CITY OF SEATTLE
RESOLUTION __________________
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A RESOLUTION calling on Governor Inslee to impose an immediate moratorium on rent payments and urging the Governor to call on federal legislators and the Trump administration to impose an immediate moratorium on rent and mortgage payments; and calling on federal legislators and the Trump administration to impose an immediate moratorium on rent and mortgage payments.
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WHEREAS, novel coronavirus (COVID-19) first appeared in December 2019 and has spread throughout the world; and
WHEREAS, on January 21, 2020 the first case in the United States was identified in Washington, on February 24, 2020 the first death in the United States was identified in Washington, and on March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization declared the outbreak a global pandemic; and
WHEREAS, on February 29, 2020, Washington Governor Jay Inslee declared a state of emergency to help the state prepare for broader spread of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, on March 3, 2020, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan issued a proclamation of civil emergency to ramp up the city's efforts to prepare for and respond to local cases of coronavirus; and
WHEREAS, Seattle and Washington are responding in strong and definitive ways to slow the spread and save lives, with the Governor Jay Inslee amending Proclamation 20-05, ordering residents to shelter-in-place and cease non-essential activities as of March 25, 2020; and
WHEREAS, because of these orders and the impact on service and other industries, labor organizations representing hospitality workers estimate that 80 percent or more of hospitality workers will lose their jobs; along with thousands of arts, travel, nonprofit, retail, and service workers; and
WHEREAS, in the week preceding March 25, unemployment claims to the Washington Department of Employment Security increased by 700 percent; and
WHEREAS, those workers who are eligible for unemployment insurance are drawing only a fraction of what they would otherwise earn wi...
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