CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
title
AN ORDINANCE relating to residential tenancy; limiting the amount of fees charged for late payment of rent; and adding a new Section 7.24.034 to the Seattle Municipal Code.
body
WHEREAS, over the past several years, rents in Seattle and King County have increased, and vacancies for affordable housing are at low levels, making it difficult for tenants, especially those with low incomes, to locate affordable rental housing; and
WHEREAS, the King County Regional Affordable Housing Task Force issued its Final Report and Recommendations for King County, December 2018 (rev. March 2019) ("Affordable Housing Task Force Final Report"), which identifies that renting rather than owning a home increases the chances of being severely cost burdened, and recognizes an existing affordable housing crisis in King County; and
WHEREAS, the Affordable Housing Task Force Final Report includes a regional plan with goals, strategies, and a five-year action plan to address the affordable housing crisis, and Goal 4 of the action plan is to "[p]reserve access to affordable homes for renters by supporting tenant protections to increase housing stability and reduce risk of homelessness"; and
WHEREAS, a report by the Seattle Women's Commission and the Housing Justice Project of the King County Bar Association, entitled Losing Home: The Human Cost of Eviction in Seattle (Sept. 2018) ("Losing Home Report") identifies that: (1) national research shows eviction is one of the leading cause of homelessness; (2) research data show that 51.7 percent of tenants evicted were people of color; (3) tenants face steep financial costs resulting from eviction; and (4) 86.5 percent of eviction filings were for nonpayment of rent and, of these, 52 percent were for one month or less; and
WHEREAS, the Losing Home Report states that "[b]ecause evictions disproportionately impact marginalized communities and have long-lasting harm ...
Click here for full text