FINALLY, A WIN IN SEATTLE! Indefinite Eviction Moratorium Proposal Rejected by Seattle City Council
Seattle City Council met today to discuss a Council resolution that had been proposed by Councilmember Sawant. It was proposed in response to Mayor Harrell's announcement that the eviction moratorium was going to be allowed to expire on February 28.
The resolution was heard by the council with a last-minute amendment that would've extended it to April 30 instead of the end of the emergency. The amendment was rejected by a vote 5-3.
The underlying ordinance was then brought forward as was initially drafted. Councilmember Strauss shared concerns regarding an actual solution to the pandemic and that an indefinite eviction moratorium was not addressing the problem. Additionally, Council President Juarez shared the extensive list of regulations that have been proposed and passed by the city over the last couple years. The council displayed a clear understanding of the burden on housing providers and rejected the resolution 5-3.
Thank you to everyone who signed up to provide testimony and reached out to the Seattle City Council.
We killed this resolution with your help. We could not have done it without your dedicated advocacy efforts. Not just on this resolution, but every ordinance, and every moratorium extension. We have constantly shared our experiences and it seems like these experiences have finally reached the council. This hopefully indicates a trend for housing policy that will be heard by the council in the future. We are always willing and eager to come to the table and discuss housing policy, we hope that the council will continue to give us a seat.
This is a big win for Seattle housing providers. We will continue to need your help moving forward. Councilmember Sawant expressed a renewed interest in pursuing more permanent regulations, such as rent control.