HI, MY NAME IS DAVID JOHNSON
AND I LIVE WITH FOUR OTHER
PEOPLE.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE WILL EVER
PAY RENT.
THREE OF THE PEOPLE DURING THE
PANDEMIC WERE UNEMPLOYED AND
SOME OF THEM STILL ARE AND WE
HAVE RENT THAT WILL BE DUE AND
I HAVE MY SAVINGS FOR OTHER
THINGS AND THEY HAVE THEIR
SAVINGS FOR OTHER THINGS AND I
HAVE NO IDEA HOW WE WILL MAKE
THAT WORK SO I HAVE TO FIND
SOME OTHER PLACE TO LIVE.
I GET ALONG WELL WITH MY
LANDLORD.
THE FRUSTRATING THING IS I HAVE
LIVED THERE FIVE YEARS AND I
HAVE PROBABLY PAID THE MOST FOR
THAT MORTGAGE.
I AM OUT $1000 AND HAVE NOTHING
TO SHOW FOR IT.
I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE IN
WORSE SHAPE THAN I AM BECAUSE
OF HAD A JOB THIS WHOLE TIME
BUT WILL MAKE IT TO THE END OF
THIS MORATORIUM, I WILL BE
LOOKING AT A BED I CAN'T PAY
AND WE NEED HELP.
WE NEED YOU TO HELP US.
WE HAVE DONE ALL THE RIGHT
STUFF WE CAN DO.
THAT IS ALL I HAVE.
>> THAT IS OUR FINAL SPEAKER.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU TO ALL THE
SPEAKERS OFFERED THEIR
TESTIMONY TODAY AND IT HAS BEEN
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT IN
REMINDING EVERYONE THAT IS
WATCHING THIS OF HOW REAL OF A
CRISIS THIS IS.
FOR HER FIRST AGENDA ITEM, WE
WILL HEAR ABOUT ANOTHER CRISIS
THAT IS RIGHT IN FRONT OF US
WHICH IS THE CLIMATE
CATASTROPHE AND WE WILL HEAR
FROM ACTIVISTS AND ORGANIZERS.
THE SKIES IN SEATTLE WERE A
VIVID REMINDER OF THE
DEVASTATING IMPACTS OF CLIMATE
CHANGE ON OUR LIVES AND THE
SMOKE IS NOT A ONE-TIME THING
BUT A NEW NORMAL.
THAT IS JUST ONE WAY THAT
CLIMATE CHANGE IS RESHAPING THE
WORLD WE LIVE AND.
THE DRYING OUT SEASON IS
STRETCHING ON BOTH ENDS
ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH
PUBLISHED JUST IN AUGUST DURING
THE WILDFIRES.
THERE ARE TEMPERATURES AND LESS
PRECIPITATION AND THE ALL SENT
OF WINTER RAIN SO WE HAVE
PROBABLY NOT EVEN SEEN THE END
OF IT THIS YEAR.
THE REST OF FIRE SEASON HAS
EXTENDED BY AT LEAST 84 DAYS
SINCE THE 1970S.
CALIFORNIA'S FIRE PROTECTION
SERVICE HAS SAID PUBLICLY THAT
THEY NO LONGER CONSIDER THERE
TO BE A WILDFIRE SEASON BECAUSE
IT IS NOW PRACTICALLY THE
ENTIRE YEAR AND UNLESS GLOBALLY
AND IN AMERICA WE HAVE MASSIVE
RESISTANCE TO CHANGE, WE WILL
SEE A MORE EXTENDED FIRE SEASON
AND THAT IS JUST ONE OF THE
CRISES WE ARE FACING.
A LOT OF CLIMATE SCIENTISTS
THAT ARE SETTING THE FIRE
EPISODES ON THE WEST COAST THIS
YEAR ARE POINTING OUT THAT THE
INCREASE IN THE TEMPERATURES
WILL LEAD TO MASS MIGRATION
úFROM THE SOUTH AND YOU WILL SE
THAT WITHIN THE UNITED STATES
AS WELL AND WHAT THEY ARE
POINTING OUT IS AS DIFFICULT AS
THAT CRISIS WILL BE BECAUSE WE
WILL SEE TENS OF MILLIONS OF
PEOPLE AND MANY OF THEM ARE
ALREADY STRICKEN WITH POVERTY
AND MANY OF THEM TO OUR
COMMUNITY OF COLOR THAT HAVE
BEEN MARGINALIZED AND WE WILL
SEE THAT CRISIS BECAUSE THEIR
WHOLE LIVES WILL BE UPROOTED
AND ON TOP OF THAT, THEY ARE
POINTING OUT THAT THE WEST
COAST FIRES ARE JUST ONE TYPE
OR ONE MANIFESTATION AND THEY
WILL SEE OTHER TYPES OF CRISIS
AND DURING THE SAME HEIGHT OF
THE WILDFIRES IN THE WEST
COAST, THE COAST OF LOUISIANA
SAW SOME OF THE WORST
HURRICANES EVER.
WHAT THEY ARE POINTING OUT IS
THIS CRISIS IS SO HUGE THAT
SIMPLY MIGRATING WILL NOT BE
THE ANSWER AS DIFFICULT AS THAT
WILL BE BECAUSE THE PLACES
PEOPLE MIGRATE TO WILL HAVE
OTHER TYPES OF CRISES.
WE ARE SEEING THE CLIMATE
CATASTROPHE IN MANY DIFFERENT
WAYS SO IT IS A SERIOUS
REMINDER FOR US OF HOW URGENT
THIS CRISIS IS AND WE KNOW
STOPPING CLIMATE CHANGE WILL
REQUIRE RESHAPING THE ENTIRE
INFRASTRUCTURE OF OUR SOCIETY
AND TOO OFTEN, PEOPLE ARE TOLD
THAT THERE ARE SACRIFICES AND
TOTALLY INSUFFICIENT.
WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE
MATHEMATICS, THAT IS SIMPLY NOT
THE ANSWER.
IF WE ADDRESS THE CRISIS, IT
MISSES THE POINT WITH THE
FINANCIAL INDUSTRIES THAT ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE OVERALL
MAJORITY OF GREENHOUSE GAS
EMISSIONS AND LEAVES WORKING
PEOPLE FILLING DEFENSES AND
POWERLESS.
IT MAKES IT EVEN WORSE.
WE KNOW THEY ARE NOT EMPOWERED
UNDER CAPITALISM TO DECIDE HOW
ELECTRICITY IS GENERATED OR HOW
THE RESOURCES OF OUR SOCIETY
ARE INVESTED AND WE JUST SAW A
BREAKTHROUGH INVESTIGATIVE
REPORTING IN THE LAST WEEKS
WHICH SHOWED SINCE THE 1970S
THAT THE OIL AND PLASTIC
INDUSTRY IS ENGAGED WHERE THERE
WAS A COMPLETE MISINFORMATION
AND THAT IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE
OF HOW THE ENTIRE SYSTEM WORKS.
IT IS NOT BASED ON CONSPIRACY
THEORIES BUT THIS IS THE
REALITY OF THE SYSTEM.
THAT IS WHY IT IS SO IMPORTANT
FOR ACTIVISTS TO BE ORGANIZING
AND THOSE THAT ARE FORTUNATE TO
BE ON THE PANEL, THEY HAVE BEEN
ORGANIZING FOR YEARS AND SOME
OF THE DEMANDS TO STOP
INVESTING THE VAST WEALTH OF
OUR SOCIETY INTO THE
INFRASTRUCTURE AND ARE FIGHTING
FOR A GREEN NEW DEAL.
I WANT TO REMIND EVERYONE AND I
WANT TO PUT THIS ARTICLE UP TO
úSHOW AND REMIND PEOPLE THAT OU
ACTIVISTS HAVE BEEN MISLED WITH
INDIGENOUS FIGHTERS AND SO MANY
OF OUR COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND
LEADERS HAVE BEEN ON THE FRONT
LINES AND ONE OF THE THINGS WE
HAVE SUCCEEDED IN PASSING IS
THE WELLS FARGO ORDINATES AND
MANY THE PANELISTS THAT ARE
HERE TODAY AND THE REASON WE
WERE ABLE TO WIN THAT, I'M
PROUD OF MY OFFICE BEING
INVOLVED IN THAT AND HAVING THE
GOOD FORTUNE TO SPONSOR THE
ORDINANCE AND WE KNEW WHEN WE
PASSED THAT IT WAS ONLY THE
FIRST STEP OF WHAT WE NEED TO
ACHIEVE AND WE NEEDED TO GET TO
THE ACTUAL FARMING AND THAT IS
SOMETHING THEY WOULD ALSO BE
TALKING ABOUT TODAY.
THIS DISCUSSION IS SCHEDULED TO
GO FOR MAYBE 20 OR 25 MINUTES
SO I WILL GO TO THE PANEL NOW.
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELVES
BEFORE YOU BEGIN SPEAKING AND
I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO SHARING
YOUR COMMENTS.
>> DO WE HAVE OUR SPEAKERS?
>> SORRY ABOUT THAT.
HI EVERYBODY, MY NAME IS RACHEL
HEATON AND I AM EDISON OF THE
DUWAMISH PEOPLE OF THE LANDS
THAT WE ALL CALL SEATTLE NOW
AND ONE OF THE COFOUNDERS THAT
WAS PART OF THE WORK IN REGARDS
TO WELLS FARGO AND I WANT TO
SAY THANK YOU FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO YOU ALL
TODAY.
I THINK WE ALL COME IN A NUMBER
OF CAPACITIES WHETHER IT IS THE
PARENTS OR COMMUNITY MEMBERS
AND I KNOW I AM SPEAKING AS A
NATIVE WOMAN IN THOSE WATERS
THAT THE OFFICES STAND ON.
PEOPLE STILL LIVE AND PRACTICE
CULTURAL WAYS OUT OF THOSE
WATERWAYS AND SO, I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT IN
THE PAST THAT WE TYPICALLY HAVE
NOT HAD PLACES AT THE TABLE AND
HAD THESE CONVERSATIONS TO TALK
ABOUT THINGS LIKE THE
INVESTMENT AND IN THE WAYS OF
DECISIONS THAT ARE MADE BY THE
CITY, ALSO WHAT IS GOING ON
WITH OUR CURRENT CLIMATE
SITUATION AND CRISIS THAT
LITERALLY AFFECTS OUR EVERYDAY
LIVES.
WE HEAR FISHERMEN COME IN EVERY
DAY I CAN'T FEED THEIR FAMILIES
BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO
ASSIST IN THE WATER HAS HEATED
UP SO FISH ARE NOT RETURNING
AND PLANTS ARE DYING.
PART OF WHAT WE ARE SEEING NOW
UNFOLD WITH THE WHOLE SITUATION
IS WE SEE THAT DISCONNECT
BETWEEN COMMUNITY AND
LEADERSHIP.
I THINK A BIG PART OF THAT IS A
LOT OF US THAT ARE AFFECTED BY
THESE SITUATIONS ARE NOT AT THE
TABLE AND I THINK WE ARE SEEING
THAT WITH COMMITTEES AND THINGS
THAT ARE MADE I KNOW IN THE
CITY AND I LIVE OUT HERE BY OUR
BARN, WE SEE LEADERSHIP MAKING
COMMITTEES AND THOSE DECISIONS
NOT BEING MADE WITH COMMUNITY
MEMBERS.
A LOT OF TIMES, NATIVE PEOPLE
ARE NOT AT THOSE TABLES AND ONE
EXAMPLE I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT
WAS OUR JOURNEY OUT ON THE
PUGET SOUND FOR THE LAST TWO
YEARS AT THIS TIME AND WE HAVE
HAD THOSE WATERS THAT HAVE KEPT
US FROM BEING ABLE TO PRACTICE
OUR CULTURAL WAYS AND AS THE
TREATY TRIBE OF THESE
PARTICULAR AREAS, I THINK PART
OF THE WORK THAT I AM DOING IS
MAKING SURE THAT WE HAVE A SEAT
AT THE STABLES AND ARE CREATING
THESE RELATIONSHIPS.
SO, ONE THING WE RAN INTO LAST
YEAR IN JULY 2019 WAS THE RAW
SEWAGE GOING INTO THE WATER AND
US NOT BEING ALLOWED TO PUT OUR
CANOES IN ORDER SOME OF US
HAVING TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS
BECAUSE WE COULD NOT TOUCH THE
WATER.
LITTLE BY LITTLE AND EVEN WITH
THE FIRES THAT TOOK PLACE IN
OUR CANOES BEING IN WATER, WE
ARE SEEING OUR CULTURAL
PRACTICES BEING TAKEN FROM US.
PART OF THE WORK THAT I AM
DOING AND THAT YOU WILL HEAR
FROM MANY OF THE PANELS IS
MAKING SURE WE ARE CREATING THE
RELATIONSHIPS AND HAVING THESE
VOICES AT THE TABLE VERSUS US
HEARING ABOUT IT AFTER
DECISIONS ARE MADE.
I KNOW WHAT I WANT TO SEE IS
THE CULTURAL PRACTICES CONTINUE
TO BE UNDERSTOOD AND REALIZING
THAT THE CLIMATE CRISIS AFFECTS
NATIVE PEOPLE FIRST AND BY
HAVING US AT THE TABLE, IT'S
ALLOWING US TO COME TO YOU AND
TELL YOU THE WAYS THAT WE NEED
THIS HELP AND THESE
RELATIONSHIPS AND I THINK WE
WILL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT.
THAT'S IT.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU, RACHEL.
I THINK I AM UP NEXT.
HI EVERYONE, MY NAME IS
SULAKSHANA.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME AND I
WANT TO THANK ALL THE PEOPLE
THAT MADE PUBLIC COMMENT.
CLIMATE CRISIS AND STRUCTURAL
EQUITIES ARE SHARING WITH HOW
SEATTLE CAN PUSH ONE SECTOR TO
STOP CLIMATE CHANGE.
AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, CITIES ARE
TIED UP THROUGH THEIR DOLLARS
AND ONE FINANCIAL SERVICE THAT
IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED THAT HAS AN
IMPACT IS THE INSURANCE
INDUSTRY.
THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY IS THE
FOSSIL FUEL ECONOMY WITH MAJOR
INVESTORS AND WE PROVIDE
INSURANCE FOR RECONSTRUCTION OF
PROJECTS.
WITHOUT IT, PIPELINES CAN'T GET
FINANCED OR BUILT.
PURCHASES OF INSURANCE ARE WELL
PLACED TO PUSH THE INSURANCE
INDUSTRY TO HAVE THEIR VOICE TO
A GROWING CALL ACROSS THE
FINANCE SECTOR.
SO, CITIES SCREENING FOR
INSURANCE COMPANIES THAT HAVE
POLICIES ON FOSSIL FUELS ON
HUMAN RIGHTS IS ONE LOGICAL
STEP IN ALLOWING THE FINANCIAL
SERVICES WITH ITS VALUES AND
SUSTAINABILITY GOALS TO DATE,
THEY ARE RESTRICTING INSURANCE.
SIX INSURERS SEATTLE HAS
CONTRACTED WITH AS OF FALL OF
2019, NONE OF THEM HAVE SUCH
POLICIES AND TWO OF SEATTLE'S
INSURERS, ELIJAH AND WR BERKLEY
ARE ENSURING THE PIPELINE WHICH
WOULD CARE HEAVENLY BILLS OF
OIL EVERY DAY DOWN TO
VANCOUVER.
A MAKES THE RESORTS AND
VIOLATING RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE.
TRIBES ACROSS WASHINGTON HAVE
PUBLICLY OPPOSED THE PROJECT.
THERE IS PRECEDENT FOR THE
CITIES AND COUNTIES PRESSURING
COMPANIES TO ADOPT THESE
POLICIES AND SAN FRANCISCO
ADOPTED A POLICY TO SCREEN
THEIR INSURERS AND PORTER
COUNTY BECAME THE FIRST COUNTY
TO DO SO AND JUST YESTERDAY I
HEARD A TALK FROM THE
COMMISSIONER THAT SHARED THAT
AS THEY HAVE BEEN IMPLEMENT THE
úPOLICY AND TALKING TO INSURANC
COMPANIES THAT THEY HAVE GOTTEN
A LOT OF SURPRISE FROM THEM
WHICH UNDERSCORES THE
IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATING THE
INDUSTRY AND DEMONSTRATING
PUBLIC PRESSURE THAT IS NEEDED
TO PUSH THESE COMPANIES TO STOP
BUSINESS AS USUAL.
IN APRIL 2020, NEW YORK CITY
SENT A LETTER TO THREE KEY
COMPANIES CALLING ON THEM TO
ADOPT POLICIES.
SO, I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THIS
AND I HAVE BEEN IN TALKS WITH
SOME OF YOU ABOUT WHAT THIS
WILL LOOK LIKE AND WE WILL
FOLLOW UP AND THERE IS A LOT OF
LEVERAGE THAT THE CITY HAS TO
REALLY PUSH THE SECTOR AND
FOLLOW-UP ON THE AMAZING WORK
AROUND WELLS FARGO.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY, I'M NEXT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HERE.
MY NAME IS JONATHAN FIKRU.
I GREW UP IN SEATTLE AND
SEATTLE HAS BEEN MY HOME AND I
ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT I AM ALSO A
VISITOR AND THAT THIS IS THE
PLACE OF THE AMISH FOLKS AND I
WANT TO RECOGNIZE THAT.
SO, I WANTED TO TALK ABOUT THE
TIME OF THIS CONVERSATION.
LAST WEEKEND, WE GOT OUR AIR
QUALITY BACK AND I KNOW THE
WILDFIRES ARE STILL BURNING
RIGHT NOW IN PLACES LIKE
WASHINGTON AND CALIFORNIA AND
OREGON.
I ALSO WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THAT
TOMORROW WILL BE ONE YEAR SINCE
THE GLOBAL CLIMATE STRIKE IN
WHICH MILLIONS OF YOUNG PEOPLE
MARCHED AND STRIKE FOR THE
CLIMATE AND HERE IN SEATTLE,
THERE WERE 10,000 PEOPLE THAT
MARCHED FROM ANDERSON TO CITY
HALL FOR JUSTICE AND IT WAS A
REALLY COOL MOMENT TO SEE THE
YOUTH LED MOVEMENT AND THE
WORKERS THAT SHOWED SOLIDARITY
AND I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT
THAT TOMORROW WILL BE ONE YEAR
SINCE THE CLIMATE STRIKE
HAPPENED.
IT IS NOT A COINCIDENCE THAT
THE WILDFIRES HAVE INTENSIFIED
ON THE WEST AND ALSO THAT THE
HURRICANES HIT IN THE GULF WITH
HURRICANE SALLY AND LAURA.
IT IS NOT A COINCIDENCE.
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, MY SCHOOLS
WERE TEACHING ME THAT THESE
WERE CALLED NATURAL DISASTERS
AND I'M HAPPY TO HEAR THAT IS A
TERM THAT IS OUTDATED BECAUSE I
THINK EVERYONE KNOWS THAT THERE
IS NOTHING NATURAL ABOUT THESE
DISASTERS AND I ALSO WANTED TO
ADD THAT THERE IS A STORY THAT
CAME OUT A WEEK AGO ABOUT ONE
OF THE FIRES IN CALIFORNIA THAT
STARTED BECAUSE OF AGENDA
REVEAL PARTY AND THAT IS
UNFORTUNATE.
I THINK WE ALL KNOW HERE THAT
THESE EXTREME WEATHER PATTERNS
ARE THE RESULTS OF THE METHODS
AND HOW THIS COUNTRY PROCURES
ITS ENERGY.
YOU KNOW, IT IS NO COINCIDENCE
WITH THE DIGGING AND THE
BURNING AND THE DUMPING AND
USING THINGS TO GAIN ENERGY.
THAT IS CONTRIBUTING TO THE
LOWER TEMPERATURES AND
CONJURING TO THE LONGER SEASONS
OF WILDFIRES.
THE EXTRACTION OF HOW ENERGY IS
PROCURED HAS BEEN ABSOLUTELY
CONTRIBUTING TO WHAT IS
HAPPENING OUT HERE.
SO, TODAY I'M SPEAKING AS AN
ORGANIZER FOR THE CLIMATE
JUSTICE FOR BLACK LIVES AND
JUST A BRIEF BACKGROUND, A
COLLECTIVE OF BLACK AND
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF COLOR,
SOME OF US HAVE A LOT OF
EXPERIENCE AND SOME OF US ARE
JUST NEW TO THE MOVEMENT BUT WE
ALL CARRY BRILLIANCE AND
STRENGTH FROM OUR TRUST WITH
EACH OTHER AND RELATIONSHIPS
AND ESPECIALLY BECAUSE WE ARE A
BLOCK INDIGENOUS COLLECTIVE AND
WE WANTED TO PUT OUT AN EVENT
BECAUSE WE WANTED TO CENTER THE
CONVERSATION BETWEEN BOX FINDS
MATTER AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE AND
WE ALSO UNDERSTAND THAT WE
CAN'T FIX THE CRISIS WITHOUT
BLACK LIBERATION.
FOR ME WITH MY PERSONAL
EXPERIENCE, MY MOM HAS ASTHMA
AND I'M SURE EVERYONE ON THIS
PANEL AND IN COUNSEL, THERE ARE
PEOPLE IN OUR LIVES THAT HAVE A
RESPIRATORY CONDITION SO WHEN
COVID HIT, THERE WAS THE
VULNERABLE POPULATION AND THIS
PATTERN OF MULTIPLE CRISES,
THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MAY
AFFECT BLACK FOLKS AND PEOPLE
OF COLOR THAT THEY HAVE TO FACE
THE CLIMATE JUSTICE FOR BLACK
LINES, THIS CRISIS IS NOW AND
THERE ARE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN
EXPERIENCING THIS FOR YEARS.
THERE ARE AREAS OUTSIDE OF
AMERICA WHERE THINGS ARE
VANISHING AND THE REALITY OF
THE SITUATION IS WE NEED TO
INVEST IN THE COMMUNITY AND IT
IS A REALLY SERIOUS THING AND I
APPRECIATE BEING ON THIS PANEL.
I AM COMMITTED TO FIGHTING FOR
CLIMATE JUSTICE BECAUSE I KNOW
A BETTER WORLD IS POSSIBLE
SHOULDERS OF GIANTS LIKE
JUSTICE IS NOTHING NEW AND
THERE ARE FOLKS ON THIS PANEL
AND FOLKS NATIONALLY AND
LOCALLY AND THERE IS SUCH A
RICH HISTORY OF BLACK AND
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF COLOR EVEN
IN SEATTLE AND I JUST WANT TO
RECOGNIZE THE LEGACY OF PEOPLE
THAT I HAVE NOT MET YET AND I
JUST WANTED TO NAME THAT AND
SAY THANK YOU FOR ALL OF THE
WORK THAT EVERYONE IS DOING AND
I HOPE YOU ARE TAKING CARE OF
YOURSELVES.
>> THANK YOU, JONATHAN.
IF WE GO TO SLIDE TWO, PLEASE.
[ SPEAKING FOREIGN LANGUAGE ]
FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT FOR
OPENING UP THE SPACE TO TALK
ABOUT THIS SERIOUS ISSUE OF
THE CLIMATE CRISIS AS WELL AS
ALL OF THE SUPPORT YOU HAVE
GIVEN US FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW
ON QUITE A FEW ISSUES INCLUDING
THE WELLS FARGO INVESTMENT.
BEFORE I JUMP INTO WORDS WITH
WHAT WE ARE INVOLVED WITH.
I JUST WANT TO ECHO THE PUBLIC
COMMENTS AND SHOW SUPPORT FOR
THE RENTERS AND CALL FOR
STOPPING THE RENT.
I LIVE IN DISTRICT 2 IN BEACON
HILL AND WE ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT
WHAT THOSE FOLKS ARE CALLING
FOR.
MAZASKA TALKS WAS AN OUTGROWTH
OF THE WORK WE WERE INVOLVED
WITH ON TRYING TO STOP THE
DAKOTA ACCESS PIPELINE.
WE ZEROED IN ON THE FINANCIAL
COMPANIES AND LOOKING AT WHO
HAD ENERGY TRANSFER PARTNERS TO
HAVE THAT PIPELINE AND ZEROED
IN ON WELLS FARGO IN PARTICULAR
IS ONE OF THE MAJOR FUNDERS OF
THAT PIPELINE AND THANKS TO THE
SUPPORT OF COUNCILMEMBERS
SAWANT AND MOSQUEDA FOR
SUPPORTING THE ORDINANCE TO
HOLD THE CITY AND OF ITS
RELATIONSHIP WITH WELLS FARGO,
IT REALLY SPARKED NOT ONLY A
REGIONAL AND NATIONAL BUT
INTERNATIONAL MOVEMENT OF
INDIVIDUALS LOOKING AT HOW THE
FINANCIAL SECTOR IS DIVESTING
THE ROLE IT CAN PLAY IN
ADDRESSING THESE PIPELINES AND
OTHER COMPANIES.
RACHEL DID NOT MENTION THIS BUT
SHE WAS PART OF A DELEGATION
THAT WENT TO EUROPE WITH OTHER
INDIGENOUS PEOPLES TO CALL OUT
EUROPEAN-BASED INSURANCE
COMPANIS AND BANKS AND STUFF
LIKE THAT TO RESPECT INDIGENOUS
RIGHTS AND TO STOP FINANCING
AND FUNDING THE FOSSIL FUEL
INDUSTRY.
THAT IS WHERE MAZASKA TALKS HAD
ITS GROWTH FROM THERE AND WE
GOT INVOLVED WITH THE TREATY
ALLIANCE AGAINST THE EXPANSION
AND THE TREATY ALLIANCE IS A
COALITION OF AROUND 150 FIRST
NATION GOVERNMENTS IN SEVERAL
TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS ON THE U. S.
SIDE WHO HAVE COME TOGETHER TO
OPPOSE ANY OF THE PROPOSED
PIPELINES THAT THE
ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN PUSHING
FOR.
WE WERE ASKED TO BRING IN THE
INVESTMENT ANGLE AND LANGUAGE
WHICH WE DID AND STARTED A
CAMPAIGN AFTER SEVERAL THOSE
PIPELINES.
A COUPLE HAVE BEEN STOPPED
ALTHOUGH WE ARE STILL FACING
THE KEYSTONE XL PIPELINE AS
WELL AS THE ONE SELECTION THAT
WAS REFERENCING THE AMOUNT
PIPELINE AND THAT IS NOT ONLY
INTO VANCOUVER BUT ONE OF THE
OFFSHOOTS OF THAT PIPELINE THAT
IS DOWN JUST NORTH OF US SO WE
CAN SEE A MASSIVE INCREASE
COMING DOWN AND AROUND AND INTO
THOSE DIFFERENT PORTS SO WE
ABSOLUTELY SUPPORT ANY AND ALL
MEANS GOING AFTER FINANCIAL
COMPANIES AND THE BANKS AND
INSURANCE COMPANIES TO TRY TO
STOP THESE DIFFERENT PIPELINES.
LET'S JUMP TO NUMBER FOUR,
SLIDE FOUR PLEASE.
WE ARE BIG BELIEVERS THAT YOU
CAN ENGAGE LOCALLY TO TRY TO
HAVE AN IMPACT ON ADDRESSING
THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND IT WILL
REQUIRE MORE THAN WHAT THE CITY
OF SEATTLE DOES BUT WE CAN
CERTAINLY BECOME A MODEL OF
WHAT OTHER JURISDICTIONS CAN
ENGAGE IN.
WE HAVE SEEN THIS IN THE PAST
AND COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT WORKED
WITH US ON THE INDIGENOUS
PEOPLE RESOLUTION TO ABOLISH
THE IN SEATTLE AND THAT
MOVEMENT SPARKED ACROSS THE
COUNTRY AND NOW WE ARE UP TO
100+ CITIES AND TOWNS AND
STATES THAT HAVE PASSED SIMILAR
ABOLISH RESOLUTIONS.
WE SAW THIS WITH THAT
INVESTMENT OF WELLS FARGO TAKE
OFF TO OTHER CITIES AROUND THE
COUNTRY AND REALLY AROUND THE
WORLD AS WELL.
WE HAD THE HONOR TO WORK WITH
COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN LAST YEAR
ON THE SCREENING DEAL AND WERE
SUCCESSFUL IN PASSING A
RESOLUTION AND ORDINANCE TO
HOPEFULLY GET SEATTLE TO BE
FOSSIL FUEL THREE BY 23 WHICH
IS AN AGGRESSIVE GOAL.
WITH THAT SAID, NOW IS THE TIME
FOR THOSE IN LEADERSHIP TO MOVE
BEYOND STATEMENTS AND REALLY
BEGIN TO PUT MONEY INTO
ADDRESSING THE CLIMATE CRISIS.
WHAT YOU SEE ARE SOME OF THE
BUDGET FUNDING AREAS THAT WE
WOULD LIKE TO SEE SEATTLE
MOVING TO FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
THE FIRST ONE BEING FUNDING
ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT FOR
HOMES AND BUILDINGS AND ONE OF
THE BIGGEST AREAS OF FOSSIL
FUEL OMISSIONS FOR THE CITY IS
THE BURNING OF OIL AND GAS IN
HOMES AND BUILDINGS.
WE LIKE TO SEE ASSISTANCE
ESPECIALLY FOR HOMES TO CONVERT
OFF OF OIL AND GAS TO 100%
RENEWABLES.
ANOTHER STRATEGY IN REDUCING
THE CARBON FOOTPRINT IS FINDING
ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT THE
WEATHER STATIONS OF HOMES AND
BUILDINGS WHICH IS ANOTHER AREA
THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE CITY
SUPPORT AND.
AGAIN, IN THE ORDINANCE, WE
CALL FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A
RENEWED DEAL WHICH WOULD BE
MADE UP OF 19 MEMBERS WITH THE
LABOR AND IMPACTED COMMUNITIES
AND ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
GROUPS AND TRIBES TO OVERSEE
SOME OF THE WORK GOING INTO THE
DEAL AND SEE THAT THE CITY IS
LIVING UP TO ITS COMMITMENTS.
WE SEE FOSSIL FUEL OMISSIONS
AND SO FAR THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH
CONTINUES TO REFUSE THE FUNDING
FOR STAFFING FOR THE OVERSIGHT
BOARD.
WE WOULD LIKE TO CALL ON THE
CITY AND FOLKS TO PUSH HARD FOR
THAT FUNDING TO GO FOR THE
STAFFING POSITION AS WELL AS
THE STIPENDS FOR LOW INCOME AND
YOUTH PARTICIPATION IN THAT
BOARD.
NUMBER FIVE IS A WORKER PROGRAM
TO BE ESTABLISHED FOR THOSE
WORKERS THAT ARE CURRENTLY IN
OIL OR GAS CHARMS AND SOME SORT
OF TRAINING PROGRAM TO HELP
THEM TRANSITION INTO GREEN
ECONOMY JOBS.
WE WOULD NOT SEE THAT AS
EQUITABLE TO START ELIMINATING
SOME OF THESE JOBS AND NOT GIVE
OUR WORKING BROTHERS AND
SISTERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
TRANSITION INTO GOOD PAYING
JOBS WITHIN THE GREEN ECONOMY.
IF WE CAN JUMP TO NUMBER FIVE,
PLEASE.
ACTUALLY, JUMP DOWN TO NUMBER
SIX.
RIGHT TOWARDS THE END OF
COUNCILMEMBER O'BRIEN'S TENURE
ON THE BOARD, WE ARE WORKING ON
THE HEALTHY HOMES HEALTHY
BUILDING ORDINANCE AND WOULD
ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO TAKE THIS
ORDINANCE AND PICK IT BACK UP
AND WHAT IT WAS CALLING FOR WAS
A BAN ON OIL AND GAS AND ANY
NEW HOMES OR BUILDINGS IN THE
CITY AS JUST SAYS, ONE OF THE
FIRST STEPS IS TO STOP MAKING
IT WORSE.
WE ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO PASS
THIS ORDINANCE AND ONE THING ON
NATURAL GAS, THE CITY OF
SEATTLE THROUGH PUGET SOUND
ENERGY GETS THE BULK OF THE
NATURAL GAS OUT OF BRITISH
COLUMBIA AND ALBERTA WHERE THE
MAJORITY OF THESE SITES ARE ON
OR NEXT TO THE FIRST NATIONS
COMMUNITIES SO NATIVE RELATIVES
TO THE NORTH ARE SUFFERING WITH
WHAT IS TAKING PLACE ON THEIR
LANDS FOR US TO HEED OUR HOMES
AND BUILDINGS HERE IN SEATTLE.
WE KNOW THE ISSUE OF INDIGENOUS
WOMEN IS DIRECTLY TIED TO THESE
SITES AND RELATED WITH WHAT WE
ARE SEEING IN BRITISH COLUMBIA
AROUND THE SITES.
ADDRESSING OR PASSING THIS BAND
WITH THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND IT
ADDRESSES THE ISSUE OF MISSING
AND MURDERED INDIGENOUS WOMEN.
ONE OF THE MAIN BYPRODUCTS IS
METHANE WHICH IS ACTUALLY A FAR
WORSE GREENHOUSE GAS THAN
CARBON.
NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
WE KNOW WE NEED TO ULTIMATELY
GET AWAY FROM PUTTING THE
CITY'S MONEY WITH ANY OF THESE
WALL STREET BANKS.
WE ENCOURAGE THE CITY COUNCIL
TO WORK WITH THE SENATOR WHO
HAS BEEN WORKING ON A PLAN FOR
A NUMBER OF YEARS NOW.
WE GOT A BUDGET PLAN PASSED
LAST YEAR BUT IT WAS VETOED BY
THE GOVERNOR DUE TO COVID SO WE
ENCOURAGE THE CITY TO WORK
AGAIN ON A BUDGET PLAN SO THAT
IF AND WHEN A STATE BANK IS
ESTABLISHED, THE CITY OF
SEATTLE CAN ENGAGE IN THE
DEPOSITORY SERVICES WITH A STATE
BANK.
IF WE CAN JUMP TO THE LAST
LINE, I WILL WRAP UP.
I JUST WANT TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS
TO COME OUT ON OCTOBER 2 TWO A
GLOBAL DAY OF ACTION AGAINST
THE PIPELINES AND THOSE THAT
ARE FUNDING IT OR GIVING
INSURANCE TO IT.
THERE WILL BE ACTIONS
THROUGHOUT MANY CITIES AS WELL
AS ONLINE SUPPORT SO YOU CAN GO
TO STOP THE MONEY PIPELINE TO
GET CONNECTED WITH THAT AND
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> THANK YOU, MATT.
I KNOW JUST WILL SPEAK NEXT BUT
I WANT TO NOTE THAT WE ARE AT
11:49 AND I APOLOGIZE FOR THE
SHORTNESS OF THE DISCUSSION.
THIS IS NOT THE LAST DISCUSSION
BY ANY MEANS BUT I DID WANT US
TO FIT THIS AND BEFORE THE
COUNCIL GOES TO THE BUDGET AND
I KNOW COUNCILMEMBERS WILL HAVE
COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS WHICH I
WANTED TO MAKE A FEW MINUTES
FOR BEFORE WE GO TO THE NEXT
ITEM.
>> ARE YOU AIMING FOR ONE
MINUTE OR THREE MINUTES ?
>> JUST A FEW MINUTES.
>> I APPRECIATE THIS AND I
DON'T NEED A TON TIME BECAUSE
SO MUCH HAS PUT HERE.
I HAVE HIM.
WHEN IT WAS 11 AND I AM AN
ORGANIZER WITH THE 50 SEATTLE
AND WE ARE A NONPROFIT THAT IS
MAKING SYSTEMS CHANGE AND WE
WORK IN THREE AREAS OF
RESISTING FOSSIL FUELS AND
BUILDING TOWARDS THE JUST
RESIGNED COMMUNITY CENTERED
FUTURE THAT WE NEED.
JUST A LOT OF GRATITUDE FOR THE
FOLKS THAT SHARED BEFORE ME AND
WITH THE PRIORITIES I HEARD
FROM FOLKS IN THE COMIC PERIOD
HEARING ABOUT THE NEED FOR RENT
CANCELLATION AND THE POWERFUL
NATIONAL SOLIDARITY HAPPENING
AND I THINK THAT IS WHERE THE
WORK IS AND IT MAKES ME
PARTICULARLY EXCITED TO TALK TO
YOU ABOUT SOME OF THE NEW DEAL
PRIORITIES.
I JUST WANT TO SHARE A PERSONAL
THING.
WHEN I MENTIONED THE IDEAL
FUTURE, WE CAN TALK ABOUT
POLICY AND FUNDING BUT FOR ME,
IT STARTS WITH THINKING ABOUT
WHAT THE FUTURE LOOKS LIKE AND
FEELS LIKE.
IN SOME WAYS, IT IS QUITE
SIMPLE.
NO MATTER WHO YOU ARE OR WHAT
IS IN YOUR WALLET OR WHAT YOU
LOOK LIKE, YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO
BE HEALTHY AND PLAY AND GROW
AND LEARN AND WORK AND DREAMED
OF A FUTURE THAT FEELS STABLE
AND HEALTHY.
THAT FEELING IS WHAT WE ARE
WORKING TOWARDS AND THAT MEANS
ADDRESSING SYSTEMIC INJUSTICES
THAT ARE KEEPING SO MANY OF US
UNSTABLE AND THAT MEANS BEING
REAL ABOUT THE CRISIS THAT WE
FACE WITH ECONOMIC INJUSTICE
AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS AND
TRANSFORMING FROM THE
EXTRACTIVE ECONOMY.
TO AN ECONOMY THAT RECESS IN
PLACE WITH CARE AND AN ECONOMY
THAT WILL TAKE CARE OF US AND
FUTURE GENERATIONS.
I JUST HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF
TIME HERE TODAY BUT I WANT TO
LIFT UP ONE COMMUNITY SOLUTION
THAT IS IMPORTANT AND EXCITING
AND ACCESSIBLE IN THE COMING
YEARS.
THE CITY COUNCIL COMMITTED TO
THE GOALS OF THE CAMPAIGN LAST
YEAR WHICH IS TO ELIMINATE THE
CLIMATE POLLUTION BY INVESTING
IN SOLUTIONS THAT WILL CREATE
GOOD AND GREEN JOBS AND I JUST
INJUSTICES AND MAKE OUR
COMMUNITIES HEALTHIER.
THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS WE CAN
DO THAT AND ONE THE MOST
POWERFUL IS TO THINK ABOUT HOW
WE CAN BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING
THAT IS COUPLED WITH TRANSMIT.
STRAIGHT UP, THE MOST EFFECTIVE
THING WE CAN DO PER DOLLAR
SPENT WHEN IT COMES TO REDUCING
THE CLIMATE POLLUTION IS TO
BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
COUPLE IT GIVING PEOPLE IN
PLACE AND MAKING SURE THEY CAN
BE WITH FAMILIES AND JOBS AND
DON'T HAVE TO MOVE AS WE FACE A
CRISIS.
IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE MOST
IMPORTANT THINGS WE CAN DO TO
TAKE CARE OF OUR PEOPLE AND
THAT NEED HAS NEVER BEEN MORE
CLEAR THAN THIS PANDEMIC AND
YOU HEARD ABOUT THAT AT THE
BEGINNING OF THIS CALL.
EVEN PEOPLE IN PLACE AND MAKING
SURE THEIR COMMUNITIES ARE
STRONGER AND MORE RESILIENT
WHICH WE NEED WHEN YOU WERE
CLIMATE IMPACTS.
IT IS ALSO A CRITICAL STRATEGY
FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND ANOTHER
MOMENT TO LIFT UP
INTERSECTIONS.
OUR WORK IS DEEPLY CONNECTED
WITH RACIAL JUSTICE AND WHAT
YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS
TO ME JUST SO NEED SO THEY CAN
TAKE CARE OF ONE ANOTHER AND BE
STRONG AND HEALTHY AND THEY
DON'T HAVE TO DEPEND ON THE
EXTRACTIVE ECONOMY, WE BEGIN TO
WITHDRAW WITH THE SYSTEMS THAT
ARE DESTROYING OUR PLANET AND
RIPPING OUR COMMUNITIES APART.
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A MUCH
BIGGER CONVERSATION AND
SOMETHING THAT IS TALKED ABOUT
AND AS WE GO INTO BUDGET, IT
WILL BE AN IMPORTANT PRIORITY
FOR US.
I LOOK FORWARD TO TALKING WITH
THE COMMUNITY AND LEARNING MORE
ABOUT IT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU TO ALL THE
PANELISTS FOR THIS ENGAGING AN
IMPORTANT PRESENTATION.
I WANTED TO INVITE
COUNCILMEMBERS IF YOU WOULD
LIKE TO SPEAK, PLEASE INDICATE
TO ME BY RAISING YOUR HAND OR
SENDING ME A MESSAGE OR ANY OF
THOSE MEANS.
I DON'T SEE ANY COUNCILMEMBERS
SPEAKING RIGHT NOW AND IN THE
MEANTIME, -- ACTUALLY,
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSON, DID YOU
WANT TO ASK A QUESTION?
OKAY, I JUST SAW YOU COME OFF
MUTE.
ONE QUESTION I HAVE FOR THE
PANELISTS AND ANY OF YOU CAN
TAKE THIS IS MATT MENTIONED ONE
OF THE SLIDES THAT WAS A KEY
SLIDE IN THE PRESENTATION WAS
THE CITY GOVERNMENT NEEDS TO
TAKE ON IN ORDER TO MAKE
SPECIFIC AND CONCRETE AND NOT
JUST TALKING BUT TAKING ACTION
TO REDUCE THE CARBON FOOTPRINT
AND THE POINT WAS WELL MADE OF
A LIMITING SANDALS CARBON IS A
TALL ORDER GIVEN HOW THINGS
HAVE GONE SO FAR.
WHAT WILL IT TAKE TO ACCOMPLISH
THAT?
IT WILL TAKE CONCRETE CHANGES
AND ONE OF THOSE, YOU MATT
TALKED ABOUT WHICH IS THE
CONVERSION OF BUILDINGS TO
RENEWABLES AND I THINK ONE
THING THAT I WOULD LIKE YOU TO
BRING OUT THIS DISCUSSION IS
THE JOBS THAT COULD BE CREATED
AND NOT JUST JOBS BUT UNIONIZED
LIVING WAGE JOBS WITH TRAINING
PROGRAMS AND APPRENTICESHIP
PROGRAMS THAT CAN BE CREATED
WITH PROGRAMS LIKE
WEATHERIZATION AND CONVERSION
OF BUILDINGS TO CLEAN ENERGY
AND SO IF YOU CAN TALK ABOUT
THAT IN GENERAL AND TIE IT TO
WHAT THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE
DOING IN THE 20 SAWANT BUDGET
TO ADDRESS THAT.
>> ABSOLUTELY.
JUST, I WILL KICK IT OVER TO
YOU ON THE JOBS PART BUT I
WANTED TO POINT OUT THAT WHEN
WE WERE MEETING AND DEVELOPING
THE GREEN NEW DEAL, IT WAS AN
ESSENTIAL PART OF THAT AND WE
RECOGNIZED THAT WE WERE TALKING
ABOUT ELECTRIFICATION AND THAT
IT WILL BE WORKERS THAT WILL BE
REMOVING THE GAS AND OIL
MOVEMENTS AND ELECTRIFYING THEM
SO IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT WE HAVE
THE UNITS ON THE TABLE
ALONGSIDE US.
I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO THAT
STUFF AND I'M SURE A LOT OF
OTHER FOLKS DON'T KNOW HOW TO
DO THAT EITHER SO IT IS
IMPORTANT TO HAVE THEIR VOICE
AND EXPERIENCE AT THE TABLE.
IN TERMS OF PROGRAMS, I HAVE
SEEN SOME AROUND THE COUNTRY
THAT SEATTLE COULD POTENTIALLY
MODEL WHEN IT COMES TO GREEN
JOBS AND ONE OF THEM ACTUALLY
BEING FROM WHERE I AM FROM AND
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THE
COUNCIL ENGAGED IN WAS TO BRING
SOLAR ENERGY TO A NUMBER OF OUR
DISTRICTS AND COMMUNITIES AND
WHAT THEY DID WAS PARTNER WITH
LOCAL TRIBAL COLLEGES TO
PROVIDE APPRENTICESHIPS AND
TRAININGS FOR ANY TRIBAL MEMBER
OR FOLKS THAT WANTED TO LEARN
HOW TO BUILD SOLAR PANELS AND
INSTALL SOLAR PANELS AND ENGAGE
IN THE MAINTENANCE OF SOLAR
PANELS AND AFTER THE
APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM, THEY
WERE PUT TO WORK AND IN THAT
AREA AND THAT PIPELINE, IT WAS
CONSTRUCTED AND THE DISTRICT
NOW HAS SEVERAL SOLAR PANELS
THAT BRING ENERGY TO THAT
PARTICULAR DISTRICT SO I CAN
IMAGINE SEATTLE HAS NUMEROUS
COLLEGES AND TRADE SCHOOLS THAT
COULD BE CREATIVE IN FIGURING
OUT THESE APPRENTICESHIP TRADE
PROGRAMS AND WHAT THEY LOOK
LIKE AND HOW TO ENGAGE WITH
THEM.
JUST, DO YOU WANT TO SAY
ANYTHING MORE ON THAT OR ANYONE
ELSE?
>> THANKS, MATT.
I THINK THE IMPORTANCE OF
CLARITY WITH OUR PARTNERS ON
DEVELOPING GREEN JOBS AS WELL
AS THE FOLKS THAT HAVE BEEN
ADVOCATING FOR GREEN JOBS LIKE
JOHN, YOU HAVE BEEN A PART OF
THAT WORK FOR MANY YEARS AND I
THINK THERE IS A LOT OF
CAPACITY TO BUILD THESE
PROGRAMS AND THAT'S ANOTHER
REASON TO WORK CLOSELY WITH OSC
TO GET THE OVERSIGHT UP AND
RUNNING.
THERE IS A SPECIFIC RULE FOR
LABOR AND THE COMMUNITY
PARTNERS TO DO THAT POLICY
VISIONING AND MAKING.
WITH THE EXPANSION AND TALKING
ABOUT GREEN JOBS, SOLAR ENERGY
AND AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND
PARTICULARLY WITH STRONG UNION
LABORERS AND PROJECT AGREEMENTS
ARE REALLY IMPORTANT PARTS OF
THE CONVERSATION.
THERE ARE ALSO GREEN JOBS THAT
DON'T LOOK LIKE CONSTRUCTION
JOBS OR UTILITY JOBS AND YOU
TALK ABOUT GREEN JOBS, WE MEAN
THE CLIMATE AND TAKING CARE THE
COMMUNITY.
HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND
EDUCATORS AND FOLKS THAT ARE
TAKING CARE OF KIDS AND BUS
DRIVERS CAN ALL HAVE GREEN JOBS
AND IF YOU ARE THINKING
HOLISTICALLY OF WHAT IT MEANS
TO TAKE CARE OF THE COMMUNITY
AND BUILD A BETTER WORLD, LET'S
BE THINKING ABOUT HOW ALL OF
THOSE FOLKS ARE A PART OF THIS
STORY AND PART OF THE WORK TO
HELP THE FUTURE.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
LISTING THAT OUT.
I DIDN'T WANT TO GIVE CREDIT
AS THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF WORK
IN TERMS OF GREEN JOBS AND TO
JESSES POINT, THE YOUNG LEADERS
COMMITTEE DEVELOPED THEIR OWN
TERM OF A GREEN JOB AND THAT
HIS A LOT OF THINGS THAT JUST
MENTIONED WITH A JOB THAT IS
GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY AND PAYS
A LIVING WAGE AND IT CAN LOOK
LIKE SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS.
IT IS SO VAST AND THEN THE
OTHER THING I WANT TO MENTION
IS THAT THERE ARE LOCAL MODELS
HAPPENING SO THERE IS A GREEN
PATHWAY PROGRAM AND IT IS ABOUT
PLACING PEOPLE OF COLOR IN
ORGANIZATIONS AND PROVIDING A
LIVING WAGE AND IDEALLY, WE
NEED MORE GREEN PATHWAYS.
I THINK THE CITY SHOULD LOOK
INTO MODELING THAT FELLOWSHIP
PROGRAM BECAUSE WE KNOW THERE
ARE FOLKS IN THE CITY
DEPARTMENT BUT ARE ALSO IN
RETIREMENT AND THAT THERE WILL
BE A NEED FOR A TRANSITION OF
WORKERS.
SO, REMEMBERING THAT THERE IS
ALREADY A LEGACY AND ALREADY A
BLUEPRINT AND IT IS JUST A
MATTER OF THE CITY PRIORITIZING
AND MAKING THE INVESTMENTS AND
LOOKING FROM THE PEOPLE THAT
ARE ALREADY MAKING IT HAPPEN.
>> I JUST WANT TO PIGGYBACK
REAL QUICK ON WHAT EVERYONE
ELSE WAS SAYING.
PART OF THAT RELATIONSHIP WHEN
WE TALK ABOUT NATIVE
COMMUNITIES IS ALSO THE CITY
BEING A MODEL THAT OTHER
COMMUNITIES SUCH AS SURROUNDING
TRIBAL COMMUNITIES HAVE THE
ABILITY TO TAKE THE SAME MODEL
AND PUT IT INTO THE COMMUNITY.
WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO A LOT
OF THIS WORK FASTER THAN SOME
OF US SEE IN THESE PROCESSES.
I THINK IT IS ALSO THAT
OPPORTUNITY OF THE CITY BEING A
MODEL FOR OUR COMMUNITIES AND
MOVING THOSE JOBS FURTHER OUT
FROM SEATTLE AND WHEN WE THINK
OF THE FACT THAT THERE ARE TWO
FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBES AND
THAT IS PART OF CREATING THOSE
PARTNERSHIPS AND THE SEATS AT
THE TABLE TO HAVE THOSE
CONVERSATIONS SO THAT THE WORK
IS NOT JUST HAPPENING HERE BUT
CREATING A MODEL.
>> RIGHT.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR
COMMENTS AND I WILL JUST MAKE
A FEW CLOSING REMARKS BUT ONLY
IN THE SPIRIT THAT WE WILL BE
COMING BACK TO MANY OF THESE
IMPORTANT DISCUSSIONS.
SOME OF THEM NEXT YEAR BUT SOME
OF THEM RIGHT AWAY FOR THE
BUDGET DISCUSSION.
BECAUSE WE HAVE THE RENTERS
RIGHTS PANEL WAITING TO GET ON
AND WE HAVE TO END THE MEETING
SOON BECAUSE THE CITY COUNCILS
MEETING SCHEDULING
RESTRICTIONS, I JUST WANTED TO
QUICKLY REALLY REITERATE THE
POINTS THAT WERE MADE IN
RELATION TO JOBS AND THE NEED
FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL MOVEMENT
AND CLIMATE JUSTICE MOVEMENT
AND THE LABOR MOVEMENT TO
REALLY RECOGNIZE THAT THIS IS
ACTUALLY A NEED TO BUILD ONE
MOVEMENT THAT IS UNITED AND
ORGANIZED AND ALL OF US FACE
CLIMATE CHANGE.
IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO YOU ARE.
YOU WILL BE IMPACTED AND IT IS
IN THE INTEREST OF THE WHOLE
MOVEMENT TO BE RECOGNIZED AND
THERE ARE CONCRETE OBSTACLE
BECAUSE OFTEN WE WILL SEE
LEADERS BEING A PART OF THIS
PROCESS AND WE NEED TO BREAK
THAT AND BRING THE LEADERSHIP
ALONGSIDE THE MOVEMENT AND THE
RANK-AND-FILE HAVE A BIG ROLE
TO PLAY AND I THINK A VERY
IMPORTANT POINT THAT WAS MADE
IS THAT HEALTHCARE WORKERS AND
EDUCATOR UNIONS AND MANY OF THE
OTHER UNIONS THAT MAY NOT
REPRESENT WORKERS IN THE FOSSIL
FUEL SECTOR HAVE A BIG ROLE TO
DRAW OUT THE UNIONS INTO THE
STRUGGLE.
I THINK THIS IS A VERY CONCRETE
THING THAT WE NEED TO DO AND
I'M GLAD YOU ALL MENTIONED
THAT.
I WILL DEFINITELY MAKE SURE
THAT OUR OFFICE HIGHLIGHTS TO
OUR SOCIAL MEDIA AND OTHER
ACTIONS TO STOP THE PIPELINE
WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT.
IT IS VERY CRUCIAL THAT THE
MOVEMENT IS POINTING OUT AND
NOT ONLY ARE WE UP AGAINST A
FOSSIL FUEL LOBBY BUT UP
AGAINST WALL STREET BECAUSE
THEY ARE FINANCING THE CLIMATE
DESTRUCTION AS YOU ALL HAVE
SAID AND THAT IS WHY WE NEED
ACTION IN THE STREET.
THANK YOU JOHNNY FOR REMINDING
US THAT WE ARE THE ONE YEAR
ANNIVERSARY OF THE IMPORTANT
STRIKE ACTIONS AND WE NEED THE
HAT BY WORKERS THEMSELVES
SHUTTING DOWN WORK WHETHER IT
IS THE HEALTHCARE UNION OR
FOSSIL FUEL WORKERS UNION.
THEY WILL BE A KEY COMPONENT OF
SHUTTING DOWN THE FOSSIL FUEL
MACHINE AND I JUST WANT TO
HIGHLIGHT THAT THE TRANSIT
WORKERS UNIONS HAVE A KEY MODEL
TO PLAY AND THE TRANSIT WORKERS
MEANING THERE IS A DEFINITE
LINK TO THE FOSSIL FUEL SECTOR
AS WELL.
I THINK ALL OF THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO KEEP
THINKING ABOUT AND WE WILL BE
HIGHLIGHTING THE PROTEST AND WE
LOOK FORWARD TO SUPPORTING THE
BUDGET DEMANDS FOR NEXT WEEK SO
PLEASE KEEP IN TOUCH WITH OUR
OFFICE AND WE WILL MAKE SURE
THAT THE BUDGET MOVEMENT WILL
PUSH FOR SOME CONCRETE GAINS TO
THE BUDGET AND LAST BUT NOT
LEAST, WE WANT TO FOLLOW UP ON
THE THING THAT MATT MENTIONED
WHICH IS THE NEED TO CARRY OUT
A CITYWIDE BAND ON GAS AND WE
HAVE SOME NEW AND COMMERCIAL
BUILDINGS AND I WILL SAY THAT
AS YOU ALL HAVE SAID,
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS A BIG
COMPONENT OF REDUCING CLIMATE
AFFECTS AND THAT IS WHY IT IS
SO CRUCIAL THAT THE BLACK LIVES
MATTER MOVEMENT AND THE CLIMATE
JUSTICE MOVEMENT AND THE
AFFORDABLE HOUSING JUSTICE
MOVEMENT WILL GET A VICTORY AND
WHILE NOT AS BIG AS WE ARE
PUSHING FOR, IT IS A HUGE STEP
FORWARD AND THE ACTUAL
AFFORDABLE HOMES THAT WILL BE
BUILT ARE GOING TO BE A PART OF
THE CLIMATE JUSTICE VICTORIES.
THEY NEED TO KEEP PUSHING
FORWARD AND WE WILL KEEP
FOLLOWING UP ON THESE ISSUES.
THE NEXT IS THE NEED TO CANCEL
RAT RENT AND FOR THE MILLION
STATEWIDE LETTER FACING A
MASSIVE CRISIS.
WE HAVE THE CRISES IN THE
PANDEMIC AND THE MASSIVE JOB
AND INCOME LOSSES AND ALL THAT
IS HAPPENING BEFORE THE
WILDFIRES BEGAN.
AT THE SAME TIME, WORKING
PEOPLE AND YOUNG PEOPLE HAVE
SHOWN THE IMPACT WE CAN HAVE BY
GETTING ORGANIZED EVEN IN THE
MIDDLE OF THIS PANDEMIC AND THE
MULTIRACIAL JUSTICE FOR GEORGE
FLOYD MOVEMENT ALREADY BROUGHT
MILLIONS ONTO THE STREETS AND
HERE, WE HAVE AFFORDABLE
HOSING WITH THE JUSTICE FOR
GEORGE FLOYD MOVEMENT.
THAT IS A VICTORY THAT BELONGS
TO ALL OF THE MOVEMENTS AND
LOCALLY AND STATEWIDE, RENTERS
HAVE EVICTIONS INCLUDING IN
SEATTLE AND THE PANELS THAT
WILL SPEAK OUR PART IN
ORGANIZING WHAT WE HAVE DONE
THROUGH THE RENTERS RIGHTS
MOVEMENT AND MY OFFICE HAS
QUOTED OVER 9000 SIGNATURES
EARLY ON.
IT WAS JUST A FEW MONTHS AGO IN
EARLY MARCH WHEN THE PANDEMIC
BEGAN" OVER 9000 SIGNATURES TO
CANCEL RENT AND BECAUSE OF THAT
ORGANIZING THAT WAS NOT LIMITED
TO JUST THAT BUT IT WAS
STATEWIDE AND NATIONWIDE AND
NOT JUST IN WASHINGTON STATE
BUT OTHER STATES AND WE ALSO
KNOW THIS IS NOT ENOUGH BECAUSE
IT NEARLY DELAYS WILL BE AN
EXPLOSIVE CRISIS FOR A MAJORITY
OF RENTERS AND WORKING PEOPLE
AND THAT INCLUDES WORKING AND
MIDDLE-CLASS HOMEOWNERS AND
SMALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE
FACING THIS CRISIS AND WE KNOW
THERE WILL BE A TSUNAMI OF
EVICTIONS UNLESS WE CONTINUE TO
GET ORGANIZED.
I HAVE ASKED MY STAFF TO
PREPARE A PRESENTATION THAT
DOCUMENTS THE SCALE AND SCOPE
OF THIS CRISIS THAT WE WILL SEE
IN A MOMENT AND THEN WE WILL
HEAR FROM THE PANEL OF RENTERS
AND ACTIVISTS ABOUT WHY THERE
IS A GROWING DEMAND AND WHAT IS
REALLY IMPORTANT ABOUT THIS IS
IT IS NOT JUST A SEATTLE DEMAND
BUT NATIONWIDE.
WE NEED THIS AND ARE IN CRISIS
AS MANY PEOPLE SAID.
JONATHAN, CAN YOU GO AHEAD AND
RUN THE SLIDESHOW FOR US AS WE
HAVE IMPORTANT STATISTICS TO
GROUND US INTO WHY THIS IS A
CRISIS AND THEN WE WILL HAVE
OUR PANELISTS.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYBODY.
I AM JUST GETTING THE SCREEN UP
HERE IF YOU WILL BEAR WITH ME.
I AM JONATHAN.
CAN EVERYONE HEAR ME?
CAN YOU JUST CONFIRM?
>> YES, WE CAN HEAR YOU.
>> GREAT.
WE WILL GO THROUGH THE SLIDES
AS COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
MENTIONED REVIEWING WHERE WE
ARE AT AND WE WILL START BY
TALKING ABOUT EVEN BEFORE COVID
IN OUR CAPITAL SYSTEM,
NATIONALLY, 70% OF WORKERS WERE
LIVING PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK IN
2017 BEFORE THE COVID CRISIS
EVEN HIT AND ONE HALF OF
MINIMUM WAGE WORKERS HAD TO
WORK MORE THAN ONE JOB IN THIS
COUNTRY JUST TO MAKE ENDS MEET.
THESE ARE NATIONAL STATISTICS
AND THREE OUT OF FOUR SAID THEY
WERE IN DEBT AND MORE THAN HALF
THOUGHT THEY WOULD ALWAYS BE IN
DEBT FOR THEIR ENTIRE LIVES.
BEFORE COVID, THREE AND FIVE
RENTERS CANNOT TALK WITH $400
IN EMERGENCY.
IN SEATTLE BEFORE COVID, NEARLY
HALF OF RENTERS WERE RENT
BURDENED IN OTHER WORDS, PAYING
MORE THAN 30% OF THEIR INCOME
IN RENT.
RENT HAS GONE UP IN THE LAST
DECADE, 69% AND MORE THAN TWO
TIMES THE NATIONAL AVERAGE.
BEFORE THE COVID CRISIS EVEN
STARTED.
THE AVERAGE RENT WAS OVER $2000
A MONTH MEETING THAT A
HOUSEHOLD WOULD HAVE TO HAVE
$81,000 A YEAR OR MORE TO AVOID
BEING RENT BURDENED.
MORE THAN HALF OF SEATTLE
RENTERS HIT EVICTION NOTICES
BEFORE COVID WITH MONTH ONE
MONTH'S RENT OR LESS.
THIS IS ACCORDING TO A STUDY
DONE IN THE SEATTLE WOMEN'S
COMMISSION.
THAT STUDY ALSO FOUND THAT
NEARLY NINE OUT OF EVERY 10
TENANTS THAT WERE EVICTED WOUND
UP ON THE STREETS AND IS
PERSONALLY WOMEN AND PEOPLE OF
COLOR WERE THOSE EVICTED.
TODAY, WE ARE SEEING RECORD
UNEMPLOYMENT WHICH HAS PEAKED
BUT IS LEVELING OFF AT A
STAGGERING 1 MILLION NEW CLAIMS
OF UNEMPLOYMENT PER WEEK AND
THAT IS STEADY AT THIS POINT
WITH THE STAGGERING LEVEL TO BE
AT.
TODAY, ONE THIRD OF U. S.
WORKING-CLASS RENTERS ARE
UNABLE TO PAY RENT ON TIME.
THAT FIGURE HAS STAYED STABLE
SINCE MAY.
HALCYON SECURITY IS HIGH EVEN
WHEN EVICTION MORATORIUMS ARE
IN PLACE.
WE KNOW THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL PASSED A RESOLUTION
BACK IN MARCH CALLING ON THE
STATE TO ENACT A MORATORIUM AND
THAT IS IN EFFECT UNTIL MID-
OCTOBER.
THERE IS A CITY MORATORIUM
UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR BUT
WE KNOW THAT ITSELF DOES NOT
PROVIDE HOUSING STABILITY AND I
WILL DISCUSS THAT MORE IN JUST
A MINUTE.
TODAY, NEARLY HALF OF U. S.
RENTERS AND ONE THIRD OF
WASHINGTON STATE RENTERS SAY IT
IS EITHER VERY LIKELY OR
SOMEWHAT LIKELY THAT THEY WILL
BE EVICTED IN THE NEXT TWO
MONTHS ACCORDING TO SURVEYS BY
THE U. S. CENSUS BUREAU.
A STUDY WAS CONDUCTED BY
LANDLORD ASSOCIATION AND WHAT
THEY FOUND IS THAT TO PAY
LANDLORD, RENTERS ARE SPENDING
THEIR SAVINGS TAKING ON NEW
DEBT AND BURROWING MONEY.
THIS WILL BE POSTED ON THE
COMMITTEE'S WEBSITE FOLLOWING
THIS MEETING IF IT IS NOT UP
ALREADY BUT THE WAY YOU LOOK AT
THIS CHART, YOU CAN SEE THAT
MORE THAN 40% OF THOSE THAT
HAVE FALLEN BEHIND ON RENT HAVE
WITHDRAWN MONEY FROM PERSONAL
SAVINGS AND 40% HAVE BORROWED
MONEY FROM FAMILY AND FRIENDS
JUST TO PAY THE BILLS THEY
NEEDED TO.
30% HAVE SOLD ASSETS AND 30% OF
CHELATING CREDIT CARD DEBT AND
YOU WILL NOTICE AT THE BOTTOM
OF THE CHART AND A RELATIVELY
SMALL NUMBER OF PEOPLE HAVE
WITHDRAWN MONEY FROM THEIR
RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS AND THAT IS
BECAUSE WE BELIEVE VERY FEW
WORKING-CLASS PEOPLE STILL HAVE
SUBSTANTIAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS
TO BEGIN WITH.
PEOPLE ARE GOING INTO GREATER
DEBT TO TRY TO PAY RENT.
AS WE HAVE HEARD, THE DIRECTOR
OF THE KINSEY TENANTS UNION IN
MISSOURI ON THE NATIONAL LEADER
IN THE HOLMES GUARANTEE
CAMPAIGN SAYS EVERY EVICTION IS
AN ACT OF VIOLENCE.
EVERY TIME WE ARE ALLOWING AN
EVICTION TO OCCUR SHE SAYS WE
ARE PUTTING THE LANDLORDS
PROFITS ABOUT PEOPLE'S LIVES.
THE COVID UNEMPLOYED CRISIS IS
HARMING COMMUNITIES OF COLOR
DISPROPORTIONATELY AND THIS IS
DATA FROM A COUPLE MONTHS AGO
FROM THE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF
LABOR THAT SHOWS BLACK
UNEMPLOYMENT IS 50% HIGHER
THAN WHITE UNEMPLOYMENT AND ON
EMPLOYMENT IS ALSO HIGHER IN
HISPANIC AND ASIAN COMMUNITIES
AS WELL.
THAT CRISIS IS
DISPROPORTIONALLY HARMING
COMMUNITIES OF COLOR AND WE CAN
SEE THAT GREENIES OF COLOR ARE
FORMER LIKELY TO HAVE UNPAID
RENT AS COMPARED TO WHITE
RENTERS.
WORKING-CLASS HOUSEHOLDS ARE SO
MANY KEEP UP WITH EVEN BASIC
EXPENSES.
WE CAN SEE OVERALL IN THE
UNITED STATES, OVER 30% OF
HOUSEHOLDS REPORTED IN THE LAST
CENSUS SURVEY A COUPLE WEEKS
AGO REPORTED DIFFICULTY PAYING
FOR THEIR USUAL HOUSEHOLD
EXPENSES IN THE LAST SEVEN
DAYS.
THAT FIGURE IS SLIGHTLY LOWER
IN WASHINGTON STATE WITH ONE IN
EVERY FOUR AND WILL WE BREAK IT
DOWN AND LOOK AT HOUSEHOLDS
THAT ARE UNDER $50,000 A YEAR
IN WASHINGTON STATE, HALF OF
THOSE HOUSEHOLDS RIGHT NOW EVEN
WITH THE MORATORIUMS IN PLACE
ARE HAVING DIFFICULTY PAYING
THE USUAL HOUSEHOLD EXPENSES.
HERE IS THE MATH.
WE KNOW THERE IS A MAJOR
ECONOMIC CRISIS THAT PRECEDED
THE COVID CRISIS FOR WORKING
PEOPLE AND ON TOP OF THAT, WE
HAVE THE COVID CRISIS ITSELF
AND NOW WE HAVE THE MORATORIUMS
WHICH ARE DEFERRED BUT NOT
FORGIVEN EXPENSES AND IN THE
FIRST THREE FACTORS ADDING UP
TO A TSUNAMI OF EVICTIONS OR
CLOSURES AND BANKRUPTCIES ONCE
THE EMERGENCY DECLARATIONS AND
MORATORIUMS EXPIRE.
THE ASPEN INSTITUTE WHICH IS NO
FRIEND OF WORKING PEOPLE HAS
JUST ISSUED A REPORT LAST MONTH
THAT PREDICTS THAT DIFFERENT
POLICIES LOCALLY AND AROUND THE
COUNTRY ESTIMATE THAT PEOPLE
COULD BE AT RISK FOR EVICTION
IN THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS.
ESPECIALLY AS THE MORATORIUMS
EXPIRE.
WHAT THEY FOUND IN THE STATE
WAS THAT A SYNONYMY WILL BE
ABOUT THREE QUARTERS OF 1
MILLION HOUSEHOLDS AT RISK OF
EVICTION ONCE AN EMERGENCY
MEASURE EXPIRES AND THAT IS
ABOUT ONE IN EVERY THREE RENTER
HOUSEHOLDS IN THE STATE.
ACTIVISTS AND MEMBERS OF THE
COMMUNITY KNOW THAT THERE ARE
STOCK UP MEASURES BUT THEY
WON'T SOLVE THE MOUNTING DEBT
CRISIS THAT WORKERS AND WORKING-
CLASS AND HOMEOWNERS FACE.
AND COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
MENTIONED THAT THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE SIGNED THIS IN A SHORT
ORDER THIS PAST SPRING.
PEOPLE KNOW THAT ALLOWING THE
RENT DEBT TO ACCRUE WITH A
MORATORIUM WILL ONLY ENSURE
THAT THE RESIDENCE WILL BE
ECONOMICALLY DESTABILIZED ONCE
THE MORATORIUMS EXPIRE.
THAT IS WHY WE ARE SO PLEASED
TO BE WORKING ALONGSIDE STATE
AND NATIONAL MOVEMENTS TO
CANCEL ALL RENT AND MORTGAGES
AND UTILITIES AND LATE FEES AND
HOUSING DEBT.
WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH THE
MOVEMENT THAT DEMANDS THAT
GOVERNMENTS PASS LAWS COVERING
ALL RESIDENTIAL RENTERS THAT
HAVE SUFFERED ECONOMICALLY AND
SUSPEND MORTGAGE PAYMENTS FOR
HOMEOWNERS AND SMALL LANDLORDS
AND PEOPLE AND AFFORDABLE
HOUSING FOR THOSE THAT HAVE
SUFFERED ECONOMICALLY DURING
THE COVID CRISIS.
WE KNOW THROUGH OUR EXPERIENCE
THAT PEOPLE HAVE FOUGHT BACK IN
RECENT YEARS AND HAVE AN
IMPORTANT LEGISLATION THAT THE
COUNCIL HAS PASSED ON LIMITING
WINTER EVICTIONS AND HAVE ALSO
BLOCKED RENTERS FOR RAISING
RENTS ON RENTERS WHERE THERE
ARE SAFETY VIOLATIONS.
IN ADDITION, TENANTS HAVE
ORGANIZED AND WON HOUSING
SECURITY AT THE APARTMENTS AND
WE KNOW THERE ARE OTHER
STRUGGLES GOING ON AMONG SIX
TENANTS AND SO ON.
WE WILL HEAR FROM THE PANEL
WITH PERSPECTIVES ON WHAT YOU
AND YOUR NEIGHBORS AND
COWORKERS ARE EXPERIENCING
DURING THIS COVID CRISIS AND
WHAT MUST THE CITY COUNCIL AND
THE GOVERNMENT DO TO PROTECT
TENANTS FROM THE COMING
EVICTION TSUNAMI?
>> THANK YOU, JONATHAN.
WE WOULD LIKE THE PANEL TO GET
STARTED.
ALL SPEAKERS AND ACTIVISTS THAT
ARE HERE WITH US AND LET'S HAVE
THE FIRST SPEAKER AND TAKE IT
FROM THERE.
>> I BELIEVE THAT WOULD BE MY
A.
>> HELLO EVERYONE.
I AM I AND I AM A TENANT
ORGANIZER WITH THE WASHINGTON
CAMPAIGN AND WE ARE EXTRINSIC
CRISIS WHICH REQUIRES VISIONARY
SOLUTIONS AND ADJUNCT AND HAS
SHARED, 30 OR 40 MILLION
RENTERS ARE FACING EVICTION AND
THE HOUSE JUSTICE HAS A LONG
HISTORY IN SEATTLE AND THE
EXPENSES AND THE DISPLACEMENT
IS NOTHING NEW.
I WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AND
THANK THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN
DOING THIS WORK FOR DECADES.
AFTER THE FINANCIAL CRISIS IN
2008, WE SAW HOW THOUSANDS OF
PEOPLE WENT INTO FORECLOSURE
AND BANKS AND MEGACORPORATIONS
PART OF HOUSING AND LAND FOR
CHEAP.
IS FURTHER DROVE UP HOUSING
CRISIS AND INCREASED
DISPLACEMENT.
RENTERS KNOW THAT WE ARE IN THE
MIDST OF ANOTHER FINANCIAL
CRISIS AND THAT WE NEED TO FIGHT
AGAINST A REPEAT OF 2008.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SPENT $6
TRILLION BAILING OUT BIG
BUSINESS PROGRAMS LIKE RENTAL
ASSISTANCE WHICH ARE INADEQUATE
FOR RENTERS JUST IN THE AMOUNT
OF MONEY THEY ARE OFFERING AND
IN KING COUNTY, IT IS LITERALLY
A LOTTERY.
FUNDAMENTALLY BAILING OUT THE
LANDLORDS.
WE THINK THEY SUPPORT THE
BAILOUT WHICH SUPPORTS
ESSENTIAL WORKERS AND RENTERS
AND SMALL HOMEOWNERS BY NOT
PUTTING THE BURDEN ON THEM TO
QUALIFY AND APPLY FOR RENTAL
ASSISTANCE AS WELL AS
CONTINUING TO FACE THE THREAT
OF EVICTION AND DISPLACEMENT
AND FORECLOSURE.
WE NEED TO SUPPORT UNDOCUMENTED
RENTERS THAT ARE NOT ELIGIBLE
FOR UNEMPLOYMENT AND ARE
ALREADY AT A HIGH RISK OF BEING
THREATENED BY THE LANDLORDS
WITH I.C.E.
INSTEAD OF FUNNELING THE TAX
DOLLARS INTO VIOLENT POLICE
FORCES, WE NEED TO INVEST IN
SOCIAL HOUSING.
THE DEMAND FOR CANCEL RENT AND
HOUSES, THIS IS CALLING FOR
PERMANENT SOLUTIONS AND THIS
INCLUDES SOME DEMANDS THAT THE
CITY COUNCIL COULD PASS AT A
LOCAL LEVEL.
WE NEED TO MOVE TOWARDS
CONTROLLED HOUSING AND LAND.
WE NEED THE OPPORTUNITY TO
PURCHASE AND STRONG RENTAL
PROTECTIONS LIKE STATEWIDE RENT
CONTROL AND PASSING JUST CAUSE
EVICTIONS ACROSS THE STATE.
THE UNDERLYING GOAL IS TO
DEFEND HOUSING AS A HUMAN
RIGHT.
CANCELING BRETT DURING THIS
ECONOMIC AND HEALTH CRISIS IS A
MAJOR PART BUT NOT THE END OF
THE FIGHT.
THE ORGANIZING OF THIS CAMPAIGN
HAS INVOLVED FOLKS FROM ACROSS
THE STATE AND THE MAJORITY OF
WASHINGTONIANS HAVE FEWER
RENTAL PROTECTIONS THAN THOSE
OF US IN SEATTLE.
SPOKANE COUNTY WAS PLANNING ON
SPENDING THE FEDERAL C.A.R.E.S.
ACT MONEY NOT ON RENTAL
ASSISTANCE BUT A NEW JAIL.
FOR A LOT OF RENTERS IN RURAL
WASHINGTON, THE PROTECTIONS
NEED TO COME FROM STATE BECAUSE
THE COUNTY AND CITY LACK
NECESSARY RESOURCES OR
POLITICAL WILL.
WE ARE FIGHTING FOR STATEWIDE
SOLUTIONS AND THIS CAMPAIGN
STRIVES TO BUILD POWER TOGETHER
AS RENTERS AT A BUILDING CITY
AND STATE LEVEL.
WE WANT TO BUILD UPON HER
RELATIONSHIPS AND SHARED
STRATEGIES AND COMMON STORIES
THAT RENTERS ARE EXPERIENCING
AND WHEN HE TORE TOGETHER TO
PUSH THE SOLUTIONS AND BUILD
THIS CONVERSATION TO CANCEL
RENT AND MORTGAGES AND WORK FOR
PERMANENT HOUSING SOLUTIONS.
A COUPLE ACTION ITEMS FOR THOSE
LISTENING, THE MORATORIUM IS
SET TO EXPIRE ON OCTOBER 15 WE
HAVE EXTENDED FAR BEYOND TWO
MONTHS AND WE NEED A LONG
EXTENSION TO PROTECT RENTERS
AND ALONGSIDE THE REST OF THESE
DEMANDS.
IF YOU CAN CALL THE GOVERNOR
AND ASSERT THE NEED FOR THESE
DEMANDS, THERE IS ALSO A
PETITION THAT IS THE CANCEL
RENT PETITION AND WE ARE HAVING
AN ORGANIZING MEETING ON
SEPTEMBER 30 WHERE WE ARE GOING
TO TALK ABOUT THE NEXT ACTION
WE CAN TAKE AND HOW WE CAN SHOW
UP IN WASHINGTON TO ISSUE THESE
DEMANDS.
WE ARE REALLY LOOKING FORWARD
TO WORKING WITH PEOPLE MORE AND
TO FIGHT FOR CANCEL RENT
WASHINGTON.
THANKS SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, MY A. HER
NEXT SPEAKER IS JULIA SANCHEZ
WITH THE UNION OF WASHINGTON
STATE WHICH HAS BEEN FIGHTING
FOR RENTERS RIGHTS AND THEY
HAVE BEEN A LEADER IN THE FIGHT
FOR RENT CONTROL AND OTHER
LEADING CAUSES WITH OTHER
ORGANIZERS BEING ON THE FRONT
LINES OF HELPING TENANTS EVERY
DAY MANAGE WHAT THEY FACED
TODAY.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND
THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO BE
A PART OF THIS PANEL.
I AM REPRESENTING THE TENETS
UNION BUT BEYOND THAT, I'M HERE
REPRESENTING THE TENANTS I WORK
WITH EVERY DAY AND PARTICULARLY,
THE NEXT COMMUNITY AND
IMMIGRANT COMMUNITY AND REFUGEE
COMMUNITY THAT I WORK WITH
EVERYDAY.
AS IT HAS BEEN STATED, THIS
HOUSING CRISIS IN SEATTLE AND
KING COUNTY AS WELL AS ACROSS
THE STATE HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR
DECADES AND THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT HAS INVESTED IN
PUBLIC HOUSING AND REAL ESTATE
INVESTORS LIKE MYSELF GROWING
UP IN SEATTLE AND THE CENTRAL
DISTRICT HAVE GENTRIFY THAT
AREA THAT YOU CITY
PREDOMINATELY A BLACK COMMUNITY
WITH LOT NEXT COMMUNITIES AND
ASIAN COMMUNITIES
THIS PANDEMIC HAS SURELY MADE
THIS CRISIS IN HOUSING MORE
VISIBLE AND EVERYONE USED TO
ARGUE ABOUT WHAT RENTERS RIGHTS
WERE AND HOW WE DID NOT NEED
THEM.
LAST YEAR, THE FIGHT FOR JUST
CAUSE, LANDLORDS SUED THE CITY
BECAUSE THEY PASSED IN JUST
CAUSE AND OTHER PROTECTION IN
THAT CITY.
WE SEE THE BASIC NEED FOR
HOUSING AND RENTERS AND LOW
INCOME HOMEOWNERS ARE REALLY
FEELING THE BURN BEHIND ALL OF
WHAT IS GOING ON AND BECAUSE OF
THE POLICIES THAT HAVE EXCLUDED
BLACK AND LET NEXT AND OTHER
COMMUNITIES FROM
HOMEOWNERSHIP'S, THEY ARE
DISPROPORTIONATELY INJURING THE
CRISIS.
WE TALKED ABOUT THE DEMANDS
WITH MORTGAGES AND THE TENETS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY ARE WORKING
TOGETHER TO BRING AND UPLIFT
THE VOICES AND EXPERIENCES OF
TENANTS ACROSS THE CITY AND THE
STATE AND THE COUNTRY WHO ARE
SUFFERING AS LOW INCOME PEOPLE
IN THIS GLOBAL PANDEMIC.
WE HAVE THE UNION OF WASHINGTON
STATE AND SEATTLE AND WE TALKED
TO TENANTS EVERY DAY WHO ARE
AFRAID, LITERALLY AFRAID AND
SOME PEOPLE WERE ALLEVIATED TO
KNOW THAT THE MORATORIUM WAS
EXTENDED TO OCTOBER 15 AND
AUGUST WHEN THEY WERE PANICKING
BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY WERE
GOING TO GET EVICTED BECAUSE
THEY HAD NOT PAID THE RENT.
NOW THEY ARE ALLEVIATED UNTIL
OCTOBER 15 WHICH IS A FEW WEEKS
AWAY AND NOW WHAT?
THEY ARE HOLDING THEIR BREATH
AGAIN TO THINKING WHILE I GET
EVICTED OR WILL I BE ON THE
STREETS?
34% OF RENTERS HAVE NOT BEEN
ABLE TO PAY RENT AND THAT IS
243,000 PEOPLE ACROSS THE
STATE.
AS SOMEONE THAT WORKS IN THE
TRAVERTINE COMMUNITY AND AS WE
KNOW, MANY UNDOCUMENTED WORKERS
WORK IN THE SERVICE ENTRY LEVEL
WHICH IS HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS
I HAVE NOT EVEN FULLY OPEN AND
SOME ARE EVEN ONLY WORKING TWO
OR FOUR DAYS A WEEK AND SOME
ARE NOT GETTING A CHECK LARGE
ENOUGH TO PAY FOR RENT AND FOOD
AND UTILITIES AND SO WHAT DO
THEY HAVE TO DO?
THEY HAVE JET COMPARTMENTALIZE
AND BE THEMSELVES AND THEN
THEIR CHILDREN AND THAT IS WHEN
I ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO AND
DOCUMENT EVERYTHING IN WRITING
WITH THEIR LANDLORD AS TO WHAT
THE SITUATION IS BECAUSE THERE
ISN'T ANYTHING ELSE TO DO.
WE DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER
POLICIES OR PROTECTIONS THAT
WILL PROTECT THEM FROM EVICTION
ONCE THE MORATORIUM ENDS.
I KNOW THEY HAVE GOOD
INTENTIONS BEHIND THE REPAYMENT
PLAN AND IT MAKES A TENANT FEEL
A LITTLE MORE SAFE BUT THEY
WILL HAVE TO BORROW MONEY HAVE
BEFORE THIS PANDEMIC HAPPENED,
A RENT INCREASE FROM $50-$100
WHEN THE FAMILIES IN DIRE
ECONOMIC SITUATIONS AND NOW THE
REPAYMENT PLAN OF $300-$500 A
MONTH ON TOP OF ALREADY HIGH
RENT OF 1500, WHERE WILL THAT
LEAVE COMMUNITIES?
WHERE WILL THAT LEAVE PEOPLE?
IN THE STREETS?
WHEN WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF A
GLOBAL PANDEMIC?
WHEN WE ALREADY HAVE A LARGE
DIRE PROBLEM OF HOMELESSNESS
THAT WE NEED TO ADDRESS
APPROPRIATELY.
THE CHANGE IN THE MORATORIUM IN
THE STATE ALLOWING LANDLORDS TO
HAVE A 90 DAY NOTICE WAS INTENT
TO SELL OR OCCUPY A UNIT, WE
HAVE SEEN THESE GIVEN OUT LIKE
CANDY IN RETALIATION WHICH IS
HARD TO PROVE BUT THE TENANTS
KNOW IT IS RETALIATION AND
PREJUDICE OF THEM OWING THE
MONEY OF BACK RENT AND NOT BE
ABLE TO PAY OR NOT BEING ABLE
TO FIND A REPAYMENT PLAN THAT
WILL FIT IN PEOPLE'S BUDGET AND
INCOME.
WE HAVE SEEN LANDLORDS THREATEN
TO CALL I.C.E.
PEOPLE HAVE TO BORROW MONEY AND
THEY HAVE TO MAKE THINGS WORK.
IT IS INTERESTING WHAT
LANDLORDS TRY TO DO WHEN THEY
THINK TENANTS DON'T KNOW THEIR
RIGHTS.
I THINK IT IS IMPORTANT THAT
THE CITY OF SEATTLE LETS THE
LANDLORDS NOW THAT TENANTS HAVE
THE RIGHT AND TO HAVE A
CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT THE UNION
AND THOSE THAT ARE OUT THERE
EVERY DAY AND WE ARE HELPING
PEOPLE IN KNOWING THEIR RIGHTS.
SO THAT THE LANDLORDS CAN NO
THEY ARE MESSING WITH PEOPLE
WHO ARE INFORMED OF THEIR
RIGHTS BECAUSE THEIR DEMEANOR
COMPLETELY CHANGES ONCE THE
TENANT FEELS EMPOWERED AND
STANDS UP FOR THEMSELVES.
THIS LOOPHOLE WITH THE 90 DAY
LOOPHOLE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED
BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STILL
GETTING EVICTED BECAUSE OF IT.
WE NEED TO REALLY GET TOGETHER
AND CENTER WHAT THE HUMAN
RIGHTS AND TENANT RIGHTS ARE TO
BE INTO A SAFE HOLD BECAUSE
THAT WILL PROTECT US FROM SO
MANY OTHER THINGS IN THE
FUTURE.
SO MANY OTHER SOCIAL PROBLEMS
AND WE NEED TO LOOK AT THE
BUDGET FOR THE CITY AND INVEST
IN COMMUNITY AND BLACK
INDIGENOUS TRAVERTINE PEOPLE OF
COLOR COMMUNITIES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
I THINK THE CITY OF SEATTLE HAS
BEEN A MODEL AND A LEADER IN
POLICIES AND PROTECTIONS FOR
TENANTS THAT OTHER PARTS OF THE
STATE HAE LOOKED UP TO WITH
THE CITY OF SEATTLE AND
IMPLEMENTING JUST CAUSE.
SO, THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND I
DO HOPE THAT YOU STAND WITH US
IN OUR FIGHT FOR THE DEBT
CANCELED EVICTIONS.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT WITH
THE POINTS THAT YOU MADE.
WE KNOW THE RENT CRISIS ALSO
AFFECTS SMALL BUSINESSES THAT
TOO OFTEN ARE AT THE MERCY OF
BIG CORPORATE LANDLORDS.
WE NEED TO CANCEL RENT FOR
STRUGGLING SMALL BUSINESSES AND
WE KNOW MANY BUSINESSES HAVE
ALREADY FACED A STRUGGLE AND
THAT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THE MOVE
TO BAND TOGETHER AND STAND WITH
ONE ANOTHER.
JENNY HENDERSON WILL SHARE SOME
OF HER THOUGHTS WITH US.
WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT FIGHT TO
CANCEL RENT.
MY NAME IS SHIRLEY HENDERSON.
I HAVE A COFFEE SHOP AND HAIR
SALON IN THE CENTRAL DISTRICT
AND IT IS AN EPICENTER OF JET
VACATION IN SEATTLE.
I'M HERE TO SPEAK TO THE
STRUGGLE OF THE CITY DURING
THIS PANDEMIC.
JONATHAN AND OTHER PANELISTS
HAVE LAID OUT ALREADY THAT
COVID-19 HAS GIVEN A
DEVASTATING BLOW TO THE DISHES
AND PEOPLE ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
LOCAL GATHERINGS AND MOM-AND-
POP SHOPS HAVE REALLY SUFFERED
AND AS OTHERS HAVE POINTED OUT,
LIKE MOST CITIES, SEATTLE WAS
ALREADY SUFFERING WITH INCOME
INEQUALTY BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.
WE WERE ALREADY FACING A
HISTORIC HOUSING CRISIS WITH
SKYROCKETING RENTS.
NOW, WITH COVID-19, WE SEE
THOUSANDS OF WORKERS AND SO
MANY BUSINESSES HAVING TO CLOSE
THEIR DOORS AND ESPECIALLY
DURING THE BEGINNING OF THE
PANDEMIC.
THIS INCLUDES THE FITNESS
CENTER WHICH WAS FORCED TO
CLOSE AND FOR US, WE HAD TO LAY
OFF ALL STAFF AS WELL BUT WERE
ABLE TO CONTINUE TO OPERATE THE
COFFEE SHOP DURING THE LOCKDOWN
AND THIS MEANS THAT THE OWNERS
HAVE TO WORK DOUBLETIME WHILE
ENSURING THAT THERE ARE SAFETY
MEASURES IN PLACE.
WITH UNEMPLOYMENT NOT READILY
AVAILABLE, WE ALSO HAD TO
SCRAMBLE TO PAY FOR STAFF TO
GET INFORMATION FROM CUSTOMERS.
SO MANY SMALL BUSINESSES ARE
FACING THINGS RIGHT NOW AND WE
DO NOT HAVE THE VAST RESOURCES
OF BIG BUSINESSES NOR HAVE WE
RECEIVED ALL THE KICKBACKS AND
BAILOUTS.
THERE IS A PREDICTION OF TWO
THIRDS TO 80% OF SMALL
BUSINESSES NATIONWIDE NOT
SURVIVING.
WE KNOW THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE
MOST HONORABLE AND WILL BE MOST
IMPACTED ARE PEOPLE OF COLOR
AND FEMALE OWNED PEOPLE.
MANY OF US ARE ALSO RENTERS AND
WE ARE STRUGGLING WITH TWO
RENTS WHILE TRYING TO JUGGLE
KEEPING STAFF AND CUSTOMER SAFE
DURING A PANDEMIC AND I HAVE
HEARD FROM A LOT OF OTHER SMALL
BUSINESSES THAT LANDLORDS HAVE
BEEN UNWILLING TO FORGIVE RENT
OR IN SOME CASES, THE LANDLORD
IS WILLING TO DO AN ABATEMENT
WHICH IS A WAY TO KICK THE CAN
DOWN THE ROAD SO THAT WHEN THE
ECONOMY GETS WORSE, SMALL
BUSINESSES WILL BE LEFT TO PAY
MORE RENT TO CATCH UP WHICH IS
NOT FEASIBLE WHEN IF YOU HAVE
LITTLE TO NO INCOME.
THIS IS VERY TIED TO THE
INTEREST OF OUR EMPLOYEES AND
AS MENTIONED, MANY OF THE
EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ALREADY
STRUGGLING ARE HIT EVEN HARDER
AND BEING FURLOUGHED OR LAID
OFF WITH THE UNCERTAINTY OF
EVEN BEING ABLE TO RETURN TO
WORK.
WHEN THE MORATORIUM ENDS WHICH
WILL LEAVE MANY IN FEAR OF
LOSING THEIR HOUSING.
MEANWHILE, WE SEE BANKS GETTING
BAILED OUT AND MANY LIKE AMAZON
. LET'S BE CLEAR, THERE IS A
DYNAMIC WEALTH ACCUMULATION
THAT IS STRIPPING AWAY THE
PUBLIC SECTOR INCLUDING
HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL HOUSING
WHICH IS CREATED AND
EXACERBATED WITH THIS CRISIS.
NOW, WORKING PEOPLE JUST LIKE
2007 AND 2008 ARE BEING ASKED
TO BEAR THE BRUNT.
THOSE I HAVE PROFITED OVER THIS
SHOULD AFFORD TO PAY FOR IT.
THE CITY COUNCIL IS LOOKING AT
THE FABRIC OF THE CITY AND THEY
MUST HELP THE WORKING PEOPLE
AND SMALL OWNERS AND SMALL
BUSINESSES.
WE CANNOT GIVE A BAILOUT TO
CORPORATE LANDLORDS.
WE NEED TO CANCEL THIS BECAUSE
THEY CAN EMBED THE COST.
WE STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH
THOSE THAT ARE HERE ON THE
PANEL AND THE WORKERS ACROSS
THE CITY THAT ARE STRUGGLING TO
MAKE RENT.
AGAIN, A HUGE THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT AND HER
OFFICE FOR PUSHING THIS FORWARD
AND FOR ALWAYS FIGHTING
TIRELESSLY FOR THE INTERESTS OF
WORKING PEOPLE AND SMALL
BUSINESSES AND THANK YOU FOR
MAKING CITY HALL TRULY A PUBLIC
SPACE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH,
SHIRLEY.
NEXT WE HAVE JASON REDMOND WHO
IS ONE OF THE GROWING NUMBER OF
ACTIVISTS IN SEATTLE.
HE IS A PART OF ONE OF THE
BIGGEST VOLUNTEERING CORPORATE
LANDLORDS IN SEATTLE.
THEY HAVE GAINED RELIABILITY SO
WELCOME, JASON.
>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME . I
AM A SELF-EMPLOYED EMPLOYEE AND
IN DISTRICT 6 AND I WOULD LIKE
TO SPEAK WITH ASSISTED RENTERS
AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS AND
INDEPENDENT LANDLORDS.
LATE LAST YEAR, THE PRIVATE
LANDLORDS RETIRED AFTER 40
YEARS AND SOLD OUR BUILDING.
THE NEW OWNERS NEVER INTRODUCED
THEMSELVES AND REMAIN COMPLETE
ANONYMOUS AND PROBABLY BECAUSE
WHAT THEY WERE ABOUT TO DO TO
ME AND MY NEIGHBORS.
THE NEW OWNERS HIRED A COMPANY
THAT MANAGED 5500 UNITS IN
SEATTLE TO HANDLE ALL ASPECTS
OF OUR BUILDING AND AFTER SOME
RESEARCH, OUR BUILDING HAD BEEN
PURCHASED BY LOCAL BUSINESS
OWNERS AND THE ARTICLE
MENTIONED THAT THE OWNERS SELL
THEIR BILLING FOR NEARLY $30
MILLION AND WERE INVESTING
PROPERTIES LIKE MY APARTMENT
BUILDING.
NOT LONG AFTER, WE RECEIVED
NOTICES THAT RENT WAS
INCREASING AND SOME LIKE MYSELF
ARE RECEIVING ALMOST A 40%
INCREASE THAT TOOK EFFECT ON
FAIRBURY FIRST AND AS YOU ALL
KNOW, THE CASE OF CORONAVIRUS
IN OUR COUNTRY IT WAS HERE WHEN
WAS MEANT TO THE HOSPITAL IN
JANUARY 1. WHEN I GO TO CORNELL
AND ASSOCIATES ABOUT THE EXCESS
RENT, I COULD NOT GET A QUICK
RESPONSE AND WHEN I WAS ABLE TO
SPEAK TO THE PERSON, THEY
ASSURED ME THAT THEY HAD DONE
RESEARCH ON RENTS IN MY AREA
AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT THEY
COULD INCREASE EVEN HIGHER THAN
THEY DID TO ALMOST A 60%
INCREASE.
THIS IS THE SAME COMPANY THAT
ACCORDING TO A RECENT ARTICLE
IS TRYING TO VIXEN TENANTS WITH
BLACK LIVES MATTER SIGNS IN THE
WINDOW.
AS THE PANDEMIC GREW, I REACH
OUT AGAIN TO CORNELL AND
ASSOCIATES TO INQUIRE ABOUT THE
ORIGINAL AMOUNT TO HELP SAVE
THE CRISIS AND WE ASKED OUR
PARENTS FOR MONEY OR PUT RENT
ON A CREDIT CARD AND THEY HAVE
KEPT HIMSELF BUSY.
AND THEY ARE SITTING TO OTHER
PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
AND THIS COMES FROM LOCAL
INITIAL CONFERENCES AND I'M
EXTREMELY WORRIED ABOUT MY
FUTURE AND THE ABILITY TO PAY
MY INFLATED RENT.
AND WE HAVE PROTECTIONS IN
PLACE AND UNLESS WE START
ACTING NOW, THERE MIGHT BE
MASSIVE EVICTIONS.
I'M WORRIED ABOUT THE WORKING
CLASS FAMILIES AND RENTERS AND
HOMEOWNERS AND THE PEOPLE OF
COLOR AND SELF-EMPLOYED PEOPLE
LIKE MYSELF AND OTHERS WHOSE
JOBS HAVE BEEN AFFECTED BY THE
PANDEMIC.
WE NEED TO KEEP PUTTING
PRESSURE ON OUR STATE AND LOCAL
LEADERS AND HELP THOSE THAT
NEED IT MOST.
WE NEED TO ASK FOR STATEWIDE
RENT CONTROL AND CONTINUED
ASSISTANCE LIKE CANCER RENT AND
MORTGAGE FOR THOSE OF US THAT
HAVE LOST JOBS OR SIGNIFICANT
INCOME DUE TO THE PANDEMIC.
THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.
>> THANKS SO MUCH, JASON.
NOW WE HAVE A TENANT ACTIVIST
LEADER.
LAST YEAR, THE NEIGHBORS ARE
MOSTLY SENIOR CITIZENS
ORGANIZED AND RAN A RENT FREEZE
AT A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION.
THIS WAS IMPORTANT NOT JUST FOR
THE TENANTS BUT IT INSPIRATION
FOR ALL OF US FIGHTING THE
DISPLACEMENT ESPECIALLY FROM
BLACK AND BROWN COMMUNITIES.
>> I WANT TO THANK EVERYONE
THAT HAS HELPED US TO MAINTAIN
A RENT FREEZE AND SINCE THAT
TIME, WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED A
LOT HERE AND WE HAVE A NEW
IMPRISONMENT OF THE BOARD.
THERE HAVE BEEN CHANGES MADE
AND WE HAVE PROBLEMS WITH GUN
VIOLENCE THROUGH THE PARKING
LOT AND DIFFERENT THINGS AND
JOHNSON HAS BEEN WONDERFUL.
WE'VE HAD NEW GATES IN THE
GARDEN AND SHE ALSO WANTED TO
SAY WHEN THEY WANTED TO GET RID
OF IT AND THEY ARE PUTTING UP A
SECURITY GATE.
THEY HAVE A SECURITY GUARD AT
OUR CONCERN IS THEY ARE
REMODELING ALL THE APARTMENTS.
THE RENT IS GOING UP.
WE THINK THERE IS SOMETHING
THEY ARE NOT TELLING US BECAUSE
I HAVE BEEN HERE 16 YEARS AND
ALL OF A SUDDEN WE HAVE BEEN
FIGHTING --
>> [ NO AUDIO ]
>> WE LOST YOUR MICROPHONE.
WE CAN SORT OF HEAR YOU BUT IT
IS UNCLEAR.
>> EVERYTHING IS GOING FINE NOW
BUT ARE CONCERNED IS WHAT WILL
HAPPEN IN JANUARY.
NOBODY IS REALLY TALKING AND
THEY'RE MAKING CHANGES WAS A
ONE-TIME FEE FOR THE PARKING
SPACE.
AND WE HAVE THE CAR INSURANCE
AND THINGS WE'VE NEVER HAD TO
DO BEFORE BUT WE WILL KEEP IN
TOUCH AND LIKE I SAID, SO FAR,
EVERYTHING HAS BEEN WONDERFUL
AND THEY HAVE WORKED WITH US IF
YOU COULDN'T PAY RENT AND
EVERYTHING IS GOING GOOD SO
FAR.
>> THANK YOU.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU.
WE WILL KEEP YOU UPDATED ON
WHAT IS GOING ON.
SO FAR, EVERYTHING IS GOOD.
WE ARE LOOKING FOR A BIG CHANGE
BUT WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT IT
IS BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT TELLING
US.
>> RIGHT, ABSOLUTELY.
I THINK THAT IS AN IMPORTANT
POINT THAT YOU MAY.
WORKING PEOPLE AND RENTERS IN
OUR COMMUNITIES FIGHT FOR
SOMETHING AND IT IS NEVER A
GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL STAY THE
SAME.
YOU AND YOUR FELLOW RENTERS
HAVE THE RIGHT TO BE VIGILANT
ABOUT THAT AND WE WILL FOLLOW
UP AS WELL.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> STAY ON THE LINE JUST IN
CASE WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES .
>> OKAY, I SURE WELL.
>> NOW WE HAVE SHARON CROWLEY
WHO IS AN ORGANIZER WITH THE
UNION OF ACADEMIC EMPLOYEES AND
THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON.
MANY MEMBERS STRUGGLE IN THE
HEART OF THE CITY AND BEING
DOMINATED BY LANDLORDS AND THE
STUDENTS HAVE BEEN ORGANIZING
AND FIGHTING BACK AND THE UNION
HAS PLAYED A LEADING ROLE IN
THE FIGHT TO STOP EVICTIONS IN
THE UNION'S MEMBERS ALSO PLAY A
LEADING ROLE WITH THE AMAZON
TAX AS WELL.
WELCOME, SHARON.
>> HI, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
MY NAME IS SHARON CROWLEY AND I
ORGANIZER AND MEMBER OF THE
LOCAL 4121.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR INVITING
ME TO SPEAK TODAY.
OUR UNION INCLUDES OVER 6000
UNDERGRADUATES AND POSTOP
ACADEMIC WORKERS.
THE WORK WE DO IS CENTRAL TO
THE RESEARCH MISSION.
AS WE HAVE HEARD TODAY, THIS
PNDEMIC IS HAVING WIDE
CONSEQUENCES WITH RECORD
UNEMPLOYMENT AND WIDESPREAD
BUDGETING.
OUR MEMBERS HAVE SEEN LIKE ANY
OTHER LARGE EMPLOYER, THEY WILL
PASS THIS ON TO THE MOST
HONORABLE WORKERS AND THAT
INCLUDES OUR MEMBERS AND MOST
OF WHOM ARE ON SIX TERM
APPOINTMENTS AND SOME ARE EVEN
HAVING TO FIND POSITIONS
QUARTER BY QUARTER.
RIGHT NOW, THIS MEANS INCREASED
UNCERTAINTY ABOUT WHETHER
APPOINTMENTS WILL BE RENEWED
FOR ANOTHER YEAR OR ANOTHER
QUARTER.
MANY MEMBERS ARE INELIGIBLE TO
RECEIVE THE FINANCIAL AID THAT
IS AVAILABLE.
LIKE UNEMPLOYMENT AND OTHER
THINGS.
IT IS IT EVEN HARDER FOR THE
40% THAT ARE INTERNATIONAL AND
THEIR VISAS DON'T ALLOW THEM TO
WORK ANYWHERE ELSE.
IF THEY LOSE AN APPOINTMENT,
THEY ARE STUCK BETWEEN A ROCK
AND A HARD PLACE.
ALL OF OUR MEMBERS UPON
GRADUATION OR COMPLETE OF A
TERM FACED THE JOB MARKET WAS
UNPRECEDENTED LEVELS OF
UNEMPLOYMENT AND INCREASED
SCARCITY OF THE RESEARCH AND
TEACHING JOBS THAT ARE CENTRAL
TO THE CAREER.
MEANWHILE, THEY ARE DOING
RESEARCH WITH COVID-19
PRACTICES AND POSSIBLE
TREATMENTS AND THE HOUSING
CRISIS THAT WE ALL FACE.
WHILE ALSO FACING THE HOUSING
CRISIS THEMSELVES AND EVEN
BEFORE COVID-19, THE CRISIS HAS
BEEN HITTING OUR MEMBERS HARD
FOR YEARS.
LIKE SHAWNA INDICATED, AT THE
SAME TIME, HOUSING IN THE
DISTRICT WHICH IS WHERE THE
MAJORITY OF OUR MEMBERS TRIED
TO LIVE, IT IS BEEN TAKEN OVER
BY PREDATORY CORPORATIONS THAT
ARE LOOKING TO PROFIT ON THE
BACKS OF STUDENTS BY CHARGING
RENT FOR MY COMPARTMENTS AND
NOT SAFE CONDITIONS.
THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM AND OVER
80% OF OUR MEMBERS ARE RENT
BURDENED WITH MANY PAYING OVER
50% OF THEIR INCOME IN RENT.
LONG BEFORE THE PANDEMIC
STRUCK, WE ALREADY NEEDED
AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS AND
MANY MEMBERS HAVE TO EITHER
STRETCH THEIR INCOME TO COVER
12 MONTHS OF EXPENSES OR TRY TO
FIND ANOTHER JOB DURING THE
SUMMER WHICH IS A VERY
CHALLENGING PROSPECT DURING THE
PANDEMIC.
COVID-19 HAS INCREASED THE
SEVERITY OF OUR NEED FOR
AFFORDABLE HOUSING WHILE ALSO
INCREASING VULNERABILITY WE
FACE ON MULTIPLE FRONTS.
OUR WORKGROUP HAS BEEN FOCUSING
OUR EFFORTS ON CAMPAIGNS TO
INCREASE HOUSING AFFORDABILITY
AND ACCESSIBILITY IN SEATTLE.
THESE ARE IMPROVEMENTS THAT OUR
MEMBERS GREATLY NEED AND THE
CITY COUNCIL TO TAKE A HUGE
STEP TOWARDS ACHIEVING THESE
GOALS I PASSING A BUSINESS TAX
IN JULY AND THE MORATORIUM ON
ELECTIONS IN WASHINGTON HAS
ALSO BEEN HELPFUL TO A LOT OF
PEOPLE.
HOWEVER, IT HAS DONE NOTHING TO
ALLEVIATE THE HUGE BURDEN OF
MONTHS WORK OF BACK RENT THAT
PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT OF WORK ARE
FACING AS SOON AS THE
MORATORIUM IS LIFTED.
THIS IS AN ECONOMIC AND HUMAN
RIGHTS DISASTER IN THE MAKING.
WORKING PEOPLE HAVE A BEARING
THE BURDEN FOR WAY TOO LONG AND
COVID HAS ONLY INTENSIFIED THAT
ISSUE.
MANY WERE ON THE VERGE OF THE
EVICTION EVEN BEFORE THE
PANDEMIC HIT AND I HAD A FRIEND
THAT HAD TO BREAK HER LEASE AND
MOVE IN WITH A FRIEND BECAUSE
HER LANDLORD WOULD NOT REDUCE
HER RENT AND IT WAS NOT
HONORING THE MORATORIUM AND SHE
ALSO KNEW SHE WOULD FACE THIS
HUGE DEBT ON THE OTHER END AS
THINGS WERE AND SHE DID NOT
WANT TO HAVE TO KEENLY ANY MORE
DEBT.
WE ALL KNOW THESE BURDENS FALL
HEAVIEST ON THE MOST FOLDABLE
AND THAT INCLUDES PEOPLE THAT
HAVE ALREADY BEEN DOING WITH
THE DISPLACEMENT IN SEATTLE
BECAUSE OF GENTRIFICATION
THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
WE HAVE LONG BEEN COMMITTED TO
FIGHTING FOR ECONOMIC HOUSING
AND CLIMATE JUSTICE AND ENSURE
A GREEN NEW DEAL WITH THE MOST
ACTIVE WORKING GROUPS DEDICATED
TO THESE ISSUES.
RIGHT NOW, CANCELING RENT AND
MORTGAGES IS A CRITICAL PART OF
ACHIEVING THIS JUSTICE.
THE PEOPLE OF SEATTLE NEED THIS
RELIEF ALONG WITH OTHER DIRECT
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IN ORDER
TO SURVIVE THE PANDEMIC WITHOUT
FACING EVICTIONS OR
IMPOVERISHMENT.
WE CANNOT KEEP SHOWING THE COST
OF CAPITALISM LOBBY BUSINESSES
RECEIVE BAILOUTS AND RECORD
PROFITS AND FURTHER ENRICH THE
BOARD OF DIRECTORS.
MEANWHILE, I HAVE PAID NOTHING
WITH THE COURT COSTS
ASSOCIATED.
FROM URGING THE CITY COUNCIL
AND THE STATE OF WASHINGTON, WE
NEED TO TAKE MEANINGFUL ACTION
BY ACTING THE PROGRESSIVE
POLICY AND REVENUE STREAM WE
NEED AND NOW IS NOT THE TIME
FOR PROSPERITY BUDGETING BUT
WHERE WE HAVE TO BE BOLD AND
TAKE PROGRESSIVE ACTION.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH AND I WANT
TO THANK BOTH PANELS FOR
ALLOWING US TO HAVE SUCH A RICH
DISCUSSION AND KEEPING YOUR
COMMENTS SO BRIEF BECAUSE WE
ARE SO SHORT ON TIME.
I QUICKLY WANT TO INVITE MY
FELLOW COUNCILMEMBERS,
PEDERSON OR LEWIS, IF YOU HAVE
ANY QUESTIONS AND EVEN THOUGH
WE DON'T HAVE MUCH TIME FOR
DISCUSSION, I WANTED TO KNOW IF
YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR
COMMENTS TO MAKE.
YOU ARE ON MUTE.
>> THANK YOU COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT.
I DO NOT HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.
THANK YOU.
>> MADAM CHAIR, I WAS ON IT AS
WELL APPARENTLY.
THIS IS COUNSEL NUMBER LEWIS.
THAT EXPANDS A LOT.
IN ANY EVENT, I DON'T HAVE ANY
QUESTIONS FOR THE PANEL.
I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT
AS ONE OF THE TWO RENTERS ON
THE COUNCIL, THIS IS SOMETHING
I CARE VERY DEEPLY ABOUT AND
NOT JUST THE NEED TO MAKE SURE
THAT THE ECONOMIC PRESSURES ARE
NOT MEANING THE FOLKS GETTING
KICKED OUT OF THEIR HOMES BUT
WE HAVE A COOL WAY TO MAKE SURE
PEOPLE ARE STAYING HOUSED AND
THAT WE MAKE SURE THAT THE
PRESSURE FROM LANDLORDS AS
ALLUDED TO EARLIER WITH PEOPLE
BEING ABLE TO USE THEIR FIRST
AMENDMENT RIGHTS AND HAVING
THAT PREEMPTIVE WITH THE BLACK
LIMES MATTER SIGNS, I THINK
THIS COUNSEL SHOULD TAKE THAT
UP AND I KNOW MY LEASE ON
REVIEWING IT AGAIN RECENTLY HAS
THE PROHIBITION ON THAT THAT IS
SO STRICT THAT I WOULD NOT EVEN
BE ABLE TO PUT A CAMPAIGN SIGN
FOR MYSELF AND MY WINDOW,
TECHNICALLY ALTHOUGH I DON'T
KNOW IF MY LANDLORD WOULD
STRICTLY ENFORCE THAT BUT THERE
IS SO MUCH WORK WE NEED YOU TO
MAKE SURE TENANTS ARE TREATED
FAIRLY AND WITH DIGNITY AND I
LOOK FORWARD TO THE NEXT STEPS
SO THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU FOR THOSE
COMMENTS.
I TOTALLY AGREE.
THAT IS JUST A GROSS VIOLATION
OF RENTER RIGHTS TO HAVE EVEN
THAT KIND OF POLITICAL SIGNAGE
AND I KNOW WHEN I WAS A RENTER,
I KNEW THE LANDLORD WOULD NOT
ALLOW TO HAVE ANYTHING
POLITICAL AND THAT IS A
VIOLATION SEEING HOW BOTH
RENTERS IN THE RESIDENTIAL
APARTMENTS AND WORKERS AND
WORKPLACES ARE NOW BEING
CRACKED DOWN ON FOR DISPLAYING
BY FINDS MATTER SIGNAGE AND WE
JUST HAD ONE MORE WORKER FIRED
AND I DON'T THINK IN SEATTLE
BUT NATIONWIDE, DOZENS OF
WORKERS ARE GETTING FIRED
BECAUSE THEY ARE WEARING COUGH
MASKS THAT SAY BY FINDS MATTER
SO THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR
RENTERS AND WORKERS IN MANY OF
WHOM ARE THE SAME PEOPLE TO
FIGHT THIS AGAINST LANDLORDS
AND EMPLOYING CORPORATIONS THAT
CREATE THE SITUATION WHERE THEY
CAN'T EVEN EXPRESS THEMSELVES
TO THAT DEGREE.
THE CITY COUNCIL SHOULD BE
FOLLOWING UP ON THIS AND THE
RENTERS RIGHTS COMMITTEE AND WE
WILL BE FOLLOWING UP ON THAT.
I WANT TO HONOR THE CITY
CLERK'S REQUIREMENT THAT WE END
NO LATER THAN 1:00 BUT JUST IN
CLOSING I WANT TO SAY THAT WE
TALKED ABOUT THE NEED TO
ORGANIZE RENTERS AND THE
IMPORTANT POINT WAS MADE THAT
THE DEMEANOR COMPLETELY CHANGES
WHEN THEY SEE A RENTER THAT IS
FAMILIAR WITH THEIR OWN RIGHTS
AND THAT IS WHY I WANT TO
ANNOUNCE ON OCTOBER 13th WHICH
IS TUESDAY AT 7 PM, WE WILL
HAVE AN ONLINE TENETS RIGHT
BOOT CAMP THAT MY OFFICE IS
COHOSTING SO PLEASE MAKE SURE
YOU JOIN US ON TUESDAY AT 7 PM
FOR THE CAMP AND WE WILL SHARE
THAT LINK ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND
WE ALSO WILL BE IN TOUCH WITH
THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY
MEMBERS LEADERS ON THE NEXT
STEPS FOR HOW WE CAN HAVE
DIFFERENT POINTS TO BRING UP
AND WITH THE CITY COUNCIL CAN
PASS IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND
FOLLOWING UP WITH 10
ASSOCIATIONS FOR THE RENTERS AS
JASON WAS SHARING SO THAT WOULD
MAKE SURE THE CITY COUNCIL
SUPPORTS THE STRUGGLES AS WELL.
I WANT TO THANK YOU ALL ONCE
AGAIN AND I REALLY APPRECIATE
THE RICH DISCUSSION AND WE WILL
KEEP IN TOUCH.
I WILL END THE MEETING.
THANK YOU.