CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to residential evictions; guaranteeing the right to legal counsel regardless of ability to pay for any residential renter in Seattle responding to an unlawful detainer suit; and adding a new Section 22.206.195 to the Seattle Municipal Code.
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WHEREAS, in September 2018, the Seattle Women's Commission and the King County Bar Association jointly published Losing Home: The Human Cost of Eviction in Seattle, finding that households who are evicted face material hardships that make it more difficult to secure safe and affordable housing and that the most disadvantaged groups face the highest likelihood of eviction; and
WHEREAS, the Losing Home report found that most evicted respondents became homeless, with 37.5 percent completely unsheltered, 25.0 percent living in a shelter or transitional housing, and 25.0 percent staying with family or friends. Only 12.5 percent of evicted respondents found another apartment or home to move into; and
WHEREAS, the report also found that tenants commonly reported both mental health issues, such as stress and depression, and physical health issues, such as heart conditions, associated with their eviction; and
WHEREAS, housing instability during childhood has been attributed to an increased likelihood of negative health and educational effects; and
WHEREAS, evictions can lead to long-term economic impact to individuals, families, and the City; and
WHEREAS, in 2018, the King County Medical Examiner's Office (KCMEO) investigated the deaths of 194 individuals presumed to be homeless. This represents 25 more deaths than investigated in 2017; and
WHEREAS, people experiencing homelessness have a much higher risk than the general population of developing exposure-related conditions. The KCMEO 2018 investigation found that over half of presumed homeless deaths investigated occurred outside and that approximately 62 percent of presumed ...
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