE U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, 61%
OF RENTAL APARTMENTS ARE OWNE
BY THOSE WHO OWN 25 OR MORE
APARTMENTS. 54% OF ALL
APARTMENTS NATIONWIDE ARE OWNED
BY CORPORATIONS WHO OWN 100 OR
MORE RENTAL APARTMENTS. WHO AR
THE LANDLORDS TO INCREASE RENTS
BY THE MOST AND MOST OFTEN
CONNECTED AS BIG LANDLORDS WHO
OWN 100 OR MORE UNIT -- RENTAL
UNITS. WHO ARE THE ONES WHO OWN
MOST OF THE RENTAL UNITS? IT IS
THE SAME CORPORATIONS. SO WE
KNOW WHERE THE RENT INCREASES
ARE COMING FROM. WAS THERE
SUPPORT FOR RENT CONTROL? OF
COURSE. SUPPORT IS VERY STRONG
I'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT THE
SERVICE PEOPLE HAVE SIGNED SINC
2019 IN SEATTLE. EVEN STATEWIDE
AN ONLINE SURVEY FOUND THAT 71
OF LIKELY WASHINGTON VOTERS
SUPPORT RENT CONTROL AND GOOD
CAUSE EVICTION PROTECTIONS. 78
MAJORITY DESCRIBE HOUSING COSTS
AS A CRISIS OR A MAJOR PROBLEM
ALL OF THIS IS GOING ON. THIS
EXPLOITATION HAS BEEN GOING ON
FOR DECADES. ON TOP OF THAT, WE
NO -- I MENTIONED THIS AT THE
PUBLIC HEARING LAST WEEK --
THERE IS AN ALLEGED PRICE FIXIN
SCANDAL THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED
BY PROPUBLICA INVESTIGATORS AND
ALSO LOCALLY BY ROSENBLUM IN
THE NEWSPAPER. AND IT IS
DRAMATIC. THE KIND OF RENT
INCREASES THAT THESE CORPORATE
LANDLORDS HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE
FOR USING AN ALGORITHM , WHICH
IS ANOTHER CORPORATION THAT HAS
ALSO PROFITED FROM THIS. WE
HAVE ALL THESE CORPORATIONS
PROFITING FROM RENT INCREASES
THAT ARE UNREAL . ALTHOUGH THEY
ARE ALL TOO REAL FOR THE RENTER
WHO ARE PAYING THEM. AS ONE OF
THE CONFIDENTIAL WITNESSES IN
ONE OF THE LAWSUITS -- AND
THERE ARE THREE SUCH LAWSUITS
AGAINST THESE CORPORATE
LANDLORDS -- AS ONE OF THE
CONFIDENTIAL WITNESSES SAID,,
QUOTE, IT WAS PRICE-FIXING.
WHAT ELSE CAN YOU CALL IT WHEN
YOU ARE LITERALLY CHANGING YOUR
RATE BASED ON WHAT THEY SAY.
THEY ALSO USE THE WORD, CARTEL,
IN THIS ALLEGATION THEY ARE
MAKING IN THE LAWSUIT. IN OTHE
WORDS, THE ALLEGATION IS THAT
THE CORPORATE LANDLORDS ARE
COLLUDING WITH ONE ANOTHER AND
SETTING THE RENT SO THAT THEY
ALTOGETHER ARE RAISING RENT.
THERE IS AN EXPLANATION ALSO OF
WHY EVEN IF YOUR LANDLORD MAY
NOT HAVE BEEN ELECTED TO BE PAR
OF THIS, IF THEY ARE SO BIG AND
THEY ARE RAISING RENTS BY A
CERTAIN AMOUNT , IT MEANS THAT
OTHER LANDLORDS ARE ALSO
INCREASING BY THE SAME AMOUNT.
IT DOESN'T MATTER EVEN IF YOUR
LANDLORD IS ONE OF THE ONES
IMPLICATED IN THESE LAWSUITS AR
NOT. YOUR RENTS ARE GOING UP
FOR THE EXACT SAME REASON AS
WELL. SO IT IS NO SURPRISE THAT
BETWEEN 2010 AND 2020, SEATTLE
RENTS ALMOST DOUBLED. SO ALL O
THIS, I BELIEVE, IS VERY STRONG
EVIDENCE WHY WE NEED RENT
CONTROL. I JUST WANT TO SAY I
WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY
COUNCILMEMBER WEATHER ON THIS
COMMITTEE OR ON THE FULL COUNCI
SAYING THAT WE NEED STUDIES AND
WE NEED DATA. THIS COULD NOT BE
MORE GROUNDED IN DATA. I WANT T
TALK MORE ABOUT THE DATA AS IT
GOES ON. THIS IS SO THOROUGHLY
VINDICATED BY STATISTICAL
ANALYSIS AND BY DATA. BOTH
SEATTLE WIDE AND NATIONWIDE.
NOW, WE WILL GO TO PUBLIC
COMMENT . AS I SAID , YOU ALL
WILL BE LIMITED TO 45 SECONDS,
WHICH I APOLOGIZE FOR, BUT
PLEASE MAKE THE BEST USE OF
THOSE 45 SECONDS. AND I WILL
READ IT NAMES THREE OR FOUR AT
TIME. IF YOU HEAR YOUR NAME,
PLEASE STAND IN ORDER AND BE
READY IN ORDER SO THAT WE DON'T
WASTE TIME. WE WILL HAVE THE IN
PERSON COMMENTERS FIRST AND THE
THE ONLINE COMMENTERS. SO, WE
HAVE ALICIA, KATE RUBIN, DANIEL
BANNON , AND WILLIAM SHATNER
BOLD. CAN WE PLEASE HAVE THEM
STAND IN LINE? ALICIA. ARE WE
READY?
>> YES.
>> OKAY. GO AHEAD. PLEASE MAKE
SURE TO PUT THE MICROPHONE VERY
CLOSE TO YOUR MOUTH.
>> MY NAME IS ALISHA. I LIVE AT
NICHOLASVILLE CD. NICHOLASVILL
SUPPORTS THE RENT CONTROL
LEGISLATION AND WOUL LIKE TO
THANK COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT FOR
PUTTING IT FORWARD. I URGE
COUNCIL MEMBERS TO VOTE YES IN
SUPPORT OF THE LEGISLATION. OVE
HALF OF OUR SEATTLE RESIDENTS
ARE RENTERS AND OVER 70% OF OUR
WASHINGTON RESIDENT SUPPORT
RENT CONTROL. MANY STUDIES AND
RESEARCH HAVE PROVEN THAT THE
NUMBER ONE ROOT CAUSE OF
HOMELESSNESS IS A LACK OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING WITH COSTS
SKYROCKETING, OUR CITY IS
BECOMING LESS AND LESS
AFFORDABLE EVERY YEAR AND MORE
AND MORE PEOPLE ARE BECOMING
HOMELESS. THE STATUS QUO IS
UNATTAINABLE. WE NEED RENT
CONTROL NOW.
>> THE DEAN TELLS YOU THAT YOU
HAVE 10 SECONDS LEFT.
>> MY NAME IS KATE RUBIN. I AM
RENTER LIVING IN DISTRICT TWO
AND THE ORGANIZING DIRECTOR . A
A CITY THAT PRIDES ITSELF ON IT
PROGRESSIVE VALUES AND
COMMITMENT TO SOCIAL, RACIAL,
AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE, SEATTLE
MUST LEAD THE WAY IN ADDRESSING
OUR HIGHS IN CRISIS. BY
IMPLEMENTING STRONG RENT CONTRO
MEASURES WITHOUT ANY LOOPHOLES,
WE CAN CHALLENGE THE UNJUST
POWER DYNAMICS IN OUR HOUSING
MARKET AND ENSURE THAT EVERYONE
HAS ACCESS TO SAFE AND
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. IT IS YOUR
RESPONSIBILITY AS OUR ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVES TO PRIORITIZE
THE WELL-BEING AND STABILITY OF
THE PEOPLE. TAKE A STAND
AGAINST THE INJUSTICES OF THE
HOUSING CRISIS AND DO YOUR PART
TO CREATE A CITY WHERE HOUSING
IS A FUNDAMENTAL PILLAR OF
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE.
SHOW THE REST OF THE STATE THAT
WE'RE COMMITTED TO BUILDING MOR
EQUITABLE SOCIETY WHERE EVERYON
CAN THRIVE.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS DANIEL
BANNON. I'M HERE ON BEHALF OF
THE RENTAL HOUSING ASSOCIATION
OF WASHINGTON AND OVER 5000
SMALL HOUSING PROVIDERS FROM
ACROSS THE STATE. I'M HERE
TODAY TO URGE YOU TO OPPOSE REN
CONTROL IN SEATTLE. RENT CONTRO
HAS BEEN SEEN TO KILL HOUSING ,
FULL STOP. RENT CONTROL HAS
NEVER WORKED ANYWHERE IT HAS
BEEN TRIED. IN FACT, IT HAS A
DETRIMENTAL IMPACT ON BOTH THE
QUALITY AND QUANTITY OF HOUSING
AVAILABLE TO RENTERS. THIS
ORDINANCE WILL NOT ACHIEVE THE
RESULTS THAT HAVE BEEN PROMISED
AND IN FACT, IT WILL DO THE
OPPOSITE. PASSING THIS ORDINANC
WILL NOT ONLY DRAMATICALLY
REDUCE ANY NEW HOUSING, IT WILL
INCREASE THE CURRENT EXODUS OF
SMALL HOUSING PROVIDERS FROM TH
CITY . PASS THIS ORDINANCE AND
WATCH THE LANDLORDS FLEE IN
2023. WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE
FACTS. THE FACTS DO NOT SUPPORT
RENT CONTROL. THANK YOU.
>> BEFORE WILLIAM GOES AHEAD,
THE NEXT SPEAKERS ARE ROSE,
BRANDON ANG, STEPHEN , AND SARA
RUSSELL. PLEASE LINE UP. GO
AHEAD.
>> THINK YOU VERY MUCH. I'M
URGING THE COUNCIL MEMBERS TO
VOTE NO ON THIS. I COULD TALK
ABOUT THE 93% OF ACTUAL
ECONOMISTS THAT THINK THIS IS A
BAD POLICY OR HOW RENT CONTROL
EXAMPLE IN NEW YORK CITY HELPS
WEALTHY RENTERS AND NOT THE
LOWER INCOME ONES. OR HOW THIS
ORDINANCE IS CLEARLY
UNCONSTITUTIONAL UNDER EXISTING
U.S. SUPREME COURT PRECEDENT,
BUT WHAT I REALLY WANT TO TALK
ABOUT IS HOW IT WILL NEGATIVELY
IMPACT EXISTING RENTERS IN THE
CITY OF SEATTLE. WE HAVE ALREAD
SEEN THOUSANDS OF SMALL
LANDLORDS SELL OFF THEIR
SINGLE-FAMILY HOMES. UNDER THIS
ORDINANCE , SINGLE-FAMILY HOME
WOULD BE SOLD OFF. A 61%
DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF
BUILDING PERMITS FOR APARTMENTS
AFTER THEY ENACTED IT. PLEASE
VOTE NO.
>> HI. MY NAME IS ROSE. I AM A
RENTER IN SEATTLE. I AM A
TEACHER AND A UNION MEMBER OF
NORTH SHORE EDUCATORS
ASSOCIATION. I WAS ALSO ONE OF
THE RENTERS ON THE PANEL THAT
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT HOSTED. I
URGE YOU TO PASS THIS WITHOUT
ANY WATERING DOWN OF AMENDMENTS
OVER 2000 STUDENTS , ABOUT ONE
OUT OF EVERY 25 IN THIS
DISTRICT, ARE EXPENSING
HOMELESSNESS IN 2021. SEATTLE
PUBLIC SCHOOLS REPORTED THE
STUDENTS WERE LIVING IN GROUP
HOMES, SHELTERS, DOUBLED UP WIT
OTHER FAMILIES, AS WELL AS SOME
REPORTING LIVING ON THE STREET
THIS RENT CONTROL LEGISLATION
WILL KEEP THOSE STUDENTS HOUSE.
RENT NEEDS TO BE KEPT
AFFORDABLE TO WORKING-CLASS
FAMILIES. THE LACK OF SUPPORT
-- THE LACK OF VOCAL SUPPORT
FROM THE MAJORITY OF THE COUNCI
IS CONCERNING. IF YOU ARE WERE
ON THE SIDE OF THE WORKING CLAS
PEOPLE, YOU WILL VOTE YES ON
THIS LEGISLATION. THANK YOU.
>> I AM BRANDON ANG , RENTER IN
YOUR DISTRICT. WHO WANTS
ESSENTIAL SERVICES IN THE CITY
KIMA GROCERY WORKERS,
CONSTRUCTION WORKERS, HEALTHCAR
WORKERS. WHY SHOULD THEY BE
FORCED TO COMMUTE FAR BECAUSE
THEY CANNOT AFFORD HOUSING NEAR
THEIR WORKPLACE? WHY DO THEY
HAVE TO ENDURE MEDIOCRE WAGES
JUST TO BARELY SCRAPE BY WHILE
THE CORPORATE BILLIONAIRES ARE
MAKING A RECORD PROFIT IN MAJOR
COMPANIES AND PROPERTY
MANAGEMENT. WE NEED RENT
CONTROL SO WE CAN KEEP
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THE CITY
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
SARAH RUSSELL. I'M NOT WITH ANY
ORGANIZATION OR RENTER. I'M A
RENTER IN CAPITOL HILL. I URGE
ALL DEMOCRATS ON THE RENTERS
RIGHTS COMMITTEE TO STAND WITH
THE WORKING PEOPLE, NOT WEALTHY
CORPORATE LANDLORDS. I URGE YOU
TO VOTE YES ON COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S RENT CONTROL
LEGISLATION WITH NO LOOPHOLES O
WATERING DOWN. I READ THAT REA
ELECTED PRICE-FIXING CARTEL
EXPLAINS HOW YOUR RENT HAS GONE
UP . OTHER LANDLORDS SEEING HOW
BIG -- THE BIG PROPERTY OWNERS
AROUND THEM ARE HIKING RENTS.
ALSO INCREASE RENTS
DRAMATICALLY. THAT IS WHY AS WE
KNOW AVERAGE SEATTLE AREA RENT
ACROSS ALL APARTMENTS ROSE
NEARLY 92% LAST DECADE WHILE
MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME WENT UP
ONLY 47%. AS JONATHAN SAYS, THI
IS NOT SOME MAGICAL, INANIMATE
MARKETPLACE AT WORK. IT IS A
ROTTEN FIXING CARTEL. ONE
ORGANIZED BY MULTIMILLIONAIRE
AND BILLIONAIRE LANDLORDS. THAN
YOU.
>> ONE SECOND. ARE YOU STEPHEN?
OKAY. AFTER STEPHEN, WE HAVE
FREEMAN, JEREMY HAWKINS , SARAH
, AND THEN LAUREN GARDNER. GO
AHEAD, STEPHEN.
>> GOOD MORNING , MEMBERS OF TH
COUNCIL. MY NAME IS STEPHEN.
TALKED ALREADY ABOUT HOW SOME
POOR AND VULNERABLE PEOPLE ARE
MY NEIGHBORS. I WANT TO REMIND
YOU THAT THE LAW IS TO PROTECT
THE WEAK FROM THE STRONG. WE
KNOW THAT THE STRONG
CORPORATIONS WILL LIE . WE POOR
PEOPLE ARE TELLING THE TRUTH. W
NEED RENT CONTROL. HAVE EMPATHY
I KNOW YOU CAN DO THE RIGHT
THING. YOU WILL GO TO BED
TONIGHT AND FEEL GOOD ABOUT
YOURSELF. YOU ARE GOOD PEOPLE.
THAT IS WHY YOU BECAME
COUNCILMEMBERS. PLEASE VOTE YES
ON THIS MEASURE AND PROTECT US.
THANK YOU.
>> FREEMAN. WOMEN IN BLACK.
SEATTLE ECONOMY IS BOOMING.
HOMELESSNESS IS GOING UP.
DETROIT'S ECONOMY IS FAILING AN
HOMELESSNESS IS GOING DOWN.
BECAUSE HOUSING IS CHEAPER IN
DETROIT. IN KING COUNTY, 160
HOMELESS PEOPLE HAVE ALREADY
DIED THIS YEAR OUTSIDE OR BY
VIOLENCE BECAUSE IT IS LITERALL
TOO EXPENSIVE TO LIVE HERE.
LANDLORDS DELIBERATELY WITHHOL
HOUSING TO DRIVE THE RENTS UP
WITH THIS LEGISLATION, YOU CAN
INCREASE HOUSING AND DECREASE
THEFT. THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS JEREMY HAWKINS.
I'M A RENTER IN WEDGEWOOD. I
URGE ALL DEMOCRATS ON THE
RENTERS RIGHTS COMMITTEE TODAY
TO STAND WITH WORKING PEOPLE,
NOT WEALTHY, CORPORATE
LANDLORDS. I URGE YOU TO VOTE
YES ON COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
LEGISLATION WITH NO LOOPHOLES O
WATERING DOWN. WE WON'T ACCEPT
CITY COUNCIL DEMOCRATS SAYING
YOU CANNOT PASS THIS LEGISLATIO
BECAUSE OF STATELINE
COUNCILMEMBER STRAUSS RENT
CONTROL. REFUSED TO LIFTED FOR
OVER 40 YEARS. YOU ARE
ACCOUNTABLE . WILL YOU PASS THI
TRIGGER LAUFER RENT CONTROL AND
HELP FORCE THE STATE DEMOCRATS
TO LIFT THE BAN? THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS SARAH. I AM A
RENTER IN SEATTLE. I LIVE IN
CAPITOL HILL. I SUPPORT RENT
CONTROL . I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE
THE REST OF MY TIME TO MY
PEOPLE WHO FEEL EQUALLY AS
IMPASSIONED AND WOULD LIKE TO
CHAT. THANK YOU.
>> HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT. [
INDISCERNIBLE ]
>> MADAM CHAIR, IS IT ME OR DID
WE LOSE AUDIO? IS IT ME OR DID
WE LOSE AUDIO?
>> ARE YOU ABLE TO HEAR NOW?
>> NO. I MISSED THE LAST PERSON
I THOUGHT IT WAS MY COMPUTER,
BUT IT'S NOT. I JUST WANTED TO
MAKE SURE MY COLLEAGUES CAN HEA
IF THEY ARE HAVING ANY PROBLEMS
I CAN HEAR YOU NOW ,
CHAIRWOMAN. THANK YOU. I JUST
LOST AUDIO. THANK YOU.
>> BEFORE LAUREN GOES AHEAD,
WANTED TO SAY THAT AFTER LAUREN
FINISHES , LET'S DO 10 ONLINE
SPEAKERS AND THEN WE WILL COME
BACK TO THE IN PERSON SPEAKERS
PLEASE DON'T LEAVE. ALL OF YOU
STAY, IF YOU CAN, UNTIL THE END
OF THE COMMITTEE.
>> MY NAME IS LAUREN. I'M A
TRANSGENDER MAN WHO MOVED HERE
WHEN I WAS 17 LIVING A
CONSERVATIVE HOUSEHOLD IN UTAH
UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT THE
DEMOCRAT LAWMAKERS IN SEATTLE
HAD BUILT A PROGRESSIVE PARADIS
FOR LGBT PEOPLE. NASTY SURPRIS
WHEN I GOT HERE LEARNED YOU'RE
LYING, TO FACE SNAKES. YOU
ALWAYS STAND WITH THE
BILLIONAIRE CORPORATIONS. I URG
ALL OF THE DEMOCRATS TO VOTE YE
ON RENT CONTROL TODAY. RENT
CONTROL IS ESPECIALLY IMPACTFUL
FOR LGBT PEOPLE WHO ARE BOTH
MORE LIKELY TO LIVE IN POVERTY
AND LESS LIKELY TO HAVE FAMILY
SUPPORT. WHEN I GRADUATED,
CANNOT FIND A PLACE I COULD
AFFORD. YOUNG ADULTS IN MY
SITUATION ARE USUALLY FORCED TO
MOVE BACK HOME, BUT I AND
COUNTLESS PEOPLE LIKE ME DID NO
HAVE THAT OPTION AND I WAS
BRIEFLY HOMELESS. RENT CONTROL
IS A CRITICAL SAFETY MEASURE FO
WORKING PEOPLE AND ESPECIALLY
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. I
URGE ALL MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE TO VOTE YES ON
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S BILL.
>> THE FIRST THREE ONLINE
SPEAKERS ARE ANGIE GERALD ,
FOLLOWED BY TERRY HUSTON,
FOLLOWED BY LEO . ANGIE, YOU
ARE MUTED. HIT STAR SIX TO
UNMUTE. THERE YOU GO.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
ANGIE. MEMBER OF SEAHAWK
WRESTLING ROOTS LANDLORD. PLEAS
VOTE NO ON RENT CONTROL. AN
EXPENSIVE, IMPRACTICAL, AND
OPPRESSIVE RENT CONTROL LAW WIL
HAVE SEVERE CONSEQUENCES FOR
SEATTLE RENTERS AND PROPERTY
OWNERS. THIS IS ILLEGAL IN
WASHINGTON STATE AND AND
MISLEADING POLITICAL
DISTRACTION. FOR YEARS, COUNCIL
HAS DELIBERATELY EXCLUDED
HOUSING PROVIDERS FROM
COLLABORATING ON LEGISLATION.
WHILE COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT ROS
AGAINST CORPORATIONS, SEATTLE I
LOSING THOUSANDS OF SMALL AND
LOCALLY OWNED RENTALS WITH
STEADILY DIMINISHING OPTIONS FO
RENTERS. REDIRECTOR ENERGY TO
ONE SEATTLE APPROACH. WE NEED
MORE COMMUNITY-BASED RENTAL
HOUSING. MORE DIVERSITY. PLEASE
VOTE NO. THIS IS A POLITICAL
STUNT. THANK YOU.
>> FOLLOWED BY LEO. FOLLOWED B
JENNIFER.
>> I'M TERRY. I AM A HOUSING
PROVIDER IN SEATTLE. SEATTLE
DOES NOT NEED RENT CONTROL. 65%
OF SEATTLE RENTER HOUSEHOLDS CA
AFFORD -- APARTMENT. SOME
PEOPLE STRUGGLE TO AFFORD RENT
IN SEATTLE, BUT THE STONE WILL
NOT HELP THEM. IT WILL MAKE IT
WORSE BECAUSE NONCORPORATE
OWNERS WILL LEAVE THE MARKET.
BUILDERS WILL NOT BUILD RENTAL
HOUSING IN SEATTLE. AFFORDABLE
UNITS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE TO
PEOPLE WHO REALLY NEED THEM.
CONTROL HAS NO EFFECT ON THE
RENTAL SUPPLY. SHE IS WRONG.
THIS BILL IS UNPRECEDENTED.
THERE IS NO TEST TO RECOUP
COSTS OR REPAIR OF THIS
IMPROVEMENT. JUST BECAUSE
SOMETHING IS POPULAR DOESN'T
MEAN IT IS GOOD. THIS RENT
CONTROL IS A BAD IDEA. PLEASE
DON'T VOTE FOR IT.
>> FOR THE -- FOR I.T. THE
ACCOUNT NEEDS TO BE MADE A HOST
SO I CAN CYCLE THROUGH PUBLIC
COMMENT SPEAKERS. GO AHEAD,
LEO.
>> YEAH. THANK YOU. IF YOU WAN
TO KNOW HOW RENT CONTROL --
HOUSING SITUATION, YOU NEED TO
IGNORE THE DIVISIVE RHETORIC
AND LOOK AT THE FACTS. THIS
DOES NOTHING AT ALL FOR HOMELES
PEOPLE. IT WILL HAVE NO EFFECT
ON THE CURRENT HOMELESS
PUBLISHING BUT MOST STUDIES
INDICATE THAT THOSE WHO SUFFER
HOMELESS TYPICALLY SUFFER A
MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS. THIS WILL
DO NOTHING TO HELP THEM AVOID
HOMELESSNESS. WHAT ABOUT THE
REST OF THE RENTAL POPULATION?
MOST CAN EASILY AFFORD THE
AVERAGE RENT AND AVERAGE RENT
INCREASE IN SEATTLE . THIS WILL
DO NOTHING TO IMPROVE THINGS FO
MOST RENTERS. WHAT EFFECT WILL
THIS PROPOSAL HAVE NETWORKS WH
CHARGE WELL BELOW MARKET RENTS
HAVE TO RAISE RENTS
DRAMATICALLY.
>> ISAAC MILLER. FOLLOWED BY
LARRY.
>> MY NAME IS JENNIFER. A PAST
RENTER, LANDLORD, AND REGULAR
WORKING PETERSON. DO THE RIGHT
THING AND VOTE NO ON RENT
CONTROL. THE FACTS DO NOT
SUPPORT THIS BILL. AT ROUGHLY
3%. RENTAL COSTS FAR EXCEED
THIS FIGURE. MY PROPERTY TAXES
INCREASED BY 21% LAST YEAR.
FROM $55 TO 70, WHICH IS 27%
INCREASE. THESE ARE CITY IMPOSE
FEES. THE PROBLEM IS RISING
COSTS, WHICH SHOULD BE
ADDRESSED. THIS PREVENTS
PROPERTY OWNERS. IF I HAVE --
IN MY HOUSE, I HAVE TO RENT
THIS MOTHER-IN-LAW APARTMENT
INDEFINITELY, WHICH IS A
PROBLEM. RENT CONTROL IS A BAD
IDEA. PLEASE DO NOT VOTE FOR IT
>> ISAAC MILLER.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS
ISAAC. WOW. ALL THE LANDLORDS
REALLY DID NOT SHOW UP AND THEY
ARE CALLING IN. THEIR COZY
LITTLE HOMES. PEOPLE ARE NUTS.
RENT CONTROL -- LOWER RENT
WOULDN'T HELP HOMELESSNESS? DO
YOU EVEN HEAR YOURSELF? WE'RE
GOING TO GET A LOT OF LANDLORDS
TALKING ABOUT ECONOMIC POLICY
BUT WE JUST HAD THIS HUGE
ARTICLE ABOUT A PRICE-FIXING
SCANDAL. KEEPING THE SUPPLY LO
INTENTIONALLY. I DON'T KNOW.
WHAT ABOUT OUR ECONOMICS? WHAT
ABOUT US? MOST PEOPLE ARE NOT
LANDLORDS. MOST PEOPLE ARE
RENTERS. WE NEED YOUR HELP.
THESE PEOPLE DON'T REPRESENT TH
MAJORITY OF SEATTLE. IF YOU WAN
TO BE DEMOCRAT OR PROGRESSIVE,
VOTE YES ON THIS PROPOSAL.
>> LARRY , FOLLOWED BY JESSICA
SKILES OH . FOLLOWED BY KEVIN.
GO AHEAD, LARRY.
>> THIS IS LARRY. FORMERLY I
WAS ON THE COUNCIL FOR 25
YEARS. I AM VERY UPSET ABOUT
THE COST OF RENTAL HOUSING IN
SEATTLE. THIS MORNING I GOT A
LETTER FROM REPRESENTATIVE
ADAM SMITH WHERE HE SAID THAT
THE PRIMARY THING WE SHOULD BE
DOING RIGHT NOW TO HELP PEOPLE
IN THE GREATER SEATTLE AREA IS
INCENTIVIZE AFFORDABLE HOUSING
, MEANING FIGURING OUT WAYS WE
CAN LOWER THE COST. I BELIEVE I
IS RENT CONTROL . PARTICULARLY
FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN FAMILIES
WHO HAVE BEEN MOVING OUT OF
SEATTLE IN EXTREMELY HIGH
NUMBERS. THE BEST WAY WE CAN
FIGURE OUT A WAY IS BY LOWERIN
OR PUTTING THE BRAKES ON THE
RISING COST OF RENT. THANK YOU
VERY MUCH.
>> JESSICA NEXT.
>> HI. MY NAME IS JESSICA. I'M
RENTER IN DISTRICT 3. I'M URGIN
ALL CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS TO VOT
YES ON RENT CONTROL FOR THE
WORKING CLASS BECAUSE WE ALREAD
HAVE RENT CONTROL FOR WEALTHY
CORPORATE LANDLORDS. I HAVE
SAID BEFORE I LIVE IN A STUDIO
WITH NO KITCHEN. I HAD TO SHARE
IT WITH EVERYONE ON MY BUILDING
WHICH IS COOL. I'M GRATEFUL, BU
THAT IS WHAT I CAN AFFORD. AND
THERE IS ALWAYS STILL A FEAR
THAT THAT CONTINUES TO GO UP AN
I WILL BE ABLE TO AFFORD THAT.
ALSO, I HAVE WORKED IN SHELTERS
AND ON HOTLINES TRYING TO FIND
PEOPLE HOUSING HEARING FROM
PEOPLE THAT HAVE LOST THEIR
HOUSE. THERE IS NO MORE SPACE
AVAILABLE, YET, THERE ARE
VACANCIES -- 6% OF VACANCIES O
APARTMENTS THAT ARE JUST TOO
HIGH OF RENT FOR PEOPLE TO PAY.
PLEASE VOTE FOR RENT CONTROL
WITHOUT ANY LOOPHOLES. THANK
YOU.
>> NEXT WE HAVE KEVIN , FOLLOWE
BY ALCOHOL, FOLLOWED BY AIDAN .
THAT WOULD MAKE 10 ONLINE
SPEAKERS IF YOU WANTED TO DO
GROUPS OF 10. GO AHEAD, KEVIN.
KEVIN, YOU ARE MUTED. HIT STAR
SIX ON YOUR PHONE. YOU ARE
STILL MUTED. STAR SIX. KEVIN I
STILL MUTED. PERHAPS WE SHOULD
MOVE ON TO HALL.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE. MY NAME IS
ECHO HALL. TODAY, I CHALLENGE
EVERY DEMOCRAT AND
SELF-DESCRIBED AGGRESSIVE ON
THIS COMMITTEE TO STAND WITH TH
WORKING PEOPLE OF THE CITY IN
THE FACE OF THE WEALTHY
CORPORATE LANDLORD LOBBY. I
EXPECT ALL OF THOSE WHO CARE
ABOUT THE FAMILIES AND WORKING
PEOPLE THEY SERVE TO VOTE YES O
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S RENT
CONTROL WITHOUT LOOPHOLES TO
APPEASE THE LANDLORD BAN. WE
WILL NOT ACCEPT CITY COUNCIL
DEMOCRATS ESPOUSING RHETORIC
THAT SUGGESTS WE CANNOT PASS
THIS LEGISLATION DUE TO THE
STATEWIDE BAN THEY THEMSELVES
HELPED PASS. VOTE YESTERDAY
AND FORCE A LIFT ON THE BAN.
THANK YOU.
>> NEXT WE HAVE AIDAN. AND THE
WE WILL COME BACK TO KEVIN AND
TRY AGAIN. AIDAN.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS AIDAN.
THERE IS NO MEANS TESTING
COMPONENT IN THIS LEGISLATION.
HOW MANY PEOPLE THAT MAY BE
LEASING AN EXPENSIVE -- THAT
THEY MAY BE VISITING
OCCASIONALLY WILL BE CELEBRATIN
THIS PROPOSED LEGISLATION ?
DO NOT PASS THIS LEGISLATION
OUT OF COMMITTEE. VOTE NO.
>> KEVIN. ANOTHER ATTEMPT. HIT
STAR SIX ON YOUR PHONE.
>> IF YOU CAN HEAR US, WE WILL
COME BACK TO YOU. WE COME BACK
TO THE ONLINE SPEAKERS NEXT. IN
PERSON NOW. ALLIE SOLOMON.
DOMINIC . GARY. XAVIER ENSLEY
>> HI. I AM A RENTER IN
CAPITOL HILL. I URGE ALL
DEMOCRATS TO STAND WITH THE
WORKING PEOPLE, NOT WEALTHY,
CORPORATE LANDLORDS. I URGE YOU
TO VOTE YES ON COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S LEGISLATION WITH NO
LOOPHOLES OR WATERING DOWN. THI
ISSUE IS REALLY IMPORTANT FOR
LOW INCOME COMMITTEES OF COLOR
WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM A STRON
RENT CONTROL POLICY. ALL OF THE
ARGUMENTS FROM THE LANDLORD'S
SIDE ARE EITHER LIES OR
NONSENSICAL DOGMA WITH NO BASI
IN MATERIAL REALITY. ALL THE
DATA SHOWS THAT RENT CONTROL
WOULD BE VERY IMPORTANT TO
PEOPLE OF COLOR AND
WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE IN AMERICA
THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS ALLIE SULLIVAN.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 2. I
VOLUNTEER WITH A LOCAL SYRINGE
PROGRAM AND SAFER SMOKING
PROGRAM. HOMELESSNESS IS GOING
UP. OVERDOSES ARE GOING UP.
YOU MUST VOTE YES WITHOUT
WATERING LEGISLATION TO SHOW
YOU'RE ON THE SIDE OF THE
TENANTS, THE WORKING CLASS, AND
THE FOLKS LIVING ON THE STREETS
NOT JUST THE MAJOR CORPORATIONS
THAT ARE A PART OF A CARTEL
NICKEL AND DIMING THOSE OF US
WHO LIVE IN THEIR BUILDINGS.NO
EXCUSES ON THE STATE LAW WHEN
IT IS YOUR PARTY THAT TRIGGERED
IT AND KEPT IT IN PLACE. YOU
HAVE BEEN IN CONTROL OF BOTH TH
SENATE, THE STATE SENATE, THE
GOVERNOR , AS WELL AS SEATTLE
CITY COUNCIL FOR A LONG TIME. I
IS TIME TO GET RENT CONTROL
PAST. THANK YOU.
>> HELLO. I AM DOMINIC WALLACE.
I'M A RENTER IN SEATTLE UP IN
ROOSEVELT RIGHT NOW. I WILL SAY
I URGE ALL DEMOCRATS ON THE
RENTERS RIGHTS OMMITTEE TODAY
TO STAND WITH WORKING PEOPLE,
NOT WEALTHY CORPORATE
LANDLORDS. I URGE YOU TO VOTE
YES ON COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
LEGISLATION WITH NO LOOPHOLES O
WATERING DOWN. I PERSONALLY AM
WORKING PERSON WHO HAS LIVED IN
SEATTLE FOR OVER FIVE YEARS NOW
IN ALL THAT TIME, I HAVE BEEN I
TINY APARTMENTS CRAMMED IN WITH
MULTIPLE ROOMMATES BECAUSE THA
IS ALL WE CAN AFFORD. I THINK I
IS FRANKLY RIDICULOUS TO HEAR
ABOUT THE THREATS THAT RENT
CONTROL COULD HAVE ON THE CITY
AS THOUGH WE ARE NOT CURRENTLY
IN A HOUSING CRISIS WITH ALL OF
OUR FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY
MEMBERS BEING PUSHED INTO
HOMELESSNESS AND OUTSIDE OF
SEATTLE.
>> ONE SECOND. GARY ? OKAY.
GARY IS BEFORE XAVIER. PLEASE
GET UP WHEN YOUR NAME IS CALLED
GARY , XAVIER, AND THEN MICHAEL
. I'M SORRY . MICHAEL. SO,
GARY, XAVIER, MICHAEL, AND THEN
RYAN DRISCOLL. GO AHEAD, GARY.
>> THANKS. I AM A LANDLORD . AN
I ALSO HAVE A PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE OF LIVING IN JAPAN
MOST OF MY TIME . THERE'S A LOT
OF HOUSING. IT'S VERY
AFFORDABLE. AND MY WIFE AND I
LIVE IN A PLACE THAT WE PAID
300,004 20 YEARS AGO. WE PAY
ABOUT 1000 BUCKS A MONTH TO ON
THIS PLACE. THERE IS RENT
CONTROL -- THERE IS PRICE
CONTROLS IN SEATTLE. IT IS
CALLED SUPPLY AND DEMAND. IF YO
WOULD INCREASE THE SUPPLY -- IF
YOU WOULD INCREASE THE SUPPLY O
HOUSING -- YOU CAN DO THAT VERY
CHEAPLY BY LOWERING THE
REGULATIONS TO ALLOW PEOPLE.
YOUR ARGUMENT IS I'M ALSO SEE A
ARGUMENT. YOU GUYS ARE WRONG.
IT IS GOING TO HAVE NEGATIVE
CONSEQUENCES FOR THE CITY.
>> I WANT TO KNOW. PLEASE, YOU
MAY AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE
SPEAKERS, BUT PLEASE LET THEM
HAVE THEIR FULL 45 SECONDS WHIL
THEY ARE SPEAKING. GO AHEAD.
>> MY NAME IS XAVIER ENSLEY. I'
REPRESENTING 10 CITY THREE. I
STRONGLY URGE YOU TO VOTE YES O
THIS BILL BEING THAT I AM A
TWO-JOB WORKING CLASS CITIZEN .
FINDING IT VERY HARD TO FIND AN
APARTMENT. IT'S VERY ALARMING
BECAUSE I CANNOT -- I CAME FRO
A PLACE WHERE HOUSING WAS NOT A
ADEQUATE AS IT IS HERE IN
SEATTLE . THE FACT THAT I HAVE
TWO JOBS AND STILL CANNOT FIND
AN APARTMENT IS VERY TROUBLING.
AND ALARMING. I STRONGLY URGE
YOU THAT YOU VOTE YES FOR THIS
BILL.
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
MICHAEL. I ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT
RENT CONTROL. THIS IS A GREAT
BILL. BUT I'M ALSO HERE TO
INTRODUCE A CONCEPT THAT SHOULD
BE PART OF THE MAP FOR ALL
LEGISLATION COMING OUT OF CITY
COUNCIL. I REPRESENT A TEAM O
PREEMINENT SCIENTISTS WORLDWID
WHO ARE TRYING TO CREATE THIS
MAP. CHIEF AMONG THEM IS WILLIA
REESE. UBC. THE NUTS AND BOLT
OF IT IS THAT WE ARE FACING
ECOLOGICAL OVERSHOOT. IT IS A
PROCESS IN WHICH WE ARE
CONSUMING ALL THE RESOURCES
NATURE CAN REGENERATE AND
DISCHARGING WASTE. NATURE CANNO
ASSIMILATE. THANK YOU.
>> AFTER RYAN, WE HAVE BARBARA
IS BARBARA HERE IN PERSON?
AFTER BARBARA, SASHA. THEN
PRESTON. THEN GWENDOLYN HART. G
AHEAD.
>> IN MORNING. MY NAME IS RYAN
DRISCOLL. I'M AN ORGANIZER WITH
350 SEATTLE. THE DRAMATIC
INCREASES IN RATES OVER THE PAS
DECADE HAVE LED TO DISPLACEMENT
OF MANY ACROSS OUR CITY, MOST
ESPECIALLY LOW INCOME PEOPLE AN
PEOPLE OF COLOR. TOO MANY ARE
FORCED INTO LONG COMMUTES EACH
DAY. THESE COMMUTES MEAN MORE
GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS, MORE
TRAFFIC, AND LESS TIME TO SPEND
ON ACTIVITIES THAT PEOPLE VALUE
WITH TRANSPORTATION REPRESENTIN
OVER 60% OF THE MISSIONS, WE SE
RENT CONTROL AS CLIMATE POLICY
IN ADDITION TO ECONOMIC POLICY
THAT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN IF
PEOPLE ARE FORCED INTO LONGER
AND LONGER COMMUTES. PEOPLE
NEED TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO
LIVE WHERE THEY WORK. I
ENCOURAGE ALL THE COMMITTEE
MEMBERS TO SUPPORT THIS
LEGISLATION. THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS BARBARA FINNEY.
MEMBER OF THE FEDERATION OF
GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES LOCAL 3197
AFG 3197 SUPPORTS
COUNCILMEMBERS WHO ONCE PROPOSE
LEGISLATION FOR SEATTLE RENT
CONTROL WITH NO LOOPHOLES, NO
WATERING DOWN, NO VACANCY
DECONTROL. I URGE
COUNCILMEMBERS ON THE RENTERS
RIGHTS COMMITTEE TODAY TO STAND
WITH WORKING PEOPLE, NOT WEALTH
CORPORATE LANDLORDS. I URGE YOU
TO VOTE YES ON COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S RENT CONTROL
LEGISLATION. NO LOOPHOLES. NO
WATERING DOWN. COUNCIL MEMBERS
ATTENDANCE AND YOUR YES VOTE ON
RENT CONTROL IS CRITICAL.
EITHER YOU SUPPORT RENT CONTROL
TO PROTECT UNION AND NONUNION
WORKERS WHO HAVE BEEN CRUSHED B
THE GREED OF CORPORATE LANDLORD
IN YOUR DISTRICT IN SEATTLE OR
YOU SUPPORT MULTIMILLIONAIRES
AND BILLIONAIRES MAKING PROFIT
BY GUTTING WORKING PEOPLE.
>> HI, MY NAME IS SASHA. I'M A
RECENT SEATTLE GRADUATE AND A
RENTER IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT.
I, LIKE MANY OTHER IN SEATTLE
HAD TO LIVE WITH MANY REMIT TO
BE ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN
SEATTLE. 12 ROOMMATES IN A
SINGLE HOUSEHOLD FOR FIVE YEARS
THE HOUSE WAS BADLY MAINTAINED.
WE ARE ON SEPARATE LEASES. THE
LANDLORD IS FULLY AWARE AND
MAKING A HUGE PROFIT OFF OF THI
ONE HOUSE. THIS IS AN ACCEPTABL
SITUATION THAT IS WIDESPREAD. I
URGE ALL DEMOCRATS ON THE
COMMITTEE TODAY TO STAND WITH
WORKING PEOPLE, NOT WEALTHY
CORPORATE LANGUAGE. I URGE YOU
TO VOTE YES ON COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S RENT CONTROL
LEGISLATION WITH NO LOOPHOLES O
WATERING DOWN. COUNCIL MEMBER
LOUIS, YOU ARE ABSENT TODAY.
>> CONSUMMATE LEWIS IS
PRESENT.
>> OKAY. WELL, THEY ARE NOT
HERE IN PERSON, WHICH IS REALLY
RIDICULOUS. WE WON'T ACCEPT
CITY COUNCIL DEMOCRATS SAYING
YOU CANNOT PASS THE LEGISLATION
BECAUSE OF THE STATEWIDE BAN.
THAT IS NOT AN ACCEPTABLE
EXCUSE.
>> I'M A RENTER IN DISTRICT 4.
CITY COUNCIL DEMOCRATS ARE
TRYING TO DO THIS REALLY
ANNOYING THING WHERE THEY PLEAD
POWERLESSNESS AND PASS THE BUC
TO THE STATE DEMOCRATS WHO HAVE
REPEATEDLY DROWNED RENT CONTROL
IN ENDLESS COMMITTEE MEETINGS
AND BUREAUCRACY. IT IS JUST AN
INFURIATING ABDICATION OF
RESPONSIBILITY. YOU HAVE THE
POWER RIGHT NOW TO PASS
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S BILL IN
COMMITTEE AND IN FULL COUNCIL.
THIS BILL ACTUALLY FIGHTS TO
PROTECT THE RENT MAJORITY IN TH
CITY AND APPLIES ACTUAL LEGAL
PRESSURE ON THE LEGISLATURE, NO
THE PRETEND PRESSURE THAT PUTS
PRETEND PROTECTIONS FOR THE
PRETEND RENT WE ARE PAYING. IF
YOU CONTINUE TO GIVE US THE
EQUIVALENT OF THOUGHTS AND
PRAYERS INSTEAD OF ACTUAL
ACTION, YOU'RE TAKING THE SIDE
OF THE LITERAL LANDLORD CARTEL.
SERIOUSLY? YOU KIDDING ME? PASS
THIS BILL. NO LOOPHOLES OR
WATERING DOWN.
>> GWENDOLYN, BEFORE YOU GO,
AFTER GWENDOLYN, THE FIRST
SPEAKERS ARE DANIEL WANG --
DON'T COME UP YET. NATALIE
THOMAS. NATALIE BAILEY. AFTER
GWENDOLYN, LET'S GO TO 10 ONLIN
SPEAKERS.
>> MY NAME IS GWENDOLYN HART. I
AM HERE TO URGE EVERY DEMOCRAT
TO VOTE YES ON THIS LEGISLATION
THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS IS
DIRE NOW. WE HAVE HEARD
LANDLORDS TALK BIG GAME ABOUT
AFFORDABLE HOUSING -- WHAT THEY
SAY WE CAN AFFORD. THEY COME OU
AGAINST THIS LEGISLATION AND SA
THEY HAVE THE RIGHT TO OUTSTRIP
INFLATION, WHICH IS ALREADY
OUTSTRIPPED OUR WAGES. THAT IS
A REAL BOLD CLAIM WHILE WE
STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE SO THEY CAN
THRIVE. I KNOW MANY OF YOU
COUNCILMEMBERS COUNT UNION
ENDORSEMENTS. TODAY, BECAUSE OF
THAT, YOU HAVE TO STAND WITH
UNION MEMBERS. YOU HAVE TO SIDE
WITH PEOPLE OF COLOR, LGBT, AN
IMMIGRANTS, BECAUSE WE'RE THE
VICTIMS OF EVICTION AND
HOMELESSNESS , OR ELSE YOU
CANNOT CLAIM TO STAND FOR
DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION ANYMORE
SIDE WITH THE MAJORITY OF
SEATTLE RENTERS AND VOTE YES.
>> THE FIRST THREE ONLINE -- O
THE NEXT THREE ONLINE SPEAKERS
-- WE CAN TRY KEVIN AGAIN.
FOLLOWED BY PIPER , FOLLOWED BY
SUZANNE ANDERSON.
>> MY NAME IS KEVIN. THANK YOU
SO MUCH. I AM AN EDUCATOR AND
RENTER IN THE DISTRICT. THE
HOUSING SUPPLY HAS BEEN
INCREASING STEADILY IN SEATTLE.
WE'VE HAD A CONSTRUCTION BOOM
OVER THE PAST DECADE. IN THE
SAME PERIOD, AVERAGE RENTS HAS
RISEN NEARLY 92%. GUESS WHAT?
VACANCIES HAVE BEEN UP
CONSISTENTLY EVERY QUARTER SINC
2019. NOW THEY ARE SITTING AT
OVER 11%. I'M CALLING TO URGE
ALL DEMOCRATS TO VOTE YES FOR
STRONG RENT CONTROL WITHOUT
LOOPHOLES OR WATERING DOWN. THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY HAS FULL POWER
[ INDISCERNIBLE ] THOUSANDS OF
US HAVE BEEN CALLING AND ASKING
YOU TO ADDRESS THIS HOUSING
CRISIS. ADDRESS THE HOMELESS
CRISIS. WE HAVE BEEN MET WITH
SILENCE. THIS IS ON YOU. TO ANY
SO-CALLED AGGRESSIVE, PASS RENT
CONTROL NOW. BUT FOR TODAY AND
VOTE FOR IT DURING FULL COUNCIL
THANK YOU.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> HELLO. MY NAME IS PIPER. I'M
A RENTER IN THE U DISTRICT. I
URGE ALL COUNCILMEMBERS TO
STAND WITH WORKING PEOPLE, NOT
WEALTHY CORPORATE LANDLORDS. I
URGE YOU TO VOTE YES ON
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S RENT
CONTROL LEGISLATION WITH NO
LOOPHOLES AND NO WATERING DOWN.
SEATTLE NEEDS RENT CONTROL TO
DETECT UNION AND NONUNION
WORKERS BEING CRUSHED BY THE
GREED OF CORPORATE LANDLORDS. I
BELIEVE WE HAVE A RIGHT TO
AFFORDABLE HOUSING. AS THE CIT
GROWS AND RENT SKYROCKETS WHILE
WAGES LAG BEHIND, I HAD TO
CONSIDER LEAVING THE CITY THAT
LOVE AND HAVE COME TO CALL MY
HOME. THANK YOU.
>> AFTER SUZANNE ANDERSON COMES
JACOB ROSEN DALE FOLLOWED BY
CYNTHIA GREEN, FOLLOWED BY BRUC
BECKER. GO AHEAD, SUZANNE.
SUZANNE, YOUR UNMUTED ON ZOOM.
PERHAPS YOUR PHONE IS MUTED. I
THERE A MUTE BUTTON ON YOUR
PHONE? WE STILL CANNOT HEAR
YOU, SUZANNE. NOW YOU ARE MUTE
ON ZOOM. STAR SIX. YOUR UNMUTE
ON ZOOM, BUT WE STILL CANNOT
HEAR YOU. IF YOU HAVE A MUTE
BUTTON ON YOUR PHONE --. I
THINK WE SHOULD COME BACK TO
SUZANNE. MOVE ON TO JACOB
ROSEN DALE.
>> MY NAME IS JAKE ROSEN DALE.
AM A RENTER IN DISTRICT 3. I
URGE ALL THE DEMOCRATS ON THE
RENTERS' RIGHTS COMMITTEE DO
STAND WITH PEOPLE. NOT
CORPORATE LANDLORDS. VOTE YES O
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S RENT
CONTROL LEGISLATION. PEOPLE
WILL COME OUT -- [
INDISCERNIBLE ] TALKING ABOUT
HOW THEY ARE HOUSING PROVIDERS.
THEY ARE NOT THE BUILDING
WORKERS SO DOES THE UNION
BUILDING WORKERS THAT ACTUALLY
BUILD THE HOUSE THAT NEED RENT
CONTROL TO SUPPORT THEM. ALL TH
DEMOCRATS ON THE COMMITTEE, BUT
ESPECIALLY ONES THAT CALL
THEMSELVES LABOR DEMOCRATS,
PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRATS, OWE IT
TO MEMBERS ALL ACROSS SEATTLE T
VOTE YES ON THIS BILL WITHOUT
ANY LOOPHOLES OR ANY WATERING
DOWN. IT'S IMPORTANT FOR EVERY
SINGLE ONE OF YOU TO PUBLICLY
VOTE YES ON THIS BILL. THANK YO
VERY MUCH.
>> NEXT WE HAVE SYMPHONY
CYNTHIA GREEN FOLLOWED BY BRUCE
BECKER. THEN WE WILL TRY SUZANN
AGAIN. GO AHEAD, CYNTHIA.
>> MY NAME IS CYNTHIA GREEN. I
AM CITY OF SEATTLE RENTER IN
FAVOR OF RENT CONTROL. AS A
PAST CAREGIVER, I MAINTAIN
CONNECTION WITH THE COMMUNITY
MADE UP PRIMARILY GRANDMOTHERS
55 PLUS YEARS OF AGE AND OLDER
ON FIXED AND LOW INCOME ,
FACING RENT INCREASES OF
$50-$900 PER MONTH. LATE FEES.
$75 THE FIRST DAY. FIVE DOLLARS
EACH DAY AFTERWARD. SOME HAVE
BEEN EVICTED. MANY FACING
EVICTION. I CONTINUED TO HAVE
THESE FAMILIES ADDED TO THE
HOMELESS POPULATION WHEN IT CA
BE STOPPED. THANK YOU.
>> SUZANNE , I SEE YOU ARE
UNMUTED. DO YOU WANT TO TRY
SPEAKING AGAIN
>> NOW YOU ARE MUTED, SUZANNE.
OKAY. BRUCE BECKER GO AHEAD AN
UNMUTE YOURSELF. BRUCE BECKER.
>> MY NAME IS BRUCE BECKER.
THIS IS A RENT CONTROL ISSUE --
ABOUT POLICY AND BADLY
EXECUTED. NO PLACE, NOT NEW YOR
AND NOT SAN FRANCISCO, AS FAR A
I KNOW, HAS THIS KIND OF
DRACONIAN RENT CONTROL. THE
REASON IS IT IS NOT SUSTAINABLE
RENTS ME TO REFLECT COST AND NO
BE LIMITED TO THE CONSUMER
PRICE INDEX. JUST AS AN EXAMPLE
I LOOKED AT A 1940 RENT IN A
HOUSE IN NORTHEAST SEATTLE. I
IT WERE RENT ADJUSTED TO
INFLATION -- 55% OF THE
MONTHLY RENT. IT IS JUST NOT
SUSTAINABLE. FURTHERMORE, THIS
WHOLE PROCESS IS A WASTE OF TIM
. IT HAS NO EFFECT BECAUSE IT
VIOLATES STATE LAW.
>> LET'S TRY SUZANNE ONE MORE
TIME. LET'S TRY SUZANNE ONE
MORE TIME BEFORE GOING BACK TO
IN PERSON PUBLIC COMMENT. GO FO
IT, SUZANNE.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> YES, WE CAN.
>> GRADE. THIS NEW PHONE.
ANYWAY, I AM A SMALL LANDLORD.
HAVE SIX UNITS IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE, BUT I MAY NOT BE A
SMALL LANDLORD ANYMORE BECAUSE
THE REGULATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN
PUT ON US OVER THE LAST COUPLE
OF YEARS, INCLUDING THE FIRST
RULE, WHICH HAS HORRIBLE
UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES --
GUESS WHO RESPONDS TO MY POSTS
ON VACANCIES? THE FIRST TIME
AROUND. IT IS THE TECH PEOPLE
THAT HAVE THE TICKLERS ON THEI
COMPUTER THAT TELLS THEM WHEN
VACANCY IS UP. IT IS NOT
MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES. I HAV
FIRST IN TIME A LOT OF TECH
GUYS IN MY UNIT. SAME THING WIT
THE 180 DAYS ADVANCE RULE. I
DON'T KNOW THE INCREASES IN MY
INSURANCE COST .
>> THAT IS OUR
>> OKAY, SO THE FIRST SPEAKER
THINK WILL BE FATIMA, SO GO
AHEAD AND THEN DANIEL, NATALIE
AND SARAH. PLEASE LINE UP HERE
AFTER FATIMA, SO THAT WE CAN
GO AHEAD. QUICKLY.
>> CATCH MY BREATH.
>> CAN WE START?
>> YES, I AM READY. I AM A
RENTER ON CAPITOL HILL. HOW
MANY MORE MEALS TO MOST OF US
HAVE TO SKIP FOR THE SAKE OF
MAKING RENT? I CAN'T BELIEVE I
HAVE TO RELY ON PEOPLE WHO
PROBABLY OWN PROPERTY THEMSELVE
AND DON'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT
HOUSING AND SECURITY, TO PASS
BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. WE NEVER
CONSENTED TO BE HELD RESPONSIBL
FOR OUR LANDLORD'S LIVELIHOOD.
CARE IS A TWO-WAY STREET. I
URGE ALL DEMOCRATS ON THE
RENTERS RIGHTS COMMITTEE TO
STAND WITH WORKING PEOPLE, NOT
WEALTHY, CORPORATE LANDLORDS.
BEG YOU TO VOTE YES ON RENT
CONTROL WITH NO LOOPHOLES OR
WATERING DOWN. WHY OWN PROPERTY
IF YOU CAN'T KEEP UP WITH IT?
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> I AM A RENTER IN DISTRICT 3
AND I AM JOINING MANY OTHER
WORKING PEOPLE IN DEMANDING
DEMOCRATS ON THE COMMITTEE TO
STAND WITH US, YOUR
CONSTITUENTS, NOT THE CORPORAT
LANDLORDS ENRICHING THEMSELVES
BY PRICE GOUGING THE VERY
PEOPLE WHO MAKE THE CITY RUN
WITH EVER-GROWING,
PROFIT-SEEKING RENT INCREASES.
IT IS HIGH TIME THAT WE ENSHRIN
RENT CONTROL INTO LAW, WHICH
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S OFFICE
HAS PUT FORWARD IN A STRONG,
UNIVERSAL FORM. IT IS SIMPLE.
RENT INCREASES ARE CAPPED BY
INFLATION. ANYBODY CAN
UNDERSTAND THAT. THIS IS A
COMMONSENSE PROTECTION THAT WIL
NOT PREVENT LANDLORDS FROM
STILL PROFITING OFF THE
PROPERTIES, LET ALONE DESTROY
INVESTMENT FROM SUPPLY AND
DEMAND. THAT IS A LIE. YOU MIGH
WANT TO LOOK AT THE 11% VACANCY
RATE. WE THE WORKING PEOPLE OF
SEATTLE, OR FORMALLY, BECAUSE W
GOT PRICE OUT, ARE WATCHING AN
YOUR CONCRETE SUPPORT OR LACK
THEREOF TELLS US WHICH SIDE YOU
ARE ON AND EVERYONE ELSE, WHAT
DO WE WANT --
>> RENT CONTROL!
>> WHEN DO WE WANT IT?
>> NOW!
>> WE HAVE NATALIE -- YOU ARE
FIRST.
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT I
NOTICED A COUPLE OF WORDS THA
I NOTED THAT MAYBE MIGHT JUST
BE, ANYWAY, SINGLE-FAMILY HOME
MOTHER IN LAW. I AM URGING
THE COUNCIL TO MAKE A DECISION
WHEN THINKING ABOUT IT AND
STEALING WITH SPECIAL INTEREST
VERSUS COMMUNITY INTERESTS AND
BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS, ALSO KNOW
AS SHELTER, ALSO KNOWN HERE AS
HOUSING.
>> ALL RIGHT, CAN YOU HEAR ME?
OKAY. MY NAME IS NATALIE
BAILEY. I AM A RENTER IN
SEATTLE. I HAVE BEEN A RENTER
FOR OVER A DECADE HERE. AND I
BOUNCED ALL ACROSS THE CITY.
MOST OF THE TIME HAVING TO LIVE
WITH MULTIPLE ROOMMATES.
SOMETIMES LIVING IN SITUATIONS
WITH RAT INFESTED APARTMENTS
AND SEWAGE POURING THROUGH THE
ROOF AND I URGE ALL DEMOCRATS
ON THE RENTERS RIGHT COMMITTEE
TODAY TO STAND WITH WORKING
PEOPLE AND NOT WEALTHY,
CORPORATE LANDLORDS. I URGE YOU
TO VOTE YES ON COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S RENT CONTROL
LEGISLATION WITH NO LOOPHOLES O
WATERING DOWN. WHICH WAY YOU
VOTE ON SAWANT'S LEGISLATION I
NOT WHETHER OR NOT YOU SUPPORT
RENT CONTROL. BIG CORPORATIONS
HAVE AND WILL CONTINUE TO SCHEM
TOGETHER TO KEEP INCREASING
RENT. WHICH WAY YOU VOTE WILL
INDICATE WHETHER YOU SUPPORT
RENT CONTROL FOR RENTERS TO
SURVIVE OR YOU ENDORSE
RENT-CONTROLLED BY THE REAL
ESTATE PARENTS AND THEIR ENDLES
GREED. WHICH SIDE WILL YOU BE
ON?
>> HI, MY NAME IS SARAH. I AM
RANK AND FILE MEMBER SPEAKING I
A PERSONAL CAPACITY TODAY. I A
FROM SEATTLE AND I OWN A HOME,
BUT FOR 12 YEARS I WAS A PASSIV
INCOME PROVIDER, OTHERWISE
KNOWN AS A RENTER. I AM URGING
ALL CITY COUNCILMEMBERS TO SHO
UP AUGUST 1 AND VOTE YES ON
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S RENT
CONTROL PROPOSAL AND I WOULD
LIKE TO SAY THAT THE 93% OF
ECONOMISTS OPPOSING RENT
CONTROL, AS FAR AS I CAN TELL
FROM GOOGLE, THAT CAME FROM A
POLL DONE IN 1990, DECADES AGO,
AT THE HEIGHT OF A TREND OF
ANTI-LABOR, NEOLIBERALISM IN AN
OF PUSHING OUT FROM ECONOMIC
DEPARTMENTS. THAT WAS BEFORE
AIRBNB, PRICE-FIXING ALGORITHM
AND THE PHENOMENON WE HAVE
TODAY. AS SOMEONE WHO USES
STATISTICS EVERY DAY I AM SICK
OF STATISTICS BEING TAKEN FROM
STUDIES WITHOUT THEIR KNOWN
LIMITATIONS. THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> YOU ARE NEXT AND AFTER
SALLY IT IS LUCAS JOHNSON.
JENNA -- SORRY IF I AM SAYING
YOUR NAME WRONG. LUCAS AND THEN
JENNA. AND THEN -- GO AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU. THIS WAS IN
REGARD TO A LETTER JUST SENT T
THE SEATTLE STATE LEGISLATURES.
WE WANTED TO INFORM THEM THAT
IN OCTOBER, 2019, THE
LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS
UNANIMOUSLY PASSED
COMPREHENSIVE CITYWIDE RENT
CONTROL FREE OF CORPORATE
LOOPHOLES AND THAT WAS FOLLOWED
BY THE KING COUNTY DEMOCRATS IN
JANUARY, 2020. AFTER THAT THE
WASHINGTON STATE DEMOCRATS
INCLUDED CALLING FOR THE REPEA
OF WASHINGTON'S PROHIBITION ON
RENT CONTROL IN THE 2020 AND
2022 PLATFORMS. THE NOTE ON TH
PLATFORM SAYS THAT ONCE THIS
PLATFORM IS ADOPTED, IT MUST B
IMPLEMENTED BY THE DEMOCRATS WE
HAVE ELECTED TO REPRESENT US.
GIVEN ALL OF THIS, WE URGE
SEATTLE LEGISLATORS TO PUBLICLY
SUPPORT COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
BILL TO PUBLICLY STATE YOUR
OPPOSITION TO THE STATE BAN ON
RENT CONTROL AND WORK WITH OUR
MOVEMENT TO FINALLY ENDED AND
WORK WITH OUR MOVEMENT TO WIN
STRONG, STATEWIDE RENT CONTROL
SUPPORT WITHOUT CORPORATE
LOOPHOLES. THANK YOU.
>> HELLO, I AM LUCAS JOHNSON.
RENT IN GREENWOOD. I URGE ALL
DEMOCRATS ON THE COMMITTEE TODA
TO STAND WITH WORKING PEOPLE,
NOT WEALTHY, CORPORATE
LANDLORDS. I URGE YOU TO VOTE
YES ON THE RENT CONTROL
LEGISLATION WITH NO LOOPHOLES
OR WATERING DOWN. THERE ARE
MULTIPLE LAWSUITS IN COURT THAT
ALLEGE THAT NATIONALLY,
INCLUDING IN SEATTLE, LANDLORD
CORPORATIONS GANG UP AGAINST
WORKING-CLASS RENTERS TO
ARTIFICIALLY ESCALATE RENT BY
USING A PRICE-FIXING ALGORITHM
BY ANOTHER CORPORATION CALLED
REAL PAGE. IF THIS SCANDAL DOE
NOT MAKE A DEVASTATING CASE FO
STRONG RENT CONTROL, I DON'T
KNOW WHAT WILL. WE NEED EVERYON
FIGHTING FOR US. NOT FOR
WEALTHY, CORPORATE BARONS. THAN
YOU.
>> GOOD MORNING. I AM A PUERT
RICAN IMMIGRANT WITH A HIGH
SCHOOL DIPLOMA TRYING TO TAKE
CARE OF THE DISABLED,
NON-ENGLISH SPEAKING PARENT. I
HAVE BEEN PLAYING TAG FOR A
YEAR AND A HALF TRYING TO PROVE
SHE IS DISABLED, CAN'T WORK, AN
I NEED HELP. I HAVE BEEN MOSTLY
ABLE TO PAY FOR MY LOW INCOME,
TWO-BEDROOM APARTMENT, WHICH IS
ALMOST $1700 BECAUSE MY FRIEND
IN THE COMMUNITY HAVE HELPED ME
TO DO SO AND BECAUSE I FOUND A
JOB THROUGH A NAP CONNECTING M
TO SOMEONE WILLING TO PAY ME $3
PER HOUR TO BE THERE HOME HEALT
AIDE AND THEY BELIEVE I DESERV
A LIVING WAGE. HOW AM I
SUPPOSED TO STAY HOUSED WHEN AL
YOU PAY IS $17 AND ASK US FOR
THREE TIMES EACH MONTH. PLEAS
VOTE YES FOR RENT CONTROL. THAN
YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> AFTER JENNA IS -- AND
THEN WE WILL GO TO ONLINE. GO
AHEAD.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS JENNA. I A
A RENTER IN THE CENTRAL
DISTRICT, BUT I HAVE LIVED IN
SIX DIFFERENT NEIGHBORHOODS OVE
THE PAST DECADE. I'M SPEAKING
UP FOR MYSELF AND OTHER PUBLIC
SERVICE WORKERS IN SEATTLE. WE
NEED RENT CONTROL NOW. FOR THE
PAST DECADE I HAVE SERVED THIS
COMMUNITY WORKING WITH UNHOUSE
INDIVIDUALS. I HAVE HAD TO MOVE
SIX DIFFERENT TIMES BECAUSE OF
RENT HIKES. I HAVE BEEN IN
CONSTANT RISK OF HELPLESSNESS
MYSELF. DO YOU UNDERSTAND HOW
THAT WEIGHS ON AN INDIVIDUAL
MAKING LESS THAN $50,000 PER
YEAR? UNFORTUNATELY RENT GOES
UP, BUT WAGES DO NOT. IT IS A
DOWNWARD CYCLE OF BEING FORCED
TO MOVE OR CHANGE CAREERS, WHE
DIRECT SERVICE WORKERS CAN'T
AFFORD TO HAVE THEIR JOBS
ANYMORE, WHO IS GOING TO RUN TH
FRONT DESK AT THE DOWNTOWN
EMERGENCY CENTER? TECH WORKERS
HOW ABOUT YOU, COUNCILMEMBERS?
WE NEED RENT CONTROL NOW.
>> HI, MY NAME IS KWELL AND I
AM A GROCERY WORKER, A MEMBER O
UFCW 3000 AND PART OF THE RANK
AND FILE WORKERS UNITED. WE
RECENTLY PASSED A RESOLUTION IN
SUPPORT OF CITYWIDE RENT CONTRO
WITHOUT LOOPHOLES. I URGE YOU
TO VOTE YES ON THE LEGISLATION
BROUGHT FORWARD BY COUNCILMEMBE
SAWANT'S AND THE WORKERS RIGHT
MOVEMENT. WORKERS CANNOT AFFORD
FIVE MORE YEARS OF DOUBLE-DIGIT
INCREASES. WE ALSO SUPPORT
COMMERCIAL RENT CONTROL. MANY
SMALL BUSINESSES CANNOT STAY I
BUSINESS WITH RENT SKYROCKETING
FOR THEM AS WELL. CORPORATE
LANDLORD PROFIT MARGINS
CONSISTENTLY EXCEED THE GROWTH
OF THE ECONOMY, WHEN IN FACT
THEY ARE AND GOUGING A LARGER
AND LARGER SHARE OF THE WEALTH.
THE REST OF US IN THE ECONOMY
REFUSED TO RISK EVERYTHING TO
SATISFY THEIR GREED. RENT
CONTROL NOW.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> HI, MY NAME IS JOSIE, I AM
RENTER IN DISTRICT 3 AND
SPEAKING ON A PERSONAL CAPACIT
TODAY AS A MEMBER OF THE
WASHINGTON STATE EMPLOYEES.
RENT IN SEATTLE HAS ALMOST
DOUBLED AND THROUGHOUT THE
DECADE MY UNION HAS
CONSISTENTLY ONE WAGE INCREASES
BUT IT HAS DONE NOTHING TO KEE
UP WITH THE RISING COST OF RENT
IN THE CITY. MANY OF MY
COWORKERS, ESPECIALLY THOSE
WITH CHILDREN, ARE FORCED TO
LIVE OUTSIDE OF SEATTLE AND EVE
OUTSIDE KING COUNTY TO BE ABLE
TO LIVE. STATE WORKERS ARE
CRITICAL TO THE FUNCTION OF THE
STATE OF THE CITY. I WORK
ALONGSIDE PUBLIC HOUSE WORKERS.
WE ARE THE DEPARTMENT OF
TRANSPORTATION. WE ARE FOOD
SERVICE WORKERS AND CUSTODIANS.
WE RUN COMMUNITY COLLEGES. WE
KEEP THE STATE RUNNING, WE KEEP
THE STATE SAFE, AND YET WE
CANNOT AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE
CITY ANY LONGER. HOW CAN YOU SI
AND CALL YOURSELF A LABOR
DEMOCRAT AND YET STAY SILENT ON
AN ISSUE IMPACTING COMMUNITY
AND UNION MEMBERS? VOTE YES
TODAY ON RENT CONTROL WITH NO
CORPORATE LOOPHOLES.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> GOOD MORNING. MY NAME IS
MONICA FROM DISTRICT TO IN THE
HISTORIC CHINATOWN AND JAPAN
TOWN AREA. MY BUILDING COMPANY
HAS A PORTFOLIO VALUE OF $5.9
BILLION. TWO SCALE, 1 MILLION
SECONDS IS LESS THAN 12 DAYS.
5.9 BILLION SECONDS IS 183
YEARS. IN THE TIME I HAVE LIVE
IN MY BUILDING I HAVE SEEN
TENANTS EVICTED. MOST PEOPLE
ARE PAYCHECKS AWAY FROM
HOMELESSNESS. THIS INCLUDES ME,
MY FRIENDS, AND ELDERLY
NEIGHBORS WHO CREATE THE
CULTURAL VALUE OF THE CITY. THE
VERY FUNCTIONAL NATURE OF
DESTRUCTION. YOU HAVE THE DATA.
YOU SEE THE SUFFERING. NO MORE
STUDIES. NO VACANCY DE-CONTROL.
NO LOOPHOLES. HAVE POLITICAL
COURAGE AND WILL, SUPPORT YOUR
CONSTITUENTS, AND PASS RENT
CONTROL TODAY.
>> SO, MOVING TO ONLINE
SPEAKERS, THE NEXT THREE
ONLINE SPEAKERS ARE HILLARY --
FOLLOWED BY JORDAN, FOLLOWED
BY BRETT -- SO, HILLARY.
HILLARY, YOU ARE MUTED. HIT
STAR SIX, THERE YOU GO.
>> HELLO, THANK YOU SO MUCH. I
AM HILLARY. I ALSO LIVED IN
SEATTLE FOR THE PAST 10 PLUS
YEARS AND HAVE BEEN MOVED
AROUND BETWEEN NEIGHBORHOODS
WITH INCREASING RENT AND I JUST
WANTED TO SHARE THAT WHEN THE
GOVERNMENT THINKS THEY ARE
TAXING LANDLORDS OR
HOMEOWNERS, THE LANDLORDS ARE
PASSING THAT DIRECTLY TO
RENTERS. EVERY TIME THEY TALK
ABOUT INCREASING COSTS, THEY
ARE TALKING ABOUT THE COST TO
OWN A HOME OR AS A CORPORATE
LANDLORD TO RUN THEIR BUILDING,
BUT THEY ARE PASSING THE COST O
TO THE RENTERS. THANK YOU SO
MUCH FOR ALL OF THE GREAT
POINTS. I FEEL OUT OF MY
ELEMENT, BUT I AM JUST HERE
BECAUSE I AM ANGRY AND I HAVE
FELT THIS WAY FOR A LONG TIME.
I AM HERE IN MY OWN PERSONAL
CAPACITY. THANKS SO MUCH ON M
FIRST TIME HERE. PLEASE VOTE
YES.
>> GO AHEAD, JORDAN.
>> HI, MY NAME IS JORDAN AND I
AM A HOMEOWNER AND I URGE ALL
DEMOCRATS ON THE RENTERS RIGHT
COMMITTEE TO STAND WITH WORKIN
PEOPLE, NOT CORPORATE
LANDLORDS. I URGE YOU TO VOTE
YES ON COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
LEGISLATION WITH NO LOOPHOLES
OR WATERING DOWN. 70% OF
WASHINGTON VOTERS SUPPORT RENT
CONTROL, INCLUDING MANY
HOMEOWNERS AND SMALL LANDLORDS.
YOU WILL BE VOTING FOR WORKIN
PEOPLE. INSTEAD OF THOSE
PROFITING OFF THE INSANE RENT
INCREASES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> AFTER BRETT COMES DANIEL,
FOLLOWED BY MEGAN MURPHY,
FOLLOWED BY JAY FOX LOVE.
>> GOOD MORNING, I AM A THIRD
GENERATION AFRICAN AMERICAN
HOUSING PROVIDER. I AM ONE OF
THE FAMILY SPOKE TO EARLIER.
HOWEVER, WE OPPOSE THE COUNCIL
BILL. FIRST, I APOLOGIZE TO
COUNCILMEMBERS THERE. I AM VER
DISAPPOINTED THAT I AM NOT THER
TODAY -- I AM HERE TO TALK
ABOUT THE POLICY AT HAND. IT I
VERY CLEAR -- THIS BILL WOUL
BE DETRIMENTAL TO THAT. I URGE
YOU TO VOTE NO ON THIS BILL.
THANK YOU.
>> DANIEL LIM FOLLOWED BY --
GO AHEAD.
>> HI, DANIEL LIM, SMALL
LANDLORD, DISTRICT 3. I AM
CALLING IN TODAY AS I AM A
WORKING PERSON AND I CONTINUED
TO STRUGGLE TO PROVIDE QUALITY
HOUSING OPTION AT THE MARKET
RATE. LAST YEAR FOR EXAMPLE --
RENT CONTROL WOULD MAKE IT
IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO CONTINUE
TO PROVIDE QUALITY HOUSING
OPTIONS FOR MY TENANTS AND WOUL
LIKELY FORCE ME TO SELL MY
BUILDING. WHICH WOULD ELIMINAT
HOUSING STOCK FOR OUR CITY THA
WE DESPERATELY NEED. PLEASE VOT
NO.
>> AFTER MEGAN MURPHY, JAY FO
LOVE, FOLLOWED BY ARIEL,
FOLLOWED BY LAKE. GO AHEAD,
MEGAN.
>> I URGE EVERY COUNCILMEMBER T
VOTE YES FOR RENT CONTROL. REN
CONTROL IS LONG PAST DUE. IT
SHOULD HAVE BEEN WRITTEN IN TH
GOVERNMENT FROM DAY ONE. IF
SOMEONE IS WORKING 40 HOURS A
WEEK, THAT MEANS THEY MAKE ABOU
$2100 PER MONTH AFTER TAXES.
AFFORDABLE RENT IS 30%. THAT
MEANS RENT SHOULD BE ABOUT $75
PER MONTH AND THAT IS NOT A
POSSIBILITY FOR MANY PEOPLE.
THAT IS WHY THERE NEEDS TO BE
RENT CONTROL. IT IS FAIR, IT I
JUST. VOTE YES. IT IS
UNACCEPTABLE THAT THE CORPORAT
LANDLORDS ARE SEEKING HUGE
PROFITS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF
PEOPLE'S NEED FOR HOUSING AND
BEING PREDATORY IN THAT WAY AND
THEY NEED TO BE STOPPED.
>> GO AHEAD, JAY.
>> THANK YOU. I AM A RENTER IN
CENTRAL SEATTLE. SINCE SPRING,
2021, I HAVE LIVED IN A PROPERT
ACQUIRED BY -- THEY OWN 167
PROPERTIES. AFTER SENDING US A
10% INCREASE IN LESS THAN A
YEAR, THEY RAISED MY RENT 43%
THIS YEAR. I AM BEING UPROOTED
FROM A PLACE WHERE I KNOW MY
NEIGHBORS AND I KNOW THE
NEIGHBORHOOD LIKE THE BACK OF M
HAND AND I MAKE BELOW THE MEDIA
RENT IN THE CITY, SO
ALTERNATIVES I CAN AFFORD OUR
HOMES WITH MULTIPLE ROOMMATES,
LIKE PEOPLE HAVE MENTIONED
TODAY, OR STUDIO APARTMENTS
THAT REQUIRE YOU TO MAKE THREE
TIMES THE RENT. AS A WRITER IN
THE CREATIVE IMMUNITY, WE
STRUGGLE TO REMAIN IN THE CITY,
SO I URGE COUNCILMEMBERS TO
VOTE YES ON RENT CONTROL WITH
NO LOOPHOLES OR WATERING DOWN.
THANK YOU.
>> GO AHEAD, ARIEL.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. I HAVE BEE
A RENTER IN SEATTLE FOR 10
YEARS AND I CAN TELL YOU THERE
IS NO SHORTAGE IN HOUSING. THER%
IS A SHORTAGE IN HOUSING I CAN
AFFORD. I AM SEEING ALL OF THES
BUILDINGS BEING BUILT AND I
SYMPATHIZE WITH SMALL-TOWN
LANDLORDS, BUT THOSE ARE NOT TH
PEOPLE BUILDING AND NOT THE
PEOPLE DRIVING THE PRICES UP. I
IS THE CORPORATE LANDLORDS THA
ARE. IN TERMS OF HOMELESSNESS,
IF YOU WANT TO SOLVE
HOMELESSNESS YOU NEED THINGS
LIKE RENT CONTROL SO PEOPLE CAN
PLAN. IF YOU ARE GOING PAYCHECK
TO PAYCHECK, YOU ARE ONE
PAYCHECK AWAY. YOU NEED TO
SUPPORT THIS AND WE NEED TO
SOLVE THIS HOMELESS PROBLEM.
YOU NEED TO REFORM RENT NOW.
THANK YOU.
>> I'M SORRY, ONE SECOND,
BLAKE. AFTER BLAKE COMES
MATTIE, FOLLOWED BY CONNOR. GO
AHEAD, BLAKE.
>> HELLO, I AM A RENTER AND
RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 4 AND I
FEEL THAT RENT CONTROL IS A
NECESSTY FOR OUR CITY. THE
HOUSING CRISIS AT THIS POINT IS
VERY UNSTABLE. THE AVERAGE
ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENT IN THE
CITY IS $2500 A MONTH, WHICH I
MORE THAN HALF OF WHAT I MAKE
AND I THOUGHT I MAKE GOOD MONEY
AT $64,000 A YEAR FOR A
24-YEAR-OLD. SEATTLE PROPERTY
ASSOCIATES CONTROL THE VAST
MAJORITY -- WE NEED REGULATION
PUT IN PLACE TO INCLUDE HOUSIN
AS A BASIC RIGHT AND IF THE
DEMOCRATS DO CLAIM TO BE FOR
THE PEOPLE, THEN THEY NEED TO
BACK THE MAJORITY OF RENTERS AN
PUSH FORWARD WITHOUT LOOPHOLES
OR WATERING DOWN. THANK YOU.
>> GO AHEAD, MADDY.
>> HI, I AM A RENTER IN DISTRIC
3. LIKE SO MANY YOUNG PEOPLE
AND INCREASINGLY OLD PEOPLE,
NOT ONLY IS HOMEOWNERSHIP A
POSSIBILITY FOR ME, BUT NEITHER
IS LIVING WITHOUT SEVERAL
ROOMMATES. THIS IS NOT SUPPLY
AND DEMAND. THE SEATTLE VACANCY
RENT IS OVER 11% AND FAR HIGHE
DOWNTOWN. I AGREE WITH THE
SPEAKER WHO MENTIONED CLIMATE
CHANGE. WITH THE MAJORITY OF
PEOPLE IN SEATTLE BEING RENTERS
AND THE AVERAGE RENTER NEEDING
TO MOVE ONCE A YEAR, THAT HAS
MEASURABLE CARBON COST. WE NEED
RENT CONTROL WITHOUT LOOPHOLES
AND WATERING DOWN AND I AM
INCREDIBLY DISAPPOINTED THAT
SELF-DESCRIBED PROGRESSIVES AN
LABOR DEMOCRATS HAVE NOT
PUBLICLY SUPPORTED THE RENT
CONTROL BILL. THANK YOU.
>> CONNOR IS OUR FINAL ONLINE
SPEAKER IN THIS GROUP OF 10. GO
AHEAD.
>> I HAVE NOT SHOWN UP TO ONE
OF THESE PUBLIC COMMENTS BEFORE
SO I FEEL OUT OF MY DEPTH, BUT
I AM STRONGLY IN FAVOR OF
IMPLEMENTING RENT CONTROL FOR
SEATTLE. I LOVE OUR CITY AND I
WANT PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY
THEIR LIVES WITHOUT WORRYING
ABOUT PAYING RENT. IT GIVES
PEOPLE MORE MONEY TO BUY
GROCERIES OR HEALTHCARE OR
HOUSING. MONEY IS NOT GOING TO
DISAPPEAR. IT WILL STILL BE
SPENT IN THE COMMUNITY.
HOMELESSNESS IS A PROBLEM AND
AT SOME POINT THEY WERE EVICTED
BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT PAY RENT
EVERYONE KNOWS ABOUT THE
HOUSING CRISIS. THIS WOULD BE A
STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
THANK YOU AGAIN. I AM IN FAVOR
OF RENT CONTROL.
>> SO, THE NEXT IN-PERSON
SPEAKER IS TOM -- IS TOM HERE?
TOM DOES NOT SEEM TO BE HERE.
JENNIFER, GO AHEAD, PLEASE.
AFTER JENNIFER IT IS KEN.
PLEASE LINE UP BEHIND JENNIFER
JENNIFER.
>> GOOD MORNING. COUNCIL AND
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT. I AM FRO
DISTRICT 5 AND I AM STRONGLY I
FAVOR OF THIS LEGISLATION AND
URGE YOU TO SUPPORT IT. WE
NEEDED IT, LIKE SOMEBODY SAID,
10 YEARS AGO OR MORE. I AM TIRE
OF HEARING FOR THE LAST 10
YEARS THAT WE JUST NEED TO BUIL
MORE. WE NEED MORE UNITS. WE
NEED THIS AND THAT. WE HAVE BEE
THE CRANE CAPITAL OF THE NATION
FOR YEARS AND IT AIN'T SOLVING
THE PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TO
SAY THAT TO LEAVE SOMETHING
LIKE HOUSING COSTS IN THE HAND
OF THE UNFETTERED MARKET
UNFORTUNATELY LEADS TO
FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION AND IT
IS NOT REALLY A WAY THAT A
DECENT SOCIETY OPERATES. THANK
YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND VOTE YES,
PLEASE.
>> HI, MY NAME IS KEN. I AM A
DIRECTOR IN DISTRICT 3. I URGE
ALL DEMOCRATS TO VOTE YES ON TH
RENT CONTROL BILL PROPOSED BY
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT. I AM A
WORKING-CLASS PERSON IN THE
CITY. I MAKE GOOD MONEY FOR MY
WAGE, BUT HAVE TO COUNT EVERY
SINGLE DOLLAR TO MAKE MY RENT A
THE END OF THE MONTH. THIS IS
NORMAL STORY IN THIS CITY.
HAVING RENT CONTROL WOULD
LIMIT AT THE RATE OF INFLATION
AND THAT IS SOMETHING WE ALL
HAVE TO LIVE WITH. THIS BILL, W
HAVE HEARD TODAY WITH SUPPLY
AND DEMAND. THERE IS 11% VACANC
IN THE CITY. WE HAVE THE
SUPPLY. THE DEMAND IS TOO HIGH.
>> THIS IS NOT WORKING. LAST
EVENING THE COMMISSION PASSED A
RESOLUTION IN FAVOR OF MOVING
THIS ORDINANCE OUT OF COMMITTEE
TO FULL COUNCIL, BECAUSE WE
DESPERATELY NEED THIS AND
SPEAKING WITH INDIVIDUALS WHO
WORKED IN OLYMPIA, I HEARD THAT
THERE WAS, QUOTE, NOT ENOUGH
APPETITE TO TAKE UP RENT CONTRO
THIS SESSION. THAT IS
GROTESQUELY WRONG WHEN THE MOS
VULNERABLE AMONG US ARE TRYING
TO JUST SURVIVE IN OUR CITY AND
ARE BEING PUSHED OUT. TALKING
TO PEOPLE IN DISTRICT 3 WHEN
CANVASSING, THE NUMBER ONE
THING EVERYONE TELLS ME IS, WHY
IS MY RENT SO HIGH AND WHAT CAN
WE DO ABOUT HOUSING? IT IS TIME
TO PUT PEOPLE OVER PROFITS AND
LOOK AT OTHER TOOLS TO SOLVE
THIS CRISIS. HUMAN BEINGS ARE
NOT SQUALOR TO WALK AROUND WHEN
IT IS INCONVENIENT IN YOUR
COMMUTE TO A BASEBALL GAME.
COUNCILMEMBERS, I KNOW YOU DO
NOT BELIEVE THIS TO BE TRUE.
PLEASE BE BOLD AND CONTINUE THE
CONVERSATION THROUGH AUGUST 1.
WE NEED RENT CONTROL NOW.
>> HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT!
>> AFTER KIANA, WE HAVE LUKE.
RAY WARD. AND CHRISTIAN
GUENTHER. I DON'T KNOW HOW YOU
WANT ME TO SAY, BUT YOU ARE
NEXT. KIANA, LUKE, RILEY, RAY,
AND KRISTEN.
>> I HAVE BEEN RENTING IN
SEATTLE FOR YEARS NOW. I AM
CURRENTLY LIVING IN A
ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENT WITH
SOMEBODY ELSE, BECAUSE WE CANNO
AFFORD TO LIVE IN A ONE BEDROOM
BY OURSELVES. WE DON'T MAKE
THREE TIMES THE RENT. IT'S
IMPOSSIBLE. I URGE YOU TO VOTE
YES ON THIS MEASURE. THE PEOPLE
WHO LIVE AND WORK HERE, WE
DESERVE TO BE ABLE TO AFFORD IT
THE LANDLORD MADE A THREAT
THAT WE WOULD FLEE. WE ARE NOT
GOING TO FLEE. WE LIVE HERE. I
IS OUR HOME. I LIVE IN ONE OF
THE PLACES MANAGED BY
METROPOLITAN MANAGEMENT AND
THEY USE THE PRICE-FIXING SCHEM
TO MAKE OUR RENT GO UP AND THE
DO NOT MANAGE THEIR BUILDINGS.
OUR RENT IS NOT GOING TO
MAINTENANCE, IT IS GOING IN THE
POCKETS OF GREEDY LANDLORDS.
THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS LUKE. I AM A
RENTER LIKE MORE THAN HALF OF
THE CITY. I WANT TO START BY
RESPONDING TO A POINT FROM ONE
OF THE ANTI-RENT CONTROL FOLKS.
THEY QUOTED A STANFORD STUDY TO
MAKE THE POINT THAT RENT CONTRO
DOESN'T WORK AND COUNCILMEMBER
KSHAMA SAWANT SAID WE ARE ALL
SUPPOSED TO STAND, BUT A FUNNY
THING HAPPENED THIS WEEK. THE
STANFORD PRESIDENT SAID THEY'RE
GOING TO RESIGN BECAUSE THEY
WERE ALLOWING FALSIFIED DATA
INTO THEIR RESEARCH PAPERS. SO
I JUST WANT TO SAY, HAVING GONE
THERE, I KNOW FOR A FACT THAT
THERE ARE A LOT OF PROFESSIONAL
WORLD-CLASS -- AND THEY CAN
RIG RESEARCH. ASK THE FORMER
CITY COUNCILMEMBER AND STANFORD
GRADUATE. ON THE TOPIC OF DAT
-- AM I OUT OF TIME? OKAY,
SORRY.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> HELLO, I AM A SOCIAL WORKER
AND SECOND-TIER MASTERS OF
SOCIAL WORK STUDENT AT THE
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON AND A
RENTER IN AN APARTMENT IN NORTH
SEATTLE THAT IS MANAGED BY
LARGE, CORPORATE LANDLORDS
UTILIZING REAL PAGE TO GOUGE
RENT. MY EXPERIENCE LIES IN
HOUSING, HOMELESSNESS, AND
DISABILITY. THE NUMBER ONE
CUSTOM HOMELESSNESS 'S COST OF
LIVING. ONCE RENT PASSES 30% OF
INCOME, THE RISK OF HOMELESSNES
SKYROCKETS. WE ARE BARELY
SURVIVING. IT IS LINKED TO
CHRONIC STRESS, DRUG USE,
MORTALITY RATE AND MORE. YOU
ALL HOLD OUR FEET IN YOUR HANDS
PLEASE VOTE YES.
>> HELLO. I AM RAY. I AM AN
UNEMPLOYED BARTENDER AND I HAV
LIVED HERE SINCE YOU COULD GET
AN APARTMENT FOR UNDER $700 AN
NOW IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PAY
LESS THAN DOUBLE THAT, IT SEEMS
I HAVE SEEN MY COWORKERS GET
DEPORTED. I HAVE SEEN PEOPLE
HAVE TO MOVE SOUTH BECAUSE THE
COULD NOT AFFORD TO LIVE HERE.
HAVE SEEN THE HOMELESSNESS
BECOME MORE VISIBLE, SO ON AND
SO FORTH. WE DON'T NEED SWEEPS
OR SUBSIDIES FOR PROPERTY
DEVELOPERS AND WE DON'T NEED TO
CAVE IN TO THE PRESSURE FROM
LOBBYING GROUPS AND BIG
LANDLORDS. WE NEED YOU GUYS TO
VOTE YES ON THIS LEGISLATION.
NO LOOPHOLES. NO WATERING DOWN
AND THAT IS THE BARE MINIMUM,
BECAUSE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO
REPRESENT US. THREE QUARTERS OF
US WANT THIS.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> WE HAVE RILEY HERE. WHAT IS
YOUR NAME? OKAY, DO WE HAVE
RILEY HERE? OH, YOU ALREADY
SPOKE. SORRY. OKAY, TRISTRAM
AND JOHN WATSON AND THEN WE WIL
GO TO ONLINE. GO AHEAD.
>> THIS IS THE SMARTEST CITY I
THE COUNTRY AND YET THEY THINK
WE ARE IMBECILES. THEY THINK WE
DON'T REALIZE THE DEVELOPERS AR
AFFLUENT AND RICH AND MOST
PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING IN
THIS CITY ARE NOT. THEY
CONTINUE TO SPEW THE TIRED
TROPES ABOUT FAILURE IN THIS
MARKET, WHICH IS THE PROBLEM.
HOUSING SHOULD NOT BE A
MARKETPLACE, IT SHOULD BE A
NECESSITY WE PROVIDE. THE
REALITY VERSUS THE BULLSHIT. I
NEW YORK CITY, 40% OF THOSE WH
LIVE THERE AND RENT RENT FROM A
RENT-CONTROLLED UNIT. THAT IS
THE REALITY. NOBODY WOULD BE
ABLE TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN THOS
CITIES AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE
LIFESTYLE, THE ART AND VIBRANCY
OF THOSE PLACES. SO SUPPORT REN
CONTROL FOR THE REAL PEOPLE OF
SEATTLE WITHOUT LOOPHOLES.
>> IS THIS GOOD? OKAY. I WORK
IN FOOD SERVICE AND HOSPITALITY
THE PEOPLE IN MY INDUSTRY WORK
LONG HOURS AND BRUTAL SHIFTS SO
PEOPLE IN THE CITY CAN EAT. WH
WORKS FOR THE CITY? THE
CORPORATE LANDLORDS WITH THE
PRICE-FIXING SCHEME FOR THE
PEOPLE IN MY COMMUNITY? I HOPE
THAT YOU STAND WITH ME. THANK
YOU, THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
>> HI, MY NAME IS JOHN WATSON.
I AM A RENTER IN DISTRICT 3. M
LANDLORD IS IMPLICATED IN THE
PRICE-FIXING SCANDAL. MY
LANDLORD HAS BEEN IMPLICATED IN
THE PRICE-FIXING SCANDAL THAT
WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING TODAY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW I WILL CONTINU
TO MAKE RENT OVER THE NEXT FEW
YEARS. I DON'T THINK I CAN STAY
IN THE CITY OF SEATTLE. I DON'
FEEL LIKE THIS CITY HAS A
FUTURE UNLESS YOU SUPPORT THIS
RENT-CONTROLLED BILL. THANK YOU
THAT IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
>> JOHN --
>> RENT CONTROL!
>> JOHN, YOU ARE A MEMBER OF A
UNION -- IS THAT RIGHT?
>> YES.
>> OKAY.
>> SO, FOR PEOPLE SIGNED UP
ONLINE, THERE ARE EIGHT LEFT
THAT ARE SIGNED UP AND PRESENT
ONLINE AND NINE PEOPLE WHO ARE
SIGNED UP, BUT NOT PRESENT
ONLINE. SO I WILL GO THROUGH
THOSE EIGHT AND THEN I WILL LIS
THE NAMES OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NO
PRESENT. ACTUALLY I WILL LIST
THE NAMES WERE NOT PRESENT NOW.
NOT PRESENT IS RAY -- JOE
ROAD. KAREN TAYLOR. GARY
VASSER. DAVID BARTH. TIFFANY
McCOY. THAD PERKINS. AND GABE
--
>> GABBY ALREADY SPOKEN PERSON
>> GOT IT. SO IF ANYBODY HEARD
YOUR NAME, YOU ARE NOT CURRENTL
LISTED AS PRESENT AND YOU CAN
CALL IN. IF THE PEOPLE WHO ARE
PRESENT AND CALLED IN ONLINE -
FOLLOWED BY MARLIN HATHAWAY,
FOLLOWED BY GORDON HAGGERTY. GO
AHEAD.
>> HI, I AM A RENTER AND
PHYSICIAN AT HARBORVIEW MEDICAL
CENTER. I ASK ALL OF YOU TO
VOTE IN FAVOR OF RENT CONTROL.
MY VIEWS ARE MY OWN AND NOT MY
EMPLOYERS. I WORK DIRECTLY WIT
LOW INCOME AND HOMELESS PATIENT
IN SEATTLE. I HAVE LIVED HERE
FOR NEARLY A DECADE. I HAVE
SEEN THE EFFECTS OF RISING COST
AND I AM VERY DISCOURAGED HER
PEOPLE MAKING HONESTLY
PARADOXICAL ARGUMENTS. WHEN WE
HAVE SUCH RISING LEVELS OF REN
AND VACANCY IN THE CITY. THE
TRUTH IS THAT THE VAST MAJORIT
OF SEATTLEITES ARE IN FAVOR OF
RENT CONTROL. I URGE EVERYBOD
ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO SIDE
WITH CONSTITUENTS AND NOT THE
CORPORATE LANDLORDS THAT HAVE
FRANKLY MADE THIS --
>> MARLIN HATHAWAY FOLLOWED BY
GORDON HAGGERTY. GO AHEAD.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS MARLIN
HATHAWAY, HOMEOWNER IN DISTRICT
FIVE. I SUPPORT THE PASSAGE OF
THIS LEGISLATION WITH NO
LOOPHOLES. I HAVE BEEN A
SEATTLEITE FOR 45 YEARS. MORE
THAN HALF OF THAT IS A RENTER.
ALSO OWNED A RESTAURANT.
CURRENTLY I AM A BEER AND WINE
SPECIALIST -- MY WIFE AND I NO
OWN A HOME AND A RENTAL
PROPERTY WE PURCHASED AS A
STRATEGY FOR RETIREMENT. OUR
THINKING WAS THIS WAS A BETTER
WAY TO SAVE THAN THE EQUITY
MARKET. OUR GOAL WAS LONG-TERM
APPRECIATION. OUR PHILOSOPHY I
TO CHARGE AS LITTLE AS WE CAN
FOR RENT. THIS IS NOT JUST A
HUMANE BUSINESS PRACTICE, IT IS
A PRACTICE WHICH SUPPORTS
LONGEVITY IN THE COMMUNITY. WE
HAVE SEEN RENTAL PRICES
INCREASE. WE NEED AFFORDABLE
HOUSING. THANK YOU.
>> GO AHEAD, GORDON. GORDON,
YOU ARE MUTED. THERE YOU GO. WE
CAN HEAR YOU.
>> THANK YOU. MY NAME IS GORDON
HAGGERTY. I AM TESTIFYING TODAY
AGAINST THIS RENT-CONTROLLED
BILL. I HAVE BEEN A SMALL,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING PROVIDER IN
SEATTLE FOR 50 YEARS. I GOT MY
START AS A HOUSING PROVIDER AS
A UNIVERSITY STUDENT BECAUSE I
NEEDED AFFORDABLE HOUSING
MYSELF. I MANAGED A
FIVE-BEDROOM ROOMING HOUSE WHIL
I LIVED IN THE UNFINISHED
BASEMENT. TODAY THE SEATTLE
REGULATIONS HAVE ALREADY DRIVE
MANY SMALL RENTAL HOUSING
PROVIDERS LIKE MYSELF OUT AND
RENT CONTROL WILL DRIVE THE
FINAL NAIL IN THE COFFIN. MANY
ON THE CITY COUNCIL WANT TO
BELIEVE THAT SMALL HOUSING LIK
MYSELF EXIST, BUT WE DO. I URGE
YOU TO KEEP US IN THE ACTIVITY
AS PROVIDERS FOR OUR NEIGHBORS.
YOU VERY MUCH.
>> OUR NEXT THREE ARE ERIC --
FOLLOWED BY AARON KRAMER.
FOLLOWED BY ALISA LILES. GO
AHEAD, ERIC.
>> MY NAME IS ERIC BRANDT,
THANKS FOR LISTENING THIS
MORNING. I WAS A RENTER UNTIL
THE AGE OF 41 WHILE A TRAIN TO
BE A MEDICAL DOCTOR. I SERVE TH
COMMUNITY, GETTING A DISCOUNT -
THIS HAS LEFT ME IN DEBT. MY
FAMILY HAS BEEN HERE SINCE 1890
MY WIFE IS A REFUGEE AND PERSO
OF COLOR. TWO HOUSES, NOW DUE
TO ALL OF THE REGULATIONS, SHE
LOST THE HOUSE. WE DESPERATELY
NEED AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T THINK REN
CONTROL IS THE ANSWER. IT
INCREASES COST AND REDUCES
SUPPLY AND ACTUALLY BENEFITS TH
WEALTHY. WE NEED TO VOTE NO ON
THIS.
>> NEXT UP, ELLEN KRAMER
FOLLOWED BY ALISA LILES
FOLLOWED BY ETHAN --
>> MY NAME IS ELLEN KRAMER. I A
A RENTER IN FAVOR OF RENT
CONTROL. WE CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT
HOUSING. I BELIEVE IT IS A
FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHT. IT
SHOULD NOT BE THE MERCY OF
CORPORATE GREED. IF RENT IS
UNSUSTAINABLE FOR THE WORKING
CLASS TO KEEP THE
INFRASTRUCTURE AND CULTURE
RUNNING, SEATTLE IS SHOOTING
ITSELF IN THE FOOT. IT IS
TELLING HOW MANY LANDLORDS HAVE
PUSHED AGAINST THE LEGISLATION
ON THE GROUNDS OF
TECHNICALITIES. VOTE YES ON
RENT CONTROL. THANK YOU.
>> GO AHEAD, ALISA.
>> YES, I AM A HOUSING
PROVIDER. I AM A RARE
COMMODITY. YOU NEED TO KEEP
YOUR HOUSING PROVIDERS CLOSE.
YOU WANT YOUR FARMERS LOCAL. YO
WANT YOUR HOUSING PROVIDERS
LOCAL. YOU WANT THEM TO CARE
ABOUT YOUR COMMUNITY. THIS
DIVISION YOU ARE SETTING UP IS
GOING TO DRIVE THE LOCAL
PROVIDERS OUT. RENT-CONTROLLED
IS NOT TAKEN TO AFFECT OTHER
COSTS. WHAT ARE THE COST OF
REPAIRING PROPERTY, HIGHER THAN
THE CPI? WHAT ARE THE COSTS OF
YOUR PROPERTY TAXES INCREASE?
WILL THAT BE A SPECIAL THING
THAT THAT WILL BE CAPPED AT THE
CPI? THAT IS NOT GOING TO
HAPPEN. YOU ARE GOING TO DRIVE
HOUSING PROVIDERS OUT OF THE
AREA. SEATTLE WILL HAVE VERY,
VERY FEW --
>> GO AHEAD.
>> SO MUCH MISINFORMATION FROM
THE NO SIDE AND SO LITTLE TIME
IF YOU DON'T BUILD, REPAIR, OR
MAINTAIN HOUSING PERSONALLY,
YOU ARE NOT A HOUSING PROVIDER.
RENT CONTROL WILL LOWER YOUR
PROPERTY TAXES AS A LANDLORD,
BECAUSE THE PROPERTY VALUE WILL
GO DOWN, BECAUSE YOU CAN'T
LEGALLY EXPLOIT TENANTS ANYMORE
IF THEY WERE SINCERE ABOUT TH
ARGUMENT THEY WOULD ASK FOR ON
AND ONLY ONE EXEMPTION FOR
PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT CORPORATIONS
BUT THEY ARE NOT DOING THAT.
YOU MAY IGNORE ME AS A PERSON
YOU HEAR ALL THE TIME, BUT THIS
IS A CLEAR-CUT AND SIMPLE THING
IT SOLVES ALMOST EVERY PROBLEM
WE HAVE IN SEATTLE THESE DAYS.
>> NEXT UP -- BERGMAN.
FOLLOWED BY TIFFANY McCOY. GO
AHEAD.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING. I AM A LOW
INCOME HOUSING PROVIDER AND I A
PROUD TO SAY WE HAVE BEEN
OFFERING HOUSING FOR AS LITTLE
AS $860 A MONTH LEADING UP TO
COVID, BUT THE REALITY IS WE
NEED TO LOOK AT WHY COSTS ARE
GOING UP A LOT AND IS A HOUSING
PROVIDER I CAN TELL YOU
FIRSTHAND WHAT WE SEE IS UNDER
THE GUISE OF TENANT PROTECTIONS
POLITICIANS LIKE SAWANT
CONTINUE TO PASS EXPENSIVE
ORDINANCES THAT REQUIRE US TO
INCREASE OUR COSTS TO PROVIDE
HOUSING WHICH CAUSES US TO RAIS
OUR RENT. THAT IS HOW BUSINESS
WORKS. SO THE SAME POLITICIANS
THAT ARE GIVING YOU FALSE HOPE
AND A MAGICAL SOLUTION ARE ONL
LEADING TO MORE CONSEQUENCES
THAT HURT TENANTS. THE SOLUTIO
WE NEED TO FOCUS ON IS WHY
HOUSING COSTS ARE GOING UP. IT
IS NOT AS SIMPLE AS RENT. IT HA
TOO MANY UNINTENDED
CONSEQUENCES.
>> NEXT UP WE HAVE TIFFANY
McCOY, FOLLOWED BY GABE MAN
AND WE NOW HAVE DAVID PRESENT.
GO AHEAD, TIFFANY.
>> THANK YOU, GOOD MORNING. MY
NAME IS TIFFANY McCOY. I AM
THE COCHAIR FOR INITIATIVE 135
WHICH CREATED THE FIRST HOUSING
DEVELOPER IN SEATTLE. ALL OF
THE RENTERS WHO COURAGEOUSLY
CALLED IN THIS MORNING TO TALK
ABOUT THEIR STORIES. IT IS
SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HEARD ON THE
GROUND. RENTERS IN SEATTLE DO
NOT KNOW HOW LONG THEY CAN
AFFORD TO LIVE IN THE CITY,
PERIOD, AND WE ARE DOING NOTHIN
TO PREVENT THAT. SO I REALLY
APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
BRINGING THIS FORWARD AND
BEING DOGGED WITH RENT CONTROL
AS AN IMPORTANT INTERVENTION AN
I JUST WANTED TO QUESTION WHY
SMALL LANDLORDS WOULD NEED TO
BE ABLE TO RENT GOUGE. THAT IS
WHAT I AM HEARING FROM THESE
LOCAL HOUSING PROVIDERS. THAT
IS HOW BUSINESS WORKS IN THE
PRIVATE MARKET. THAT IS WHY WE
SHOULD BE INCENTIVIZING SOCIAL
HOUSING AND LOW INCOME HOUSING.
PLEASE SUPPORT COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S RENT CONTROL
LEGISLATION WITHOUT DELAY.
THANK YOU.
>> HI, GABE, FOLLOWED BY TWO
PEOPLE PRESENT, JOE, FOLLOWED
BY DAVID. GO AHEAD. GABE, YOU
ARE MUTED. IF YOU HIT STAR SIX
ON YOUR PHONE, THAT SHOULD
UNMUTE YOURSELF. STAR SIX. YO
ARE STILL MUTED, GABE. STAR
SIX, NOT POUND. STAR SIX.
>> HI, SORRY ABOUT THAT. BUT
YES, MY NAME IS GABRIEL. I AM A
RENTER AND TECH WORKER CALLING
IN DISTRICT 3 IN EMPHATIC
SUPPORT OF THE RENT CONTROL
LEGISLATION. SOMETHING WE
REALLY NEED. EVEN AS A TECH
WORKER I CAN'T AFFORD A HOME
AND PROBABLY NEVER WELL WITH
RENT GOING UP 15 TO 20% EACH
YEAR. ADDING FUEL TO THE FIRE O
THE SPECULATIVE REAL ESTATE
BUBBLE. OUR COMPLEXES NOT OWNE
BY A SMALL LANDLORD WHO KNOWS U
AND APPRECIATES TENANTS. THOSE
TYPES OF LANDLORDS DON'T RAISE
THE RENT BY CRAZY AMOUNTS. ONE
OF THE HANDFUL OF LARGE
CORPORATIONS THAT CONTROL A
DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE. WHEN WE
TALK ABOUT A REAL HUMAN TO TRY
TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS,
THEY OFTEN SAY THERE IS NOTHING
WE CAN DO AND IT IS TOTALLY OUT
OF THEIR HANDS BECAUSE PRICES
ARE SET BY CORPORATE AND I URGE
DEMOCRATS TO DO SOMETHING. HELP
KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE AND GIV
ME AND MY NEIGHBORS SOME
SURETY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.
THANK YOU.
>> GO AHEAD, JOE.
>> HI, MY NAME IS JOE ROWE AND
I AM A PROUD UNION MEMBER. I A
HERE SPEAKING FOR ALL OF THE
HOMELESS STUDENTS I HAVE WORKED
WITH OVER 20 YEARS OF TEACHING
AND ALSO FOR MY FELLOW TEACHERS
WHO ARE STARTING LIKE ME. I
WAS PRICED OUT OF THE CITY. M
ONLY RESOURCES ARE BECAUSE I
AM WHITE AND PRIVILEGED. IF WE
DON'T SOLVE THIS CRISIS UP AND
DOWN THE WEST COAST, WE WILL
JUST HAVE TO HIGHER -- I BEGGE
THE PEOPLE HERE MAKING THE
DECISION THAT RENT CONTROL DOE
NOT HARM RENTERS ANY MORE THAN
BANKING REGULATIONS HARM PEOPLE
--
>> GO AHEAD, DAVID.
>> HELLO, MY NAME IS DAVID
MORRIS AND I AM A NURSE LIVING
AND WORKING IN SEATTLE. FIRST O
ALL I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT I
URGE ALL DEMOCRATS ON THE
COMMITTEE TODAY TO STAND WITH
WORKING PEOPLE AND NOT WEALTHY,
CORPORATE LANDLORDS. I URGE YOU
TO VOTE YES ON COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S RENT CONTROL
LEGISLATION. WITH NO LOOPHOLES
OR WATERING DOWN. THE COST OF
LIVING CRISIS IS CAUSING THE
HOMELESSNESS CRISIS IN OUR CITY
AIRBNB CHARGES LUXURY HOTEL
PRICES FOR WHAT I REALLY JUST
CHEAP APARTMENTS. THE SUPPLY
AND DEMAND ARGUMENTS ARE
OVERSIMPLIFIED. YOU SAY YOU
NEED TO BREAK EGGS TO MAKE AN
OMELETTE. WELL SIR, WE SEE HER
BROKEN EGGS AND HERE IS THE
OMELETTE.
>> THAT IS OUR FINAL SPEAKER WH
IS PRESENT AND WHO SIGNED UP
AND PRESENT. THERE ARE STILL
FIVE NOT PRESENT. KAREN TAYLOR
-- AND THAD PERKINS.
>> OKAY, SO WE HAVE JUST FOR
IN-PERSON SPEAKERS LEFT, SO WE
WILL TAKE THEM. THE FIRST
SPEAKER NOW IS CAT. AFTER CAT
IS HIT. AND I CAN'T READ YOU
FIRST NAME, BUT YOUR LAST NAME
-- SO, CAT, KIT, AND THEN
YOU.
>> I AM A RESIDENT IN DISTRICT
THREE, CAPITOL HILL. I HAVE
BEEN LIVING IN SEATTLE FOR THRE
YEARS AND WE NEED RENT CONTROL.
WE NEED IT NOW. RENT IS ALREADY
CONTROLLED BY THE RICH, BY THE
CORPORATE LANDLORDS. RENT IS
NOW BEING PRICE FIXED BY
ALGORITHMS THAT RAKE IN THE
MONEY AND MAKE MORE PROFIT.
BYPASSING RENT CONTROL, IT IS
STANDING WITH THE WORKING CLASS
WITH THE RENTERS, AND IT IS
ABSOLUTELY DISAPPOINTING THAT
DEMOCRATS AND THE CITY COUNCIL
HAVE NOT PUBLICLY SUPPORTED THI
BILL. LANDLORDS GET TO MAKE MOR
PROFITS WHILE RENTERS GET TO
HAVE AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THAT
IS THE CRUX OF THE MATTER. IF
WE ARE SERIOUS ABOUT
HOMELESSNESS, SERIOUS ABOUT
GIVING PEOPLE HOUSES AND THE
LIVES THEY DESERVE IN SEATTLE,
PASS THIS RENT CONTROL,
COMPREHENSIVE, WITHOUT ANY
LOOPHOLES. THANK YOU.
>> WHAT WE WANT?
>> RENT CONTROL!
>> WHEN DO WE WANT IT?
>> NOW!
>> I CAN BE A POSTER CHILD FOR
RENT CONTROL. I HAVE BEEN A
CLIENT OF SEATTLE HOUSING
AUTHORITY MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE.
WITHOUT THEM AND THEIR
ASSISTANCE, I WOULD BE
HOMELESS. PLEASE PASS THE REN
CONTROL WITHOUT LOOPHOLES. I A
ALSO UNDERGOING AN ATTEMPT TO
FORCE ME TO MOVE AND I NEED
HELP.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> IF YOU ARE FACING EVICTION
AND IT IS IMMINENT, MAKE SURE
TO TALK TO TED FROM MY OFFICE
AFTER THE BREAK. GO AHEAD.
>> MY NAME IS NATHAN FISHER. I
WORK MULTIPLE JOBS. STILL CAN'
AFFORD THE RENT, BUT MY
INTENTION IS NOT TO RILE UP TH
PEASANTS HERE, BUT THIS IS NOT
THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION FOR OUR
PROBLEM. I THINK THE MAJOR
SOLUTION WE NEED TO ARRIVE AT
IS ENDING THE ABILITY FOR
CORPORATIONS TO BE ABLE TO OWN
PROPERTY, PERIOD. IT SHOULD BE
ILLEGAL FOR THEM TO OWN ANYTHIN
BECAUSE THEY ARTIFICIALLY RAISE
THE PRICES OF THE HOUSING.
FIGHTING BILLIONAIRE GREED IS A
CUTE SLOGAN, BUT WE NEED TO EN
BILLIONAIRES. THEY HAVE THE
ABILITY TO BUY UP OUR
POLITICIANS AND ANYONE LOOKING
AT THESE EMPTY SEATS BELIEVE
THEY CARE ABOUT YOUR PRECARIOUS
LIVING SITUATION? I DON'T. I
WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE PEOPLE
WITH THE CAPITAL BEING THE
WORKERS, BECAUSE WE PROVIDE
VALUE TO SOCIETY.
>> OUR LAST SPEAKER.
>> OH, HI, I AM -- RENT IN
OUR CITY IS ALREADY TOO HIGH
AND MANY PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH I
EVERY DAY. MANY OF MY FRIENDS
HAVE ALREADY LEFT SEATTLE,
BECAUSE THEIR LANDLORDS HAVE
UPPED THEIR RENT. SOME OF THEM
ELECTED YOU GUYS. WE ELECTED
YOU GUYS TO MAKE OUR LIVES
BETTER, NOT TO LET EVIL
BUSINESS THRIVE IN THIS TOWN.
THEY RAISE RENT AS MUCH AS THEY
WANT. TENANTS IN THIS CITY NEE
SOME KIND OF PROTECTION AND WE
NEED RENT CONTROL.
>> HOUSING IS A HUMAN RIGHT!
>> OKAY, THANK YOU ALL WHO SPOK
IN PUBLIC COMMENT. I REALLY
APPRECIATE IT. I WANT TO MAKE
SURE WE GET TO THE VOTE IN
TIME, SO I HAVE URGED ALL OF
OUR PANELISTS TO KEEP THEIR
COMMENT VERY SHORT. UNDER THRE
MINUTES AND THEN AFTER THAT W
WILL GO TO THE DISCUSSION ON TH
LEGISLATION. WE HAVE STAFF HER
TO HELP WITH THAT AS WELL AND
BEFORE WE START WITH OUR FIRST
SPEAKER, I WANTED TO CONVEY
APOLOGIES FROM ONE OF OUR
PANELISTS WHO WAS UNABLE TO BE
HERE, FROM THE TENANTS UNION,
VIOLET LAVATAI. THE TENANTS
UNION IS SUPPORTING THIS
LEGISLATION, HOWEVER VIOLET HA
A FAMILY EMERGENCY, SO SHE
CANNOT BE HER. I WILL READ
FROM HER STATEMENT IN A LITTLE
BIT. GO AHEAD. EACH SPEAKER
INTRODUCE YOURSELVES FOR THE
RECORD AND GO AHEAD.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING EVERYONE.
MY NAME IS JULISSA SANCHEZ. I
AM THE DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY AT
CHOOSE 180 AND I AM ALSO CONNEC
DID TO THE TENANTS UNION WITH
FIVE YEARS OF WORK THAT I DID
THERE. AND SUPPORTED THE PATH
OF JUST CAUSE, STATEWIDE. AND
AM HERE IN REPRESENTATION OF
THE YOUTH THAT ARE OFTEN LEFT
OUT OF THE CONVERSATION. I AM
ALSO HERE IN REPRESENTATION OF
THE TENANTS, RENTERS, LGBTQ
RENTERS, IMMIGRANTS, REFUGEE
WORKERS, SINGLE PARENTS AND
ELDERS WHO ARE OFTEN ON A FIXED
INCOME AND I URGE ALL DEMOCRAT
ON THE CITY COUNCIL TO STAND
WITH WORKING PEOPLE AND NOT
WEALTHY LANDLORDS AND I URGE YO
TO VOTE YES ON COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S RENT CONTROL
LEGISLATION WITH NO LOOPHOLES
OR WATERING DOWN. I WAS
GENTRIFIED OUT OF THE CENTRAL
DISTRICT IN THE EARLY 2000'S.
THAT COMMUNITY HAS BEEN
DESTROYED. IT WAS HISTORICALLY
AN AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
WE KNOW THE HISTORY OF REDLININ
AND RACIST POLICIES, RIGHT? AN
ONCE IMMIGRANTS SETTLED AND
CREATED A BEAUTIFUL COMMUNITY
IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT, WE
WERE GENTRIFIED BY LANDLORDS
WHO RAISED THE RENT. MORE THAN
ANY IMMIGRANT OR REFUGEE THAT
LIVED IN THAT AREA OR THE
AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY
COULD AFFORD TO STAY IN THAT
AREA. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE
YOUTH AND THE CHILDREN OF THOSE
COMMUNITIES? WHAT HAPPENS TO
YOUTH WHEN THEY ARE MOVED AWAY
FROM THEIR COMMUNITIES AND HOME
AND SPACES? AND IN MY FIVE
YEARS WORKING AS A COMMUNITY
ORGANIZER WITH TENANTS UNION,
COUNTLESS TENANTS HAVE CRIED
OVER THE $100, $300, $500
RENTAL INCREASES THAT DISPLACE
THEM AND THEIR CHILDREN. SINGL
PARENTS WHO HAVE CHILDREN WHO
NEED MEDICAL ATTENTION AND WHA
ARE YOU GOING TO CHOOSE, PAYING
THE RENT OR PAYING MEDICAL
BILLS? SAVING YOUR CHILD'S LIFE
PROTECTING YOUR CHILD, OR
PAYING A LANDLORD, WHO FOR MOS
OF THEM THAT IS PASSIVE INCOME.
THAT IS WHAT THEY'RE FIGHTING
FOR. UNDOCUMENTED TENANTS WILL
HAVE TO MOVE DUE TO RENTAL
INCREASES HAVE A HARD TIME
FINDING ANY PLACE TO LIVE
BECAUSE OF THE IMMIGRATION
STATUS. LANDLORDS ARE RACIST
AND DO NOT AND WILL NOT RENT T
UNDOCUMENTED TENANTS. YOU KNOW
SEATTLE IS REALLY NOT A
DIVERSE PLACE. WE DO NOT SEE A
LOT OF AFRICAN AMERICAN TENANT
HERE. LARRY HIMSELF SAID THAT
AFRICAN AMERICAN TENANTS ARE
MOVING OUT OF SEATTLE IN GREAT
NUMBERS. YOU KNOW, LATINO
RENTERS AND BLACK RENTERS THAT
WE MAKE $47,000 A YEAR TO
$78,000 A YEAR AND RENT IS
$2000-$3000 A MONTH FOR A TWO
BEDROOM AND THEN WE GET $300,
$500 RENTAL INCREASES AND THE
REPAIRS ARE NOT DONE? YOU KNOW,
SOMEBODY SAID SOMETHING ABOUT
THIS IS NOT GOING TO HELP
HOMELESSNESS. YES IT IS, BECAUS
THE MAIN CAUSE OF HOMELESSNESS
IS OUR RENTAL INCREASES. YOU
KNOW, WE WERE ABLE TO PUSH
FOR THE PAST OF JUST CAUSE
STATEWIDE BECAUSE SEATTLE WAS
THE FIRST AND CHAMPION TO DO
THAT. THEN THE CITY OF BURIEN
AND THEN WE, AS A COMMUNITY,
CONTINUE TO ORGANIZE AND PUSH
FOR THE STATE LEGISLATURE TO
PASS JUST CAUSE AND WE ARE GOIN
TO DO THAT FOR RENT CONTROL.
BECAUSE WE DESERVE TO LIVE IN
THE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES. OU
YOUTH DESERVE TO LIVE IN THE
COMMUNITY WITH THEIR FRIENDS AN
THEIR SCHOOLS AND FOR THEM TO
THRIVE AND GROW IN THE
COMMUNITY, WITHIN THEIR
CULTURES. AND WE JUST CAN'T
AFFORD TO NOT PASS RENT CONTROL
THANK YOU.
>> MY NAME IS DR. ROBERT
JEFFREY, SENIOR PASTOR OF NEW
HOPE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH.
HIGH RENT IN SEATTLE IS DRIVIN
OUT THOSE THAT MAKE UP THE
DIVERSITY THAT HAS HISTORICALLY
BEEN AN ASSET TO AND FOR THE
CITY. FOR EXAMPLE, THE BLACK
POPULATION, WHICH IS LOCATED I
THE HEART OF THE CITY, HAS
DECLINED FROM 73% OF THE
POPULATION IN CENTRAL SEATTLE
IN 1970 TO LESS THAN 9% NOW,
TODAY. THEY HAVE BEEN DRIVEN
OUT BY RACISM AND
DISCRIMINATION. AND
GENTRIFICATION AND ARE BEING
KEPT OUT BY HIGH RENT. THAT
ALLOWS ONLY THE UPPER MIDDLE
AND UPPER CLASSES TO BE ABLE TO
AFFORD TO LIVE IN BOTH THE
CENTRAL AREA FROM WHICH THEY
WERE DRIVEN OUT AND THE CITY OF
SEATTLE AS A WHOLE. McGEE
STATED IN HIS ARTICLE WRITTEN
AUGUST 19, 2007, THAT THIS EVE
INCREASING CONCENTRATION OF
WEALTH COULD MEAN THAT SEATTLE
WOULD BECOME THE GILDED CITY O
UPPER MIDDLE CLASS AND UPPER
CLASSES. WELL, HIS PROPHECY WA
CORRECT. THINGS HAVE GOTTEN
WORSE SINCE 2007, INCREASINGLY
WHAT WE MUST DO NOW IS CLEAR.
WE MUST, WE MUST VOTE FOR REN
CONTROL. IF WE WANT TO SAVE OU
CITY. OR WE WILL END UP AS
WHAT McGEE CALLED THE SUPERSTAR
CITIES LIKE NEW YORK AND SAN
FRANCISCO AND WE CAN CLEARLY SE
WHERE THEIR POLICIES HAVE LED
THEM. THE POOR ARE NOT GOING T
JUST DISAPPEAR. THOSE WHO HAVE
BEEN DISCRIMINATED AGAINST AR
NOT GOING TO FADE INTO THE
NIGHT. THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN
MISTREATED WILL NOT HAVE THEI
VOICES TOTALLY QUIETED. THEY AR
STILL HERE. THEY WILL ALWAYS B
HERE. THE PROBLEM IS NOT GOING
TO GO AWAY, SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU
IGNORE IT. THE PROBLEM IS NOT
GOING TO DISAPPEAR, SIMPLY
BECAUSE YOU HAVE AN INFUSION O
BILLIONAIRES. AN INFUSION OF
HIGH PROPERTY VALUES. THESE
PROBLEMS ARE ONLY GOING TO
INTENSIFY. THE ANGER THAT THES
PEOPLE NOW HAVE IS GOING TO
ONLY GROW. THIS IS NOT THE
FUTURE THAT SEATTLE DESERVES. I
IS NOT THE FUTURE THAT ANY OF
US DESERVE. WHAT WE MUST DO
NOW IS BEGIN THE REVERSAL OF
YEARS OF INSENSITIVITY.
INSENSITIVE PROBLEM-SOLVING.
START NOW. VOTE YES WITHOUT
EXCEPTIONS. ON SAWANT'S
RECOMMENDATION. THANK YOU.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> MY NAME IS SHIRLEY HENDERSON
AND I AM A QUEER SMALL
BUSINESS OWNER IN THE CENTRAL
DISTRICT AND I'M HONORED TO BE
HERE IN SUPPORT OF
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
LEGISLATION ON RENT CONTROL. IN
THE PAST SEVEN YEARS IN THE
EPICENTER OF RACIST
GENTRIFICATION IN THE CITY, I
HAVE SEEN AND EXPERIENCED
DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF RISING
RENT FIRSTHAND. IN THE YEARS
SINCE WE OPENED, RENT HAS
INCREASED SO DRAMATICALLY, MY
WIFE AND I HAVE BEEN FORCED FRO
OUR APARTMENT IN CAPITOL HILL
AND WE CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO
LIVE IN THE COMMUNITY WE SERVE.
MANY REGULAR CUSTOMERS, WORKING
PEOPLE AND STRUGGLING SMALL
BUSINESS OWNERS LIKE MYSELF,
HAVE ALSO BEEN ECONOMICALLY OF
IT DID. IN FACT, OUR BUSINESS
IS LOCATED IN A BUILDING
MANAGED BY THRIVE, WHICH IS ONE
OF THE COMPANIES EXPOSED FOR
ALLEGEDLY PRICE FIXING RENT
THROUGH THIS NOTORIOUS REAL
PAGE ALGORITHM THAT WE HEARD A
LOT ABOUT TODAY. THRIVE
COMMUNITIES MANAGES MULTIPLE
BUILDINGS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD,
CONTROLLING CLOSE TO 800
APARTMENTS IN A FOUR BLOCK
RADIUS. THE COMPANY CHARGES
NEARLY $2000 AND UP FOR
ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENTS AND
SLIGHTLY LESS FOR STUDIOS. PRIC
GOUGING BY CORPORATE LANDLORDS
LIKE THRIVE HAS BEEN THE REASON
FOR THE RAPID AND ALARMING
GENTRIFICATION IN THE
NEIGHBORHOOD AND ACROSS THE
CITY, WHICH HAS PUSHED
WORKING-CLASS FAMILIES OUT OF
SEATTLE, HITTING POOR AND
WORKING-CLASS FAMILIES OF COLOR
THE HARDEST. WHAT BREATHTAKING
ARROGANCE TO CALL YOUR COMPANY
THRIVE. WHEN YOU ARE BRUTALLY
EXPLOITING YOUR TENANTS. AT
23rd AND UNION, TO ECHO DR.
JEFFREY, BLACK WORKING PEOPLE
USED TO CONSTITUTE THE MAJORITY
OF THE CENTRAL DISTRICT
HOMEOWNERS AND RENTERS BUT
TODAY, STATISTIC IS DOWN TO
9% AND SHRINKING. THERE IS A
SIMILAR HOUSING AND
AFFORDABILITY CRISIS FACED BY
THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY, AS LAUREN
MENTIONED IN PUBLIC COMMENT. I
DON'T HAVE WORDS TO EXPRESS MY
FRUSTRATION AT HOW STATE
DEMOCRATS HAVE PRESERVED THE
UNJUST, STATEWIDE BAN ON RENT
CONTROL FOR 42 YEARS. WHICH I
LONGER THAN THE YEARS THAT MAN
OF THE QUEER AND TRANS YOUTH
WHO ARE ON HOUSE TO HAVE BEEN
ALIVE. THE STATEWIDE BAN IS A
GIFT FOR CORPORATE REAL ESTATE
AND IT IS TROUBLING TO SEE HOW
SEATTLE AND STATE DEMOCRATS GIV
EACH OTHER COVER TO STIFLE
PROGRESSIVE LEGISLATION. IT
WILL NOT BE ACCEPTABLE FOR
COUNCILMEMBERS TO VOTE NO ON
THIS RENT CONTROL BILL OR TO
BRING IN AMENDMENTS TO WEAKEN
IT. I MARCHED FOR MARRIAGE
EQUALITY ALMOST A DECADE AND A
HALF AGO. I REMEMBER
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT AND I
MARCHED TOGETHER. I ALSO
MARCHED FOR $15 AN HOUR MINIMUM
WAGE AND THEN FOR BLACK LIVES
MATTER AND THEN THE AMAZON TAX.
I ALSO PARTICIPATED IN THE
LGBTQ HATE CRIMES TOWNHALL THAT
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S OFFICE
ORGANIZED IN 2014. IN FACT, IT
WAS AT ALL PILGRIMS CHURCH, TH
SAME PLACE WE HAD THE RENT
CONTROL HEARING LAST WEEK. AT
THAT TOWNHALL THE MOST IMPORTAN
DEMAND FROM QUEER YOUTH WAS
RENT CONTROL AND PUBLICLY OWNE
SOCIAL HOUSING. HERE WE ARE,
NINE YEARS LATER AND THE
SITUATION FOR THE QUEER
COMMUNITY MEMBERS HAS ONLY
GOTTEN WORSE. WHILE CORPORATE
REAL ESTATE PROFITS HAVE
EXPANDED. THAT IS WHY I AM HERE
RENT CONTROL IS URGENTLY NEEDE
AS A HUMAN POLICY. AS
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT HAS POINTE
OUT REPEATEDLY, THE QUESTION
FOR COUNCIL DEMOCRATS IS SIMPLE
WHICH RENT CONTROL DO YOU
SUPPORT? IS IT GOING TO BE THE
PRICE-FIXING AND THE INSATIABLE
GREED OF THE MILLIONAIRES AND
BILLIONAIRES OR IS IT GOING TO
BE RENT CONTROL IN THE INTERES
OF THE SURVIVAL OF THE MAJORITY
OF WORKING PEOPLE? I AM TRULY
GRATEFUL FOR THE RENTERS,
HOMEOWNERS, AND SMALL LANDLORDS
AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WHO
HAVE SPOKEN IN SUPPORT OF THIS
LEGISLATION. WHEN WE FIGHT,
THERE IS NEVER A GUARANTEE THAT
WE WILL WIN, BUT ONE THING THAT
BOTH LABOR HISTORY AND LGBTQ
HISTORY SHOWS IS THAT SOCIETY
CANNOT PROGRESS WITHOUT
STRUGGLE. WHEN WE FIGHT, WE CA
WIN.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> HI, MY NAME IS KAILYN
NICHOLSON. I AM A FULL-TIME,
WORKING MOM OF TWO AND A
VOLUNTEER WITH WORKERS STRIKE
BACK. MY FAMILY IS REALLY
LUCKY. WE FOUND A GENUINELY
NICE, SMALL LANDLORD, WHO IN
FIVE YEARS HAS NEVER RAISED OU
RENT MORE THAN WHAT HE NEEDS TO
COVER PROPERTY TAX INCREASES ON
THIS LEGISLATION WOULD NOT
IMPACT HIM AT ALL. I AM NOT SUR
WHAT THESE OTHER, SO-CALLED,
SMALL LANDLORDS ARE TALKING
ABOUT. IF YOU ARE RAISING RENT
REGULARLY BY MORE THAN THE COST
OF LIVING INCREASE, THEN YOUR
HOUSING IS NOT AFFORDABLE BY
DEFINITION. IF OUR LANDLORD WER
ABLE TO ENCOUNTER AN EXPENSE
AND BE FORCED TO SELL HIS HOUSE
MY FAMILY WOULD ALMOST
CERTAINLY BE FORCED TO MOVE OUT
OF THE CITY, BECAUSE THE REALIT
IS THAT THE AVERAGE RENT FOR A
THREE BEDROOM APARTMENT, WHICH
IS WHAT A FAMILY OF FOUR LIKE
MINE WOULD NEED, THE AVERAGE
RENT IS $4678 AND CANNOT BE
RENT BURDENED TO PAY THAT RENT,
YOU NEED YOUR HOUSEHOLD TO EAR
OVER $150,000 A YEAR. THAT IS
JUST NOT THE REALITY FOR A HUGE
PROPORTION OF WORKING FAMILIES
IN THE CITY AND THAT IS WHY WE
HAVE SEEN HOW THE AVERAGE INCOM
IN SEATTLE HAS GONE UP
SIGNIFICANTLY AND I THINK A HUG
PORTION OF THAT IS BECAUSE
PEOPLE WHO LIVE AND MAKE UNDER
$150,000 ARE FORCED OUT OF THE
CITY AT INCREASING RATES. ALSO
MORE AND MORE MOTHERS ARE FORCE
OUT OF THE WORKFORCE. THEY ARE
LOSING THEIR JOBS BECAUSE THEY
CAN'T AFFORD CHILDCARE ON TOP
OF RENT. THE AVERAGE COST FOR
FULL-TIME CHILDCARE IN THE CITY
IS $1800 A MONTH. SO I THINK
SOME OF THE ARGUMENTS WE HEARD
TODAY AGAINST RENT CONTROL HAVE
CLAIMED THAT WE NEED TO LOOK A
THE FACTS AND THEY CLAIM TO HAV
THE FACTS ON THEIR SIDE. A
NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN TO
HOW THOSE FACTS ARE
INTENTIONALLY MISREPRESENTED
AND CHERRY PICKED AND I THINK I
REALITY THE FACTS ARE VERY
FIRMLY ON OUR SIDE. 52% OF
BLACK HOUSEHOLDS IN SEATTLE
RENT. 69% OF HISPANIC
HOUSEHOLDS IN SEATTLE RENT. 59
OF BLACK RENTERS ARE RENT
BURDENED. EVERY $100 INCREASE,
MEDIAN RENT INCREASE, CORRELATE
TO A 15% INCREASE IN
HOMELESSNESS. ONE IN FIVE
CHILDREN IN SEATTLE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS EXPERIENCED HOMELESSNES
AT SOME POINT IN 2021. YOUNG,
QUEER PEOPLE ARE 120 TIMES MOR
LIKELY TO BE HOMELESS. THESE AR
FACTS. YOU NEED TO EARN OVER
$150,000 TO AFFORD TO LIVE IN
THE CITY. THAT IS A FACT AND I
THINK ALL OF THESE FACTS POINT
TO ALL OF THE MEMBERS OF THE
COMMITTEE AND CITY COUNCIL, YOU
KNOW, IF YOU ARE NOT SUPPORTIN
RENT CONTROL, THEN YOU ARE
TELLING PEOPLE IN THE GROUPS,
TELLING WORKING-CLASS FAMILIES
AND BLACK HOUSEHOLDS, HISPANIC
HOUSEHOLDS, LGBTQ YOUTH,
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE, PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES THAT THE CITY IS
NOT FOR YOU. YOU DON'T DESERVE
TO LIVE HERE. AND I REALLY THIN
EVERY COUNCILMEMBER NEEDS TO
STAND WITH CONSTITUENTS AND
PEOPLE WHO ELECTED THEM AND
VOTE TO RECOMMEND COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S LEGISLATION TO THE FUL
COUNCIL.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> THANK YOU, PANELIST, FOR
GIVING US VERY INFORMATIVE AND
RICH CONTRIBUTIONS AND I
APOLOGIZE THAT I HAD TO ASK YOU
TO KEEP IT RELATIVELY SHORT,
BUT WE WANT YOU ALL TO STAY HER
AND PLEASE WEIGH IN IN THE
DISCUSSION. COUNCILMEMBERS, WE
HAVE CENTRAL STAFF HERE, BUT
BEFORE WE GO TO THEM, IF
COUNCILMEMBERS, COMMITTEE
MEMBERS, HAVE ANY POINTS TO SAY
OR QUESTIONS TO ASK, PLEASE
RAISE YOUR ZOOM HAND AND I CAN
CALL ON YOU BEFORE I CALL ON
ASHA. NO COUNCILMEMBERS ARE
ASKING TO SPEAK AT THIS MOMENT,
SO ASHA, GO AHEAD.
>> GOOD MORNING,
COUNCILMEMBERS. ASHA
VENKATARAMAN, COUNCIL CENTRAL
STAFF FOR THE RECORD. I WILL
TAKE US THROUGH TWO OF THE
PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THIS
LEGISLATION. I AM GOING TO
SHARE MY SCREEN, SO EVERYONE CA
SEE THEM. GIVE ME JUST A MOMENT
>> OKAY, PROPOSED AMENDMENT 1
IS SPONSORED BY COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT AND THESE ARE PRIMARILY
TECHNICAL AND PROCEDURAL
AMENDMENTS. I WILL GO THROUGH
THE IMPACT OF EACH AND THEN
SCROLL THROUGH THE LANGUAGE SO
EVERYONE CAN SEE IT. THE FIRST
IS A PROCEDURAL CHANGE. THE WA
THAT THE LEGISLATION WAS
ORIGINALLY CRAFTED IT ONLY
ALLOWED WITHDRAWAL OR AMENDMEN
OF CITATIONS DURING THE
ENFORCEMENT PROCESS. IF A
HEARING WAS CONTESTED. AT THE
RECOMMENDATION OF A COUPLE OF
THE DEPARTMENTS AND IT SEEMED
LIKE IT WOULD MAKE SENSE TO
ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO WOULD
BE ENFORCING THE LEGISLATION TO
BE ABLE TO AMEND OR WITHDRAW
CITATIONS, NO MATTER WHERE IT I
IN THE ENFORCEMENT PROCESS. S
THAT CHANGES PRIMARILY
PROCEDURAL TO SEPARATE THAT
SECTION OUT SO IT IS ACROSS TH
REST OF THE PROCESS. THE SECON
WOULD BE TO CHANGE THE
REQUIREMENT FOR A MITIGATION
HEARING. ORIGINALLY IN THE
LEGISLATION IT WOULD HAVE TO BE
WITHIN 30 DAYS OF THE REQUEST.
AT THE RECOMMENDATION WE
MODIFIED THE LANGUAGE SO THAT
IT WOULD BE EITHER WITHIN 30
DAYS OR AT THE REQUESTER OR TH
HEARING EXAMINER, TO
ACCOMMODATE SCHEDULING FROM
EITHER OF THOSE PARTIES. THE
THIRD CORRECTS A TYPO AND
IMPROVES READABILITY AND THE
FOURTH IS THE ADDITION OF A
SEVERABILITY CLAUSE AND THOSE
ARE USUALLY USED IN THE
CIRCUMSTANCE WHERE ONE PART OF
A LAW OR A BILL IS STRUCK DOWN.
GENERALLY BY A COURT, BUT IF
THAT WERE THE CASE, THE REST O
THE LEGISLATION WOULD STILL BE
ABLE TO BE IN EFFECT. I WILL
SCROLL THROUGH HERE, SO YOU CAN
SEE ALL OF THE CHANGES. THE
FIRST ONE IS THE CHANGE AROUND
ACCOMMODATING SCHEDULES BY THE
HEARING EXAMINER OR REQUESTER
OF THE HEARING. THE SECOND ONE
IS THIS CHANGE CORRECTING A TYP
AND IMPROVING READABILITY.
THIS THIRD ONE IS MOVING THIS
WITHDRAWAL AND AMENDMENT
CITATION FROM THIS SECTION AND
BREAKING IT OUT SO IT APPLIES T
THE REMAINING SECTION AND THE
FOURTH IS INCLUDING THE
SEVERABILITY PROVISION. AND TH
REST OF THE CHANGES ARE ALL
RENUMBERING. I WILL STOP
SHARING MY SCREEN FOR A MOMENT,
IF ANYBODY HAS ANY QUESTIONS.
>> ASHA, BEFORE WE GO ON TO
QUESTIONS AND ALSO THE SECOND
AMENDMENT, I JUST WANTED TO SA
FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC,
THIS AMENDMENT THAT ASHA
SUMMARIZED IN THE NEXT
AMENDMENT, I CONSIDER BOTH OF
THEM TO BE TECHNICAL OR
CLARIFYING AMENDMENTS. THE
AMENDMENT THAT ASHA WENT
THROUGH IS FROM MY OFFICE BASED
ON FEEDBACK FROM THE HEARING
EXAMINER AND THE OTHER
AMENDMENT IS FROM COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES, WHICH I CONSIDER TO B
A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT. I JUST
REALIZED I SHOULD FORMALLY MOV
THE LEGISLATION SO IT CAN BE
BEFORE US. CONSIDERING
AMENDMENTS. THEN WE CAN VOTE
ON THE AMENDMENTS AND AFTERWARD
WE CAN VOTE ON THE RENT CONTROL
LEGISLATION AS A WHOLE. FIRST I
WILL MOVE COUNCIL BILL 1206 --
I HAVE NOT READ IT INTO THE
RECORD. THAT IS WHAT THEY WER
TRYING TO TELL ME AND I WAS NOT
REALIZING IT. SORRY. I WILL REA
THE COUNCIL BILL INTO THE RECOR
FIRST AND THEN MOVE IT. COUNCIL
BILL 120606, AND ORDINANCE
RELATING TO TENANT PROTECTIONS,
ESTABLISHING RENT CONTROL
PROVISIONS, REGULATING
RESIDENTIAL RENT INCREASES,
ESTABLISHING A RENT CONTROL
COMMISSION AND DISTRICT RENT
CONTROL BOARDS TO AUTHORIZE
EXEMPTIONS, ESTABLISHING
ENFORCEMENT PROVISIONS, ADDING
NEW CHAPTER TO THE MUNICIPAL
CODE AND AMENDING SECTIONS 3.0
6.030 AND 22.21 4.040 OF THE
SEATTLE MUNICIPAL CODE. I WILL
NOW MOVE COUNCIL BILL 120606.
DO I HAVE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU, THE BILL HAS BEE
MOVED AND SECONDED. ASHA HAS
EXPLAINED THE FIRST AMENDMENT
SO I GUESS WE CAN STOP THERE AN
SEE IF THERE ARE QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS ON THE FIRST
AMENDMENT. I DON'T SEE ANY.
ASHA, GO AHEAD.
>> I WILL SHARE MY SCREEN AGAIN
THIS SECOND AMENDMENT DAYS
SORRY. THE SECOND AMENDMENT
PROPOSED IS PROPOSED BY
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES AND IT
WOULD ADD AN EXEMPTION. IT
WOULD ADD A DEFINITION OF SOCIA
HOUSING TO THE DEFINITION
SECTION OF THE LEGISLATION AND
EXPLICITLY ADD AN EXEMPTION FOR
SOCIAL HOUSING INTO THIS
EXEMPTION SECTION OF THE
LEGISLATION. I WILL ADD THAT
THE EXEMPTION IS ALREADY IN THE
LEGISLATION. NUMBER FOUR,
HOUSING UNITS THAT A GOVERNMENT
ENTITY OR HOUSING AUTHORITY
OWNS, OPERATES, OR MANAGES. IT
GENERALLY WOULD COVER SOCIAL
HOUSING, BECAUSE THE CURRENT
WAY SOCIAL HOUSING IS BEING
PROPOSED IS THAT IT WOULD BE
OWNED BY A PUBLIC DEVELOPMENT
AUTHORITY WHICH IS GENERALLY A
QUASI-GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY. TO
MAKE SURE THAT IS EXPLICIT AND
UNDERSTOOD, THIS AMENDMENT WOUL
ADD THE EXEMPTION INTO THE
LEGISLATION.
>> RANK YOU, ASHA. I KNOW THAT
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES WOULD
LIKE TO TALK ABOUT THAT, BECAUS
IT IS HER AMENDMENT. BEFORE THA
MAYBE WE CAN DO AMENDMENT
NUMBER ONE AND THEN WE WILL GO
TO COUNCILMEMBER MORALES TO
TALK ABOUT AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO
JUST TO ADD TO WHAT ASHA HAS
EXPLAINED, I JUST WANT TO ADD
THAT WHEN WE PREPARED THE
LEGISLATION WE USED THE EXISTIN
ENFORCEMENT CODE THAT CURRENTLY
GOVERNS THE DEPARTMENT OF
INSPECTIONS, LANDLORD AND
TENANT ENFORCEMENT. I BELIEVE
THERE IS A LOT THAT NEEDS TO BE
IMPROVED ABOUT THE ENFORCEMENT
PROCEDURES AND LAWS AS A WHOLE
FOR LANDLORD AND TENANT
LEGISLATION, BUT THAT IS OUTSID
THE SCOPE OF THIS BILL AND NOT
WHAT THIS BILL IS ABOUT, SO THI
BILL DUPLICATES EXISTING
PROCEDURES THAT ARE FOUND IN
MUNICIPAL CODE AND THOSE
ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES, THERE
ARE TIMES PEOPLE CAN APPEAL A
DECISION. THIS AMENDMENT MAKES
CHANGES TO THAT PART OF THE
ENFORCEMENT LANGUAGE, AS ASHA
EXPLAINED, BECAUSE THEY WERE
REQUESTED BY THE HEARING
EXAMINER. AS I SAID BEFORE,
THESE DO NOT MAKE A SUBSTANTIVE
CHANGE TO THE POLICY. I AM
GOING TO MOVE AMENDMENT ONE FOR
A VOTE. I WANT TO CLARIFY,
THESE ARE AMENDMENTS AND THE
VOTES DON'T REFLECT THE
LEGISLATION AS A WHOLE. THAT
WILL COME LATER. SO I MOVE
AMENDMENT ONE AS LISTED ON THE
AGENDA. DO I HAVE A SECOND?
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU. ARE THERE ANY
COMMENTS ON AMENDMENT ONE? I
DON'T SEE ANY, SO I WILL CALL
THE VOTE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> YES.
>> THREE IN FAVOR. AGAIN TO BE
CLEAR TO THE MEMBERS OF THE
PUBLIC, THIS WAS A VOTE ON THE
AMENDMENT AND NOT THE RENT
CONTROL POLICY, SAME FOR THE
NEXT VOTE WHICH IS AN AMENDMENT
SO, AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO HAS
BEEN EXPLAINED BY ASHA.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, PLEASE G
AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE THE
OPPORTUNITY. THIS IS AN
AMENDMENT THAT PASSED AND AS
ASHA SAID, THE ORDINANCE
ALREADY EXEMPTS MANY FORMS OF
LOW INCOME AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING, BUT GIVEN THE NEWNESS
OF SOCIAL HOUSING AND THE
CURRENT LACK OF CODE IN
DEFINING IT, I WANTED TO MAKE
SURE THAT THIS PERMANENTLY
AFFORDABLE, NON-COMMODIFIED
HOUSING HAS THE SAME
PROTECTIONS AS OTHER FORMS OF
AFFORDABLE HOUSING UNDER THE
BILL. SO THIS MIRRORS THE
DEFINITIONS MY OFFICE HAS BEEN
WORKING ON WITH COUNCILMEMBER
MOSQUEDA TO INCORPORATE INTO
THE HOUSING DISPOSITION UPDATES
AND LEGISLATION THAT WE ARE
CRAFTING FOR INTRODUCTION LATER
BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE ALLOW FOR THIS TO BE
EXPLICITLY INCLUDED IN THE
LEGISLATION.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES. DO ANY OTHER COUNCIL
MEMBERS WANT TO SPEAK TO THIS?
>> THANK YOU. I WILL BE VOTING
NO AND ASHA WE HEARD FROM
LEGAL AND URINALYSIS END AS
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES STATED,
NUMBER ONE, SOCIAL HOUSING IS
NOT NEW. IT IS ALREADY COVERED
IN THE STATE LAW. IT IS PRETTY
SPECIFIC. OTHER THAN PROPERTIE
AND PUBLIC OWNERSHIP AND PUBLI
MANAGEMENT FOR PROPERTIES
PROVIDING LOW INCOME HOUSING
UNDER JOINT PUBLIC-PRIVATE
AGREEMENTS WITH THE FINANCING
OR PROVISION OF SUCH LOW INCOME
RENTAL HOUSE. SO WE HAVE IT IN
THE BASE LEGISLATION. WE HAVE
IT PROTECTED UNDER STATE LAW
FOR 42 YEARS. I AM NOT SURE WHY
IT IS PROPOSED AND IT SEEMS
REDUNDANT TO ME. SO FOR THAT
REASON I WILL BE VOTING NO.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU, JUAREZ. ANY OTHE
COUNCIL MEMBERS WANT TO SPEAK ?
I HAD SOME COMMENTS AND THEN
WILL ALLOW COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES TO CLOSE IT OUT. I AM
FRANKLY PUZZLED WHY THERE ARE N
VOTES TO TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS,
BUT I CONSIDER THIS AMENDMENT T
BE A FRIENDLY AMENDMENT.
SIMILAR TO THE HOUSING AND
URBAN DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS A
FEDERAL PROGRAM, SEATTLE SOCIA
HOUSING INSURERS AFFORDABILITY
BY REQUIRING RENT BE NO
GREATER THAN 30% OF THE INCOME
THAT IS A DIFFERENT FORMULA THA
THE RENT CONTROL BILL. OUR REN
CONTROL BILL LIMITS RENT
INCREASES ON ANY RENTAL HOME
THROUGHOUT THE CITY TO NO MORE
THAN THE ANNUAL INFLATION RATE.
THAT IS A RELIABLE FORMULA,
BUT SO IS THE SOCIAL HOUSING
FORMULA, WHICH LIMITS RENT ON
INCOME OF NO MORE THAN 30% OF
THE TENANT, WHICH IS ALSO A
RELIABLE FORMULA. THOSE FORMULA
CAN BE CONTRADICTORY BECAUSE
THEY CAN GO UP OR DOWN AS INCOM
CHANGES. IN A HIGHER-PAYING JO
THE RENT GOES UP IN A LOWER
PAYING JOB, THE RENT GOES DOWN.
IN REALITY AS ASHA EXPLAINED,
THE BILL ALREADY EXEMPTED
AFFORDABLE HOUSING BECAUSE IT I
GOVERNMENT OWNED HOUSING AND
IT COUNTS AS GOVERNMENT-OWNED.
BECAUSE OF THAT IT DOES NOT
CHANGE THE RENT CONTROL BILL,
BUT IT DOES ADD CLARITY BY BEIN
MORE EXPLICIT ABOUT SOCIAL
HOUSING, SO I CONSIDER IT A
FRIENDLY AMENDMENT AND WILL
SUPPORT IT. COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES, IF YOU WANT TO MAKE
ANY CLOSING COMMENTS ON THE
AMENDMENT.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR SAWANT. I
DON'T HAVE ANY CLOSING COMMENTS
EXCEPT TO CLARIFY, AS YOU SAID,
THAT THIS IS INCLUDED IN SOME
FORM IN THE ORDINANCE. SOCIAL
HOUSING IS NOT DEFINED IN STATE
LAW AS LOW INCOME HOUSING. IT I
DIFFERENT. BUT I LOOK FORWARD
TO THE VOTE AND ASK FOR YOUR
SUPPORT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, WOULD
YOU LIKE TO MOVE IT?
>> I WOULD LIKE TO MOVE
AMENDMENT NUMBER TWO.
>> SECOND.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I WAS READY TO CALL THE ROLL
>> SORRY, GO AHEAD.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> YES.
>> THREE IN FAVOR.
>> BOTH OF THE AMENDMENTS
PASSED. ARE THERE ANY OTHER
AMENDMENTS COMING FORWARD? I
DON'T SEE ANY FROM ANY
COMMITTEE MEMBERS. IF NOT,
WOULD ANY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
LIKE TO SPEAK TO THE BILL AS A
WHOLE BEFORE WE CALL THE BILL T
A VOTE? COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ,
GO AHEAD.
>> OH, I CAN'T -- THERE WE GO,
SORRY ABOUT THAT. THANK YOU. I
PROBABLY NO SURPRISE TO ANYBOD
I WILL NOT BE SUPPORTING THIS
BILL AND I WILL TELL YOU WHY.
BELIEVE IT OR NOT THERE WAS A
TIME, WELL, THERE IS,
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT A LONG
TIME AGO, I THINK IN 2015 WHEN
THE RESOLUTION WAS PASSED ASKIN
STATE LEGISLATORS TO SUPPORT
THE REPEAL -- THAT IS THE STATE
LAW. I ACTUALLY AGREE WITH YOU
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT. I THINK
THAT THE LEGISLATURE NOT
LETTING LOCAL GOVERNMENT TAYLO
HOUSING ISSUES TO LOCAL
GOVERNMENT IS UNJUST. I READ
YOUR MATERIAL AND YOUR
POWERPOINT. THANK YOU FOR
PROVIDING THE POWERPOINT THAT
YOU SUBMITTED WHEN YOU HAD YOUR
MEETING IN COMMITTEE. THE REASO
I AM VOTING NO IS THIS. THIS IS
NOT A RENT CONTROL LAW AND MY
CONCERN IS THAT PEOPLE OUT THER
THINK THAT IF IT PASSES IT IS
TRIGGER LAW, THAT SOMEHOW WE
WILL BE IN CONTROL OF KEEPING
RENT AND WE ARE NOT. WE KNOW
THAT THE SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL,
BY YOUR EFFORTS, VALIANT
EFFORTS, AND I WATCHED BOTH OF
YOUR DEBATES, GOT THIS THROUGH
COMMITTEE AT LEAST NINE TIMES
IN THE LEGISLATIVE HISTORY AND
WE HAD FIVE VOTES OUT OF THAT,
WHICH THANKS TO YOU GOT DONE.
ONE WAS THE RESOLUTION GETTING
RID OF THE STATE LAW AND ASKIN
THE STATE TO SEED, WHICH THE
DID NOT AND WOULD NOT, BUT WE
DID A RESOLUTION ASKING STATE
LEGISLATORS TO KEEP PUSHING. TH
CITY COUNCIL DID PASS A LAW
THAT LANDLORDS, THAT RENT COULD
BE CONTROLLED IF LANDLORDS
DIDN'T MEET BASIC STANDARDS.
THEN I THINK COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS DID THIS AS WELL WITH
OTHER COUNCIL MEMBERS IN 2020.
WE PASSED, 9-0 AND 7-0 TO
CONTROL THE RENT OF COMMERCIAL
RENTS. WE DID THAT. SO I THINK
IT IS FAIR TO SAY WHEN PEOPLE
SAY THIS COUNCIL HAS NEVER
ADDRESSED IT, WE HAVE ADDRESSE
IT NINE TIMES IN COMMITTEE AND
OF THOSE NINE TIMES, FOUR TIMES
IT HAS GONE TO THE FULL COUNCI
AND EVERY ONE OF THEM PASSED.
AGAIN, COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, I
AGREE WITH YOU THAT RENT
CONTROL, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO
CALL IT THAT WAS PASSED IN 198
WAS UNJUST AND THERE IS NO
DOUBT, BUT THAT UNDERSCORES WHA
WE TRIED ON THE STATESIDE AND
KNOW YOU HAVE THOUGHTS ABOUT
THAT, BUT I WANT TO LET THE
PUBLIC KNOW THAT WE WORK WITH
OUR STATE DELEGATION. WE KNOW
OF THE FIVE STATE LAWS THAT CAN
FORWARD, FOUR OF THEM WOULD HAV
COMPLETELY LIFTED, ASKING THE
STATE -- IF THAT HAPPENS, THE
THIS TRIGGER LAW WOULD MAKE
SENSE. IT WOULD SLIDE RIGHT IN.
IF IT DIDN'T HAPPEN AND WE SAW
THAT WITH THE LEGISLATION IN
2019 AND 20, AND HAD SOME
CONDITIONS THERE, WHICH THE
STATE WOULD NOT COMPLETELY CED
THEIR AUTHORITY. IT DID NOT
PASS BECAUSE IT IS A STATEWIDE
LAW. I WILL CONTINUE TO WORK
WITH YOU, COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
AND EVERYONE WE HEARD THIS
MORNING AND I LISTENED INTENTLY
AND TOOK NOTES. I AGREE IT IS
AN UNJUST LAW, BUT THAT
UNDERSCORES MY PASSION OR
SENSIBILITIES TO KEEP PUSHING
ON STATE LEGISLATURES. THIS LAS
SESSION, SENATOR VALDEZ PUSHE
AGAIN AND I DON'T THINK IT IS
FAIR THAT A LAW THAT IS 42
YEARS OLD CONTINUES TO CONTROL
THE HOUSING MARKET AND DOES NOT
ALLOW MUNICIPALITIES AND CITIES
TO LOOK AT THE REALITIES IN THE
LANDSCAPE AND I THINK YOU
PROVIDED US WITH DATA OF HOW
RENT HAS TRIPLED, DOUBLED,
QUADRUPLED, AND IT WILL NOT BE
LIVABLE CITY FOR THOSE WHO
CAN'T AFFORD IT. SO I WILL NOT
BE SUPPORTING THIS LAW AS IS,
BECAUSE IT IS NOT A RENT CONTRO
LAW. IT IS A TRIGGER LAW AND
MANY THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN
BEFORE THIS TRIGGERS. THE FIRST
THING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN AND WE
DON'T KNOW WHEN IS THE STATE
SAYING WE ARE GOING TO REPEAL
THIS LAW AND WE ARE GOING TO
SEED PREEMPTION. THAT WOULD BE
GREAT. THAT IS NOT FORESEEABLE
AND THE SECOND THING IS, EVEN I
THE STATE DID THAT IN THE NEX
LEGISLATIVE ROUND AND SAID YOU
ARE RIGHT, CITY OF SEATTLE AND
OTHER FOLKS OR ANYBODY FOR THAT
MATTER. LET'S GIVE PROPER
DEFERENCE AND RESPECT TO THE
REPRESENTATIVE WHO KEPT GOING
AND TALKING, AS YOU ALL SAY,
CORPORATE DEMOCRATS. DEMOCRATS.
IF WE KEEP GOING FORWARD AND
LOOK, IN 42 YEARS WE HAVE TO
HAVE THE ABILITY TO LOOK AT TH
HOUSING LANDSCAPE AND WE NEED
THE TOOLS SO STATES STEP BACK.
WHEN THE REPRESENTATIVE
INTRODUCED HER LEGISLATION IN
1920 AND I DON'T THINK SHE GOT
A HEARING ON THAT, BECAUSE
THERE WERE OTHER CONDITIONS THA
YOU WOULD CALL LOOPHOLES OR
WATER DOWN, BUT I THINK THOSE
ARE CONCESSIONS THAT SHE TRIED
TO MAKE. SO FOR ME THIS IS NOT
ABOUT BEING ON THE SIDE OF
GREEDY LANDLORDS AND CORPORATE
CAPITALIST AMERICA. I AM BEING
COGNIZANT THAT WE HAVE A LAW,
RENT CONTROL PREEMPTION STATUTE
THAT SAYS NUMBER ONE, YOU CAN'
DO IT. NUMBER TWO, IT IS
PREEMPTED BY STATE LAW. IT MAKE
EXEMPTIONS AS IT SHOULD FOR
PUBLIC AND LOW INCOME HOUSING
AND ALLOWS PRIVATE FOLKS IF
THEY WANT TO HAVE RENT CONTROL
WITH RENTERS TO ENTER A
CONTRACT AND DO THAT. WHETHER
THEY DO THAT IS ANOTHER ISSUE.
SO COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, WE HAV
HAD DISCUSSIONS OFF-LINE AND I
WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW I HAVE
NEVER CONSIDERED YOU -- YOU AND
I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN ABLE TO TALK
ABOUT THESE ISSUES AND I THINK
YOU KNOW I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN
SUPPORTIVE, PARTICULARLY WHEN
WATCHED YOUR DEBATE. I CAN'T
REMEMBER THE GENTLEMAN'S NAME
AND ALSO NOW WITH CONGRESSWOMA
STRICKLAND. I AM HOPING EVEN
THOUGH I WON'T BE HERE NEXT YEA
THAT OUR STATE LEGISLATURE
CONTINUES PUSHING TO REPEAL AN
LIFT THIS PREEMPTION LUXURY
THAT THEY HAVE, SO LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS STATEWIDE CAN SAY
LOOK, WE NEED TO CARVE OUT REN
CONTROL, WHATEVER YOU WANT TO
CALL IT, SUSTAINABILITY. NOT
NEW YORK, NOT SAN FRANCISCO,
SEATTLE. JUST LIKE WE DID WITH
OTHER GROUPS. WE DON'T ALWAYS
GET EVERYTHING WE WANT, BUT
THIS IS ONE AREA WHERE I AGREE
WITH YOU. IT HAS TO BE, IF IT I
DONE RIGHT, IT HAS TO BE A FUL
REPEAL OF THE PREEMPTION AND
RIGHT NOW WE DON'T HAVE THAT
AND I DON'T SEE IT ON THE
HORIZON AND I DON'T WANT TO
RAISE EXPECTATIONS FOR PEOPLE
WHO CAME TODAY THINKING THAT I
WE PASS THIS TODAY THAT THERE I
RENT CONTROL. THIS IS NOT RENT
CONTROL. IT IS A TRIGGER LAW, I
AND WHEN THE STATE CONCEDES AN
GIVES UP THE PREROGATIVE OF
PREEMPTION, WHICH I DO NOT SEE
HAPPENING, PARTICULARLY SINCE W
HAVE ALREADY TAKEN FIVE RUNS
AND BEEN SHUT DOWN FIVE TIMES.
I'M NOT SAYING WE GIVE UP, BUT
I WILL CONTINUE TO KEEP LINES O
COMMUNICATION OPEN WITH MY STAT
REPS. REPRESENTATIVE MacRI AND
SENATOR PETERSON, WHO WE TALKED
TO OFF-LINE. SO I THINK YOU
KNOW WHERE MY HEART AND MIND IS
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, I DON'T
THINK YOU NEED TO QUESTION THAT
I CANNOT UNFORTUNATELY SUPPORT
THIS TRIGGER LAW AS IT IS. THAN
YOU.
>> I CAN'T HEAR YOU.
>> SORRY, NO, I HAVE NOT SPOKEN
YET.
>> SORRY, I WAS JUST WAITING.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU LAYING OUT
YOUR THOUGHTS, COUNCIL PRESIDEN
JUAREZ, BUT OF COURSE I DON'T
AGREE WITH YOU. UNFORTUNATELY
THE STRATEGY OF WAITING FOR
STATE DEMOCRATS TO ACT AND
HOLDING OUR BREATH FOR THEM TO
COME THROUGH FOR US IS A FOOLS
ERRAND. IT HAS BEEN 42 YEARS.
IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AND A
THE SAME TIME I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO SAY THAT YOU ARE
ALL DEMOCRATS. YOU ARE NOT
SEPARATE FROM THE STATE
DEMOCRATS. YOU ARE FROM THE SAM
PARTY, SO YOU ARE ALL
ACCOUNTABLE FOR YOUR PARTIES
ACTIONS AT THE STATE LEVEL. I
WILL ALSO SAY YES THIS IS A
TRIGGER LAW. IT IS THE BEST WE
CAN DO LEGALLY. THE ONLY KIND O
LAW WE CAN PASS IN SEATTLE IS
THE TRIGGER LAW ON RENT
CONTROL, BUT THE POINT ABOUT
THIS TRIGGER LAW IS THAT
WINNING THIS TRIGGER LAW WILL
ABSOLUTELY PUT ENORMOUS
PRESSURE ON STATE DEMOCRATS,
LIKE IT HAS NEVER BEEN ON THEM
BEFORE. IN FACT, IF WE CAN WIN
THIS, THEN THE NEXT THING WE
HAVE TO DO IN JANUARY IS TAKE A
DELEGATION OF THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE FROM ACROSS WASHINGTON
STATE TO OLYMPIA, DEMANDING
THEY LIFT THE UNJUST BAN. THAT
IS THE POINT BEHIND THE TRIGGE
LAW AND I WOULD ALSO ENSURE YO
ALL, PRESIDENT JUAREZ AND OTHE
DEMOCRATS, PEOPLE ARE NOT
STUPID. THEY UNDERSTAND IT IS A
TRIGGER LAW. THEY'RE NOT GOING
TO THINK THAT IF THIS LAW
PASSES THAT THERE IS RENT
CONTROL. THEY UNDERSTAND THAT
IT MEANS THAT NOW WE HAVE A REA
OPPORTUNITY TO GO TO OLYMPIA AN
PUT PRESSURE ON STATE DEMOCRATS
THAT IS THE PURPOSE BEHIND IT,
SO I SINCERELY HOPE YOU CHANGE
YOUR MIND BETWEEN NOW AND WHEN
YOU VOTE AND VOTE YES ON THIS,
BECAUSE IT IS THE MOST SENSIBLE
AND RATIONAL ACTION TO TAKE. IF
YOU SAY YOU SUPPORT THIS, THEN
YOU NEED TO VOTE YES ON THIS.
THAT IS MY OPINION.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I BELIEVE KAILYN AND OTHER
PANELISTS WANT TO SPEAK AND
THEN WE WILL GO TO OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS OF COURSE. ON TH
QUESTION OF WORKING WITH THE
STATE DELEGATION, DEMOCRATS, M
OFFICE HAS DONE EVERYTHING
THAT WE CAN IN ORDER TO
INFLUENCE THE STATE LEGISLATIVE
AGENDA. IN FACT, IT WAS NOT AN
DEMOCRAT ON THE CITY COUNCIL WH
INTRODUCED RENT CONTROL IN THE
AGENDA. IT WAS MY OFFICE THAT
DID THAT. SO I DON'T WANT TO B
TOLD ABOUT WORKING WITH THE
STATE DEMOCRATS. WE HAVE DONE
EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO PUSH
FOR THIS. I HAVE SENT LETTERS
TO THE STATE DEMOCRATS. I HAVE
PERSONALLY GONE TO OLYMPIA TO
TESTIFY IN FAVOR OF RENT
CONTROL. I DEBATED ALONGSIDE -
I DEBATED A REPUBLICAN FROM
WASHINGTON. I DON'T KNOW IF
SEATTLEITES EVEN KNOW WHERE
ELLENSBURG IS. AND A LOBBYIST,
A REAL ESTATE LOBBYIST. WE HAV
DONE EVERYTHING THAT DEMOCRATS
TELL US WE SHOULD DO, BUT WE
ARE DONE. WE NOW NEED TO WIN
THIS LEGISLATION AND WE NEED TO
TAKE THIS MOVEMENT TO OLYMPIA
ON THE STRENGTH OF WINNING THIS
THAT IS OUR POSITION AND I HOP
COUNCILMEMBERS SUPPORT IT. I
ALSO WANT TO SAY THAT I THINK
THE TIME FOR PROPER DEFERENCE
AND RESPECT TO STATE DEMOCRATS
IS LONG GONE. A MODICUM OF
RESPECT TO THE TENS OF
THOUSANDS IN SEATTLE AND THEIR
FAMILIES AND THE HUNDREDS OF
THOUSANDS AND PERHAPS MILLIONS
AROUND THE STATE OF WASHINGTON,
RENTERS, LOSING THEIR DIGNITY
EVERY DAY BECAUSE THEY ARE BEIN
EXPLOITED BY THEIR LANDLORDS.
SO LET'S STAND FOR THE DIGNITY
OF OUR WORKING PEOPLE AND LOW
INCOME COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY TWO
THINGS REALLY QUICKLY. FIRST,
FOUND IT INCREDIBLY
CONDESCENDING, COUNCILMEMBER
JUAREZ, THAT YOU'RE GOING TO
VOTE NO ON LEGISLATION WE ARE
TELLING YOU TO VOTE YES ON,
BECAUSE WE ARE NOT SMART ENOUGH
TO UNDERSTAND WHAT IT CONTAINS
WE PERFECTLY UNDERSTAND THAT
PASSING THIS LEGISLATION WILL
NOT IMMEDIATELY ENACT RENT
CONTROL. WE ARE TELLING YOU TO
VOTE YES ON IT AND TELLING US
HE WILL VOTE NO IN OUR INTEREST
IS EXTREMELY DISRESPECTFUL, TO
BE HONEST.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> AND I WANTED TO SAY REALLY
QUICKLY, I WENT TO OLYMPIA WIT
DOZENS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING
ACTIVISTS A FEW YEARS AGO TO
TALK WITH DEMOCRATIC STATE
LEGISLATURES ABOUT PASSING RENT
CONTROL AND THE NUMBER ONE
REASON THAT THEY GAVE US AS TO
WHY THEY WERE NOT PRIORITIZING
MOVING RENT CONTROL LEGISLATION
OUT OF COMMITTEE, WHICH THEY
HAD RENT CONTROL LEGISLATION
INTRODUCED THAT YEAR AS THEY
HAD THIS YEAR. THE REASON THEY
SAID THEY WERE NOT PRIORITIZING
MOVING IT OUT OF COMMITTEE WA
BECAUSE THEY HAD NOT SEEN FROM
MUNICIPALITIES, FROM CITIES IN
THE STATE, THAT RENT CONTROL WA
A PRIORITY FOR THEM. THEY SAID
OF CITIES ARE PASSING THEIR OWN
RENT CONTROL LEGISLATION AND
MAKING IT CLEAR THAT IT IS A
PRIORITY FOR CITIES THAT THEY
WANT THIS, THEN WE WILL
PRIORITIZE LIFTING THE
PREEMPTION. UNTIL CITY SHOW IT
IS A PRIORITY, WE INTERPRET
THAT AS NOT BEING A PRIORITY.
COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ, THESE
LEGISLATORS THAT YOU SAY YOU
WANT TO BE IN DIALOGUE WITH,
THEY HAVE SET EXPLICITLY, THIS
IS HOW YOU SHOW THEM THAT YOU
WANT THEM TO LIFT THE
PREEMPTION. YOU PASS YOUR
LEGISLATION AND THEY WILL
INTERPRET THAT AS YOU SAYING WE
WANT YOU TO LIFT IT AND IF YOU
VOTE NO THEY WILL INTERPRET THA
AS YOU SAYING THIS SHOULD NOT B
A PRIORITY FOR YOU. I DON'T
THINK IT GETS MUCH CLEARER THAN
THAT.
>> [ APPLAUSE ]
>> AND PRESIDENT JUAREZ, OF
COURSE, FEEL FREE TO COMMENT
AGAIN BUT FOR NOW I AM NOT SUR
IF COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS OR 1025
WAS FIRST, BUT IF YOU KNOW WHO
IS FIRST, GO AHEAD.
>> GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER 1025
>> AND Q, CHAIR. I WANT TO
THANK EVERYBODY FOR THE
CONVERSATION WE HAVE BEEN
HAVING ON THIS BILL. I WILL BE
VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE
LEGISLATION AND WE ALL KNOW
ABOUT RENTERS NEEDING
PREDICTABILITY AND AFFORDABLE
RENT THAT THEY NEED FOR
STABILITY IN THEIR COMMUNITIES
AND THEIR LIVES. WE ALSO KNOW
THAT SPECULATION, RAPID GROWTH
AND AS WE HAVE SEEN WITH THE
REAL PAGE SITUATION PROPUBLICA
EXPOSED, THE PRICE-FIXING, AL
OF THESE THINGS HAVE LED TO A
RENTAL MARKET OUT OF CONTROL,
NOT JUST IN WASHINGTON, BUT
ACROSS THE STATE. THAT IS WHY
IN THE PAST I HAVE SUPPORTED
RENT CONTROL, HONESTLY BEFORE
WAS ON THE COUNCIL. IT IS WHY I
HAVE CO-AUTHORED RENT CONTROL
AND MY OFFICE IS WORKING ON
MAKING THAT PERMANENT. IT IS WH
I SHOULD BE SUCH A LOUD VOICE
IN SUPPORT OF NON-COMMODIFIED,
PERMANENTLY AFFORDABLE, SOCIAL
HOUSING. IN SEATTLE, AS FOLKS
HAVE REFERRED TO, WE HAVE PASSE
EVICTION MORATORIA. WE ENDED
THE JUST CAUSE OF ACTION
LOOPHOLE. IN BELLINGHAM THEY AR
CONTEMPLATING PUTTING RENTER
PROTECTIONS ON THE BALLOT. SAM
AS TACOMA. TO ENSURE THAT FOLK
HAVE MORE STABILITY. CITIES AR
GRAPPLING WITH HOW TO STAY
AFFORDABLE SO THEY DON'T LOSE
WORKERS. THEY ARE GRAPPLING WIT
HOW TO KEEP SCHOOLKIDS FROM
HAVING TO MOVE FROM SCHOOL TO
SCHOOL, LOOKING FOR
ACCOUNTABILITY. AS A MOM WITH
TWO KIDS IN SEATTLE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS, I WOULD TELL YOU THAT
WOULD BE INCREDIBLY DISRUPTIVE
FOR MY CHILDREN. IT IS REALLY
CLEAR THAT CITIES ACROSS
WASHINGTON STATE ARE REACHING
THE LIMIT OF WHAT THEY CAN DO
WITHOUT STATE ACTION AND I THIN
TO THE LAST SPEAKER'S POINT,
THIS IS HOW WE DEMONSTRATE THE
COMMITMENT AND DEMAND THAT THE
STATE START DOING SOMETHING.
TENANTS ARE BEING DISPLACED FRO
SEATTLE, TACOMA, SPOKANE, AND
THEY NEED AND DESERVE PROTECTIO
THAT RENT CONTROL PROVIDES. S
I DO SUPPORT THE LEGALIZATION
OF RENT CONTROL. I THINK
INSTITUTING IT UPON PASSAGE
WITHOUT THE NEED FOR TRIGGER
LAWS LIKE THIS. I THINK THAT IS
GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT THING
FOR US TO BE ADVOCATING FOR,
INCLUDING VACANCY CONTROL. SO
WE DON'T SEE THE ISSUES WE HAV
SEEN IN SAN FRANCISCO AND NEW
YORK THAT FOLKS KEEP REFERRING
TO. I AGREE THAT IT IS IMPORTAN
TO STATE FOR THE GENERAL PUBLI
THAT THIS BILL DOES NOT IMPOSE
RENT CONTROL IN SEATTLE UNLESS
THE STATE LEGALIZES IT OR
REPEALS THE BAND. THAT IS WHY
AFTER VOTING YES ON THIS BILL I
WILL CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE AT TH
STATE LEVEL FOR FULL
LEGALIZATION, AS I DID THIS YEA
WHEN I WENT TO SUPPORT THE
REPRESENTATIVE AND WORKING WITH
OUR OFFICE OF INTERGOVERNMENTAL
RELATIONS TO INCORPORATE THIS
INTO OUR CITY'S LEGISLATIVE
AGENDA. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO
STANDING SHOULDER TO SHOULDER
WITH RENTERS, WITH OUR
COLLEAGUES AND TENANT ADVOCATES
LIKE THE TENANTS UNION AND
WASHINGTON CAN. NOT JUST TO MAK
SURE WE GET THIS PASSED, BUT TO
TAKE THIS UP IN THE LEGISLATUR
UNTIL WE GET THIS REPEAL DONE A
THE STATE LEVEL. THANK YOU.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR
COMMENTS, INCLUDING REITERATIN
THE POINT THAT KAILYN
NICHOLSON MADE THAT VOTING NO O
THIS BILL SINCE THE WRONG
SIGNAL TO THE STATE DEMOCRATS,
WHEN THEY SAY THEY WANT POSITIV
SIGNALS FOR RENT CONTROL.
VOTING YES IS THE RIGHT THING
TO DO, FOR EVERYBODY WHO SAYS
THAT THE STATE BAN SHOULD BE
LIFTED AND I APPRECIATE YOU
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT THIS IS A
CRISIS THAT IS STATEWIDE, NOT
ONLY SEATTLE. WE NEED RENT
CONTROL THROUGHOUT WASHINGTON
STATE. GO AHEAD, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS.
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I
LISTENED THROUGHOUT THIS
PROCESS AND APPRECIATE THE
CONVENING AND ALL OF THE
ADVOCATES THAT HAVE COME
TOGETHER. TO DISCUSS THIS IN
THE CONTEXT OF THIS TRIGGER LAW
THE ARGUMENTS THAT I HAVE HEAR
A VERY COMPELLING FOR
REGULATION, INCLUDING POTENTIAL
RENT CONTROL. I HAVE SIMILAR
THOUGHTS AS THE COUNCIL
PRESIDENT AS TO THE STRATEGY ON
THIS. THAT I RESPECTFULLY
DISAGREE WITH. I HAVE NOT HEAR
COMPELLING ARGUMENTS THAT THE
TRIGGER LIES GOING TO GET US
CLOSER TO REPEALING THE STATE
BAN. THERE HAS ACTUALLY BEEN
PRESS ABOUT THE RETICENCE OF
STATE LEGISLATORS TO ENGAGE WIT
THIS PROCESS AND I HAVE NOT SEE
ANY PUBLIC SUPPORT FROM OUR
DELEGATION IN REGARDS TO THIS
BEING A STRATEGY THAT THEY
SUPPORT TO GET A REPEAL TO TH
PREEMPTION THAT THE STATE HAS
IN THIS AREA. I ALSO DON'T SEE
A LEGAL STRATEGY. I AM ALWAYS
DOWN TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES, I
THERE IS A LEGAL STRATEGY, TO G
TO THE COURTS AND GET SOMETHIN
RE-EXAMINED, BUT I DON'T SEE
THIS AS A VEHICLE, FOR EXAMPLE,
WHAT WE HAVE DONE WITH
PROGRESSIVE TAXATION TO SHAPE
CHANGES IN JURISPRUDENCE THAT
ALLOW US TO SOMEHOW GET A STAT
PREEMPTION THROWN OUT. SO, FOR
THOSE REASONS, I AM NOT
INCLINED TO SUPPORT THIS TODAY.
I WOULD ADD THAT WE HAVE GOOD
EXAMPLES, REGIONALLY, IN THE
STATE OF OREGON RECENTLY, ALSO
CONTROLLED BY DEMOCRATIC
MAJORITIES IN THE LEGISLATURE,
WHERE THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO
OVERCOME STATE PROHIBITIONS ON
RENT REGULATION THROUGH
BUILDING COALITIONS WITHIN THE
STATE LEGISLATURE. I CONTINUE
TO BE SUPPORTIVE OF OUR EFFORT
AS A CITY TO GET THOSE REPEALE
-- I HAVE NOT HEARD FROM ANY
OF OUR LEADERS AND LEGISLATIVE
DELEGATION THAT THIS PARTICULA
STRATEGY IS HELPFUL TO THEIR
EFFORT AND IN FACT, HAVE SEEN
IN THE PUBLIC DISCUSSION, SOME
RELUCTANCE FROM STATE
LEGISLATIVE LEADERS TO EMBRACE
THIS STRATEGY. SO FOR THAT
REASON I AM RESPECTFULLY VOTING
NO ON THE PROPOSAL TODAY. AND
CAN HAND IT BACK OVER TO YOU.
>> RENT CONTROL! NOW!
>> WHAT DO WE WANT?
>> RENT CONTROL! NOW!
>> YOU ARE GOING TO LOSE IT.
>> JULISSA SANCHEZ HAS ASKED TO
SPEAK, SO I WILL CALL ON HER
NEXT AND THEN COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON IF YOU ARE SPEAKING. WE
WILL GET TO THE VOTE AS SOON AS
POSSIBLE BECAUSE I KNOW COUNCI
PRESIDENT JUAREZ NEEDS TO LEAVE
I JUST WANT TO SAY IT IS
EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTING THAT
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS IS GOING T
BE VOTING NO -- CAN I SPEAK?
BECAUSE, COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS,
YOU TALK ABOUT BUILDING
COALITIONS, BUT BY VOTING NO,
WHO ARE YOU BUILDING COALITIONS
WITH? IT IS NOT WITH THE
MAJORITY OF RENTERS WHO THINK
THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. TENS OF
THOUSANDS OF SEATTLEITES ARE
SAYING THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.
STATEWIDE, 71% OF LIKELY VOTER
SAY RENT CONTROL IS A GOOD IDEA
SO IT IS EXTREMELY CONDESCENDIN
FOR YOU TO SAY YOU HAVE NOT
SEEN SUPPORT. SUPPORT FROM HOME
CERTAINLY NOT CORPORATE
LANDLORDS. I DON'T EXPECT
LANDLORDS TO SUPPORT THIS, BUT
RENTERS SUPPORT THIS WHICH IS
THE MAJORITY OF YOUR
CONSTITUENTS. I WILL MENTION
THAT THE REPORTING ON THE
PRICE-FIXING, THAT WAS A
NATIONWIDE ARTICLE AND THEY
WERE PICKING HIGHLIGHTS FROM
VARIOUS CITIES AND YOU KNOW THE
NEIGHBORHOOD THEY PICKED TO TAL
ABOUT FROM SEATTLE? BELLTOWN
AND QUEEN ANNE. GUESS WHICH
DISTRICT THAT FALLS IN? AND I
HAVE TO MENTION, MANY OF THE
UNIONS ARE SUPPORTING
PROGRESSIVE AND LABOR DEMOCRATS
WITHOUT THE UNIONS -- WE HAV
HAD MEMBERS FROM MULTIPLE UNION
SUPPORTER LEGISLATION, BUT TH
UNION THAT OFFICIALLY SUPPORTED
US, UAW -- WORKERS UNITED.
WHICH AS WAS SAID, IT IS A
CAUCUS AND IN FACT THEY ARE ALS
URGING LEADERSHIP TO PASS A
UNION WIDE RESOLUTION. THE
HOUSE OUR NEIGHBORS COALITION.
REAL CHANGE. TENANTS UNION.
32nd DISTRICT DEMOCRATS. MANY
MEMBERS OF 43rd DISTRICT
DEMOCRATS. SO I JUST WANT TO BE
CLEAR THAT THERE ARE COALITIONS
AND THEN THERE ARE COALITIONS
COUNCILMEMBERS, POLITICIANS
DECIDE WHICH COALITIONS THEY
WANT TO BE PART OF.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> I VOTED FOR YOU.
>> CAN WE PLEASE LET THE
PANELISTS SPEAK?
>> I AM JUST APPALLED, HONESTLY
LIKE HOW CAN WE SIT HERE ALL
MORNING AND LISTEN TO THE
PUBLIC COMMENT OF TENANTS AND
LISTEN TO HOW THEY ARE
STRUGGLING AND LISTEN TO THEM
ASKING CITY COUNCIL TO VOTE
FOR THEM TO SUPPORT THEIR
LIVELIHOOD AND FOR THEM TO STA
HOUSED AND FOR THEM TO STAY SAF
AND FOR THEM TO BE ABLE TO
AFFORD TO KEEP HOUSES OVER
THEMSELVES AND THEIR CHILDREN
AND THE YOUTH. THEN I HEAR THA
COUNCILMEMBERS ARE GOING TO VOT
NO ON THIS? AS A COMMUNITY
ORGANIZER, LIKE, WE HAVE BEEN
DOING THIS. COMMUNITY ORGANIZER
AND TENANTS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING
FOR RENT CONTROL AND
LEGISLATORS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING
FOR RENT CONTROL AND IT HAS NO
PASSED. IF WE ARE GOING TO
CONTINUE DOING THE SAME
STRATEGIES AND THE STATE
LEGISLATORS AND STATE DEMOCRATS
ARE SAYING, WELL, AND I HAVE
HEARD THAT ARGUMENT. THAT
NOBODY IS SAYING THAT THEY NEED
RENT CONTROL. WE ARE NOT
HEARING FROM DIFFERENT CITIES
THAT THEY NEED RENT CONTROL.
ALL MORNING WE HAVE BEEN HEARIN
DIFFERENT STORIES ABOUT WHY WE
NEED RENT CONTROL AND IF WE DO
NOT TRY THIS STRATEGY IN
SEATTLE AND STARRED IN SEATTLE,
AND SUPPORT THE COALITIONS
WORKING FOR RENT CONTROL AND
THEN OTHER CITIES IN SEATTLE,
EXCUSE ME, IN WASHINGTON, TO
PASS THIS LEGISLATION, THEN W
WILL CREATE COLLECTIVE POWER O
TENANTS WHO ARE THE MAJORITY WH
NEED RENT CONTROL. THEY CAN
ACT LIKE THEY ARE NOT HEARING
US. LIKE RIGHT NOW,
COUNCILMEMBERS WHO ARE VOTING
AGAINST THIS BILL ARE SAYING
THEY HEAR US, BUT THEY ARE NOT
LISTENING TO US. SO WE NEED TO
TRY SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND THI
IS SOMETHING DIFFERENT, SO I
URGE YOU TO TAKE A DEEP BREATH.
THINK ABOUT WHAT YOU WILL DO AN
HOW YOU WILL AFFECT THE
LIVELIHOOD OF SO MANY PEOPLE IN
SEATTLE. RENTERS IN SEATTLE.
AND VOTE YES FOR RENT CONTROL.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> TO ME, ONE OF THE MOST
SEVERE THREATS TO THIS COUNTRY
IS NOT THE RIGHT WING IDIOTS
AND FASCIST'S, BUT IT IS THE
PRETENTIOUSNESS OF DEMOCRATS.
WHO FEEL THAT THEY CAN CO-OPT
COMMUNITIES, CO-OPT COMMUNITY
LEADERSHIP, MARGINALIZE PEOPLE
SPEAKING OUT, WHO FEEL THEY
HAVE A SYSTEM OF COMMUNITY
CONTROL IN PLACE, SO THEY CAN
KEEP THEIR SYSTEMS IN PLACE AND
KEEP THEIR POWER. BUT IT IS NO
GOING TO LAST. IT IS NOT
WORKING. YOU HAVE GOT TO DO TH
RIGHT THING. YOU HAVE GOT TO
HELP PEOPLE AND NOT JUST SAY --
PEOPLE ARE NOT STUPID. WHAT
YOU ARE GOING TO SEE IS AN
INCREASING NUMBER OF PEOPLE
VOTING AGAINST THEIR OWN
INTERESTS AND ELECTIONS,
BECAUSE THEY ARE TIRED OF YOUR
HYPOCRISY. THE HYPOCRITICAL
MENTALITY OF LEADERS WHO SAY
THEY ARE PROGRESSIVES AND CAN
DRIVE BY AND SEE THE STARVING,
HOMELESS PEOPLE ON OUR STREET
AND HEAR THE CRIES OF AFRICAN
AMERICANS WHO HAVE BEEN DRIVEN
OUT LIKE CATTLE FROM THEIR
HISTORIC COMMUNITIES. HYPOCRISY
IT IS JUST UNBELIEVABLE. AND
TO THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING
ALONG WITH THIS BECAUSE YOU
BOUGHT OFF THE LEADERS. BECAUSE
YOU CO-OPTED PEOPLE AND KEPT
THEM FROM SPEAKING OUT. TO THIN
THAT THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE AR
NOT SEEING WHAT IS GOING ON, YO
ARE SADLY MISTAKEN. YOU NEED T
START TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
WHEN HAS DOING THE RIGHT THING
BEEN A MATTER OF STRATEGY? THAN
YOU. THE RIGHT THING IS WE NEE
RENT CONTROL IN SEATTLE. WE NEE
TO DO IT HERE AND THEN WE NEED
TO PROCLAIM IT TO THE STATE.
THAT IT BEGINS HERE. THAT
JOURNEY BEGINS NOW. WITH YOUR
VOTE. TO VOTE AGAINST IT MEAN
YOU ARE NOT GOING TO TAKE THAT
JOURNEY WITH US AND THAT MEANS
THAT EVERYTHING YOU SAY YOU
STAND FOR, YOU REALLY DON'T.
[ APPLAUSE ]
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON DID YOU
WANT TO SPEAK BEFORE WE CALL
THE VOTE? I DON'T SEE
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> THANK YOU.
>> SO I AM GOING TO GO AHEAD
AND ASK TO CALL THE VOTE. THE
LEGISLATION HAS ALREADY BEEN
MOVED AND SECONDED AND THEN I
WANT TO MAKE IF YOU COMMENTS.
GO AHEAD.
>> I REALLY APPRECIATE IT.
>> SO THE VOTE ON COUNCIL BILL
120606 AS AMENDED, COUNCILMEMBE
SAWANT.
>> YES.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS.
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> NO.
>> COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> YES.
>> TWO IN FAVOR, THREE OPPOSED
>> I JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY
THAT THE VOTE WAS TWO IN FAVO
AND THREE OPPOSED, SO THE
COMMITTEE VOTE FAILED. HOWEVER,
THAT IS ONLY THE COMMITTEE VOT
WHICH IS ONLY A RECOMMENDATION
TO THE FULL CITY COUNCIL AND
ONLY THE FULL CITY COUNCIL'S
VOTE IS BINDING. PART OF THE
COUNCIL RULES IS THAT THE
LEGISLATION WILL GO TO THE FULL
CITY COUNCIL FOR A FINAL VOTE O
AUGUST 1. DON'T LEAVE YET, BUT
WHEN YOU DO LEAVE, MAKE SURE
YOU COME TO CITY COUNCIL
CHAMBERS ON AUGUST 1 TO MAKE
SURE THE CITY COUNCIL AS A
WHOLE PASSES THIS LEGISLATION,
THE MAJORITY OF THEM. GO AHEAD
>> THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.
MADAM CHAIR, WE DO WANT TO HAV
A VOTE ON THIS AT FULL COUNCIL.
IT WILL EITHER BE THE FIRST OR
THE EIGHTH. I'M TRYING TO FIGUR
THAT OUT. I JUST DON'T WANT
EVERYONE TO SHOW UP ON THE
FIRST, THINKING WE WILL VOTE I
INDEED IT IS THE EIGHTH. BECAUS
IT HAS TO COME TO OUR OFFICE AN
I HAVE TO TEE UP WHAT IT WILL
LOOK LIKE. THE AGENDA. IT WILL
BE THE FIRST OR EIGHTH --
>> I CHECKED TO PREPARE FOR TH
DIFFERENT SITUATIONS. I
CHECKED WITH AMELIA ABOUT THE
COUNCIL RULES AND THE COUNCIL
RULES SAY THAT IT COMES THE
SECOND MEETING. THE SECOND CIT
COUNCIL MEETING AFTER THE
COMMITTEE VOTES, SO THAT MAKES
IT AUGUST 1.
>> I STILL NEED TO LOOK AT IT
AND WE CAN HAVE A DISCUSSION
OFF-LINE. IT NEEDS TO COME TO M
OFFICE TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
I'M NOT TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE O
DISCOURAGE PEOPLE, I JUST WANT
TO MAKE SURE WE ARE CLEAR AND I
HAVE TO GO RIGHT NOW.
>> PRESIDENT JUAREZ, BEFORE YO
LEAVE I WANT TO ASK THAT YOU
LET US KNOW AS SOON AS POSSIBLE
SO PEOPLE KNOW WHICH DAY TO
COME.
>> I WILL LET YOU KNOW BY THE
CLOSE OF BUSINESS, MADAM CHAIR.
>> THANK YOU.
>> YOU'RE WELCOME, THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, EVERYBODY.
>> SO THE VOTE HAS HAPPENED.
COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE SPOKEN. DI
ANY OF YOU PANELISTS WANT TO SA
ANYTHING BEFORE WE CLOSE IT
OUT?
>> I JUST WANTED TO SAY, COMMEN
ON THE FACT THAT LEWIS, JUAREZ
AND NELSON VOTED NO. IT'S
ABSOLUTELY SHAMEFUL. ESPECIALLY
LEWIS PAINTING HIMSELF AS A
LABOR COUNCILMEMBER. WE KNOW
FROM COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
EXAMPLE IN THIS OFFICE THAT TH
WAY THAT WE BUILD THESE
MOVEMENTS, THE WAY THAT WE WHEN
THESE THINGS IS BY PUTTING THA
PRESSURE ON THE DEMOCRATS. NOT
WAITING AROUND. NOT HOPING AND
CROSSING OUR FINGERS THAT THEY
MIGHT PASS LEGISLATION AT THE
STATE LEVEL. SEATTLE HAS LED
THE WAY ON $15 PER HOUR. WE LEA
THE WAY ON THE AMAZON TAX.
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S OFFICE
LED THE WAY OUT WITH PASSED
LEGISLATION AND ALL OF THESE
HAVE HAD RIPPLE EFFECTS ACROSS
THE COUNTRY. IF WE PASS THIS
TRIGGER LAW IN SEATTLE, THE
POTENTIAL TO PUT THAT MAXIMUM
PRESSURE ON OLYMPIA IS
ABSOLUTELY THERE AND THESE
EXCUSES OF KICKING THE CAN DOWN
THE ROAD IS EXACTLY WHAT IS
KEPT US IN THIS DEADLOCK FOR 42
YEARS WITH ON AFFORDABILITY
ACROSS THE STATE. SO THIS IS
ABSOLUTELY HEINOUS THAT THEY AR
MAKING THESE RIDICULOUS
EXCUSES.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> I ABSOLUTELY AGREE. I THINK
THIS IS EXTREMELY, DISAPPOINTIN
IS NOT THE RIGHT WORD. IT'S
INFURIATING. THIS IS NOT THE
END. THIS WILL COME TO A VOTE
BEFORE THE FULL COUNCIL AND THA
IS THE ONLY VOTE THAT IS
BINDING. THERE'VE BEEN INSTANCE
IN THE RECENT PAST WHERE
COUNCILMEMBERS HAVE VOTED NO IN
COMMITTEE AND THEN UNDER
PRESSURE, YOU KNOW, MASSIVE
PRESSURE FROM BELOW, FROM
CONSTITUENTS CALLING THEM OUT
PUBLICLY, SHOWING UP ON THE
FINAL VOTE, THAT VOTE HAS
CHANGED. I KNOW COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS INITIALLY VOTED AGAINST
LATE FEES BEING CAPTAIN THEN A
THE FALL MEETING AFTER
TREMENDOUS PRESSURE, HE FLIPPED
AND HE VOTED YES. SO WE CAN
STILL WIN THIS, BUT ONLY IF WE
BUILD PRESSURE BETWEEN NOW AND
THE FINAL VOTE ON THE FIRST, S
WE ALL HAVE OUR JOB TO DO.
>> I URGE ALL OF YOU TO TALK T
YOUR NEIGHBORS AND TO TALK TO
COMMUNITIES WITHIN YOUR
COMMUNITY WHO MAY COME FROM
UNDOCUMENTED COMMUNITIES,
REFUGEE COMMUNITIES, WHO
SOMETIMES AND MANY TIMES DO NOT
COME TO THESE SPACES BECAUSE
THEY ARE AFRAID. THEY HAVE TO
WORK. THEY DO NOT HAVE
BABYSITTERS. THEY DO NOT HAVE
THE LANGUAGE ACCESS TO BE HERE.
IF YOU ALL COULD CONNECT WITH
NEIGHBORS FROM THOSE
COMMUNITIES AND WHEN YOU COME
BACK TO GIVE YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT, I HOPE AND ENCOURAGE
YOU TO INCLUDE THEIR REALITIE
AND WHAT THEY NEED FOR ALL OF
US TO HEAR, BECAUSE THEY ARE NO
REPRESENTED HERE. THEY ARE NOT
HERE TODAY AND A LOT OF THEIR
EXPERIENCES ARE NEVER SEEN OR
HEARD OF AND THEY ARE THE MOST
AFFECTED. SOME OF THE MOST
AFFECTED BY RENTAL INCREASES.
THANK YOU.
>> URGING THAT WE TALK TO OUR
COWORKERS, NEIGHBORS, FAMILY
MEMBERS, FRIENDS. JUST THE
COUNTLESS PEOPLE WHO ARE
HURTING FROM THE SKYROCKETING
RENT. THEY NEED TO SHOW UP.
THEIR VOICES ARE NOT HEARD OFTE
OR EVER AND SHE IS RIGHT ABOUT
THAT. AS YOU HEARD, WE ARE GOIN
TO HAVE THE BILL COME UP FOR
VOTE ON AUGUST 1 OR AUGUST 8,
SO WE WILL LET YOU KNOW. MAKE
SURE YOU ARE SIGNED UP SO YOU
CAN BE IN TOUCH WITH MY OFFICE
SO WE CAN LET YOU KNOW WHICH DA
IT IS, BUT WE ABSOLUTELY NEED
HUNDREDS TO SHOW UP, OTHERWISE
WE ARE NOT GOING TO WIN. I ALSO
THOUGHT KAILYN MADE AN IMPORTAN
POINT THAT MOVEMENTS CAN MOVE
MOUNTAINS AND EVEN THE
DEMOCRATS WHO, WITH ALL OF
THESE EXCUSES, SAY THEY ARE
GOING TO VOTE NO, THE FULL
COUNCIL VOTE STILL NEEDS TO
HAPPEN. LET'S MAKE THEM VOTE
YES OR IF THEY ARE VOTING NO,
LET'S MAKE IT VERY, VERY CLEAR
WHERE THEY STAND. LET'S MAKE
SURE THAT THE TENS OF THOUSANDS
OF PEOPLE IN THIS CITY
UNDERSTAND THE DEMOCRATS VOTING
NO ARE NOT ON THEIR SIDE AND I
AM JUST REALLY SORRY. IF YOU
CALL YOURSELF A LABOR DEMOCRAT
AND YOU VOTE AGAINST THIS,
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, I DON'T
THINK YOU GET TO CALL YOURSELF
A REPRESENTATIVE OF LABOR. I
HOPE, I HOPE, COUNCILMEMBER
LEWIS, I AM MAKING A PERSONAL
APPEAL TO YOU AS A
COUNCILMEMBER AND ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVE OF WORKING
PEOPLE. AND AS MYSELF. I AM NO
A DEMOCRAT. I AM PROBABLY NOT A
DEMOCRAT, BUT I AM A
REPRESENTATIVE OF UNION AND
NONUNION WORKERS AND I URGE YO
TO VOTE YES IN THE FULL CITY
COUNCIL. BUT IF YOU VOTE NO,
THEN YOU DO NOT REPRESENT LABO
AND YOU CERTAINLY DON'T
REPRESENT NONUNION WORKERS WHO
ARE WORSE OFF THAN UNIONIZED
WORKERS. SO I URGE YOU ALL TO
JOIN US. YOU KNOW, WORKING
PEOPLE, RENTERS, TO JOIN US IN
BIG NUMBERS AND WE WILL FIGHT A
HARD AS WE CAN. I WILL END ON
THIS NOTE THAT IT IS PRECISELY
BECAUSE OF THE SPECTACLE WE
HAVE SEEN TODAY THAT I DON'T,
MYSELF AND MY ORGANIZATION, WE
DON'T, WE ARE NOT PART OF THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY. WE ARE CALLIN
FOR A NEW, INDEPENDENT PARTY
FOR WORKING PEOPLE, BECAUSE WE
SEE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY BETRA
US AGAIN AND AGAIN AND OF COURS
REPUBLICANS ARE BLATANTLY NOT
ON OUR SIDE. THEY ARE THE RIGHT
WING. THAT IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT
TO REMEMBER AND THAT IS WHY
WORKERS STRIKE BACK, THE
MOVEMENT WE HAVE LAUNCHED, IS
ALSO CALLING FOR A NEW PARTY
FOR WORKING PEOPLE. I HOPE TO
SEE YOU ON THE FIRST OR THE
EIGHTH IN MUCH BIGGER NUMBERS
AND YOU ARE GOING TO BE THERE?
>> WHAT DO WE NEED?
>> RENT CONTROL!
>> WIND DO WE NEED IT?
>> NOW!
>> LET'S KEEP FIGHTING. MEETIN
ADJOURNED. THANK YOU ALL.