CITY OF SEATTLE
ORDINANCE __________________
COUNCIL BILL __________________
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AN ORDINANCE relating to renters; establishing the Seattle Renters' Commission, representing the interests of renters located in Seattle, to advise and make recommendations to the Mayor and City Council on public policy matters of importance to renters citywide; amending Section 3.35.030 of the Seattle Municipal Code, and adding a new Chapter 3.65, consisting of Sections 3.65.010, 3.65.015, 3.65.020, 3.65.030, 3.65.040, 3.65.050, and 3.65.060, to the Seattle Municipal Code.
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WHEREAS, more than 54 percent of households in Seattle are renter households, 48 percent of Seattle's household population reside in renter households, and in some neighborhoods renters make up more than 80 percent of households, according to the 2011-15 American Community Survey; and
WHEREAS, the median household income of renters is less than 50 percent of the median income of homeowners in Seattle, according to the 2010-14 American Community Survey; and
WHEREAS, the median net worth of renter households in the United States is less than three percent of the median net worth of homeowner households, according to the 2013 Federal Reserve Board's Survey of Consumer Finances; and
WHEREAS, the renter population is representative of many protected classes, including people of color, people living with disabilities, and LGBTQ people, as well as young adults, seniors, low-income people, those paying rent with assistance, those with felony records, and renters who have experienced homelessness; and
WHEREAS, 53 percent of white Seattle residents own their homes, compared to 29 percent of African-American and 27 percent of Latino residents, according to the 2010 Census; and
WHEREAS, the City has sought to include diverse perspectives of Seattle residents, such as with the 2016 Housing Affordability and Livability Agenda (HALA) Focus Groups, and a Renters' Commission will formalize participation of a group that com...
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