>>> GOOD MORNING.
SORRY.
>> RIGHT NOW, WE'RE RECORDING.
>> STARTING?
>> YES.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU.
GOOD MORNING.
THIS IS THE REGULARLY SCHEDULED
MEANING OF THE SUSTAINABILITY
AND RENTERS' RIGHTS COMMITTEE.
TODAY IS FRIDAY, MARCH 18,
2022.
AND THE TIME IS 9:32 A.M.
THE CHAIRMAN OF THE COMMITTEE,
WITH THE CLERK, EDWARD DOAN.
>> COUNCILMEMBER SALA.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER JUAREZ.
>> HERE.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
>> PRESENT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS?
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
>> HERE.
>> FOUR PRESENT.
>> THANK YOU, TED.
AND THANK YOU TO ALL THE
MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WHO
ARE HERE THIS MORNING.
WE HAVE THREE ITEMS ON TODAY'S
AGENDA ON RENTERS' RIGHTS.
ON OUR LAST COMMITTEE MEETING,
WE HEARD FROM SITUATIONS WHERE
LANDLORDS VIOLATED.
IN TODAY'S COMMITTEE MEETING,
WE HOPE TO CONTINUE THAT
DISCUSSION.
FIRST, THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT
OF DISCUSSIONS, COMMONLY
REFERRED TO WILL PRESENT ABOUT
HOW THEY INVESTIGATE AND
ENFORCE MEMBERS' RIGHTS.
AND ENFORCE WHAT RIGHTS THEY
HAVE WHEN A RENTER CALLS THEIR
HOTLINE.
HEARING ABOUT THEIR EXPERIENCES
WHEN THEIR RIGHTS WERE
VIOLATED.
AND THEIR ATTEMPTS TO GET
REDRESSAL.
MY OFFICE IS REGULARLY
CONTACTED BY RENTERS, WHO
VEHICLE THEIR RIGHTS VIOLATED.
SOMETIMES THEIR LANDLORDS ARE
DOING THINGS THAT ARE ILLEGAL
AND SOMETIMES NOT ILLEGAL BUT
RIDICULOUSLY HIGH RENT
INCREASES.
BY WORKING WITH RENTERS OVER
THE YEARS AND DISCUSSING THE
CITY'S ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES
WITH THE EXPERTS AT THE HOUSING
JUSTICE PROJECT, AND AT THE SD
CI, MY OFFICE IS GATHERING
EXAMPLES WHERE THE PROCEDURES
NEED TO IMPROVE.
WE NEED TO DEVELOP LEGISLATION
OUT OF THESE COMMITTEE
MEETINGS, TO OVERHAUL HOW
RENTERS' RIGHTS ARE ENFORCED.
I WANT TO BE CLEAR WHEN RENTERS
E-MAIL MY OFFICE TO REPORT
ABUSES, WE OFTEN GIVE THEM
INFORMATION ABOUT HOW TO DO THE
SD CI.
SOMETIMES WE DIRECTLY CONTACT
LANDLORDS.
AND MANY TIMES, WE ARE ABLE TO
HELP RENTERS SOLVE THEIR
PROBLEM.
HOWEVER, JUST THE MAGNITUDE.
THE NUMBER OF INSTANCES WHERE
RENTERS HAVE PROBLEMS FAR
OUTWEIGH WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO
IN THIS METHOD.
SO THE POINT OF DISCUSSION IS
NOT TO SAY THAT RENTERS CAN
NEVER GET JUSTICE BECAUSE THAT
IS NOT TRUE.
THE PART OF THE DISCUSSION IS
TO FIND LOOPHOLES AND TO CLOSE
THEM, RECOGNIZING THE FACT THAT
THE PROBLEM IS VERY WIDESPREAD
AND PREVALENT.
IT'S NOT JUST -- IT'S NOT AN
UNUSUAL THING OR A HANDFUL OF
RENTERS THAT FACE THESE
PROBLEMS.
IT'S ALL OVER THE CITY.
I WANTED TO GIVE A FEW EXAMPLES
OF THE PROBLEMS WE HAVE FOUND
IN SEATTLE'S ENFORCEMENT OF
RENTERS' RIGHTS.
MY OFFICE HAS AREN'T RENTERS
WITHOUT HEAT,MOLD, PESTSES.
THOSE ARE NOT SECURE.
AND SO MANY ARE UNACCEPTABLE
HOUSING CONDITIONS THAT ARE
ALSO LEGAL VIOLATIONS OF
SEATTLE'S HOUSING CODES.
SEATTLE'S RENTAM CODE ORDINANCE
ALLOWS TO BE INSPECTED.
THEY ARE SOMETIMES WILLING TO
SIGN ON THINGS WE'VE SEEN.
IF A RESIDENTER CALLS, OFTEN A
CITY INSPECTOR WILL VISIT THE
PROPERTY.
THE CITY INSPECTOR IS
RESPONSIBLE AND DO A SERIOUS
INSPECTION, ONCE THEY COME TO
THE PROPERTY.
HOWEVER THAT, CAN ONLY COME
AFTER A RENTER CALLS THE
COMPLAINT LINE.
AND MOST DO NOT KNOW, THEY'RE
NOT EVEN AWARE THAT THEY HAVE
THIS OPTION OF CALLING THE SDCI
AND LODGING A COMPLAINT.
WHEN RENTERS DO CALL, IT IS
WHEN WE ARE TRULY, AND THIS IS
WAWE'VE OBSERVED IN MOST OF THE
INSTANCES.
IT IS WHEN THEY ARE TRULY AT
THEIR WITS' END.
AND THEY HAVE SOMEONE LIKE THE
TENANT'S UNION.
OR THE STAFFING AND LET THEM
KNOW THEY HAVE THIS OPTION.
RENTERS HAVE MANY REASONS TO
REPORT FEAR AND VIOLATION.
BECAUSE THERE IS NO RENT
CONTROL IN WASHINGTON STATE.
RENTERS WORRY IF THEY ASK THEIR
LANDLORD FOR REQUEST, THAT
COULD MOTIVATE THE LANDLORD TO
RAISE THE RENT.
THAT IS A COMMONLY FEARED
INTIMIDATION OR RETALIATION
THAT RENTERS HAVE REPORTED TO
US.
WHETHER IT'S TRUE OR NOT, IT IS
SOMETHING THAT EVERY RENTER
I'VE SPOKEN TO THINKS ABOUT.
AND YOU KNOW, WHETHER IT
HAPPENS IN A GIVEN CASE OR NOT,
IT IS SOMETHING THAT RENTERS
FEAR.
AND THE REASON THEY FEAR IS IT
HAPPENS OFTEN.
MY OFFICE SAW A WOMAN WHOSE
BATHROOM WAS SO DILAPIDATED,
SHE INSTALLED A NEW SHOWER
HERSELF.
WHEN THE LANDLORD SAW THE
IMPROVEMENT, THEY RAISED THE
RENT BECAUSE THEY THOUGHT THEY
COULD GET MORE.
THE LANDLORD IS REQUIRED TO
MAKE REPAIRS IN A REASONABLE
TIME LINE OR FACE POSSIBLE
FINES.
BUT THAT CLOCK TO COMPLETE
REPAIRS DOES NOT START WHEN THE
PROBLEM OFF GUARD OR EVEN WHEN
THE RENTER FIRST CALLED THE
LANDLORD ABOUT THE PROBLEM.
IT ONLY STARTS AS DCI
INSPECTORS VISIT THE PROPERTY.
RENTERS WHO HAVE BEEN, FOR
EXAMPLE, NO HEAT FOR MONTHS,
PRIOR TO THE INSPECTION.
GET NO JUSTICE FOR THAT TIME.
THEY STILL HAVE TO PAY THE FULL
RENT FOR ALL THAT TIME.
EVEN WHEN A LANDLORD FAILS TO
COMPLETE THE REPAIRS IN THE
TIME REQUIRED BY SDCI, THEY ARE
NOT NECESSARILY FINED.
IN ORDER TO DO IT.
THEY MUST SEND IT TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND WHEN A JUDGMENT FOR THE
FINES IN PRACTICE, THIS MEANS
THAT SDCI AND THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE, GIVE A LOT
OF EXTRA CHANCES FOR LANDLORDS
TO COMPLETE REPAIRS BEFORE
COMPLETING ELECTING FINES.
CITY WIDE, SDCI ISSUED FIVE
FINES.
ONLY FIVE FINES TO LANDLORDS IN
ALL OF 2021 COMBINED.
THIS IS YET ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF
HOW THE RICH AND POWERFUL IN
OUR SOCIETY ARE BEING HELD TO A
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT STANDARD
BY THE LEGAL SYSTEM.
EVEN WHEN THE CITY DOES LEVY A
FINE, NOWHERE IN SEATTLE'S LAW,
IS THE RENTER COMPENSATED FOR
THE RENT THEY ENDED UP PAYING,
DURING THE TIME WHEN THOSE
INADEQUATE OR DILAPIDATED
CONDITIONS PERSISTED.
IN MY EXPERIENCE, THE STAFF
WILL WORK AT SDCI, DEDICATED TO
THEIR WORK.
BUT THE STRUCTURE OF THE SYSTEM
IS TOTALLY STACKED AGAINST
RENTERS.
ONE EXAMPLE THAT SDCI BROUGHT
TO MY ATTENTION IS THE
ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW,
PROHIBITING LANDLORDS FROM
ENTERING A RENTAL APARTMENT.
UNLESS THERE IS AN EMERGENCY.
UNDER SEATTLE EMERGENCY, IF A
LANDLORD BREAKS THE LAW, THEY
ARE ISSUED A NOTICE OF
VIOLATION THAT ESSENTIALLY
SAYS, THEY HAVE TO CORRECT THE
PROBLEM, WHICH IS ACCOMPLISHED,
THE MOMENT THEY LEAVE THE
APARTMENT.
YOU KNOW.
BECAUSE THE PROBLEM IS THEM
ENTERING THE PROBLEM WITHOUT
NOTICE.
IF THEY DO IT AGAIN, THEY GET
ANOTHER NOTICE.
IN ORDER TO ACTUALLY GET A
PENALTY, THE LANDLORD WOULD
NEED TO ENTER THE APARTMENT.
THEY REMAIN THERE FOR DAYS
LONGER.
I MEAN, THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE
OF HOW RENTERS FACE PROBLEMS
ALMOST AT AN ABSURD LEVEL.
ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS ARE THE
RESULT OF THE TERRIBLE POWER
EMBALANCE BETWEEN RENTERS AND
THEIR LANDLORDS.
AND WE WILL HEAR SPECIFIC
EXAMPLES, WHEN WE GET TO AGENDA
ITEM 2. WHERE WE HAVE RENTERS
AND RENTER ADVOCATES SPEAKING
TO US.
OUR THIRD AND FINAL AGENDA ITEM
TODAY IS A BRIEFING ON A BILL,
SPONSORED BY COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN THAT I SUPPORT WHICH
ADDS INFORMATION TO THE AMOUNT
OF RENT CHARGED TO THE DATAA.
LANDLORDS ARE REQUIRED TO
DISCLOSE, AS PART OF THE CITY'S
RENTAL REGISTRATION AND
ORDINANCE.
I BELIEVE THIS DATA WILL BE
HELPFUL TO DEMONSTRATE HOW
RENTS ARE RISING OUT OF
CONTROL.
AND THE NEED FOR RENT CONTROL.
IT IS LISTED ON TODAY'S AGENDA
AS A BRIEFING OR POSSIBLE VOTE.
BUT I NEED TO CLARIFY.
THIS IS AN INITIAL BRIEFING.
AND IT WILL PROBABLY COME TO A
VOTE AT OUR NEXT MEETING.
BUT I JUST WANT TO REITERATE, I
SUPPORT THIS LEGISLATION, FROM
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
BEFORE WE BEGIN THE PUBLIC
ITEMS, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENT.
WE HAVE, WE HAVE, 41 PEOPLE
SIGNED UP, NOT ALL OF THEM ARE
PRESENT, SHOWING AS PRESENT,
BUT WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE
CALL ON EVERY SPEAKER AND MAKE
SURE THAT THEY ARE TURNING OFF
THEIR MUTE BUTTON AND SO ON AND
SO FORTH.
I WILL READ OUT THE NAMES.
WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, YOU WILL
BE PROMPTED TO UNMUTE YOURSELF.
AND WHEN YOU HEAR THAT, PLEASE
HIT STAR 6 ON YOUR PHONE TO
UNMUTE YOURSELF AND BEGIN.
AND BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY
SPEAKERS SIGNED UP, WE WILL
HAVE ONE MINUTE FOR EACH PERSON
TO SPEAK.
SO I WILL CALL THREE NAMES IN A
ROW.
AND SO PLEASE, YOU KNOW, PLEASE
BE READY.
IF YOU KNOW THAT YOUR NAME IS
COMING UP.
SO OUR FIRST THREE SPEAKERS ARE
MADELEINE YIN.
FIRST SPEAKER, MADELINE.
GO AHEAD, MADELINE.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS MARILYN YIRN.
AND I'M A HOUSING PROVIDER IN
D6.
I'D LIKE THE COMMITTEE TO ASK
YOURSELF SOME DUE DILIGENCE
QUESTIONS BEFORE PROCEEDING
INTO POLICYMAKING.
WHICH KEY STAKEHOLDERS ARE NOT
INFORMED OR INVITED TO GIVE
INFORMATION IN CONTEXT AT THIS
MEETING?
WHAT IS THE OTHER SIDE OF THE
STORY THAT IS NOT BEING TOLD?
HOW MIGHT THAT ADDITIONAL
CONTEXT CHANGE THE SITUATION
AND HOW WE APPROACH IT?
WHY WERE THEY EXCLUDED TODAY?
IS THE CITY TAKING A BALANCED
APPROACH TO ALL HOUSING
PROVIDERS?
WHAT IS THE PORTION OF CODE
VIOLATIONS IN EACH OF THESE
SECTORS?
REMEMBER THAT THE CITY HAS LOST
10% OF HOUSING REGISTRATIONS IN
JUST THE LAST EIGHT MONTHS.
THIS SHOULD BE A MASSIVE WAKE-
UP CALL TO CITY POLICY.
ENCOURAGING AND ADDING MORE.
WHAT IS THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE
OF A HEAVY HANDED, PUNITIVE
RELATIONSHIP TO THE CITY'S
ABILITY TO CONTINUE USING
RENTAL HOUSING, PARTICULARLY
FOR SMALL MOM AND POP HOUSING
PROVIDERS.
I WOULD ASK THAT WE MOVE THESE
ISSUES TO THE HOUSING COMMITTEE
OR SOMEWHERE ELSE, TO GET A
COMPLETE PICTURE AND HAVE
BETTER RESULTING POLICY.
THANK YOU.
>> OUR NEXT SPEAKERS ARE ANGIE
GERALD AND CORY BREWER.
AND THEN AFTER THAT, BRIAN
CLOONEY.
BEFORE THAT, I WANTED TO
ACKNOWLEDGE FOR THE RECORD,
THAT WE HAVE BEEN JOINED BY
COUNCILMEMBER LEWIS, AND
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN WHO IS
HERE TODAY TO DISCUSS THE
LEGISLATION FROM HIS OFFICE.
ALSO JUST WANTED TO LET THE
APPROXIMATELY COMMENT SPEAKERS
KNOWUX WHEN YOU HEAR THAT DING,
IT MEANS HAVE YOU 10 SECONDS
LEFT.
SO DON'T STOP WHEN YOU'RE
SPEAKING.
YOU CAN GO AHEAD.
BUT WHEN THE MINUTE IS UP, THE
MICROPHONE WILL BE TURNED OFF.
SO WE HAVE ANGIE GERALD NEXT.
GO AHEAD.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS ANGIE.
AND I'M A GRASS ROOTS LANDLORD
FROM BALLARD.
AT RECENT MEETINGS, THE
COMMITTEE CHAIR AND PANEL
SPEAKERS HAVE SAID DEROGATORY
MISLEADING THINGS ABOUT SMALL
HOUSING PROVIDERS WHO MADE
AUTHENTIC PUBLIC COMMENTS, CALL
BEING THE CORPORATE, REFERRING
TO PUBLICLY CONFIRMED ISSUES AS
FALSE NARRATIVES AND SAYING
THAT LANDLORDS ARE UNFAMILIAR
WITH HOW EVICTION WORKS.
SLIDE COMMENTARY SHOULD NOT BE
ALLOWED TO DURING CIVIC
MEETINGS.
THIS SHTALK TO, NOT MOCK OR
EXCLUDE OR STOREIO TYPE.
WE NEED INCLUSION IN THE
LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.
I REMIND YOU, CITY COUNCIL HAS
ALREADY R ALREADY ENACTED A
TSUNAMI OF REGULATIONS, WITHOUT
FEEDBACK.
CITY IS HEMORRHAGING, SMALL
LOCALLY OWNED RENTAL
PROPERTIES.
NONPROFITS AND GOVERNMENT
AGENCIES DO NOT UNFOLD THE SAME
FOR SMALL-SCALE RENTAL OWNERS.
REGARDING THE FIRE DAMAGED
BUILDING DAMAGE ON TODAY'S
AGENDA, I PROPOSE THE CITY
REQUIRE RENTERS INSURANCE.
>> WE HAVE CORY BREWER NEXT.
FOLLOWED BY BRET FRANK AND CORY
BREWER.
>> CORY BREWER REPRESENTING
ABOUT 500 MOM AND POP HOUSING
PROVIDERS IN SEATTLE.
NOT LARGE PORTIONS.
HIGH PRIORITY WITH MY CLIENTS
AND THE SAME GOES FOR MOST
HOUSING PROVIDERS.
BUT THERE'S A DISCONNECT HERE.
WE'RE TALKING ABOUT MAINTENANCE
VIOLATIONS.
BUT THIS CONVERSATION COMES AT
A TIME, WHEN WE'VE HAD A TWO-
YEAR MORATORIUM ON RENT
PAYMENTS, IN ADDITION TO PUBLIC
CALLS FOR RENT STRIKES AND
RENTSD CONTROL.
OPERATING INCOME IS NECESSARY
IN ORDER TO INVEST IN UPKEEP.
IT'S VERY SIMPLE MATH.
I JUST WISH THAT THE COMMITTEE
CHAIR WOULD TAKE A MORE
COLLABORATIVE APPROACH TO
DISCUSSING THESE ISSUES.
AND ON THAT NOTE, TO
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, THANK
YOU FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS TO
COLLABORATE AND LISTEN TO
VARIOUS POINTS OF VIEW.
I ALSO THINK THAT DATA IS
IMPORTANT.
BUT I THINK YOUR APPROACH NEEDS
A LOT OF WORK.
AND WE ARE MORE THAN HAPPY TO
DISCUSS THAT WITH YOU FURTHER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.
>> BRET FRANCLOONEY, FOLLOWED
BY HOWARD GAIL.
GO AHEAD, BRET FRANCLOONEY.
>> GOOD MORNING.
FOR THE RECORD, BRET FRANK
LOONY.
STATEMENT ON VALUES ON EQUITY
AND RESPECT.
THOSE SHOULD BE VALUED BY ALL
STAKEHOLDERS.
IN THE PAST, CHAIR HAVE USED
DEROGATORY TERMS TO REFER TO
SMALL HOUSING PROVIDERS AND
THAT WE SPREAD FALSE
NARRATIVES.
THE TEXT NEEDS TO INCLUDE SMALL
MOM AND POP ABOUT HOW TO MAKE A
SAFE AND LIVABLE SEATTLE.
THIS PERMANENT REDUCTION IS A
DIRECT REFLECTION OF THE
CALCULATIONS MADE.
HOUSE BILL 0284.
INEFFECTIVE POLICY MAKING.
CENTERS ON THE INFORMATION THAT
WOULD BE COLLECT THE WHICH
VIOLATES PRIVACY.
THE NAME, ADDRESS AND PHONE
NUMBER SHOULD BE THEIR HOME
ADDRESSES.
THEY CARE ABOUT THEIR TENANTS
AND COMMUNITIES.
AGAIN, WE WORK TO CREATE
EFFECTIVE POLICY SOLUTIONS.
PLEASE INVITE US TO THE TABLE
PRIOR TO --
>> HOWARD GAIL IS NEXT.
FOLLOWED BY KEITH HASSLER RIGS.
APOLOGIES IF I'M NOT SAYING
YOUR NAMES DIRECTLY.
>> HOWARD GAIL, DISTRICT 7.
WANT TO NOTE AS SBC RI.
I.
RENOVATIONS TO APARTMENT
BUILDINGS IN A MANNER THAT
MAKES THEM UNLIVABLE.
THEREBY GETTING PEOPLE TO SELF-
EVICT AND AVOIDING RENT
INCREASES AND PAYING RELOCATION
ASSISTANCE.
HAYDEN'S REALTY, FAMOUS FOR
THIS IS DOING THAT.
TODAY, I'M CALLING YOU FROM A
HOTEL ROOM BECAUSE MY BUILDING
WILL BE WITHOUT ELECTRICITY,
HEAT, AND HOT WATER FOR A
MINIMUM OF 21 HOURS.
POSSIBLY WITHOUT HEAT AND HOT
WATER FOR DAYS DURING THE
WINTER.
THEY HAD THREATENED TO DO THIS
TWICE BEFORE.
WHEN IT WAS 25 DEGREES OUT.
SDCI WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THIS AS
A COMPLAINT BECAUSE LANDLORDS
HAVE PERMITS AND THE ISSUES ARE
TRANSITORY, EVEN IF REPEATED.
SD I CLAIMS THEY CANNOT TAKE
ACTION.
>> KEITH, FOLLOWED DID DEMISS
TRIUS ABU.
GO AHEAD, KEITH.
WE DON'T HEAR YOU.
ARE YOU --
>> OKAY.
READY?
HOLD THE PHONE UP.
YOU CAN JUST BEGIN.
>> GO AHEAD.
>> HELLO?
>> I DON'T SEE KEITH ON THE
LINE.
>> OH.
SORRY.
KEITH IS NOT PRESENT.
YEAH.
SORRY.
DEMETRIUS ABU, FOLLOWED BY
AIDAN ARDONE AND BRUCE BECKER.
GO AHEAD, DEMETRIUS.
>> MY NAME IS DEMETRIUS ABU, I
LIVE IN THE COLUMBIA GARDEN
BUILDING.
RAINERED COURT IN MOUNT BAKER.
OUR LANDLORD C HAS NEGLECTED
AWFUL CONDITIONS OF OUR
BUILDING AND HAS IGNORED
REPEATEDLY COMPLAINTS FOR
YEARS, WHICH IS WHY WE HAVE
BEEN ORGANIZING LOONGTS
ALONGSIDE CITY COUNCILMAN SHARM
-- KSHAMA SHAWASN'T'S OFFICE.
I HAVE BEEN LIVING IN
CONDITIONS AND I TOLD THE
LANDLORDS.
THEY TRIED TO TELL ME I DIDN'T
HAVE BEBUGS.
I HAPPENED TO SEE A MAN FROM
PEFLT CONTROL COMPANY IN THE
BUILDING.
I WAS COMPLETELY AT THE END OF
MY ROPE.
I SAW HIM.
I BROKE DOWN CRYING AND BEGGED
HIM TO SPRAY MY APARTMENT.
AND HE DID.
THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE
NIGHTMARES I'VE BEEN FORCED TO
ENDURE IN THIS BUILDING.
WHEN MY TOILET BROKE, I TOOK --
IT TOOK THEM TWO WEEKS TO GET
IT FIXED.
AND YOU --
>> AIDAN ARDONE, FOLLOWED BY
BRUCE BECKER AND DANIEL
CAVANAUGH.
GO AHEAD, AIDAN.
>> AIDAN, YOU APPEAR TO BE
UNMUTED BUT YOU ARE MUTED.
MAYBE IT'S YOUR PHONE.
>> CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?
>> YES.
>> GOOD MORNING.
I'M AIDAN ARDONE.
I'M A RESIDENT OF DISTRICT 6.
SO THE CITY IS PLANNING ON
ENGAGING, ENTERING INTOANG
AGREEMENT WITH THE RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY TO COLLECT AND
ANALYZE DATA ABOUT PRIVATE
LANDLORDS AND THEIR TENANTS.
WHO WOULD OWN THE DATABASE?
WHO WOULD OWN THE DATA?
WILL THIS DATABASE BE PORTABLE,
IF THE CITY CHANGES
CONTRACTORS?
HOW MUCH WILL THIS COST?
WHAT IS THE REVENUE SOURCE?
NOT SURE ABOUT THE NEED FOR
UTILITY BILL INFORMATION.
BUT CITY LIGHT AND SPU HAS THIS
INFORMATION ON FILE.
WHY COULDN'T THAT DATAA JUST BE
IMPORTED?
IT'S TIED TO A LOCATION OR AN
ADDRESS, NOT AN INDIVIDUAL.
DON'T WE ALREADY HAVE A
DATABASE R.I.O., RUN BY SDCI?
WHY CAN'T THEIR DATABASE BE
MODIFIED AND UPGRADED TO ACCEPT
--
>> WE HAVE BRUCE BECKER,
FOLLOWED BY DANIEL CAVANAUGH.
AND THEN MOUSSA ALI WAS THE
NEXT SPEAKER, SHOWING AS NOT
PRESENT.
AND I ALSO WANT TO APOLOGIZE TO
THE MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO
ARE SPEAKING.
WE HAVE LOTS OF SPEAKERS SIGNED
UP.
SO IF YOU DON'T GET TO FINISH
UP YOUR PUBLIC COMMENT, PLEASE
SEND US YOUR FULL COMMENT.
SEND IT TO MY OFFICE BY E-MAIL.
THANK YOU.
SO WE HAVE BRUCE BECKER NEXT.
>> THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS BRUCE BECKER.
I'M A SMALL LANDLORD IN
SEATTLE.
I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS
TYPE OF REGULATION, BECAUSE
IT'S JUST REDUCING THE RENTAL
ABILITY IN SEATTLE.
I ASSUME THE PURPOSE IS TO
RELATE RENTAL COST WITH SQUARE
FOOTAGE.
BUT I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE
ANSWERS ARE TO THE QUESTIONS.
LIKE WHAT IS NET RENTABLE
SQUARE FOOTAGE?
IS THAT HABITABLE SPACE?
UNINHABITABLE SPACE?
DOES IT INCLUDE THE GARAGE?
WHAT IF THE GARAGE IS
HABITABLE?
QUESTION IS VACANT OR OCCUPIED?
VACANT, AVAILABLE TO RENT BUT
NOT OCCUPIED?
IS IT USED FOR STORAGE?
WHAT IF IT'S USED BY THE OWNER?
OR WHAT IF IT'S UNDER REPAIR.
THESE ARE ALL PERFECTLY
LEGITIMATE QUESTIONS THAT
AREN'T REALLY ON ANYTHING THAT
IS BEING ASKED FOR.
I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE
ISSUE OF CONDITION AND OVERALL,
OVERALL UNIT AND WHICH
LOCATIONS, WHICH ALSO ADDS TO
ITS VALUE.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE
REALLY VERY IMPORTANT FROM --
>> WE HAVE DANIEL CAVANAUGH
NEXT.
AFTER THAT, MUSA ALI, WHO IS
NOT PRESENT.
AND CONSTANCE NELSON AND PRECCA
BRUCE.
>> MY NAME IS DAN.
AND I'M A RENTER IN FIRST HILL.
JUST CALLING TO URGE THE
SEATTLE COUNCIL TO SUPPORT
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S PROPOSAL
TO STRENGTHEN RENTERS RIGHTS.
AND I URGE MY FELLOW RENTERS TO
ORGANIZE, BECAUSE IT'S THE ONLY
WAY WE CAN WIN.
I FOUND IT STUNNING TO HEAR
THAT COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
OFFICE FOUND THAT THE CITY ONLY
ISSUED TO FIVE LANDLORDS.
AND I WANT TO ISSUE OUT, CORY
BREWER CLAIMS TO REPRESENT MOM
AND POP LANDLORDS AND NOT
CORPORATIONS.
HE SAID THIS IN THE PAST.
HE IS ACTUALLY A V.P.
OF WINDEMMERE REAL ESTATE ONE
OF THE BIGGEST IN THE CITY.
SO HE'S LYING THROUGH HIS
TEETH.
I'M SURE THERE ARE ALSO SMALL
LANDLORDS.
BUT DON'T BELIEVE HIM.
WE REALLY JUST NEED TO
STRENGTHEN ENFORCEMENT OF --
>> CONSTANCE NELSON IS NEXT.
FOLLOWED BY PATRICIA BRUCE.
AND JENNIFER LECKISH.
GO AHEAD, CONSTANCE NELSON.
>> SINCE YOU APPEAR TO BE
MUTED.
IF YOU COULD STAR 6, YOU'LL
UNMUTE.
>> SORRY ABOUT THAT.
I'M A SMALL MOM AND POP
LANDLORD WHO RENTS TO PEOPLE IN
SEATTLE WHO WORK AT A VARIETY
OF LOW-WAGE JOBS.
WE THINK THAT DATA IS IMPORTANT
AND WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE CITY
FOCUS ON ENCOURAGING
PARTICIPATION BY PARTNERING
WITH RESEARCH OR SAFE GROUPS
WHO IN SOME CASES ALREADY
COLLECT THIS INFORMATION AND
AGGREGATE IT.
IT IS ALSO WORTH MENTIONING THE
COST OF CONNECTNG THIS DATA
WILL PROBABLY PASS ON TO
TENANTS IN THE FORM OF HIGHER
END AND ALSO DISINCENTIVIZE
SMALLER TENANTS
WHO DON'T CARE ABOUT THEIR
TENANTS TO STAY IN THE
INDUSTRY.
THANK YOU.
>> PATRICIA BRUCE, FOLLOWED BY
DANIEL LECKISH.
GO AHEAD, PATRICIA.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS PATRICK TRICIA
BRUCE.
AND I'M A TENANT HERE AT
COLUMBIA GARDENS.
I'M HERE TO PRESENT MY
PROBLEMS.
BROKEN STOVE FOR A YEAR AND A
HALF.
ROACHES.
AND APPLICATION PROCESS FOR MY
FRIENDS WHO MOVED FROM NEW YORK
CITY, TWO YEARS AGO.
AND EVERY TIME MANAGEMENT GETS
THEIR HANDS ON THE APPLICATION,
SHE DOES SOMETHING WRONG.
I WENT TO SEE HER LAST MONTH,
ABOUT THE WRONG INCIDENT.
AND I BECAME SO FRUSTRATED WITH
HER.
I PUT MY HANDS UP.
BECAUSE BROKEN STOVE, ROACHES.
SHE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND
ANYTHING.
WANTS TO BRING ANOTHER STOVE
FROM THE APARTMENT, WHERE THEY
ARE INFESTED WITH ROACHES.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR MY
FRIEND.
SHE PUT DOWN HIS SALARY INSTEAD
OF HIS SALARY, SHE PUT DOWN
WHAT HE HAD IN THE BANK.
I WENT TO SEE HER AND GOT
FRUSTRATED PUT MY HANDS UP IN
THE AIR.
I PUT MY HANDS UP IN THE AIR.
AND I STATED TO HER, I'VE HAD
ENOUGH.
I'VE HAD ENOUGH.
I WALKED OUT.
SHE CALLED THE COPS ON ME.
I DIDN'T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT
THAT UNTIL TWO DAYS LATER.
>> JENNIFER LECKISH, FOLLOWED
BY DANIEL SWANSON.
AND THE NEXT TWO SPEAKERS ARE
SHOWING AS NOT PRESENT.
BUT WE'LL SEE IF THEY SHOW UP.
JENNIFER, GO AHEAD.
>> MY NAME IS JENNIFER.
HI, MY NAME IS JENNIFER LEKIRB.
AND I'M A SECOND GENERATION
HOUSING PROVIDER.
PROVIDING 15 UNITS IN SEATTLE.
I'M FULL-TIME PROPERTY OWNER
AND SUPERINTENDENT.
PLEASE VOTE NO ON THE PROPOSAL.
RENTING A YEUPTD IS A PRIVATE
CONTRACT BETWEEN TWO PRIVATE
PARTIES.
REQUIRING DETAILS TO BE EXPOSED
TO A THIRD PARTY IS AN
OVERREACH OF GOVERNMENT POWER.
THEY HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE
CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE
CITY.
IN THE 31-PAGE RENTING IN
SEATTLE HANDBOOK THAT BY LAW,
MUST BE GIVEN TO EVERY SINGLE
TENANT IN THE CITY.
IF THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH THIS
PROCESS, AND THE SEATTLE CITY
COUNCIL NEEDS TO TAKE UP THE
PROBLEM WITH THE CITY NOT WITH
HOUSING PROVIDERS.
THE INSPECTION ORDINANCE
ALREADY IMPOSES AN
ADMINISTRATIVE AND LEGISLATIVE
BURNING ON HOUSING PROVIDERS.
INCREASING REPORTING IN
REQUIREMENTS IS UNNECESSARY AND
WILL PUSH MORE HOUSING
PROVIDERS OUT OF THE MARKET.
THANK YOU.
>> DANIEL SWANSON, FOLLOWED BY
DANIEL WANG.
I JUST WANTED TO NOTE THAT THE
SPEAKER, STANLEY STOKES AND
DANIEL JOHNSON ARE SHOWN AS NOT
PRESENT AT THIS MOMENT.
GO AHEAD, DANIEL.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS DANIEL AND I'M A
RENTER IN DISTRICT 4. I'M
CALLING IN SUPPORT OF RENTERS
RIGHTS.
A LOT OF COMMENTERS ARE TALKING
ABOUT HOW HOUSING PROVIDERS
HAVEN'T BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS
CONVERSATION.
AND TO THAT, I'D LIKE TO POINT
OUT THE MASS MOVEMENTS THAT
RENTERS HAVE HAD TO BUILD TO
EVEN BE CONSIDERED IN
CONVERSATIONS LIKE THIS.
THE FIGHT FOR THE $15 MINIMUM
WAGE ARE GOOD EXAMPLES.
RENTERS ALREADY FACE A MOUNTAIN
OF BARRIERS IN FINDING
AFFORDABLE HOUSING OPTIONS IN
SEATTLE, REPORTING POOR
CONDITIONS AND NEGLIGENCE OF
THEIR LANDLORDS, ONCE THEY
SECURE HOUSING SHOULD NOT BE A
BARRIER OR PUT THEM AT RISK OF
KEEPING THE HOUSING.
THE SCALES ARE TIPPED IN FAVOR
OF LANDLORDS AND THAT IF A
TENANT BREAKS ANY PART OF THE
LEASE, THEY CAN BE LIABLE FOR
FINES, RENT RENT INCREASES OR
EVEN LOSE THEIR HOUSING.
OUR LANDLORDS HARDLY SEE
CONSEQUENCES FOR PROVIDING POOR
HOUSING.
AT THE RENTAL I CURRENTLY LIVE
IN UNDER WINDMERE.
WE HAD SOMEONE REPORT WINDOWS
THREE MONTHS AGO.
THE WINDOW REPAIR PEOPLE SAID
WE HAD --
>> WE HAVE DANIEL WANG NEXT.
AND THEN A NUMBER OF SPEAKERS
AFTER DANIEL WANG ARE SHOWN AS
NOT PRESENT.
I'LL JUST READ THEIR NAMES
QUICKLY.
JUST IF YOU HEAR YOUR NAME,
PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU ARE ABLE
TO GET ON THE LINE.
DUNCAN ERNEST, ZUM ZUM SAID,
KAREN JOHNSON, DIANE WEBSTER,
RANDALL VINCENT.
ALL ARE SHOWING NOT PRESENT.
AFTER THAT, JUNIA BUS CONCELLO.
SORRY IF I'M SAYING YOUR NAME
WRONG.
BUT GO AHEAD, DANIEL WANG.
>> MY NAME IS DANIEL.
AND I'M A RENTER LIVING IN
DISTRICT 4. I WANT TO
DECOMMANDER ENFORCEMENT OF CITY
RIGHTS.
IT'S ODD TO HEAR THEM COMPLAIN
ABOUT ADVOCATES,
MISREPRESENTING THEIR POSITION
OR THROWING DEROGATORY TERMS.
AT THE END OF THE MORATORIUM A
FEW WEEKS AGO.
COMPLAINTS ABOUT EXTRA BURDENS
BEING PLACED ON LANDLORDS.
WHAT ABOUT THE BURDEN OF
EXPLODING RENT ON RENTERS WHO
CANNOT AFFORD TO STAY IN THEIR
HOMES ANYMORE.
WHAT ABOUT THE TSUNAMI OF
RENTERS GETTING KICKED OUT OF
THEIR HOMES.
THE POWER BALANCE IS
FUNDAMENTALLY UNEVEN.
TENANTS ARE NOT AS AWARE OF
LEGAL OPTIONS, HOW TO EXERCISE
THEM OR AFRAID TO EXERCISE THEM
FOR FEAR OF RETALIATION, WHICH
WILL MAKE THEM LOSE THEIR HOME.
NOT JUST SOME INCOME ON
INVESTMENTS AS THE CASE OF A
LANDLORD.
MANIFEST IN THE FACT THAT ALL
OF LAST YEAR WRAPID
MALPRACTICE.
ONLY FIVE LANDLORDS GOT FINED
LAST YEAR FOR VIOLATION.
FINALLY, THIS PROPOSAL IS ABOUT
MAKING SURE LANDLORDS AREN'T
ABLE TO --
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER, WHO IS
SHOWN AS NOT PRESENT IS JUNIA
BOSS CONCELLO AND THEN BARBARA
FINNEY AND HAGEERTY.
GO AHEAD, JUNIA.
>> I'M A TENANT AND LANDLORD
FOR ABOUT THE LAST 10 YEARS.
AND I ALSO OVERSEE THE RENTALS
FOR MY IMMEDIATE FAMILY
MEMBERS.
SO I HAVE A BIRD'S EYE INTO THE
WAY THIS POLICY AFFECTS JUST
ABOUT EVERYBODY IN THIS THING.
AND I THINK THAT EVERYBODY, ALL
OF THE LANDLORDS WHO ARE ABOVE
BOARD AND ARE OPERATING
PROPERLY, EVERYBODY, WE ALL
WANT THE SAME THING, SAFE,
HEALTHY, STABLE HOUSING STOCK.
AND THE ISSUE WE HAVE HERE IS
THAT WE ARE APPROACHING IT WITH
A PATH THAT IS TAKING US AWAY
FROM THAT GOAL.
THE CITY NEEDS TO BE
ENCOURAGING THE CREATION OF NEW
HOUSING UNITS.
INSTEAD, YOU'RE PUNISHING THOSE
OF US ALREADY PROVIDING
HOUSING.
THE BAD LANDLORDS AND THE GOOD
ONES.
WHY WOULD ANYBODY DEVELOP A NEW
ACCESSORY DWELLING OR MOTHER-IN-
LAW APARTMENT IN THEIR MOMENT
HOME IF THEY'RE GOING TO BE
FACED WITH AN ONSLAUGHT OF
RESTRICTIONS ON THEIR PROPERTY.
THEY WON'T.
THAT'S WHY WE ARE BEGINNING TO
SELL OUR SEATTLE PROPERTIES.
THOSE WILL NEVER GO BACK ON THE
RENTAL MARKET.
LET'S GET COLLABORATIVE.
WE HAVE THE SAME GENERAL
OBJECTIVES.
WE CAN DO IT IF WE WORK
TOGETHER.
>> BARBARA FINNEY IS NEXT.
AND I SAID GORDON HAGGERTY.
BUT GORD AN IS SHOWING AS NOT
PRESENT.
SO THE NEXT PRESENT SPEAKER IS
EMILY MacARTHUR.
SO GO AHEAD, BARBARA FINNEY.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS BARBARA FINNEY,
COUNCIL DISTRICT, WHERE THE
MAJORITY OF RESIDENTS ARE
RENTERS.
I'M A RETIRED R.N.
I'VE BEEN A RENTER FOR YEARS.
BUT NOW I'M A HOMEOWNER AND
STAND IN SOLIDARITY WITH ALL
WORKING-CLASS RENTERS IN
SEATTLE.
LAST YEAR, ONLY FIVE LANDLORDS
WERE FINED BY THE CITY FOR
VIOLATING THE RIGHTS OF
RENTERS?
THE CITY MUST BE ABLE AND
WILLING TOMEANINGFULLY PROTECT
RENTERS' RIGHTS, WHEN A RENTER
REPORTS VIOLATIONS TO THE
REGULATING DEPARTMENT.
CRAFTING LEGISLATION TO
STRENGTHEN THE CITY'S
ENFORCEMENT PROCEDURES, WHEN
LANDLORDS VIOLATE TENANTS'
RIGHTS AND THE LAW AND GIVE
RENTERS RELIEF IS CRUCIAL.
COMMITTEE CHAIR, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT'S UNWAIVERING SOLIDARITY
WITH WORKING CLASS RENTERS
THROUGH SOCIAL COUNCIL OFFICES,
WORK WITH RENTERS RIGHTS
MOVEMENTS, SPEARHEADED RIGHT
AND THE PROTECTIONS FOR RENTERS
IN GROUNDBREAKING VICTORIES.
OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS SHOULD
STEP UP TO REPRESENT THEIR CO
CONSTITUENTS AND COSPONSOR
LEGISLATION TO INCREASE
ENFORCEMENT, TO PROTECT
RENTERS' RIGHTS.
THANK YOU.
>> EMILY MacARTHUR IS NEXT.
AFTER THAT, ZOE AMIR AND
LAWRENCE KREITZ.
GO AHEAD, EMILY.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS EMILY MacARCTURE.
I RENT IN DISTRICT 2. I WANT TO
SUPPORT COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
LIGALATION.
I ENCOURAGE MY FELLOW
REPRESENTERS.
IT IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN WIN.
I CAN TALK ABOUT HOW EVERY
SINGLE APARTMENT I'VE LIVED IN
IN SEATTLE HAS HAD SOME KIND OF
MAJOR ISSUE THAT THE LANDLORD
WOULDN'T ADDRESS.
AND THAT'S BOTH CORPORATE
LANDLORDS AND SMALL LANDLORDS,
INCLUDING THINGS LIKE BLACK
MOLD THAT YOU CANNOT LIVE
UNDER.
AND ALSO THE WAYS IN WHICH I
WAS RETALIATED AGAINST.
BUT I HAVE TO RESPOND TO THIS
IDEA THAT IT'S JUST TOO
OVERWHELMING TO TRACK HOW MUCH
A UNIT ONE OF THE COSTS OR BIG
IT IS OR TOO BIG OF A BURDEN
LAID OUT IN THIS BILL.
I THINK PATENTLY, THAT'S
ABSURD.
WHEN WORKING CLASS PEOPLE GOING
TO MAKE COPIES, THEY HAVE TO
UNDERSTAND THE WORDS SO THEY
CAN GET PAID FOR THEIR JOBS.
AS A LANDLORD, IT IS THEIR JOB
TO UNDERSTAND THESE TERMS AND
TRACK THOSE THINGS.
RENTERS ARE UNDER AN IMMENSE
AMOUNT OF BURDEN.
>> AMIR, FOLLOWED BY LAWRENCE
KREITZ.
SORRY IF I'M SAYING YOUR NAME
WRONG.
THEN SARAH JAMES.
GO AHEAD, ZOE.
>> HELLO.
GOOD MORNING.
[ INAUDIBLE ] COUNCIL A FEW
WEEKS AGO, ENDED THE
MORATORIUM, DESPITE THE ONGOING
HOMELESS CRISIS IN SEATTLE.
WE NEED RENT CONTROL AND
TENANCY NOW.
AND IF THEY WANT THE ECONOMY OF
THE CITY TO KEEP FUNCTIONING
AND CARE ABOUT THEIR
CONSTITUENTS, THEY WILL SUPPORT
RENT CONTROL.
MANY ARE MAKING RENT MONTH TO
MONTH.
DEALING WITH CONDITIONS LIKE
BED BUGS, BLACK MOLD.
AND THESE ARE PEOPLE WITH JOBS,
EVEN MULTIPLE JOBS.
PEOPLE WHO ARE LIKELY TO FACE
HOUSING INSECURITY ALSO HAVE
THE LONGEST TO GO THROUGH BUR
CATTIC CONDITIONS TO GET THEIR
SITUATIONS IMPROVED.
WHAT USED TO BE COMMON FACET IN
AREAS LIKE SAN FRANCISCO AND
NEW YORK CITY.
AND NOW TIME FOR RENTERS TO
ORGANIZE TOGETHER, FORM UNION.
>> THE NEXT SPEAKER IS LAWRENCE
KREITZ.
FOLLOWED BY SARAH JAMES.
THEN MARGO STEWART SHOWN AS NOT
PRESENT.
I WANT TO LET SPEAKERS KNOW,
WHEN YOU HEAR THE DING SOUND,
YOU STILL HAVE 10 SECONDS TO
SPEAK.
GO AHEAD, LAWRENCE KREITZ.
DO WE HAVE LAWRENCE HERE, TED?
>> LAWRENCE, YOU ARE STILL
MUTED.
IF YOU COULD STAR 6 ON YOUR
PHONE, YOU SHOULD UNMUTE
YOURSELF.
>> OKAY.
SORRY ABOUT THAT.
INTED TO MAKE A POINT THAT WE
HAD A HOUSING CRISIS THAT NOT
ONLY AFFECTED TENANTS, BUT
DRASTICALLY AFFECTED SMALL
LANDLORDS OVER THE LAST COUPLE
OF YEARS.
AND THE CITY COUNCIL HAS TO ASK
POSITIVE.
DOES THIS REGULATION ADD TO
HOUSING SUPPLY?
DOES IT IMPROVE 10 APT ACCESS
TO HOUSES?
IF IT DOESN'T, YOU'VE GOT TO
LAY OFF SMALL LANDLORDS N.
SEATTLE, WE'VE LOST SEVEN,000
IN THE LAST NINE MONTHS.
BEING CAREFUL TO ANALYZE WHAT
OUR POLICIES HAVE DONE.
AND STOP ADDING REGULATORY
BURDEN WITH EXPENSE AND
LIABILITY TO LANDLORDS.
ALL OF THESE INCREASE RENTS
OVER TIME.
[ INAUDIBLE ]
NOT JUST ABOUT THIS ONE
PROPOSAL.
IT'S ABOUT THE EFFECT.
MY LEASE IS NOW 78 PAGES LONG.
JUST FOR THE RECORD, I HAVE
BEEN IN THE BUSINESS FOR 35
YEARS.
I'VE NEVER EVICTED ANYONE.
AND I'VE NEVER HAD A HOUSING
COVERAGE PLAINT AGAINST ME.
TO LUMP SMALL LANDLORDS IN WITH
LARGE CORPORATE ONES OR USE
ANEC DOLTS --
>> NEXT ARE SARAH JAMES, LOGAN
THOMPSON.
JUST WANT TO LET JESSE SIDON
SHOW, YOU'RE SHOWING AS NOT
PRESENT.
GO AHEAD, SARAH JAMES.
>> I'M CALLING TO URGE CITY
COUPLESIL TO SUPPORT KSHAMA
SAWANT'S SUPPORT OF RENTERS
RIGHTS.
LLTDS HAVE SO MUCH POWER OVER
US.
WITH RENT SO HIGH, THE THOUGHT
OF MOVING IS TERRIFYING.
RENTERS DON'T REPORT SITUATIONS
UNLESS THE SITUATION IS
ABSOLUTELY DESPERATE.
BECAUSE WE FEAR RETALIATION
FROM OUR LANDLORDS.
WHEN I WAS PREGNANT WITH MY
DAUGHTER.
I DIDN'T -- I HAD A CLAUSE IN
MY LEASE THAT SAID I HAD TO
DEAL WITH BED BUGS MYSELF.
AND I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THAT
THAT WAS AGAINST THE CITY LAW.
AND NINE MONTHS PREGNANT, WAS
SPRAYING MY OWN BED BUG BUG
POISON ON MY APARTMENT.
BECAUSE I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ELSE
TO DO.
AND I WAS SCARED OF LOSING MY
HOME.
RENTERS SHOULD NOT BE CHARGED
IF IF ANYTHINGS LIKE HEAT AND
WATER AND ELECTRICITY DON'T
WORK.
THOSE PROBLEMS NEED TO BE
FIXED.
THE CITY COUNCIL NEEDS TO DO
SOMETHING TO HOLD LANDLORDS
ACCOUNTABLE, EVEN SMALL
LANDLORDS.
BECAUSE IT WAS A SMALL LANDLORD
THAT LET ME SIT?
AN APARTMENT WITH BED BUGS,
WITH NO ASSISTANCE.
>> NORA SCHULZ, FOLLOWED BY
LOGAN.
AND GLORIA.
GO AHEAD, NORA SCHULZ.
>> NORA, YOU ARE SHOWING AS
STILL MUTED.
IF YOU CAN HIT STAR 6. YOU
SHOULD UNMUTE YOURSELF.
>> STILL MUTED ON YOUR PHONE.
SO ON YOUR PHONE.
STAR 6.
>> YOU GOT IT.
>> SORRY.
THANK YOU.
MY NAME IS NORA SCHULZ.
I'M A SECOND GENERATION
PROPERTY OWNER AND MANAGER OF
RENT IN WASHINGTON.
I'M COMMENTING IN OPPOSITION TO
CB102084.
I WANT TO APPEAL TO THIS GROUP
TO REEXAMINE THIS ATTITUDE
TOWARD PROPERTY OWNERS AND STOP
THE ADVERSARIAL APPROACH TO
HOUSING OWNERS.
WE ARE -- MY FAMILY IS A SMALL
BUSINESS.
AND WE TREAT OUR CUSTOMERS WELL
AND WE VALUE THEIR TENANCIES.
WE'RE THE TYPE OF LANDLORDS
SEATTLE WANTS TO INVEST IN THE
CITY.
HOWEVER, WE HAVE TURNED DOWN
EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE
PROPERTY IN THE CITY OF
SEATTLE.
THE ONERUS BURDEN MAKES IT
POSSIBLE IN SEATTLE.
GOOD LANDLORDS WILL NOT INVEST
HERE.
THE TYPE OF PEOPLE YOU WANT TO
TREAT TENANT THE WELL, CANNOT
MAKE THEIR, OPERATE UNDER THE
ONERUS BURDENS THAT THE CITY
HAS PLACED ON SMALL BUSINESSES,
WHICH IS WHAT WE ARE.
PLEASE START TO INCLUDE
PROPERTY OWNERS IN DEVELOPING
GOOD HOUSING ORDINANCES AND
STOP DEMONIZING SMALL
BUSINESSES THAT ARE TRYING TO
PROVIDE GOOD HOUSING FOR GOOD
TENANTS.
THANK YOU.
>> BROGAN THOMPSON, FOLLOWED BY
GLORIA BETON.
AND THEN ELEANOR JORDAN.
GO AHEAD, BROGAN THOMPSON.
>> BROGAN, IT LOOKS LIKE YOU
NEED TO HIT?
>> YES.
HELLO.
THIS IS BROGAN THOMPSON.
YOU CAN HEAR ME OKAY?
>> YES.
I HAVE A SMALL FOUR PLEX IN
DISTRICT 3. AND I'VE SUPPLIED
THAT IN THE PAST.
AND THAT'S BEEN VERY HELPFUL.
BUT TO MANDATE IT, THAT'S JUST
ANOTHER BURDEN ON TOP OF ALL OF
THE OTHER NEW ORDINANCES THAT
HAS BEEN IN PLACE IN THE LAST
FEW YEARS.
SO YEAH, DATA IS GOOD.
BUT I HOPE IT SHOULD BE
ACCURATE AND ACCESSIBLE.
LIKE, FOR EXAMPLE IN THE PAST,
THE DEPREE [ INAUDIBLE ] THAT'S
WORKED VERY WELL WITH HARD
DATA.
AND THEN WE CAN WORK FROM THAT
TO DO PROPER ORDINANCES.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
GOODBYE.
>> GLORIA BETON, FOLLOWED BY
ELEANOR JORDAN.
AND ROSE PRICE.
GO AHEAD, GLORIA BETON.
GO AHEAD.
>> GOOD MORNING.
MY NAME IS GLORIA BATON.
AND I LIVE IN THE GARDENS
RESIDENCE.
AND I AM JUST CALLING TO BEG
THE COUNCILMEMBERS TO MAINTAIN
THEIR POSITIONS AS COUNCILMEN,
AND TO ASSIST AND SUPPORT
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT, WHO HAS
BEEN A BEAUTIFUL ADVOCATE THAT
WE NEED.
NOT ONLY IN THIS COMMUNITY, BUT
IN SEATTLE TO WATCH.
WONDERFUL ADVOCATE.
WE NEED HER TO MAKE SURE THAT
THE LANDLORDS ARE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE.
FOR WHEN THEY VIOLATE OUR
RIGHTS AND PRESENT THEM FROM
NOT REPAIRING THEIR APARTMENTS
THAT THEY WANT TO CONTINUE TO
INCREASE THE RENT ON.
THAT IS [ INAUDIBLE ]
WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE IT.
SO PLEASE, SUPPORT A COUNCILMAN
WHO HAS HELPED US TO TAKE CARE
OF THIS SOON.
THANK YOU.
>> ELEANOR JORDAN, FOLLOWED BY
ROSE PRICE.
AND THEN OSCAR BRAIN.
GO AHEAD, ELEANOR JORDAN.
>> GOOD MORNING.
THIS IS ELEANOR JORDAN.
I'M ALSO FROM OUR RAINIER
COURT.
I ACTUALLY GOT FLOODED OUT,
WHILE THE WATER WAS OFF.
AND THEY LEFT ME IN IT.
AND I DO UNDERSTAND NOW HOW THE
ELDERLY BECOMES HOMELESS.
THIS PROPERTY MANAGEMENT REALLY
NEEDS TO HAVE -- NEEDS TO BE
SEEN FOR WHAT THEY.
THERE ISNO MAINTENANCE FOR
FIVE YEARS.
THEY LEFT ME IN IT.
WHAT IF I WAS IN A WHEELCHAIR?
OR IF I WAS IN THE BED AND
COULDN'T MOVE?
I'M REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT OUR
ELDERS LEFT THIS THAT BUILDING.
BECAUSE THEY'RE AFRAID.
AND I'VE CALLED THE CITY.
AND I'M READY TO GO TO THE
MEDIA BECAUSE IT'S RIDICULOUS.
AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE.
AND SOME ATTENTION NEEDS TO BE
PUT ON THEM.
I'M GOING TO CONTINUE TO FIGHT.
AND I HOPE THAT SOME --
>> ROSE PRICE, FOLLOWED BY
OSCAR BRAIN.
AND THEN THE NEXT PRESENT
SPEAKER IS MICHELLE LACLICK.
AND THEN SONYA PONAD IS THE
LAST SPEAKER.
BUT I WILL KEEP LOOKING FOR
PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT PRESENT AND
IF THEY SHOW UP BEFORE WE CLOSE
PUBLIC COMMENT.
GO AHEAD, ROSE PRICE.
>> HI.
I'M SPEAKING FOR ROSE, WHO
RECENTLY HAD A STROKE AND IS
UNABLE TO GIVE HER COMMENTS.
BUT THESE WILL BE HER WORDS.
MY NAME IS ROSE PRICE.
I'M A TENANT WHO LIVES IN THE
RAINIER COURT BUILDING OF MOUNT
BAKER.
FOUR MONTHS.
BUT REPEATED HARASSMENT FROM
LANDLORDS.
MANY OF MY NEIGHBORS HAVE
WAITED A YEAR FOR REPAIRS AND
ARE STILL WAIT BEING.
THE TREATMENTS THAT I HAVE
FACED AND MY NEIGHBORS HAVE
FACED, HAVE BEEN DEMEANING AND
UNACCEPTABLE.
AND I STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT
LANDLORDS NEED TO BE HELD
ACCOUNTABLE, WHEN THEY VIOLATE
A RENTER'S RIGHTS, AND WE
REALLY NEED STRONGER
ENFORCEMENT FROM THE CITY TO
MAKE SURE THOSE LANDLORDS ARE
HELD ACCOUNTABLE.
AND THAT WE ARE LIVING IN GOOD
CONDITIONS HERE.
THANK YOU.
>> OSCAR BRAIN FOLLOWED BY
MICHELLE LACLICK.
GO AHEAD, OSCAR.
>> HI.
I AM [ INAUDIBLE ]
I HAVE RENT CONTROL VANCOUVER
B.C.
I CAN TELL YOU, LANDLORDS ARE
NOT LINING UP AT THE FOOD BANK
THERE.
THEY WERE RETLE WEALTHY.
RENT CONTROL ONLY KEPT THEPT
THEM HONEST.
SO ALL OF THIS COMPLAINING THAT
THIS IS TOO DIFFICULT FOR THEM
IS COMPLETELY MADE UP.
ANOTHER THING THAT CONCERNS ME
A LOT.
IS ILLEGAL CLAUSES IN LEASES.
AND SEVERABILITY KLAUSS IN
LEASES.
THEY THINK THEY SHOULD BE
BANNED.
BECAUSE THEY ACTUALLY FORCE
TENANTS TO ABIDE BY ILLEGAL
KLAUSS.
THE TENANT HAS THEIR RESOURCES
TO FIGHT THAT.
WENT INTO MY BANK ACCOUNT QUITE
TO GET MY RENT.
THEY CHARGED ME A BOUNCE FEE,
EVEN THOUGH THEY GOT THE MONEY.
AND PERSONAL ONES --
>> MICHELLE LACLICK.
AND TED, ARE THERE ANY OTHER
SPEAKERS WHO ARE AREN'T THAT
I'M NOT AWARE OF?
>> THERE IS A DIANE WEBSTER WHO
IS PRESENT.
YES.
THERE'S SOMEBODY NAMED DIANE
WEBSTER.
AND THEN I SEE SOMEBODY THAT IS
JUST A MISNAMED CALLER.
SO I DON'T KNOW WHO THAT WOULD
BE.
I APOLOGIZE.
>> OKAY.
MAYBE WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT
BEFORE WE CLOSE.
BUT WE HAVE -- SO WE HAVE
MICHELLE, THEN SONYA, THEN
DIANE.
GO AHEAD, MICHELLE.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS MICHELLE.
I'M A TENANT WHO LIVES AT THE
RAINIER COURT BUILDINGS IN
MOUNT BAKER.
I'M CALLING TO TELL THE COUNCIL
HOW MY LANDLORD STEVE HAS
VIOLATED RIGHTS AND FORCED US
TO LIVE IN BAD CONDITIONS.
I'VE HAD MOLD IN MY BATHROOM
FOR TWO YEARS IN A BRAND NEW
BUILDING.
IT TOOK THEM ALMOST TWO YEARS
TO FIX IT.
THEY DIDN'T FIX IT UNTIL LIKE
TWO WEEKS AGO.
AND THE CEILING WAS PEELING.
AND ALSO, THEY ONLY FIXED IT A
FEW WEEKS AGO.
AND MY UNIT WAS ALSO A NEW
BUILDING.
MY HEATER WENT OUT FOR EIGHT
MONTHS.
AND I HAD TO GO BUY ONE.
FROM ROSE TO KEEP HEAT IN MY
BUILDING.
AND THEY JUST FIXED THAT
RECENTLY.
THEY JUST HAVEN'T ENOUGH TO
ENSURE SPACEWIDE ENVIRONMENT
FOR US SENIORS.
BECAUSE SOME OF THE RESIDENTS
THAT MOVED IN ARE NOT DOING
LAWFUL THINGS.
I BELIEVE --
[ INAUDIBLE ]
>> NEXT.
SONYA AND THEN DIANE.
GO AHEAD, SONYA.
>> HI.
THIS IS SONYA PANAP.
I'M A WORKING MOM AND A SMALL
LANDLORD.
I AM IN SUPPORT OF THIS
PROPOSAL, TO STRENGTHEN THE
ENFORCEMENT OF RENTERS' RIGHTS.
I WANT TO MENTION, WE JUST
VOTED TO RAISE PROPERTY TAXES
QUITE A BIT.
AND FOR SURE, CORRESPONDENT
LANDLORDS ARE GOING TO PASS
THIS ON TO RENTERS.
AND I'M AFRAID SOME SMALL
BLTIONZS WILL HAVE TO AS WELL.
I SAY, IF YOU LOOK AT YOURSELF
AS BEING IN THE BUSINESS OF
PROVIDING HOMES AND THERE IS
PAPERWORK AND HAZARD WORK
INVOLVED, YOU ALSO HAVE TO BE
PREPARED TO TAKE A LOSS.
AND THERE'S BEEN PLENTY OF
MONEY TO HELP WITH THE LOSS
DURING THE PANDEMIC.
THE RENTERS HAVE VERY FEW
RESOURCES.
ALSO, ANOTHER THING IS THE
INTEREST OFLANDLORDS BEING
DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED.
AND I UNDERSTAND.
HARD TO SWIM IN THE SEA OF THE
LARGE LANDLORDS WHO ARE MAKING
THE MAJORITY OF THE MONEY.
BUT RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE NO RENT
CONTROL.
WE HAVE NO REAL PUBLICLY-OWNED
SOCIAL HOUSING.
SO I SAY INSTEAD OF PAPERWORK,
JOIN WITH US TO COLLABORATELY
BUILD HOUSING.
>> WE HAVE DIANE WEBSTER.
AND I SEE STAN LOW STOKES IS
THERE.
AND AFTER HER, WE HAVE STANLEY.
>> HI.
MY NAME IS DIANE WEBSTER.
AND I'M A TENANT WHO LIVES IN
BRAINERD.
IN MOUNT BAKER.
AND I'M CALLING TO TELL THE
CITY COUNCIL ABOUT HOW MY
LANDLORD, HE HAS VIOLATED MY
RENTERS RIGHTS AND FORCED ME TO
LIVE IN TERRIBLE CONSCIENCE.
I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH MY
CONCRETE FLOOR.
I STAY ON THE FIRST FLOOR.
AND IT GETS REALLY COLD.
GETS REALLY COLD ON THE FLOOR.
AND I WISH I COULD OR SHOULD I
SAY, EVERYONE NEEDS TO HAVE
RUGS.
I HAVE BEEN HERE SEVEN YEARS.
AND MY NEIGHBORS HAVE BEEN
HAVING PROBLEMS WITH FLOODING,
ROACHES.
I SAID SOMETHING ABOUT THE
FLOORING.
BUT I HAVEN'T BEEN GETTING NO,
YOU KNOW, NO RESPONSE OR
NOTHING.
I HAVE TWO ANIMALS.
AND IT'S REALLY HARD FOR THEM.
WHEN I TAKE BATHS AND THEY HAVE
TO COME OUT AND GET ON THE COLD
CONCRETE.
AND I DO KNOW THEY TEND TO GET
SICK.
>> OUR LAST SPEAKER, WHO IS
SHOWING AS PRESENT IS STANLEY
STOKES.
GO AHEAD, STANLEY.
>> TED, IS STANLEY UNMUTED?
>> GO AHEAD.
>> I'M STANLEY STOKES.
AT COLUMBIA GARDEN APARTMENTS
IN RAINIER COURT.
AND NOT HAVING NO PROBLEMS IN
MY APARTMENT RIGHT NOW.
I FEEL LIKE THEY FIXED
EVERYTHING [ INAUDIBLE ] BUT MY
CONCERN IS ABOUT THE REST ROOMS
DOWNSTAIRS.
THE SENIOR CITIZEN ROOM.
WE REALLY NEED ACCESS TO REST
ROOMS.
I FEEL LIKE IF THEY CAN HAVE A
REST ROOM, THE TENANTS ALSO
SHOULD HAVE A REST ROOM.
SO THAT'S MY MAIN COMPLAINT
RIGHT NOW, ABOUT WHAT IS GOING
ON AT COLUMBIA GARDENS.
THANK YOU.
>> OKAY.
THANK YOU TO ALL THE MEMBERS OF
THE PUBLIC WHO SPOKE IN THE
PUBLIC COMMENT FOR THIS
COMMITTEE.
I'M SORRY FOR THOSE WHO WERE
SHOWING AS NOT PRESENT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU HAD
TECHNICAL PROBLEMS OR I MEAN,
TECHNOLOGICAL PROBLEMS OR NOT.
BUT BE IN TOUCH WITH OUR
OFFICE.
IF YOU WANT TO SEND YOUR PUBLIC
COMMENT THROUGH E-MAIL OR TALK
TO ONE OF MY STAFF MEMBERS ON
THE PHONE.
EITHER WAY IS FINE.
OUR AGENDA ITEM THAT WE ARE
BEGINNING THIS COMMITTEE AFTER
PUBLIC COMMENT WITH IS THE
PRESENTATION FROM THE SEATTLE
DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION
INSPECTIONS.
I KNOW YOU ALL HAVE A POWER
POINT PRESENTATION AS WELL, TO
SHARE WITH US.
SO I WILL HAND IT OVER TO YOU.
PLEASE DO INTRODUCTIONS FOR THE
RECORD.
AND THEN TAKE IT AWAY.
>> GOOD MORNING.
COUNCILMEMBERS, THANK YOU VERY
MUCH FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY.
I AM FAITH LUMSTEN.
I AM THE CODE COMPLIANCE
DIVISION DIRECTOR AT THE
SEATTLE OF DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTIONS,
SDCI.
YOU'LL HEAR US SPEAK ABOUT
THAT.
AND MANY OTHER INITIALS DURING
OUR PRESENTATION TODAY.
WE'LL DO OUR BEST TO BE CLEAR
ABOUT WHICH PROGRAMS WE'RE
TALKING ABOUT.
I WILL ASK MY TWO MANAGERS TO
INTRODUCE THEMSELVES BEFORE WE
START TO THE THE REST OF THE
PRESENTATION.
JEFF?
>> GOOD MORNING.
JEFF TALENT.
WITH SDCI.
I'M A RENTAL PROGRAMS MANAGER
AS MY TITLE.
I THINK ONE OF OUR SLIDES WILL
DESCRIBE A LITTLE MORE ABOUT
WHAT WE DO.
SO I'LL HAND IT OVER TO
MICHELLE THERE.
>> I'M MICHELLE HUNTER.
I'M THE CODE COMPLIANCE
INSPECTIONS MANAGER.
>> OKAY.
WE WILL ASK JEFF TO GO AHEAD
AND SHARE THE POWER POINT
PRESENTATION ON SCREEN.
I WANT TO THANK COUNCIL MEMBER
SAWANT FOR YOUR INTRODUCTORY
COMMENTS ABOUT OUR PROCESS.
AND ALSO ABOUT SOME OF THE VERY
REAL PROBLEMS THAT TENANTS FACE
WITH THEIR
ABILITY TO ACCESS SERVICES FROM
US AND OTHER PROVIDERS, AS WELL
AS WITH THEIR ACTUAL HOUSING
UNITS.
SO JEFF, YOU WANT TO MOVE
THROUGH THE NEXT SLIDE QUICKLY
AND ONTO THE THIRD?
OUR PURPOSE, YOU HEARD IS TO
HELP PEOPLE IN SEATTLE, BUILD
SAFE, LIVABLE, AND INCLUSIVE --
AND BUILD AN INCLUSIVE SEATTLE.
SO FOR US, JEFF, GO AHEAD.
OUR PART OF THAT IS ENFORCING
COMPLIANCE, WITH A VERY WIDE
RANGE OF REGULATIONS.
WE HAVE INSPECTORS WHO WORK OUT
IN THE FIELD AND HAVE BEEN FOR
THE MOST PART IN THE FIELD.
AND THEN WE HAVE RENTAL HOUSING
PROGRAM THAT IS FOCUSED ON THE
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF
LANDLORDS AND TENANTS.
ALSO, A LOT OF OUTREACH AND IN
THAT PROGRAM.
WE HAVE OUR RENTAL HOUSING
REGISTRATION AND INSPECTION
ORDINANCE PROGRAM.
I MENTIONED THE MANY ACRONYMS
THAT WE TEND TO USE.
PLEASE INTERRUPT US IF WE GET
TOO FREE WITH THOSE.
BUT POT POET POTA.
DEALS WITH PROPERTY AND TENANT
ASSISTANCE.
QUESTIONS ABOUT EVICTIONS.
MAY BE OF THE OTHER
REQUIREMENTS THAT WE TRY TO
EXPLAIN IN SOME OF OUR PUBLIC
INFORMATION.
I ALSO MENTIONED BRIEFLY, THE
RENTAL REGISTRATION AND
INSPECTION ORDINANCE.
SO THAT PROGRAM REQUIRES RENTAL
HOUSING PROVIDERS TO REGISTER
WITH US.
AND TO BE INSPECTED.
NOT FREQUENTLY BUT AT LEAST
ONCE EVERY 10 YEARS.
SOME OF THEM ARE INSPECTED AT
LEAST ONCE EVERY FIVE YEARS.
TRAO.
TENANT RELOCATION ASSISTANCE
ORDINANCE, WHEN TENANTS ARE
DISPLACED BY DEVELOPMENT OR
CHANGE OF USE.
THEY CAN BE ELIGIBLE, IF
THEY'RE VERY LOW INCOME FOR
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
AND THEN THE NEW ORDINANCE THAT
COUNCIL PASSED LAST FALL ON
ECONOMIC DISPLACEMENT AND
RELOCATION ASSISTANCE.
SO, JEFF, IF YOU MOVE THE
SLIDE.
AS I SAID, WE HAVE THESE TWO
MAJOR PROGRAMS.
AND I'VE DESCRIBED QUITE A LOT
OF THE RENTAL HOUSING SIDE OF
THINGS.
THAT IS THE SIDE OF OUR PROGRAM
THAT ADMINISTERS GRANTS TO SOME
OF THE TENANT SERVICES
ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE ACTUALLY
HEARD FROM TODAY.
OUR WEBSITE, RENTING IN
SEATTLE.
AND OUR SEVERAL OTHER TENANT
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
ON MICHELLE'S SIDE OF THE
PROGRAM, HOUSING INSPECTIONS IS
A MAJOR FOCUS OF OUR GROUP.
BUT HER PROGRAM IS ALSO THE ONE
THAT DOES ALL THE LAND-USE CODE
INSPECTIONS AND SHORELINE CODE
ENFORCEMENT.
WE ENFORCE FOR CONSTRUCTION
WITHOUT PERMITS.
WE RUN THE VACANT BUILDINGS
PROGRAMS.
WE WORK ON TREE PROTECTION AND
ENFORCEMENT.
AND THEN WEEDS AND VEGETATION
ENFORCEMENT.
SO LOTS GOING ON IN MICHELE'S
DIVISION.
I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO
JEFF, WHO WILL TALK A LITTLE
BIT ABOUT HOW DO TENANTS ACCESS
OUR PROGRAM.
HOW DO THEY FIND OUT ABOUT US?
AND WHAT ARE WE SEEING WITH THE
A WAY TENANTS ACCESS OUR
COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT
PROGRAMS.
>> ALL RIGHT.
THANK YOU, FAITH. COMPLIANCES
COMMUNITY AWARE THAT THEIR
RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND
SERVICES TO HELP.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT PART OF OUR
WORK THAT WE HAVE BUILT UP OVER
THE LAST FEW YEARS.
WE HAVE AN EXTENSIVE OUTREACH
PROGRAM THAT INCLUDES OUR WEB
PORTAL.
THAT CONTAINS A LOT OF
INFORMATION ABOUT RIGHTS AND
BEST PRACTICES FOR RENTERS AND
TIPS FOR LANDLORDS.
WE HAVE OUR TWO PHONE LINES.
RENTING IN SEATTLE PHONE LINE.
206-684-5700 AND BOTH OF THOSE
ARE STAFFED DURING BUSINESS
HOURS.
THAT IS THE PRIMARY PLACE WHERE
WE TAKEN QUESTIONS, CONCERNS,
COMPLAINTS, AND THEN DISTRIBUTE
THEM TO THE APPROPRIATE FOLKS
IN OUR ORGANIZATION TO FOLLOW
UP ON.
WE HAVE INFOGRAPHICS AND VIDEOS
AND THOSE ARE AVAILABLE IN UP
TO 14 LANGUAGES AND THEN WE DO
TRAININGS AND COMMUNITY EVENTS.
QUITE A BIT MORE.
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC IT GOT
SCALED BACK TO MORE VIRTUAL
TRAINING OVER THE LAST COUPLE
OF YEARS, BUT WE TRY TO BE OUT
IN THE COMMUNITY AND MEETING
WITH ORGANIZATIONS TO TALK
ABOUT RIGHTS, BEST PRACTICES
FOR RENTERS, RESOURCES THAT ARE
AVAILABLE.
ONE OF OUR MAIN MESSAGES IS,
CALL US.
IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING A
PROBLEM, LEASE VIOLATION,
POTENTIAL LEASE ISSUE, GIVE US
A CALL.
THAT IS A GOOD PLACE TO START.
WE ALSO HAVE A GRANT PROGRAM
AND THANKS TO COUNCIL FOR
HELPING FUND THAT OVER THE
YEARS.
GRANTS FOCUS ON EDUCATION,
ORGANIZING, AND ASSISTANCE AND
COUNSELING TO TENANTS, WITH A
REAL EMPHASIS ON WORKING WITH
COMMUNITY PARTNERS THAT REACH
COMMUNITIES IN SEATTLE THAT MAY
NOT ACTUALLY WANT TO HEAR FROM
THE GOVERNMENT.
SDCI OR MAY NOT EVEN KNOW THAT
WE EXIST.
SO, WE HAVE BEEN DOING THE
OUTREACH AND EITHER BECAUSE OF
CONDITIONS IN THE CITY OR
BECAUSE OF OUTREACH OR EXPANDING
TENANT PROTECTIONS, WE ARE
DEFINITELY SEEING AN INCREASE
IN LANDLORD/TENANT RELATED
CALLS.
WE HAVE TWO BUCKETS THERE.
HOUSING COMPLAINTS, THAT IS THE
TERM USED FOR HOUSING
CONDITIONS, LIKE A BROKEN SINK
OR THE HEAT NOT WORKING.
THEN WE HAVE RENTER RIGHTS
COMPLAINTS THAT COME TO THE
POTA GROUP AND THOSE ARE
USUALLY RENT INCREASES, LEASE
QUESTIONS, AND SUCH.
YOU CAN SEE FROM 2017 UP TO
2021, WE HAVE HAD A STEADY
INCREASE IN BOTH OF THOSE.
THINGS ARE QUITE BUSY AND SO FAR
2020 TWO SEEMS TO BE ON TRACK
TO BE GREATER THAN THAT.
THIS IS JUST A HANDFUL OF
COMMON COMPLAINTS.
CERTAINLY NOT AN EXHAUSTIVE
LIST.
ON THE HOUSING SIDE, KITCHENS
AND BATHROOMS COME UP A LOT,
BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY
THINGS THAT CAN GO WRONG.
LEAKY FAUCETS AND MOISTURE
PROBLEMS.
VENTILATION PROBLEMS.
PASTS, RODENTS, BUGS, BEDBUGS
KEEP COMING UP.
SECURITY ISSUES LIKE LOCKS AND
WINDOWS AND THEN FIRE SAFETY.
INOPERABLE SMOKE DETECTORS, CO
DETECTORS, ARE VERY COMMON.
ON THE RENTAL HOUSING SIDE, THE
LANDLORD/TENANT ISSUES, DEPOSIT
RETURNS, EVICTION NOTICES.
AS COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT
MENTIONED, ENTRY WITHOUT
PROPER NOTICE, COMMON ISSUES
THAT COME UP.
ESPECIALLY IN THE LAST FEW
MONTHS.
THERE WERE RENT INCREASES AND
THE EVICTION NOTICES HAVE BEEN
PROBABLY THE MOST PREVALENT
THING WE ARE HEARING RIGHT NOW.
LOOKING AT CASE RESOLUTION,
THIS SUPPORTS SOME SLIDES THAT
ARE COMING UP.
YOU CAN SEE OVER THE YEARS, WE
HAVE KIND OF A 50/50, 40/60
SPLIT.
THIS IS ALL OF THE CODE
COMPLIANCE CASES.
WE DID NOT BREAK THIS DOWN JUST
TO LANDLORD/TENANT ISSUES, SO
THIS INCLUDES OTHER THINGS WE
DEAL WITH LIKE JUNK STORAGE OR
VACANT BUILDINGS.
OVERALL, THIS 60/40 SPLIT, WITH
A SMALL PERCENTAGE GOING TO THE
LOT APARTMENT.
AS WAS MENTIONED BEFORE,
PURSUING FINDINGS IN THE LOT
APARTMENT IS SLOW AND VERY TIME-
CONSUMING FOR OUR STAFF TO
PURSUE.
WE ARE SUCCESSFUL WITH THE
VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE, GETTING
ISSUES SOLVED QUICKLY, OR USING
AN FORCED COMPLIANCE A LITTLE
BIT MORE STERN APPROACH, TO
GETTING ISSUES RESOLVED, BEFORE
THIS PROGRESSES TO WORKING WITH
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE ON A
LAWSUIT.
SO, VOLUNTARY COMPLIANCE IS
USUALLY OUR GOAL.
THAT IS HOW WE KIND OF END.
WE LOOK TO DO PROBLEM SOLVING,
FIRST.
BECAUSE WE FIND IT RESOLVES THE
ISSUES FASTER.
IT KEEPS TENANTS IN THEIR HOME
AND HELPS PROMOTE A BETTER
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LANDLORDS
AND TENANTS IN THE LONG RUN.
IT EFFICIENTLY USES OUR
RESOURCES.
IT IS A LOT FASTER TO GET AN
ISSUE RESOLVED QUICKLY.
AND OUR INSPECTORS ARE
PERCEIVED AS HAVING A MORE
NEUTRAL ROLE.
IT'S BETTER WHEN THEY COME IN
AS A PROBLEM SOLVER, THAN AN
ENFORCEMENT ROLE.
OKAY, I WILL STOP THERE AND
TURN IT OVER TO MICHELE, AT
THIS POINT.
>> THANK YOU, GEOFF.
SO, HOW OUR PROCESS WORKS WHEN
WE GET A HOUSING COMPLAINT OR A
RENTERS RIGHTS COMPLAINT IS,
FIRST OF ALL, THEY CALL ON ONE
OF OUR TWO MEMBERS OR REACH US
BY THE WEBSITE.
THEY MAKE THEIR COMPLAINT.
THAT GOES TO A TEAM OF PEOPLE
WHO SENDS THEM TO A SUPERVISING
MANAGER, WHO THEN ASSIGNS IT TO
AN INSPECTOR OR CODE COMPLIANCE
ANALYST.
THEY DO THAT BASED ON HOW MANY
CASES THE PERSON HAS, AS WELL
AS THE AREA THE INSPECTOR WORKS
IN.
STAFF WORK THROUGH COMPLAINTS
AND QUESTIONS IN THE ORDER THEY
ARE RECEIVED, EXCEPT EMERGENCY
HOUSING CONDITIONS AND EVICTION
PROBLEMS.
THOSE GET PRIORITY IN OUR
OFFICE.
WE USE SEVERAL TOOLS TO GET
COMPLIANCE.
THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS
AFTER THE COMPLAINT COMES IN,
WE TALKED TO THE RENTER AND
FIND OUT WHAT IS GOING ON.
THEN WE TALKED TO THE LANDLORD.
THEY SEND THE NOTICE, ISSUE THE
DEPOSIT RETURN, AND MAKE
REPAIRS BASED ON OUR CONTACT
WITH THEM AND TELLING THEM
ABOUT THE ISSUE.
SOMETIMES WE NOTICE A VIOLATION
AND SOMETIMES JUST BY PHONE,
DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF
COMPLAINT.
EMERGENCIES ARE TOP PRIORITIES
OF THOSE ARE THINGS LIKE NO
HEAT, NO WATER.
SEWER BACKUPS.
THOSE GET INSPECTED WITHIN ONE
DAY OR THE NEXT BUSINESS DAY.
IN 2021, WE ISSUED 22 EMERGENCY
ORDERS.
ALL BUT SIX WERE RESOLVED AND
THAT THOSE SIX PROPERTIES, WE
ISSUED OVER $100,000 IN
EMERGENCY RELOCATION
ASSISTANCE.
IT IS IMPORTANT TO KNOW WE
DON'T ACTUALLY HAVE AN
EMERGENCY RELOCATION FUND.
WE RECOUPED THAT MONEY FROM THE
LANDLORD.
THAT MONEY WENT TO 22 TENANTS
THIS LAST YEAR.
16 OF THEM WERE FROM ONE VERY
SEVERE PROPERTY.
PHYSICAL ISSUES WITH THE LIVING
SPACE ALWAYS GET A NOTICE OF
VIOLATION AND THE NOTICE OF
VIOLATION COMES WITH A
COMPLIANCE DUE DATE.
WE HAVE TO GIVE AT LEAST 10
DAYS FOR AN APPEAL AND USUALLY
WE GIVE 30 DAYS TO COMPLY.
THE WAY THE NOTICE OF VIOLATION
WORKS IS AGAIN, IT ALLOWS TIME
FOR COMPLIANCE AND OF
COMPLIANCE IS NOT ACHIEVED,
PENALTIES START TO ACCRUE.
THOSE CAN BE UP TO $150 PER DAY
FOR THE FIRST 10 DAYS AND THEN
$500 PER DAY AFTERWARDS, PLUS
THERE ARE INSPECTION FEES.
HOWEVER, TO ACTUALLY COLLECT
THOSE FEES, AS HAS ALREADY BEEN
HEARD BY THE COUNCILMEMBER, WE
HAVE TO GO TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE AND HAVE A
CASE FILED AND THEN SEEK
PENALTIES THROUGH THAT CIVIL
ACTION.
SO THAT PROCESS TAKES A VERY
LONG TIME AND IS ONLY USED WHEN
WE DON'T GET COMPLIANCE.
AGAIN, SINCE WE GET COMPLIANCE
MOST OF THE TIME, WE ONLY HAVE
TO DO THIS ABOUT 1% OF THE TIME.
CITATIONS ARE ANOTHER TOOL WE
HAVE FOR A VERY SMALL NUMBER OF
CASE TYPES.
THEY ARE USED FOR SECURITY
DEPOSITS, THE RIGHT OF FIRST
REFUSAL, RECEIPTS FOR PAYMENTS.
ALL OF THOSE FALL UNDER ONE
ORDINANCE, WHICH GIVES US THE
RIGHT TO ISSUE A CITATION.
USUALLY WE ISSUE A WARNING
FIRST AND THEN PENALTIES APPLY
AUTOMATICALLY AT $500 FOR THE
FIRST VIOLATION AND $1000 FOR
THE NEXT VIOLATION.
IF WE ARE STILL NOT RECEIVING
COMPLIANCE WE CAN ISSUE A
NOTICE OF VIOLATION AND TAKE
THE CASE TO COURT.
CITATIONS ARE APPEALED TO THE
HEARING EXAMINER, SO THAT IS
THE FASTEST PROCESS, THEN GOING
THROUGH THE LOT APARTMENT, AS
WELL.
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE FACE
WITH HOUSING INSPECTIONS OUR
INSPECTORS HAVE TO MAKE
APPOINTMENTS WITH THE PERSON TO
WALK THROUGH DURING BUSINESS
HOURS.
BUT THAT IS THE WAY WE GET
ACCESS TO THE UNIT, THROUGH THE
TENANT WHO LIVES THERE.
MANY RENTERS CALL AS THEY'RE
MOVING OUT AND INSPECTORS ARE
NOT ABLE TO GET TO THE PROPERTY
AND TIME TO INSPECT.
SOMETIMES ISSUES GET FIXED
BEFORE WE GET THERE, WHICH IS A
GOOD PROBLEM TO HAVE.
SOMETIMES WE CAN'T REACH THE
TENANT OR THEY DON'T RETURN OUR
CALLS.
WE ALSO HAD PROCESS CHANGES
DURING THE PANDEMIC.
THERE WAS A TIME PERIOD WHERE
WE WERE NOT ABLE TO GO IN THE
HOUSING, BUT WE STARTED A
VIRTUAL INSPECTION PROCESS TO
HELP US REACH THOSE TENANTS AND
WHERE WE WERE NOT ABLE TO USE A
VIRTUAL INSPECTION, THEY WAITED
UNTIL WE WERE ABLE TO GO BACK
INTO HOUSING.
BUT WE ARE BACK INTO HOUSING
NOW AND WORKING THROUGH OUR
BACKLOG.
THE BACKLOG IS FAIRLY BIG AND
THAT IS CAUSING US TO HAVE A
SLOWER TIME PERIOD TO GET OUT
ON INSPECTIONS, BECAUSE THE
CASE MANAGEMENT OR THE CASES
ARE SO BACKED UP.
YOU CAN SEE THAT IN 2021, WE
REALLY HAD A HARD TIME GETTING
OUT TO THE HOUSING INSPECTION
AFTER THE CALL TOOK 42 DAYS.
WE HAVE 143 OPEN HOUSING CASES,
WHICH ARE IN THE NOTICE OF
VIOLATION PROCESS, AND 317 OPEN
HOUSING COMPLAINTS.
THE POTA GROUP, AS WE SAID THEY
DO THE RENTERS RIGHTS.
THERE 46 OPEN NOTICE OF
VIOLATION, BUT 921 COMPLAINTS
AND QUESTIONS WAITING FOR THEM.
SOMETIMES THOSE COMPLAINTS ARE
ALREADY IN THE INVESTIGATION
PROCESS, SO IT IS IMPORTANT TO
KNOW THAT COMPLAINTS CAN BE
ALREADY BEING TALKED TO AND
TRYING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM
BEFORE A CASE IS OPENED.
WITH THAT, I'M GOING TO TURN IT
BACK OVER TO FINISH US OFF.
>> THANK YOU, MICHELE.
SO, WE TRIED TO KEEP OUR
PRESENTATION FAIRLY SHORT TODAY.
I JUST WANTED TO FOCUS THE
COUNCIL'S ATTENTION ON A COUPLE
OF THINGS.
ONE, WE HAVE HAD QUITE AN
INCREASE IN CALL VOLUME OVER
THE LAST 4 TO 5 YEARS.
PARTLY BECAUSE OF BETTER
OUTREACH AND TRAINING ON OUR
SIDE.
PARTLY BECAUSE WE HAVE NEW
REGULATIONS THAT ARE COVERING A
BROADER RANGE OF ISSUES.
AND WE ARE REALLY PLEASED WITH
THE FACT THAT OUR BUSINESS IS
GOING UP.
BECAUSE THIS IS REALLY, REALLY
IMPORTANT WORK.
AND I THINK, COUNCILMEMBER
SAWANT, YOU SAID IN YOUR
EXPERIENCE, OUR INSPECTORS ARE,
IN FACT, VERY COMMITTED TO
DOING THIS WORK AND RESOLVING
PROBLEMS THAT THEY FIND IN THE
COMMUNITY.
IT HAS BEEN TOUGH FOR US, AS
YOU HEARD, WITH THE PANDEMIC
KEEPING US OUT OF THE HOUSING
INSPECTION REALM.
WE ARE NOW ABLE TO MOVE BACK
INTO THAT, BUT LIKE MANY
ORGANIZATIONS, WE HAVE HAD
STAFFING SHORTAGES AND AGAIN,
HAD SOME PEOPLE WHO WERE NOT
ABLE, INITIALLY EVEN, TO GO
BACK OUT IN THE FIELD.
WE ARE WORKING HARD ON REDUCING
THAT RESPONSE TIME.
I DON'T KNOW IF ANY OF YOU WERE
HERE.
BACK IN THE GOOD OLD DAYS, WHEN
WE DID LESS, FRANKLY, AND HAD
PROBABLY A HIGHER RATIO OF
INSPECTORS TO COMPLAINTS, WE
USED TO HAVE A GOAL THAT WAS
FOR THE INSPECTORS TO BE ABLE
TO REACH, USUALLY BY TELEPHONE,
SOMETIMES BY EMAIL, TO GET IN
TOUCH WITH COMPLAINANTS WITHIN
SEVEN DAYS OF THAT COMPLAINT
GETTING ASSIGNED TO THEM.
AND THEN THE INSPECTION TIME
WOULD USUALLY BE WITHIN THREE
WEEKS OR SO.
SOMETIMES A MONTH.
SO WE ARE FAR BEYOND THAT
TODAY, BUT WE ARE WORKING ON
REDUCING THAT BACKLOG.
AND I THINK WITH THAT, WE WILL
JUST CLOSE THIS PART OF THE
PRESENTATION.
WE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT YOU HAVE OF US.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, EVERYONE,
FROM SDCI, AND THANK YOU,
FAITH, ESPECIALLY, FOR HELPING
LEAD THIS WORK.
I KNOW, FAITH, YOU WILL REMEMBER
I THINK WE FIRST MET PERSONALLY
WHN WE WERE AT THE SHADOW
APARTMENTS, I BELIEVE.
>> YES, THAT WAS A LONG TIME
AGO.
VERY EARLY IN OUR RENTAL
INSPECTIONS PROGRAM.
I THINK MY GROUP LEARNED A LOT
FROM SOME OF THOSE EARLY
MEETINGS AS DID YOU AND OUR
TENANT SERVICES GROUP AS A
WHOLE.
>> YES, THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE
WORK YOU ALL DID.
THE DEPARTMENT DID IN THAT
ISSUE, THE SHADOW APARTMENTS.
THAT WAS REALLY AN EXCELLENT
EXAMPLE OF WHERE WHEN RENTERS
GOT ORGANIZED AND WERE AWARE OF
WHAT RIGHTS THEY HAD AND THEY
WERE ABLE TO INVOLVE THE SDCI,
WE GOT A LOT OF PROBLEMS FIXED
AND THE RENTERS, AS YOU KNOW,
ENDED UP WITH MUCH MORE THAN
GETTING THEIR PROBLEMS FIXED.
THEY ALSO GOT COMPENSATION FOR
IT.
I DON'T WANT TO SUGGEST IT IS
THE RULE, IT IS THE EXCEPTION
TO THE RULE, BUT IT SHOWS WHEN
RENTERS GET ORGANIZED AND FIGHT
FOR THEIR RIGHTS, IT CAN
ACTUALLY WORK, LIKE IN THAT
INSTANCE.
SO I HAVE SEVERAL QUESTIONS TO
FOLLOW UP FROM YOUR
PRESENTATION AND I SEE
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES'S AND UP
AS WELL.
FOR STARTERS, IN TERMS OF THE
PROCESS YOU ALL EXPLAINED HOW
THE SDCI WORKS THROUGH
COMPLAINTS.
ONE OF THE POINTS YOU MENTIONED
AND I HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS
FOR A WHILE, AND IT WAS
REITERATED ON YOUR SIDE, I
BELIEVE, THAT MANY RENTERS CALL
AS THEY'RE MOVING OUT AND SDCI
IS NOT ABLE TO INSPECT BEFORE
THEY LEAVE.
WHAT OF COURSE, IS CONSISTENT
WITH WHAT WE HAVE SEEN THROUGH
RENTERS, ANECDOTALLY.
IT IS THE LAST RESORT AND OFTEN
THEY DON'T KNOW THAT THEY
COULD'VE CALLED FOR A LONG
TIME.
THEY EVENTUALLY FIND OUT, BUT
THEN CONDITIONS ARE SO BAD OR
THEY PERSISTED FOR SO LONG THAT
THEY ENDED UP CHOOSING TO MOVE,
WHICH IS THE LAST RESORT, BUT
THEY HAVE CHOSEN THE LAST
RESORT BY THEN.
MY QUESTION IN TERMS OF THE
PROCESS FOR THE CITY IS, IS
THERE ANYTHING IN THE LOT RIGHT
NOW WHERE THE SDCI IS REQUIRED
TO INSPECT, EVEN AFTER THE
TENANT LEAVES?
BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT THAT RENTER
UNIT AND IF THE RENTER MOVES,
THEY ARE NOT FACING THAT
PARTICULAR PROBLEM, BUT SOME
OTHER RENTER, THE NEXT TENANT,
IS GOING TO FACE THAT PROBLEM
AND WE HEARD FROM MANY RENTERS
TO SAY ACTUALLY I MOVED OUT
FINALLY OUT OF DESPERATION, BUT
I REALLY FEEL FOR THE NEXT
TENANT TO OCCUPIES THAT UNIT
AFTER I LEAVE.
AND I BELIEVE THIS HAPPENS
FREQUENTLY ENOUGH AND IT REALLY
ILLUSTRATES A POWER IMBALANCE
BETWEEN RENTERS AND LANDLORDS.
BUT WHAT DOES THE LAW SAY RIGHT
NOW AND THE REASON I AM ASKING
IS BECAUSE IF IT DOESN'T
REQUIRE THAT THE CITY SHOULD
INSPECT, EVEN THE TENANT WHO
MADE THE COMPLAINT HAS LEFT,
BUT STILL THE UNIT NEEDS TO BE
INSPECTED.
>> RIGHT NOW WE ARE NOT ABLE TO
REQUIRE A LANDLORD TO LET US
INTO A UNIT, IF THEY DON'T WANT
TO.
SO, THE ONLY EXCEPTION TO THAT
IS THROUGH THE RENTAL
INSPECTION PROGRAM.
WE DO HAVE THOSE REGULARLY
ESTABLISHED RRIO, RENTAL
REGISTRATION AND INSPECTION
ORDINANCE INSPECTIONS.
IF WE FIND THROUGH A RRIO
INSPECTION THAT THERE ARE
UNITS, SEVERAL UNITS WITH
SEVERAL PROBLEMS, THROUGH OUR
AUDITING PROCESS WE CAN REQUIRE
ADDITIONAL UNITS OR ALL UNITS
TO BE INSPECTED.
IT IS, SOMETIMES, IN THEORY IT
IS POSSIBLE TO GET A WARRANT TO
GO INTO A PARTICULAR UNIT THAT
A TENANT MAY HAVE VACATED, BUT
GETTING A WARRANT REQUIRES
GOING TO COURT AND PROVING,
SHOWING, THAT THERE IS -- I
HAVE FORGOTTEN WHICH LEGAL
STANDARD WE HAVE TO MEET TO GET
A WARRANT, BUT IT HAS TO BE,
NOT BEYOND A REASONABLE DOUBT,
BUT THERE IS A PREPONDERANCE OR
A VERY CLEAR STATEMENT THAT
THERE ARE REAL PROBLEMS.
SO, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO
SPEAK TO THAT.
VERY FEW TENANTS ARE WILLING TO
COME AND TESTIFY IN COURT,
BECAUSE YOU KNOW, THEY'RE BUSY.
THEY ARE WORKING.
THEY JUST MOVED.
SO GETTING WARRANTS, WE NEVER
HAVE.
WE CAN CALL A LANDLORD AND ASK.
WE CAN SAY WE GOT THIS
COMPLAINT.
RIGHT NOW, BECAUSE OF THE
BACKLOG, WE PROBABLY WOULD NOT
HAVE THE CAPACITY TO START A
PROGRAM LIKE THAT.
BUT FOR US, FINDING A WAY TO
ASSURE A TENANT THAT WE CAN
HELP THEM, AND THAT WE HAVE
REQUIREMENTS TO PREVENT
RETALIATION, IS WHAT WE FOUND
IS BEST.
CLEARLY WE ARE GETTING MORE
CALLS, SO MORE TENANTS ARE
LEARNING.
BUT AS YOU HEARD TODAY, PEOPLE
DO WAIT.
THEY WILL WAIT MONTHS AND THAT
IS SOMETHING WE WISH WE COULD
PREVENT.
>> RIGHT, THANK YOU.
I REALLY APPRECIATE THAT AND
THAT IS PRECISELY WHY MY OFFICE
GENUINELY WANTS TO MAKE SURE
THAT WE CLOSE ALL THE PROBLEMS.
I MEAN OBVIOUSLY, IT'S NOT
GOING TO CHANGE THE SYSTEM BY
ITSELF, BUT AT LEAST IF WE CAN
REDUCE THE PROBLEMS THAT ARE
THERE.
THE LOOPHOLES IN THE CURRENT
LAW.
AND JUST TO FOLLOW UP ON THAT,
I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT ONE OF
THE REASONS, YOU SORT OF
ADDRESSED THIS, BUT ONE OF THE
REASONS TENANTS DON'T FOLLOW UP
AND EVEN WHEN THEY KNOW THAT
THEY CAN COMPLAIN TO SDCI, THEY
DON'T DO THAT.
THEY DO IT WHEN THEY ARE
DESPERATE, AS I SAID BEFORE,
BUT ALSO THEY HAVE A FEAR OF
RETALIATION AND THEY REPORT IT
AS THEY ARE ABOUT TO MOVE OUT,
BECAUSE THEY WANT TO MAKE SURE
THE NEXT TENANT CAN HAVE A
BETTER LIVING CONDITION.
BUT CLEARLY THE LAW IS NOT
ADDRESSING THAT.
THEY ARE NOT REQUIRED TO LET
SDCI INTO THE UNIT.
YOU CAN ENTER AS A CITY
INSPECTOR ONLY WHEN THE TENANT
LETS YOU IN.
I THINK INTIMIDATION AND
RETALIATION OBVIOUSLY IS A BIG
POINT.
I ALSO WANTED TO FOLLOW-UP ON
ONE THING YOU SAID.
YOU SAID, THE RRIO ALLOWS YOU
TO INSPECT, YOU KNOW, ALLOWS
YOU TO LOOK INTO THE
CONDITIONS, BUT ISN'T IT TRUE
THAT THE LANDLORD IS FREE TO
CHOOSE A PRIVATE INSPECTOR AND
IF THEY CHOSE A PRIVATE
INSPECTOR AS OPPOSED TO THE
SDCI INSPECTOR THEMSELVES,
THEN SDCI DOES NOT GET ACCESS.
THEY LOOK AT THE PRIVATE
INSPECTOR'S REPORT, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S TRUE.
THE LAW REQUIRES THAT WE OFFER
THE ABILITY FOR A LANDLORD TO
HIRE A PRIVATE INSPECTOR.
IF THEY DO THAT, IF THEY HIRE A
PRIVATE INSPECTOR, THEY NEED TO
INSPECT AND DON'T WANT TO SHARE
THEIR DATA WITH US.
THEN THEY HAVE TO INSPECT ALL
OF THEIR UNITS.
WE HAVE PRETTY GOOD INSPECTORS,
BUT I WOULD ADMIT THAT SOME
INSPECTORS HAVE BEEN A LITTLE
BIT LAX.
GEOFF, YOUR PROGRAM, RRIO,
RUNS THAT.
WE WORK PRETTY HARD.
WE DO FOLLOW-UP SURVEYS WITH
TENANTS TO SEE WHAT THEY HAVE
HAD.
WE TRY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE WHO
FEEL DISSATISFIED WITH THAT
PRIVATE INSPECTION TO CONTACT
US, BUT AGAIN, IT IS SOMETIMES
REALLY, REALLY HARD TO GET
PEOPLE TO TRUST GOVERNMENT.
AND IT IS HARD SOMETIMES TO GET
THE PRIVATE LANDLORDS TO TRUST
GOVERNMENT.
YOU KNOW, TO FEEL LIKE WE WOULD
DO A GOOD INSPECTION AND NOT,
YOU KNOW, TAKE THEM TO COURT
OVER A LOOSE ELECTRICAL OUTLET
COVER.
SO IT IS A BALANCE.
>> YES, I WILL JUST SAY,
THOUGH, WE ARE SO FAR FROM A
SITUATION OF A LANDLORD BEING
PENALIZED FOR A LIGHTBULB.
THE REALITY IS THE EXACT
OPPOSITE, WHERE TENANTS ARE
FACING MAJOR PROBLEMS.
I AM NOT A HOUSING INSPECTOR,
BUT I WOULD IMAGINE A BROKEN
FURNACE OR ANYTHING LIKE THAT,
THE BLACK MOLD AND ROACH
INFESTATION, THESE ARE LONG-
TERM CONDITIONS.
THESE CONDITIONS DON'T DEVELOP
IN ONE DAY, SO CLEARLY THEY
HAVE BEEN NEGLECTED FOR MONTHS,
MAYBE EVEN YEARS.
I DO THINK THAT PROPOSED
LEGISLATION, JUST A NOTE FOR
MYSELF AND WITH ASHA'S HELP AND
YOUR HELP, WE NEED TO ADDRESS
THAT.
WHO IS DOING THE INSPECTION AND
WHAT IS THE QUALITY OF THE
INSPECTION REPORT, BECAUSE IT
IS NOT LIKE IT HAPPENS IN ONE
DAY.
COUNCILMEMBER MORALES.
I HAVE OTHER QUESTIONS BUT I
WANT TO INVITE COUNCILMEMBER
MORALES AND THEN OTHER
COUNCILMEMBERS, INDICATE IF
YOU WOULD LIKE TO SPEAK.
>> THANK YOU.
THANKS FOR THIS PRESENTATION.
SORRY, I LOST MY NOTES.
OKAY, I HAVE TWO QUESTIONS.
THE FIRST IS THAT LAST YEAR WE
WERE WORKING TO PROVIDE GREATER
PROTECTION THROUGH THE JUST
CAUSE EVICTION ORDINANCE.
WE LEARNED THAT ORDINANCE WOULD
NEED TO BE UPDATED TO REFLECT
CHANGES AT THE STATE LEVEL.
SO I AM INTERESTED IN A
PROGRESS REPORT ON THAT.
BUT REGARDING THIS, I GUESS I
WANT TO ZOOM OUT A LITTLE BIT,
BECAUSE YOU TALKED ABOUT ALL OF
THE DIFFERENT THINGS YOUR
INSPECTORS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR,
IN ADDITION TO THE HOUSING
ISSUES.
SO WE DON'T HAVE TO ANSWER THIS
NOW, BUT I AM INTERESTED IN HOW
MANY INSPECTORS YOU HAVE.
WHAT IS THE BACKLOG ON THE NON-
HOUSING ISSUES?
THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF CASES PER
INSPECTOR?
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO
RESOLVE THOSE OTHER CASES?
BECAUSE AS YOU SAID, IF THERE
ARE MORE THINGS YOUR INSPECTORS
ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR, AND AS A
RESULT, SOME OF THESE RENTERS
AREN'T GETTING THE SERVICE THAT
THEY NEED, THAT SOUNDS TO ME
LIKE WE NEED TO PERHAPS
INCREASE YOUR CAPACITY TO BE
ABLE TO DO THE THINGS WE ARE
ASKING YOU TO DO.
IF YOU CAN ANSWER ANY OF THOSE,
THAT WOULD BE GREAT.
IF NOT I WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW
UP AGAIN TO GET SOME OF THAT
INFORMATION.
>> I THINK WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO
DO ON YOUR SECOND QUESTION IS
TO DEFER FOR A WEEK OR 10 DAYS.
WE ARE JUST WRAPPING UP OUR
YEAR-END REPORT FOR THE CODE
COMPLIANCE DIVISION, WHICH WE
TYPICALLY SEND TO THE COUNCIL,
THE MAYOR'S OFFICE, AND THEN
POST ON OUR WEBSITE.
THAT WILL, I BELIEVE, COVER
MOST EVERYTHING THAT YOU ASK
AND THEN WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO
ANSWER ANY MORE SPECIFIC
QUESTIONS, ONCE YOU HAVE HAD A
CHANCE TO SEE OUR ANNUAL
REPORT, WHICH DOES COVER THE
WHOLE SPECTRUM OF EVERYTHING
THE CODE COMPLIANCE DIVISION
DOES.
I WILL TURN IT OVER TO GEOFF
FOR AN UPDATE ON THAT
RECONCILIATION BILL, OF WHAT
HAPPENED AT STATE AND CITY IN
THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS.
>> WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT.
WE HAVE BEEN TALKING WITH THE
LAW DEPARTMENT.
WE SORT OF KNOW THE BROAD
STROKES OF WHERE RECENT STATE
CHANGES INTERSECT WITH THE CITY
LAW AND WHERE WE NEED TO MAKE
ADJUSTMENTS.
I THINK A LOT OF IT WILL BE
VERY TECHNICAL IN NATURE.
WAY DOWN INTO THE CODE LANGUAGE,
CORRECTING TERMINOLOGY AND
SUCH.
WE HELD BACK A LITTLE BIT TO
SEE WHERE THE STATE LEGISLATIVE
SESSION WOULD GO THIS YEAR.
AS FAR AS I KNOW, THERE WERE NO
ADDITIONAL CHANGES.
I THINK WE ARE ABOUT READY TO
PICK THAT UP.
CAPACITY ON OUR PART AND ON THE
COUNCIL'S PART TO RECEIVE IT.
I THINK THE DISCUSSION WE
PROBABLY NEED TO HAVE, THROUGH
THE COUNCIL STAFF, AND DECIDE
WHEN THE RIGHT TIME IS.
>> THANK YOU, FOR THOSE
RESPONSES.
I WOULD ALSO BE INTERESTED IN
THE RESPONSES TO THE QUESTION
THAT WAS ASKED BECAUSE ALL OF
THAT INFORMATION WOULD BE VERY
RELEVANT FOR US TO UNDERSTAND
THE SCOPE OF THE PROBLEMS.
SO THAT WOULD HELP US IN
DRAFTING THIS NEW LEGISLATION.
I HAVE QUESTIONS, BUT I WANTED
TO WAIT FOR OTHER COUNCILMEMBERS
TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK
QUESTIONS OR MAKE COMMENTS.
I DON'T SEE ANY.
LET ME QUICKLY GO AHEAD AND ASK
A COUPLE HERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ALREADY
ANSWERED THIS IN THE PROCESS OF
ANSWERING QUESTIONS, BUT DO YOU
DO AN INSPECTION EVERY TIME A
RENTER REQUESTS ONE AND HOW
OFTEN DOES THAT HAPPEN?
WHAT IS THE NATURE OF HOW YOU
DO IT OFTEN?
DOES IT OFTEN REQUIRE THAT OR
DOES IT ALWAYS REQUIRE THAT?
ALSO, CAN YOU GIVE US A SENSE
OF HOW INDEPENDENT, IN THE
LOCKDOWN ERA, YOU ALL MENTIONED
THAT YOU SWITCHED TO VIRTUAL,
TO SOME DEGREE.
IT DOES NOT SEEM LIKE IT WOULD
WORK FOR EVERYTHING, BUT TO
WHAT EXTENT DID YOU USE IT?
I AM SPECIFICALLY ASKING
BECAUSE IN THE PANEL COMING UP
IN THE NEXT AGENDA ITEM, ONE OF
THE SPEAKERS, ONE OF THE
RENTERS, THEY SAY THEY DID SEND
A COMPLAINT TO SDCI, I BELIEVE
DURING THE LOCKDOWN.
I AM NOT POSITIVE ABOUT THAT.
IN ANY CASE, THEY DID NOT
RECEIVE A RESPONSE.
I AM WONDERING IF YOU HAD
ISSUES ALSO WITH GETTING BACK
TO PEOPLE LAST YEAR, BECAUSE OF
ALL THE BACKLOG, AS WE WERE
DISCUSSING.
ALSO, TO WHAT DEGREE HAVE THESE
VIRTUAL INSPECTIONS WORKED?
>> MICHELE, CAN YOU SPEAK TO
THAT WITH HOW YOUR INSPECTION
GROUPS ARE HANDLING THAT?
>> YEAH, SO IT WAS A SMALL
NUMBER OF CASES WHERE WE WERE
ABLE TO USE VIRTUAL INSPECTIONS
TO BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT THEY WERE
SUCCESSFUL AND RE-INSPECTIONS
WERE EASIER TO DO, BECAUSE WE
HAD ALREADY BEEN IN THE HOUSING
AND IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEMS.
BUT WE HAD ABOUT 81 VIRTUAL
INSPECTIONS LAST YEAR.
WE WILL BE CONTINUING TO WORK
ON HOW WE CAN USE THOSE AS A
TOOL, WHEN A TENANT DOESN'T
WANT US TO COME INTO THEIR
UNIT, FOR WHATEVER REASON.
>> IT IS TRUE, THOUGH, THAT
VIRTUAL INSPECTIONS, THEY DON'T
GIVE US A FULL VIEW OF
EVERYTHING THAT IS IN THE UNIT.
IT IS REALLY HARD.
IT IS HARD TO SMELL IF THERE IS
MILDEW.
IT IS HARD TO TOUCH A SURFACE
AND SEE IF IT IS SPONGY.
THEY ARE OKAY FOR SOME THINGS.
WE PROBABLY MISS A LOT, BUT
MAYBE WE GET THE ONE THING THE
TENANT WAS CALLING ABOUT.
MY IMPRESSION, MICHELE, IS THAT
MOST HOUSING INSPECTIONS,
HOUSING COMPLAINTS, DO GET A
PHYSICAL INSPECTION NOW.
WHEN WE CAN REACH THE TENANT.
WE LOSE SOME, BUT IF THE TENANT
WANTS US THERE, WE WILL GET
THERE.
NOW IT IS TAKING QUITE A WHILE,
BUT AS I SAY, IT MAY TAKE THREE
OR FOUR WEEKS OR MORE THESE
DAYS, BUT WE ARE COMMITTED TO
INSPECTING ANY TIME A TENANT
WILL LET US IN.
>> OKAY, THAT IS DEFINITELY
HELPFUL.
I WILL GO AHEAD AND ASK ONE
MORE QUESTION, BUT I AM ALSO
REALIZING IN THE INTEREST OF
TIME, WE WILL HAVE TO FOLLOW UP
WITH YOU OFF-LINE AND WE WILL
DEFINITELY DO THAT.
THIS DISCUSSION HAS PROVOKED
SOME USEFUL QUESTIONS I THINK
THAT WILL HELP US DRAFT THIS
BILL.
ONE QUESTION I WANTED TO ASK
BEFORE CLOSING THIS AGENDA ITEM
IS DOES THE CITY ATTORNEY'S
OFFICE EVER REFUSED TO TAKE A
CASE TO COURT?
GENERALLY SPEAKING, WHAT ARE THE
PARAMETERS THAT ARE USED?
>> I WOULD SAY IT IS VERY RARE
FOR THEM TO REFUSE, BUT THEY
HAVE, ON OCCASION, WHEN OUR
CASE IS NOT FANTASTIC, THEY
OFTEN ARE RELUCTANT TO TAKE A
CASE THAT IS IN COMPLIANCE.
WE HAVE HAD CASES WHERE, IN A
PARTICULARLY EGREGIOUS
SITUATION, WE WANTED PENALTIES.
AND SO THEY HAVE TAKEN A COUPLE
PART OF IT IS THEIR WORKLOAD
AND THE OTHER CASES THAT ARE
WAITING AND PART OF IT IS, THEY
DON'T WANT TO TAKE A CASE THAT
THEY THINK THEY ARE DEFINITELY
GOING TO LOSE.
EVERY ONCE IN A WHILE WE HAVE A
DISAGREEMENT ABOUT THE LAW AND
THEY GET TO MAKE THAT DECISION.
SOMETIMES WE ISSUE NOTICES AND
THEY TELL US, I DON'T THINK YOU
GUYS ARE RIGHT.
THAT HAPPENED ONCE A COUPLE OF
YEARS AGO.
MADE ME UNHAPPY.
BUT WE WOUND UP SETTLING THAT
CASE.
WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD WORKING
RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
AND I THINK MY TEAM DOES A VERY
GOOD JOB OF INTERPRETING THE
CODE AND APPLYING IT IN THE
FIELD.
SO WE DO BUILD GOOD CASES.
MOST OF THE TIME.
>> RIGHT, THAT WAS ALSO VERY
USEFUL.
THANK YOU, FAITH.
SORRY, I SAID THAT WAS THE LAST
QUESTION, BUT ONE LAST QUESTION,
I BELIEVE I KNOW THE ANSWER TO
THIS QUESTION, BUT I WILL ASK
ANYWAY.
ARE THERE PENALTIES, LEGALLY
ARE THERE PENALTIES FOR
LANDLORDS FOR RETALIATION OR
HARASSMENT RELATED TO THE
PROCESS?
>> THERE ARE PENALTIES.
THE RETALIATION PROVISIONS --
IT IS ACTUALLY A FAIRLY STRONG
RETALIATION PROVISION.
IF A TENANT COMPLAINS TO US AND
THE NEXT MONTH AFTER THEIR
LANDLORD FIXES WHATEVER, HE
RAISES THEIR RENT.
WE ARE ABLE TO SAY THAT APPEARS
TO BE RETALIATION.
WE NEED TO HOLD OFF ON THAT
RENT INCREASE.
YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING THAT
DECREASES SERVICES OR INCREASES
COSTS FOR 90 DAYS AFTER A
TENANT COMPLAINS.
HOWEVER, THE RETALIATION
PROVISIONS ARE IN THE REGULAR
HOUSING CODE AND UNDER THE
HOUSING CODE, WE ONLY ISSUE
NOTICES OF VIOLATION.
IF THEY RAISE THE RENT IN
RETALIATION FOR A TENANT MAKING
THE COMPLAINT, THEIR COMPLIANCE
IS TO WITHDRAW THAT RENT
INCREASE.
THEN THEY BAN COMPLIANCE AND WE
WOULD NOT PROCEED TO PENALIZE
THEM.
SO, IT IS VERY UNUSUAL FOR US
TO ACTUALLY COLLECT A PENALTY.
WE DON'T HAVE CITATION
AUTHORITY FOR RETALIATION
ACTIONS.
WE CAN ONLY ISSUE NOTICES OF
VIOLATION AND WE WANT PEOPLE.
WE WOULD RATHER GET THEM TO
WITHDRAW THE RENT INCREASE,
THEN COLLECT $500 FROM THEM.
>> AND HOW OFTEN HAVE YOU
PENALIZED LANDLORDS IN THAT WAY?
HOW OFTEN HAS THAT HAPPENED?
>> TO ACTUALLY GO TO COURT ON A
RETALIATION CLAIM, I DON'T
THINK WE EVER HAVE.
MICHELE, YOU MAY RECALL, OR
GEOFF.
>> NO, WE HAVEN'T.
LANDLORDS TYPICALLY RESEND THE
NOTICE AND THAT IS HOW WE GET
COMPLIANCE.
>> RIGHT, SO WE HAVE NOT REALLY
IMPOSED PENALTIES FOR ANYTHING
LIKE THAT.
>> IT COMES UP SOMEWHAT
REGULARLY AND WE DO ADDRESS IT,
BUT AGAIN, THE LANDLORDS --
>> OKAY, AND ACTUALLY ALL OF
THIS IS ALSO HIGHLIGHTING HOW
THERE IS ONE BIG HOLE HERE IN
THE LAW, OVERALL.
WHERE THE TENANTS GET -- EVEN
IF FIXED.
YOU KNOW TO DO GET COMPLIANCE
ONCE A COMPLAINT IS LODGED,
MOST OF THE TIME.
HOWEVER, IF THE HEATING WAS OFF
IN WINTER FOR THREE WEEKS, THE
TENANT IS STILL PAYING THE FULL
RENT FOR THAT MONTH.
THERE IS NOTHING THAT THE
TENANT CAN DO TO GET
COMPENSATED.
YOU KNOW, GET ANY MONETARY
COMPENSATION FOR THE REALLY BAD
CONDITION.
IT IS NOT A MINOR THING.
NOT HAVING HEAT ON A COLD
WINTER DAY, THAT IS AN
EGREGIOUS THING.
SO IT IS A PROBLEM AND ALSO,
EVEN IN THE INSTANCES YOU'RE
TALKING ABOUT, WHERE YOU SAY
YOU PREFER THEY COMPLY WITH THE
LAW AND THE PRESSURE OF THAT
MAYBE FORCES THEM TO RESEND
THAT INCREASE AND ALL OF THAT,
BUT ONE QUESTION THAT RAISES IS
IF THE LANDLORDS HAVE THE
OPTION OF JUST REVERSING THE
RETALIATION, THEY DON'T
ACTUALLY FACE PENALTIES FOR
ATTEMPTING TO RETALIATE.
HOW DO YOU OR HOW DOES YOUR
DEPARTMENT FEEL THAT WOULD
DISCOURAGE CONTINUATION OF
THESE PREDATORY PRACTICES?
AND PLEASE GO AHEAD AND ANSWER.
>> I GUESS I DON'T REALLY, I'M
NOT SURE I KNOW HOW TO ANSWER
THAT.
I THINK IN OUR EXPERIENCE, THE
MORE LANDLORDS KNOW, THE BETTER.
MOST OF THEM REALLY LIKE TO
AVOID US, EVEN THOUGH WE WORK
TO BE NEUTRAL.
THEY STILL REALLY LIKE TO AVOID
US.
SO, FOR US, WE HAVE BEEN MOST
SUCCESSFUL WHEN WE DO OUTREACH
AND EDUCATION.
REGARDLESS OF PENALTIES THAT
MIGHT OR MIGHT NOT GET IMPOSED,
LANDLORDS, THEY DON'T WANT TO
DEAL WITH US.
THEY WANT US TO BE HAPPY AND GO
AWAY.
SO, FOR US, AVOIDING THINGS
LIKE RETALIATION IS A LOT ABOUT
EDUCATION, AT LEAST RIGHT NOW.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU.
AND YOU HAD A QUESTION?
>> MY QUESTION WAS ALONG THOSE
LINES.
I JUST WANTED TO CONFIRM WHAT
WE HEARD EARLIER, THAT THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS RELUCTANT
TO TAKE A LANDLORD TO COURT, IF
THE LANDLORD IS IN COMPLIANCE.
I THINK THAT IS IF I UNDERSTAND
WHAT THAT MEANS, IF THERE IS A
LANDLORD WHO, FOR EXAMPLE, HAD
A REPAIR THAT THEY WERE
SUPPOSED TO COMPLETE AND THEY
DID NOT DO IT WITHIN THE
TIMEFRAME AND THEN THEY STARTED
TO ACCRUE THOSE PENALTIES, $150
A DAY AND TIME GOES ON AND
PENALTIES BUILDUP.
AND THEN EVENTUALLY YOU AT SDCI
GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU SAY
SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE.
YOU SEND IT TO THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
THE CITY ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS
NOW LOOKING TO BRING THEM TO
COURT AND AT THAT POINT THEY SAY
I WILL FIX IT.
SO NOW THEY ARE IN COMPLIANCE.
DOES THAT MEAN THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE IS OKAY,
FORGET ABOUT THOSE FINES THAT
ACCRUE --
>> WELL, YOU KNOW, I WOULD SAY
THAT IN THE SITUATION YOU JUST
DESCRIBED, I THINK AT THAT
POINT IF IT HAD GONE ON FOR SO
LONG AND WAS SO BAD THAT WE
REFERRED IT AND THEN THEY
COMPLIED, IN THOSE CASES, WE DO
FREQUENTLY COLLECT A PENALTY.
WE JUST DON'T SEE IT SO MUCH
WITH HOUSING CODE ISSUES.
SO, THEY DO WORK WITH US.
IF WE SAY THIS WAS JUST A
COMPLETELY EGREGIOUS CASE AND
WE WANT SOME PENALTIES AND WE
FEEL LIKE WE NEED TO MAKE A
POINT.
THEY WILL WORK WITH US.
IT IS NOT FOREVER, BUT IT HAS
TO BE REALLY BAD.
I ACTUALLY DO SEE THE EXACT
SITUATION THAT TED JUST
DESCRIBED.
WE SEE THAT FREQUENTLY WITH
PEOPLE WHO HAVE BUILT THINGS
WITHOUT BUILDING PERMITS.
IT OFTEN TAKES THE THREAT OR AN
ACTUAL LAWSUIT TO GET THEM TO
GO THROUGH THE BUILDING PERMIT
PROCESS.
WHEN THOSE COME INTO
COMPLIANCE, WE DO USUALLY
COLLECT SOME NUMBER, THOUSANDS
OF DOLLARS, FIVE OR 10 OR MORE,
DEPENDING ON THE ISSUE.
SO IT IS NOT UNHEARD OF.
I JUST THINK MOST OF OUR
LANDLORDS DO FIX THINGS BEFORE
IT GETS TO BE REALLY, REALLY
EGREGIOUS.
>> THANK YOU.
EVERYONE FROM THE DEPARTMENT.
WE WILL DEFINITELY BE FOLLOWING
UP WITH YOU, BECAUSE WE WILL BE
WORKING ON THIS LEGISLATION.
AND STARTING THE NEXT AGENDA
ITEM, I DO WANT TO SAY THAT IT
SEEMS PRETTY STRIKING TO ME,
JUST IN TERMS OF THE LAW.
THIS IS NOT A COMMENT ON THE
SDCI.
AS WE HAVE SAID MANY TIMES,
STAFF IS VERY HELPFUL AND
KNOWLEDGEABLE AND COMMITTED TO
THE WORK.
BUT IN TERMS OF THE STATUS QUO
OF BOTH THE LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
ON LANDLORDS AND ALSO JUST THE
SOCIAL DYNAMIC OF THE LANDLORDS
HAVING FAR MORE POWER THAN
RENTERS.
IT IS, I CANNOT HELP BUT BE
STRUCK BY THE OVERWHELMING
CONTRAST BETWEEN HOW IF RENTERS
DON'T PAY THEIR RENT, THE LAW
IS APPLIED AGGRESSIVELY.
THIS IS NOT AN AGGREGATE.
OBVIOUSLY EVERYONE HAS TO
COMPLY WITH THE LAW.
AND IN OUR EXPERIENCE,
OVERWHELMINGLY, RENTERS TRY
VERY HARD TO PAY THEIR RENT.
OVERWHELMINGLY, I CAN ACTUALLY
REMEMBER A SINGLE INSTANCE WHEN
THEIR RENT WAS NOT PAID OR WAS
NOT PAID ON TIME.
IT WAS NOT BECAUSE OF FINANCIAL
DESPERATION.
WHEN RENTERS ARE IN FINANCIAL
DIRE STRAITS, THAT IS THE ONLY
TIME.
WE HAVE HELD OFF INSTANCES
WHERE TENANTS WERE TAKEN TO
COURT, JUST FOR FALLING SHORT
BY THREE DOLLARS.
THIS IS NOT A MADE UP THING.
IT IS AN ACTUAL THING THAT
HAPPENED AND THE TENANT BRAVELY
FOUGHT AND DEFEATED HER
EVICTION NOTICE, BUT THE POINT
IS, THE LAW IS APPLIED SO
AGGRESSIVELY AGAINST RENTERS
AND ON THE OTHER SIDE IT SEEMS
THAT LANDLORDS CAN GET A
FRIENDLY REMINDER.
YES, THEY CAN GET FINED IN SOME
CASES, BUT THEY GET SO MANY
CHANCES TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
I JUST FIND THAT REALLY GLARING
AND WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING
ABOUT IT.
I'M NOT PRETENDING THIS
LEGISLATION WILL FIX THAT.
IT IS AN IMPORTANT THING, BUT
IT HIGHLIGHTS THE NATURE OF THE
SO-CALLED HOUSING MARKET IN OUR
SYSTEM AND HOW DISPROPORTIONATE
THE POWER IS BETWEEN LANDLORDS,
THAT LANDLORDS HAVE AGAINST
THEIR TENANTS.
I ALSO WANTED TO JUST MENTION
AND THIS IS SPECIFICALLY WHAT
WE WANT TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE
SDCI ABOUT.
WE HEAR THAT THERE IS COMPLIANCE
ON A TIMELY MANNER, BUT THAT IS
NOT WHAT WE ARE HEARING FROM
RENTERS.
THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME WE
HAVE HEARD FROM THEM IN PUBLIC
COMMENT AND I HAVE PERSONALLY,
MY STAFF AND I, WE HAVE VISITED
THAT LOCATION MANY TIMES.
WE HAVE WITNESSED THOSE
CONDITIONS AND THEY ARE NOT
BEING FIXED.
SOME HAVE BEEN FIXED, BUT
OVERWHELMINGLY THOSE CONDITIONS
LANGUISH.
WE WOULD DEFINITELY WANT TO
FOLLOW-UP WITH THE SDCI
SPECIFICALLY ON THAT ISSUE AND
I WANT RENTERS WATCHING THIS
TO REACH OUT TO US IF THEY HAVE
NOT ALREADY DONE SO.
SO NOW I WANT TO SWITCH TO ITEM
NUMBER TWO WHERE WE HAVE A
RENTER AND RENTER ADVOCATE
PANEL AND I REALIZE WE'RE
RUNNING A LITTLE BIT LATE, BUT
THAT IS BECAUSE WE HAD A GOOD
PROBLEM, WHICH IS MANY MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC SHOWING UP FOR
PUBLIC COMMENT.
I WANT TO START WITH THE TWO
RENTERS ON OUR PANEL AND THEN
WE WILL CALL ON THE RENTER
ADVOCATE.
FIRST WE HAVE JESSE.
PLEASE INTRODUCE YOURSELF FOR
THE RECORD AND THEN MAKE YOUR
COMMENTS AND THEN I WILL CALL
ON THE NEXT SPEAKER.
>> HELLO, EVERYONE.
SO I WAS LIVING IN THE AUDREY
APARTMENT COMPLEX IN FREMONT
AND ON FEBRUARY 25, IN THE
MORNING, THE FRONT END OF THE
BUILDING BURNED DOWN.
THE FIRST FOUR APARTMENTS.
SHORTLY AFTER, THE NEXT DAY,
THE WHOLE PLACE WAS ROBBED
BECAUSE -- SORRY.
THE LANDLORDS DID NOT PROPERLY
SECURE THE BUILDING.
WE WERE ALL LOOTED.
THEY JUST KICKED OPEN THE DOORS.
THERE WAS NOTHING.
THERE WAS NO SECURITY THAT THEY
WERE SUPPOSED TO DO IN A
VACATED BUILDING, BECAUSE WE
WERE TOLD THAT WE COULD NOT
EVEN LIVE THERE.
AFTER THE FACT, REALLY HAD NO
ASSISTANCE, BESIDES THE RED
CROSS, TO HELP ME TRANSITION
INTO A NEW PLACE.
AND SINCE THEN THEY HAVE JUST
KARMA THE LANDLORDS HAVE NOT
ASSISTED US AT ALL.
THEY TRIED TO GET US TO SIGN A
DOCUMENT TO JUST GET OUR
SECURITY DEPARTMENT DEPOSITS
BACK AND THEN NOT HAVING
ANYTHING TO DO WITH US AFTER
THE FACT.
LUCKILY WE BANDED TOGETHER AND
MADE SURE WE DID NOT SIGN THAT.
BUT YEAH, COMPLETELY HAVE FELT
NEGLECTED THE ENTIRE TIME.
HAVING TO DEAL WITH MY STUFF.
LUCKILY, THINGS ARE GETTING
BETTER.
LITERALLY THE MOST TRAUMATIC
EXPERIENCE IN MY LIFE.
I SHOULD MENTION ALSO, THERE
WERE NO ALARMS GOING OFF AT ALL
AND WE ALL MADE SURE THAT HOURS
ALL WERE WORKING AND HAD
BATTERIES.
BUT I WOKE UP TO MY FELLOW
NEIGHBOR POUNDING ON MY DOOR,
SAYING THERE WAS A FIRE AND I
HAD TO GET OUT.
SO I COULD HAVE DIED.
SO THAT IS MY SAY.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH, JESSE,
AND IF YOU ARE ABLE TO STAY,
PLEASE STAY.
IT IS JUST HORRENDOUS WHAT YOU
WERE PUT THROUGH AND I
DEFINITELY THINK WE SHOULD TALK
TO YOU AND YOUR FELLOW TENANTS.
PREVIOUS FELLOW TENANTS, TO
MAKE SURE THAT AT THE VERY
LEAST AT THIS POINT, YOUR
RIGHTS ARE BEING MET.
I AM GLAD TO HEAR YOU DID NOT
SIGN THAT DOCUMENT.
I READ THROUGH THAT DOCUMENT.
IT IS EGREGIOUS THAT THE
LANDLORD ATTEMPTED TO DO THAT
AND AS YOU SAID, YOU KNOW, YOU
COULD HAVE LOST YOUR LIFE HAD
YOUR NEIGHBORS NOT WARNED YOU.
SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
SHARING THAT STORY.
WE HAVE ELLEN ANDERSON NEXT,
WHO IS ALSO A RENTER IN THE
CITY.
GO AHEAD AND INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
>> THANK YOU.
HI, I AM ELLEN.
I AM A FULL-TIME STUDENT
STUDYING PSYCHOLOGY AT SEATTLE
CENTRAL AND I LIVE IN DISTRICT
2 AT BEACON HILL.
I WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU TO
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT AND HER
OFFICE FOR INVITING ME.
THE EXPERIENCE I AM SHARING
WITH THE COMMITTEE TODAY IS
PRETTY COMMON.
SO, THE RENTAL HOME THAT WE
LIVED IN, UNTIL ABOUT THREE
MONTHS AGO.
SO, EVERYONE IN OUR HOUSE WITH
FOUR ROOMMATES IS UNDER 35, HAS
DECENT JOBS.
BUT FINDING HOUSING IS STILL
SUPER DIFFICULT FOR US.
I LOVE MY HOUSEMATES, BUT LIKE
MOST YOUNG PEOPLE, LIVING
COMMUNALLY IS NOT A LIFESTYLE
CHOICE, IT IS AN ECONOMIC
NECESSITY.
EVEN WITH FOUR INCOMES, WE
DON'T HAVE THE LUXURY OF
PRIORITIZING QUALITY HOUSING
OVER CHEAP HOUSING.
WHEN WE MOVED INTO OUR HOUSE
FIVE YEARS AGO, WE WERE SUPER
EXCITED BECAUSE THE RENT WAS
QUOTE UNQUOTE REASONABLE PERCY
ATUL STANDARDS.
MEETING IT WAS ACTUALLY AN
AFFORDABLE RENT WITH OUR POOLED
INCOMES.
IT HAD A BIG BACKYARD,
FIREPLACE, AND WAS ON A
CONVENIENT BUS LINE.
WE KNEW THE HOUSE WOULD HAVE A
LOT OF PROBLEMS.
WHAT KEPT US THERE DESPITE
THESE PROBLEMS WAS THE FACT
THAT IN FIVE YEARS THAT WE
LIVED THERE, OUR RENT NEVER GOT
RAISED.
ANYONE WHO HAS BEEN A RENTER IN
THE CITY KNOWS THAT FOR THE
LAST DECADE, RENT INCREASES
HAVE BEEN OUT OF CONTROL.
UNFORTUNATELY, TWO OF OUR
ROOMMATES CAME TO THE HOUSE
TRYING TO ESCAPE A RAT
INFESTATION AT THEIR PREVIOUS
HOME.
UNFORTUNATELY WE BATTLED AN
INTENSE RAT INFESTATION IN THIS
HOUSE AS WELL AND THAT LASTED
FOR MONTHS.
WE BIG OUR LANDLORD TO CALL AN
EXTERMINATOR.
I PERSONALLY SPENT HUNDREDS OF
DOLLARS ON TRAPS.
I SLEPT IN THE LIVING ROOM FOR
MONTHS BECAUSE THE SOUND OF
RATS FIGHTING IN THE WALLS
WOULD KEEP ME UP AT NIGHT.
I PAID THE FULL RENT, FEARING
IF I DIDN'T, WE WOULD ALL BE
EVICTED.
OUR LANDLORD FACED NO
CONSEQUENCES.
WE ENDED UP HAVING TO DEAL WITH
THE SITUATION OURSELVES.
NOT A DOLLAR WAS CUT FROM THE
RENT TO COMPENSATE FOR THE TIME
AND MONEY THAT WE PUT IN AND
THE MONTHS OF STRESS AND
DIFFICULTIES WE FACED.
OVER THE COURSE OF FIVE YEARS
WE NEVER MISSED RENT.
WE NEVER PAID LATE.
WE WORKED HARD TO IMPROVE THE
SPACES, DESPITE THAT WE DID NOT
OWN IT.
WE GARDENED, PAINTED, REWIRED
WHERE NECESSARY.
THE FINAL STRAW WAS WHEN I WOKE
UP ONE MORNING, PUT MY FEET
DOWN AND REALIZED I WAS IN
SEVEN INCHES OF STANDING WATER.
THE RESPONSE FROM OUR LANDLORD
WAS LAUGHABLY INADEQUATE.
THEY DRILLED HOLES IN THE
FOUNDATION.
THEY TOLD US SO IN THE FUTURE,
THE FLOODWATER WOULD HAVE A
PLACE TO DRAIN AND GAVE ME A
LARGE FAN TO PUT IN MY BASEMENT
ROOM.
THE ROOM STILL REEKED OF
PERSISTENT DAMP.
A REALLY MOLDY SMELL.
SURELY THE DRYWALL AND
BASEBOARDS, WHICH WERE WARPED
AND CLEARLY FULL OF WATER, WERE
COMPROMISED AND THE FLOORING
WAS NEVER REPLACED.
THE LANDLORDS EXPLANATION WAS
THAT A TREE ROOT WAS GOING INTO
THE FOUNDATION AND HAD CRACKED
IT, WHICH INDICATED VERY
SERIOUS AND DANGEROUS
STRUCTURAL ISSUES WITH THE
ENTIRE HOUSE.
THE LEAK FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF
THE BASEMENT, THEY HAD NO X
LIVE NATION, EXPLANATION OTHER
THAN THAT IT RAINED HEAVILY.
WHICH IS COMMON IN SEATTLE AND
IS WHAT HAPPENS IN HOUSES AT
TIMES.
I THINK THIS REALLY DRIVES HOME
THE REALITY FACING RENTERS
WHERE IF WE SKIP OUR RENT ONCE,
WE CAN BE EVICTED AND MADE
HOMELESS, BUT LANDLORDS COULD
AND WOULD LEAVE US IN
UNFAVORABLE CONDITIONS AND
FACED NO CONSEQUENCES.
ONE OF MY HOUSEMATES FILED AN
ONLINE COMPLAINT ON THE SDCI
WEBSITE TO REQUEST A HOUSING
INSPECTION, BECAUSE WE WERE
INCREASINGLY CONCERNED THAT THE
ENTIRE HOUSE WAS UNFIT FOR
OCCUPATION.
HIGHLIGHTED THAT MY ROOM IN
PARTICULAR WAS COMPLETELY
UNLIVABLE.
UNFORTUNATELY WE NEVER HEARD
BACK FROM SDCI, BY PHONE OR
EMAIL, AND WE WERE FORCED TO
MOVE OUT OF THE HOUSE.
I FEAR FOR THE FUTURE TENANTS
WHO MOVE IN, BECAUSE THE
REALITY OF RENTING IS THAT IT
IS SUPER EASY IN THE SHORT TERM
TIED DAMAGE.
THIS SITUATION FROM FLOODS AND
MOLD, WITHOUT ADDRESSING THE
FACT THAT THIS HOUSE NEEDS
MAJOR STRUCTURAL REPAIRS AND
LIKELY SHOULD NOT BE INHABITED
UNTIL REPAIRS ARE CARRIED OUT.
I HAVE NO DOUBT THE SDCI,
ESPECIALLY JUST NOW HEARING
FROM THEM, LIKE MANY OTHER
RESOURCES IN SEATTLE, THEY ARE
UNDERFUNDED AND INCREDIBLY
BACKED UP.
WE ARE LUCKY.
WE WERE IN A POSITION TO BE
ABLE TO BARELY AFFORD TO MOVE,
BUT THE MOVE BASICALLY DRAINED
THE BANK ACCOUNTS OF EVERYONE
IN OUR HOUSE AND THE FACT THAT
THE GLOBAL COVID PANDEMIC AND
ECONOMIC CRISIS HAS NOT ENDED,
REALLY MEANS THAT OUR HOUSE,
THAT ME AND MY HOUSEMATES, ARE
ONE PAYCHECK AWAY OR ONE INJURY
AWAY FROM NOT BEING ABLE TO PAY
RENT.
THIS MAKES IT INCREDIBLY
SHAMEFUL, I THINK, THAT THE
MAJORITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL
VOTED TO REPEAL THE EVICTION
MORATORIUM ON TOP OF THE
PANDEMIC AND WORSENING HOUSE
PRICES.
NOW IN OUR NEW HOUSE WE ARE
PAYING ALMOST TWICE AS MUCH RENT
AND WE HAVE LIVED HERE FOR 2
1/2, ALMOST THREE MONTHS.
WE ARE ALREADY STRUGGLING WITH
OUR NEW LANDLORD.
NOT ADDRESSING BROKEN
APPLIANCES OR LEAKS WE FIND IN
OUR HOUSE.
THAT WE NOTICED THE DAY WE MOVE
IN.
I THINK THIS IS WHY WE NEED
RENT CONTROL AND TO SUPPORT THE
KIND OF LEGISLATION WE ARE
SEEING COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT PUT
FORWARD.
WE NEED TO STRENGTHEN TENANTS
RIGHTS, BECAUSE I THINK OF
THIS EXPERIENCE HAS TAUGHT ME
ANYTHING, LANDLORDS WILL
CONTINUE TO PRIORITIZE PROFITS
AND NOT HOUSING.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
LISTENING.
>> THANK YOU, ELLEN, FOR
SHARING THAT STORY.
WE HAVE FOLLOW-UP POINTS FOR
JESSE AND YOU BOTH, SO IF YOU
ARE ABLE TO STAY, THAT WOULD BE
GREAT.
CAN WE HAVE LARSON GO NEXT,
THANK YOU.
>> HI, GOOD MORNING.
THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
I AM THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
MANAGER OF THE HOUSING JUSTICE
PROJECT.
I JUST WANT TO START THIS OFF
BY SAYING THAT WE ARE VERY
APPRECIATIVE OF SDCI.
WE HAVE A CLOSE RELATIONSHIP
WITH THEM.
YOU KNOW, THE TENANTS THAT
MAKE THEIR WAY TO OUR CLINIC
BECAUSE THEY ARE GETTING EVICTED
ARE GENERALLY FACING SOME TYPE
OF HABITABILITY ISSUES AT THEIR
APARTMENT.
SO YOU KNOW, THOSE, WE TRY AND
CONNECT THEM WITH SDCI.
SO I WILL JUST SAY, THOUGH, I
HAVE A LOT OF FRIENDS PERSONALLY
THAT ARE NOT AWARE OF SDCI.
SO I THINK THIS IS A LARGER
ISSUE OF CAPACITY FOR THEM, BUT
ALSO GETTING THE WORD OUT THERE.
SO YOU KNOW, SUPPORTING
COUNCILMEMBER SAWANT'S
PROPOSAL, WOULD ALLOW, IT
WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD HAVE
LIKE A TENANT ADVOCATE.
THOSE GROUPS THAT WOULD BE ABLE
TO ENFORCE DISCRIMINATION LAWS,
CITY ORDINANCES.
JUST BECAUSE SDCI IS NOT ABLE
TO DO THAT.
THEY HAVE LIMITED POWER TO
ENFORCE THE LAWS.
THEY CAN'T SEEK INJUNCTIONS.
A LOT OF WHAT THEY DO IS
REACTING TO COMPLAINTS.
YOU KNOW, ISSUING NOTICE
VIOLATIONS, BUT LIKE THEY SAID,
IF THE LANDLORD STOPS DOING
THAT, THEN THE CASE IS CLOSED.
BUT IF WE COULD HAVE TENANT
ADVOCATES WHERE THE TENANTS
UNION -- WHO ARE GENERALLY,
PROBABLY IN CONTACT WITH A LOT
MORE TENANTS THAN SDCI IS, WE
WOULD BE ABLE TO BRING THOSE
CASES FORWARD, RIGHT, ON
BEHALF OF THE TENANTS AND GET
THEM SOME TYPE OF RELIEF,
RATHER THAN JUST KIND OF
WAITING AND HOPING THE
INSPECTION HAPPENS.
BECAUSE THE LANDLORD CAN JUST
STOP DOING IT, ONCE THEY HAVE
BEEN ISSUED A NOTICE, AND THEN
THEY CAN RESUME.
AGAIN, I WILL JUST SHARE AN
EXAMPLE OF A TENANT THAT I WAS
WORKING WITH DURING THE
MORATORIUM.
WHO WAS STILL PAYING RENT, BUT
THEY CALLED US BECAUSE THEY HAD
NOT HAD WATER FOR OVER TWO
YEARS.
YOU KNOW, THIS WAS NOT AN ISSUE
THAT WAS RAISED TO SDCI,
BECAUSE THEY DID NOT SPEAK
ENGLISH.
SO YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY
REASONS THAT TENANTS AREN'T
ABLE TO REACH OUT TO SDCI.
WE WERE ABLE TO MAKE CONTACT
WITH THE LANDLORD AND TRY TO
GET IT RESOLVED, BUT EVENTUALLY
YOU KNOW AFTER MONTHS AND MONTHS
OF GOING BACK AND FORTH, IT
TURNED OUT THAT THERE WAS AN
ACTUAL ISSUE WITH THE WATER
PIPES.
IT HAD BEEN DAMAGED DURING
CONSTRUCTION OF TOWNHOMES AND
THE LANDLORD JUST OPTED NOT TO
FIX IT.
THEY DID NOT TECHNICALLY HAVE
TO AND EVENTUALLY YOU KNOW,
SDCI ISSUED A NOTICE THAT THE
BUILDING, YOU KNOW, THAT THE
HOUSE WAS INHABITABLE AND THE
TENANT DID NOT HAVE ANYWHERE TO
GO.
DURING THIS ENTIRE PROCESS, THE
LANDLORD WAS STILL COLLECTING
RENT.
THEY ACTUALLY RAISED THE RENT,
QUITE SIGNIFICANTLY FOR THIS
TENANT, WHO WAS ON, YOU KNOW,
VERY LIMITED INCOME, DUE TO
THEIR AGE.
THEY DID NOT HAVE THE ABILITY
TO WORK.
SO SITUATIONS LIKE THAT WHERE
THE TENANTS ARE IN CONTACT WITH
US AND IT WOULD'VE BEEN GREAT
IF WE WERE ABLE TO DO SOMETHING
ON THEIR BEHALF AND GET THEM
SOME TYPE OF RELIEF AND
DAMAGES, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THAT
POWER, CURRENTLY.
NEITHER DOES SDCI.
I THINK IF WE COULD ESTABLISH
SOMETHING LIKE THAT, THAT WOULD
BE WONDERFUL.
I UNDERSTAND NOT ALL LANDLORDS
ARE BAD, BUT THERE ARE SOME
LANDLORDS WHO ARE NOT DOING
WHAT THEY SHOULD BE DOING.
THOSE TENANTS SHOULD NOT BE
JUST LEFT OUT AND LEFT TO
FIGURE IT OUT THEMSELVES AND
HOPE FOR THE BEST.
I THINK, AS A SOCIETY, WE
SHOULD BE PROTECTING VULNERABLE
FOLKS FROM BEING EXPLOITED LIKE
THAT.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
I DEFINITELY AGREE.
I KNOW GOOD LANDLORDS.
THERE WAS A GOOD LANDLORD WHO
TESTIFIED TODAY WHO SAID SHE
SUPPORTED THIS LEGISLATION.
AND I KNOW OTHERS, AS WELL.
BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY, THIS
IS ALSO A QUESTION OF WHAT LAWS
WE HAVE AND ALSO IF LANDLORDS
ARE BEING GOOD TO THE TENANTS,
THEY WILL NOT BE AFFECTED BY
THE LEGISLATION IN ANY WAY.
THIS IS THE POINT WE ARE
REPEATEDLY MAKING.
IF YOU ARE NOT MISTREATING
TENANTS, NOT EXPLOITING THEM,
IT WILL NOT AFFECT YOU.
SIMILARLY IF YOU ARE NOT HAVING
SKYROCKETING RENT, THEN RENT
CONTROL POLICY WILL NOT AFFECT
YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE TREATING
YOUR TENANTS IN A DECENT
MANNER.
BEFORE I GO TO KATE NEXT, I
JUST WANTED TO CLARIFY, DID YOU
SAY THE TENANT YOU TALKED TO
DID NOT HAVE WATER FOR TWO
YEARS?
>> YES.
HE DID NOT HAVE WATER FOR TWO
YEARS.
WAS STILL PAYING RENT EVERY
MONTH AND PAYING FOR HIS OWN
WATER.
HE LITERALLY HAD TO GO BY JUGS
OF WATER TO BE ABLE TO, YOU
KNOW, COOK, TAKE SHOWERS, USE
THE BATHROOM.
>> OH MY GOD, THIS IS AN
EGREGIOUS CASE.
IF YOU DON'T MIND CAN MY STAFF
FOLLOW UP WITH YOU OFF-LINE TO
GET MORE DETAILS?
I KNOW IT IS AN ISSUE FROM THE
PAST, BUT I THINK IT REALLY
HELPS TO HIGHLIGHT WHY
IMPROVING THE LAW IS NECESSARY?
>> ABSOLUTELY.
>> THANK YOU SO MUCH.
>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.
ALSO WORKS CLOSELY WITH SDCI
AND SDCI IS USUALLY THE FIRST
THING WE TELL A TENANT WHO IS
EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS IN THEIR
BUILDING THAT THEIR LANDLORD IS
NOT FIXING.
WE ARE VERY QUICK TO TELL THEM,
REPORT THEM TO SDCI, AND WE GET
PUSHBACK A LOT FROM TENANTS
WHO DON'T WANT TO UPSET OR
OFFEND THEIR LANDLORD.
ESPECIALLY IF THEY GET THE
RUNAROUND ON GETTING THE
INSPECTION.
OH YEAH, WE WILL GET TO IT.
OR THE SMALLER MOM-AND-POP
FOLKS HAVE LIMITED TIME,
LIMITED FUNDS.
THEY WILL GET TO THIS AS SOON
AS THEY CAN AND TENANTS, OF
COURSE, HAVE EMPATHY FOR
LANDLORDS, TOO.
BUT IT IS THIS ONGOING PROBLEM
AND IT COSTS A LOT OF MONEY IN
THE INTERIM.
IF YOUR HEAT IS NOT WORKING AND
YOUR LANDLORD IS SAYING WE WILL
GET TO IT SOON, A LOT OF PEOPLE
BUY A HEATER.
IF THE STOVE IS NOT WORKING,
THEY BUY A TOASTER OVEN.
THESE UNEXPECTED COSTS ADD UP
AND AN ADDITIONAL COST TAKING
TIME OFF WORK TO LET AN
INSPECTOR IN.
AND THERE IS NO REAL RESTITUTION
FOR LIVING IN POOR CONDITIONS.
OR EVEN JUST WORSE CONDITIONS
THAN WHAT YOUR LEASE STATES YOU
SHOULD BE LIVING IN.
RENTERS OFTEN DON'T REPORT CODE
VIOLATIONS UNTIL THEY HAVE KIND
OF REACHED THEIR BREAKING POINT.
AND THEN WITH THE AVERAGE OF
42.3 DAYS FROM THE DATE OF
REPORT TO DATE OF INSPECTION,
THAT IS A REALLY LONG TIME TO
LIVE WITHOUT HOT WATER OR
WITHOUT HEAT OR WITH FAULTY
ELECTRICITY.
SO I KNOW SDCI HAS A 100% RATE
OF SOLVING THESE ISSUES, WHICH
IS FANTASTIC.
BUT I THINK IT IS NOT REALLY
FAIR FOR RENTERS WHO ARE
DEALING WITH THESE ISSUES FOR
SO LONG BEFORE THEY HAVE TO GET
SDCI INVOLVED AND THEN SDCI
DOES NOT HAVE A LOT OF POWER
AS FAR AS ENFORCING FINES.
WE SAW THERE WERE FIVE FINES IN
2021, BUT 3000 500 COMPLAINTS.
THAT IS A LOT OF PEOPLE
SUFFERING WITH REALLY BAD
CONDITIONS AND DID NOT RECEIVE
ANY KIND OF RESTITUTION, OTHER
THAN WHAT WAS DONE.
THEY COULD BRING THEM TO SMALL
CLAIMS COURT, BUT AGAIN, THAT
IS TIME OUT OF THEIR DAY.
THAT IS MONEY.
THAT IS COMPLICATED.
MOST TENANTS ARE NOT GOING TO
WANT TO GO THROUGH THAT AND
LANDLORDS ARE NOT REALLY AFRAID
OF CODE VIOLATIONS.
I KNOW IF I PARKED IN FRONT OF
A FIRE HYDRANT EVERY DAY AND
THE PERSON WHO LIVED OUTSIDE
THE FIRE HYDRANT CALLED AND
REPORTED ME AND IT TOOK OVER A
MONTH TO COME OUT AND THEN THEY
JUST WARNED ME AND I HAD
ANOTHER MONTH OR WHATEVER TO
MOVE MY CAR, THAT IS JUST NOT
HOW IT WORKS IN OTHER AREAS
WITH CODE ENFORCEMENT.
THAT IS NOTHING TO SAY ABOUT
SDCI'S POLICIES, OTHER THAN
THEY NEED MORE FUNDING FOR
INSPECTORS AND THEY NEED TO BE
ABLE TO ISSUE SOME OF THESE
FINES.
WITHOUT LANDLORDS HAVING ANY
FEAR OF THEM BEING FINED.
THERE IS NOT A LOT OF INCENTIVE
FOR THEM TO FOLLOW THE LAW.
TO HURRY UP AND GET INSPECTIONS
DONE IN THE REQUIRED TIME AND
KEEP THE UNITS NICE.
INSPECTED EVERY FEW YEARS
ANYWAY, EVERY 5 TO 10.
THAT IS A LONG TIME.
A LOT OF STUFF CAN GO WRONG.
SO I THINK FURTHERING THESE
PROTECTIONS AND FURTHERING THE
ENFORCEMENT OF THESE IS SO
IMPORTANT.
TO BALANCE THE POWER A LITTLE
BIT.
I KNOW THE SDCI TRIES VERY HARD
TO BE IMPARTIAL, BUT THERE IS
ALREADY THIS POWER IMBALANCE
BETWEEN RENTERS AND LANDLORDS.
LANDLORDS ARE THE ONES
RESPONSIBLE FOR MAINTAINING A
PROPERTY THAT IS UP TO CERTAIN
CODE STANDARDS.
LANDLORDS WHO SEEM TO BE
OPPOSED TO THIS AND SAY THEY'RE
NOT GETTING A VOICE, THAT NOT
ALL STAKEHOLDERS ARE BEING
INVITED TO THE TABLE, I
DISAGREE.
I FEEL LIKE YOU KNEW WHAT YOU
SIGNED UP FOR WHEN YOU BECAME A
LANDLORD.
THE CITY PUTS OUT VERY CLEAR
EXPECTATIONS OF HOW THE UNIT
NEEDS TO BE MAINTAINED.
SO YOU KNOW.
YOU KNOW THE LAWS AND IF YOU
DON'T, THERE ARE TONS OF
RESOURCES AND THE TENANTS HAVE
TO BE THE ONES TO INITIATE THE
COMPLAINT PROCESS AND STILL
RECEIVE NOTHING IN RETURN.
THE LANDLORDS DO NOT REALLY
RECEIVE PUNISHMENT FOR
VIOLATING THE CODE VIOLATION.
IT IS VERY FRUSTRATING.
>> THANK YOU, KATE.
I WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT ONE THING
THAT YOU MENTIONED THAT IN 2021,
AS THE SDCI SHARED IN THE
PRESENTATION, THERE WERE
THOUSANDS OF COMPLAINTS AND AS
YOU SAID, THAT IS A LOT OF
RENTERS FACING DILAPIDATED
CONDITIONS OR A LACK OF HEAT OR
ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
AND THEN ON TOP OF THAT, IN THE
CONTEXT OF THE FACT THAT
PROBABLY THE MAJORITY OF RENTERS
DON'T SEND THESE COMPLAINTS
AND, BECAUSE THEY ARE
DEMORALIZED OR BECAUSE THEY
DON'T EVEN KNOW THIS CAN BE
DONE.
SO, THE REAL NUMBER OF RENTERS
WHO FACED SOME SORT OF PROBLEM
OF THIS KIND LAST YEAR IS
PROBABLY FAR MORE THAN THAT
NUMBER.
SO IT REALLY HIGHLIGHTS THE
SCALE OF THE PROBLEM.
SO NOW OUR SPEAKER IS VIOLET --
GO AHEAD.
>> I THINK, IT LOOKS LIKE WE
LOST VIOLET.
SHE WAS GONE BEFORE.
LET ME CHECK.
VIOLET SEEMS TO HAVE BECOME
DISCONNECTED.
>> OKAY, SO I JUST WANTED TO
QUICKLY SAY A FEW THINGS.
I KNOW WE HAVE ONE OTHER AGENDA
ITEM, WHICH WE NEED TO FINISH.
BUT GOING BACK TO JESSE, AGAIN,
UNFORTUNATELY ALL OF THE
STORIES WE HAVE HEARD ARE
EGREGIOUS TO VARIOUS DEGREES.
SO, JESSE, YOU MENTIONED THE
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT THAT WE
HAVE ALSO LOOKED AT.
THAT THE LANDLORD TRIED TO GET
TENANTS TO SIGN ON TO AND THE
SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT, I BELIEVE
WE ATTACHED TO THE AGENDA
TODAY.
IT SAYS THE RENTER GETS THE
SECURITY DEPOSIT BACK, WHICH IS
NOT SOME FAVOR THE LANDLORD IS
DOING.
IT IS LEGALLY REQUIRED ANYWAY
FOR THE LANDLORD TO DO.
IT ALSO SAYS, LOOK HOW
EGREGIOUS THE SETTLEMENT
AGREEMENT IS.
IT SAYS THE RENTER CANNOT SUE
FOR ANYTHING.
THE RENTER AGREES TO END THE
LEASE THE DAY BEFORE THE FIRE.
THEY ARE ESSENTIALLY WAIVING
THEIR RIGHTS TO RELOCATION
ASSISTANCE AND ANY OTHER DAMAGES
THEY ARE OTHERWISE ENTITLED TO.
THE RENTER CANNOT TALK ABOUT
WHAT HAPPENED OR POST ABOUT IT
ON SOCIAL MEDIA AND IF THEY DO,
THE LANDLORD CAN SUE.
THE LANDLORD TRIED TO GET
RENTERS TO SIGN THIS
ESSENTIALLY BY LYING TO THEM
AND SAYING THEY NEEDED TO SIGN
TO GET THEIR SECURITY DEPOSIT
BACK.
I THINK AS JESSE EXPLAINED, IT
IS REALLY IMPORTANT THAT ALL OF
THE TENANTS OF THIS BUILDING,
INCLUDING JESSE, THEY GOT
TOGETHER.
THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE
LANDLORD HAS NO RIGHT TO DO
THIS.
THEY REFUSED TO SIGN THIS
DOCUMENT.
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT EXAMPLE OF
HOW TENANTS CAN COME TOGETHER
AND PUSH BACK COLLECTIVELY,
THAT IT CAN WORK.
I ALSO THINK THAT ALL OF THIS
THAT THE LANDLORD ATTEMPTED TO
DO SHOULD BE ILLEGAL.
I ALSO DON'T KNOW IF TRAM
WANTED TO WEIGH IN ON THIS, BUT
I BELIEVE IN COMMERCIAL
CONTRACTS, DECEPTIVE PRACTICES
ARE ILLEGAL.
BUT IT IS NOT CLEAR TO ME
WHETHER IN RESIDENTIAL
LANDLORD/TENANT AGREEMENTS,
WHAT THE LAW IS.
MAYBE IF YOU WANTED TO WEIGH IN
ON THAT AND ALSO JESSE, IF YOU
WANTED TO SAY ANYTHING MORE
ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH YOU
AND THE OTHER TENANTS.
>> WELL, SO, IT WAS AS YOU SAID,
CRAZY, THAT THEY HAD US TRY AND
SIGN THESE DOCUMENTS.
ESPECIALLY IN THE MIDST OF
TRYING TO FIGURE OUT MOVING,
GETTING MY STUFF OUT.
AND CLEANING MY PLACE IN
GENERAL.
IT WAS JUST, LIKE I SAID, SO
MUCH NEGLECT.
THE WORST PART IS HOW THERE WAS
NO SECURITY IN A VACATED
BUILDING, THE NEXT DAY.
LIKE I SAID, THEY LITERALLY
KICKED OPEN THE DOORS.
WE HAVE LOCKS, BUT THEY ARE
KEYPADS.
OBVIOUSLY THAT DID NOT STOP THE
LOOTERS.
AND IT WAS NOT EVEN THEN THAT
SECURITY WAS PUT UP.
THE NEXT DAY, THEY BOARDED UP
THE BUILDING.
LOOTERS TOOK THOSE OFF AND
KICKED THE DOORS OPEN AGAIN.
SO MY PLACE WAS ROBBED TWICE,
AS FAR AS I AM AWARE.
OTHERS, MORE THAN THAT.
IN THE MEANTIME, TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT -- I WAS ONE OF THE
FEW THAT HAD RENTERS INSURANCE,
THANK GOODNESS.
BUT TO HAVE MY INSURANCE CALM.
GET A CLAIM, DO THE ADJUSTMENT.
AND GET A QUOTE.
IN THE MEANTIME, STILL GETTING
ROBBED.
LIKE I LITERALLY COULD NOT
FIGURE OUT IF I SHOULD GET MY
STUFF OUT BEFORE THESE PEOPLE
COME, BECAUSE I KEPT LOSING
THINGS.
OR IF I HAD TO WAIT.
I DON'T REMEMBER SPECIFICALLY.
I THINK IT WAS FOUR OR FIVE
DAYS AFTER THEY FINALLY HAD
SOMEONE ON THE PREMISES,
ALLEGEDLY 24 HOURS.
THOUGH IN OUR GROUP, THERE HAVE
BEEN MANY OF US WHO HAVE BEEN
VISITING AND DISCUSSING WHETHER
THAT PERSON HAS BEEN THERE OR
NOT.
SOMETIMES THEY ARE, SOMETIMES
THEY'RE NOT.
THEY ALSO HAVE FENCES UP, BUT
WE HAVE SEEN THOSE FENCES DOWN.
WE HAVE DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE ON
THAT.
EVEN THOSE LOOTERS, THEY ARE
SQUATTERS NOW.
LET'S SEE WHAT ELSE.
THERE WAS NO ALARMS THE WHOLE
TIME.
I WAS UTTERLY SHOCKED.
SOMETHING I DIDN'T THINK ABOUT
IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL.
ONCE I WAS OUTSIDE, WATCHING
THE FIRE, I COULD HAVE DIED.
LITERALLY COULD HAVE DIED.
AND STILL, ALL OF MY STUFF.
IT IS HARD TO SLEEP.
BUT IT IS GETTING BETTER EVERY
DAY.
ANYWAY, IT IS STILL PRETTY
TRAUMATIC FOR ME.
SO YEAH, THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, JESSE.
YES, I CAN IMAGINE HOW
TRAUMATIC THAT IS AND I THINK
YOU MADE ONE OF THE IMPORTANT
POINTS YOU MADE, THAT THERE
WERE NO ALARMS FOR THE FIRE.
THIS WAS RELATED TO THE HOUSING
CODE COMPLIANCE.
OBVIOUSLY THIS IS ALREADY
HAPPENED, BUT IT IS SOMETHING
WE SHOULD LOOK INTO, THAT THEY
HAD THAT OR NOT.
IT DEMONSTRATES WHY WE NEED,
LEGALLY, TO STRENGTHEN
SEATTLE'S MUNICIPAL CODE TO
MAKE SURE AFTER-THE-FACT
LANDLORDS CAN BE HELD LIABLE.
DID YOU WANT TO MAKE A POINT?
I SAW YOUR HAND UP.
>> I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO
SPEAK WITH SOME OF JESSE'S
NEIGHBORS AND HE MENTIONED THAT
HE HAD RENTERS INSURANCE, WHICH
WAS VERY HELPFUL.
FROM TALKING TO HIS NEIGHBORS,
IT SOUNDS LIKE FOUR OF THE
PEOPLE IN THAT BUILDING DID
HAVE RENTERS INSURANCE.
FOR PEOPLE THAT DIDN'T WHEN THE
FIRE HAPPENED, SUDDENLY THEY
NEEDED TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO
STAY.
SO, FOR PEOPLE HAD RENTERS
INSURANCE AND WERE ABLE TO USE
THAT TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO STAY.
THE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE DID NOT.
THEY STAYED WITH FRIENDS,
FAMILY, COWORKERS.
ONE PERSON WOUND UP LIVING IN
THEIR CAR.
MEANWHILE, THE PROPERTY OWNER
WAS HOLDING ONTO THEIR SECURITY
DEPOSITS.
LEGALLY THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS
21 DAYS TO RETURN THE SECURITY
DEPOSIT.
FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WERE
DISPLACED, TRYING TO FIND A
PLACE TO LIVE, EVEN IF IT IS
LEGAL TO HOLD THAT SECURITY
DEPOSIT FOR 21 DAYS, IT IS
TOTALLY IMMORAL TO DO THAT.
ESPECIALLY SINCE OF PEOPLE ARE
TRYING TO FIND SOMEWHERE TO
LIVE, THEY NEED THAT MONEY.
BUT THAT TIES BACK INTO USING
THAT AS SOME SORT OF BARGAINING
CHIP TO TRY TO GET RENTERS TO
SIGN AWAY THEIR RIGHTS.
SOMETHING THAT SEVERAL RENTERS
MENTIONED.
>> RIGHT.
THANKS SO MUCH, TED.
OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A LOT TO
FOLLOW UP ON.
WE WON'T BE ABLE TO DO ALL OF
THAT TODAY.
SO I WANTED TO THANK BOTH THE
SDCI, WHO JUST PRESENTED, AND
ALSO THE RENTERS AND RENTERS
ADVOCATES WHO SPOKE TODAY.
SOME OF YOU RENTERS ADVOCATES
HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE AND MY
OFFICE CONTINUES TO GREATLY
APPRECIATE YOUR PARTICIPATION
IN THESE COMMITTEE MEETINGS,
BECAUSE YOUR INPUT IS EXTREMELY
IMPORTANT.
EVEN IF YOU HAVE BEEN HERE
BEFORE, YOUR SUBSEQUENT INPUT
IS ALWAYS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.
I APPRECIATE YOU COMING HERE.
AND ALSO FOR ALL OF THE WORK
YOU HAVE BEEN DOING, TENANTS
UNION, JUSTICE PROJECT, IN
ADVOCATING FOR RENTERS.
MAKING MY OFFICE AWARE OF WHAT
IMPROVEMENTS NEED TO BE MADE
FOR RENTERS RIGHTS AND ALSO
MAKING US AWARE OF SPECIFIC
SITUATIONS WHERE TENANTS WANT
TO FIGHT BACK AND GET ORGANIZED
AND THERE IS SOMEWHERE WE CAN
PROVIDE SOME POLITICAL AND
OTHER ASSISTANCE.
SO, APPRECIATE ALL OF THAT.
I JUST WANTED, IN CLOSING, I
WANTED TO SAY ON THE CASE THAT
ELLEN ANDERSON DESCRIBED FOR
ROOMMATES AND THEMSELVES.
THERE ARE INSTANCES OF
LANDLORDS INCREASING RENT AND
STILL NOT FIXING BAD
CONDITIONS, AS WITH THE CASE
DESCRIBED WITH NO WATER FOR TWO
YEARS.
ALSO, IN ELLEN AND HER
ROOMMATES CASE, RENTERS SHOULD
NOT HAVE TO ACCEPT BAD
CONDITIONS JUST BECAUSE RENTS
ARE GOING UP, EITHER.
EITHER WAY WE DO NEED TO PUSH
FOR INCREASED ABILITY FOR
TENANTS TO FIGHT AGAINST BAD
CONDITIONS, WHETHER RENTS ARE
GOING UP OR NOT.
I WOULD JUST CLOSE ON THE NOTE
THAT KATE RUBIN MADE, WHICH IS
THAT LANDLORDS ARE NOT REALLY
AFRAID OF CODE VIOLATIONS.
WHAT THEY WILL BE AFRAID OF IS
IF RENTERS, THROUGHOUT THE
CITY, GOT ORGANIZED.
DEMANDED PROGRESSIVE CHANGE,
LIKE REPRESENTED BY THIS
LEGISLATION WE ARE DISCUSSING
AND ALSO LAST YEAR.
ULTIMATELY WHAT WE REALLY NEED
IS RENT CONTROL.
CITYWIDE, STRONG RENT CONTROL,
AND WE NEED A MASSIVE EXPANSION
OF PUBLICLY OWNED SOCIAL
HOUSING, WHERE YOU WANT TO HAVE
PRIVATE PROFIT-MAKING
LANDLORDS, BUT IT WILL BE
SOMETHING THAT WILL BELONG TO
EVERYONE AND IT WILL BE
ADMINISTERED BY THE CITY
COUNCIL.
THAT DOES NOT MEAN PROBLEMS
WILL AUTOMATICALLY GO AWAY, BUT
YOU WILL BE ABLE TO HOLD THE
CITY ACCOUNTABLE FOR ALL OF THAT
AND THAT IS GOING TO BE
EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, AS WELL.
FOR OUR THIRD ITEM, I WANTED TO
INVITE COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN
TO INTRODUCE THIS POINT AND
THEN OF COURSE WE WILL TALK
ABOUT THE PROCESS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN,
WELCOME.
>> THANK YOU FOR INVITING ME TO
ATTEND TODAY'S MEETING AS A
SPONSOR OF THIS PROPOSAL.
COUNCIL BILL 120284, AND FOR
MAKING TIME AND SPACE TO REFINE
THIS PROPOSAL IN COMMITTEE AT A
LATER DATE.
COLLEAGUES, THIS BILL IS NEEDED
TO FILL A HOLE IN THE DATA OUR
CITY HAS HAD FOR THE PAST
SEVERAL YEARS WITH RENTAL
HOUSING.
FINALLY FILLING THAT GAP CAN
PROVIDE SEVERAL BENEFITS, WHICH
INCLUDE HAVING THE DATA NEEDED
TO ASSESS AND PREVENT
DISPLACEMENT OF EXISTING
RESIDENCE FROM A RAPIDLY
GROWING CITY.
ESPECIALLY AS EXECUTIVE
DEPARTMENTS CONTINUE THEIR
COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING PROCESS,
AS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.
IN ADDITION TO THE DRAFT BILL,
WHICH IS AVAILABLE TODAY ON THE
ONLINE AGENDA, THERE IS AN
INFORMATIVE SUMMARY AND FISCAL
NOTE AS WELL AS A MEMO FROM
CENTRAL STAFF.
I HOPE WE HEAR FROM HER AS WELL
TODAY.
THIS BILL IS NOT READY TO BE
VOTED ON, BUT THE INFORMATION
IN THOSE DOCUMENTS WILL BE
HELPFUL TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC
AS WE CONSIDER AMENDMENTS.
THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK
TIME TO CALL IN TODAY.
WE HEAR YOU.
FOR SMALLER LANDLORDS, THINK
YOU FOR THE HOUSING YOU PROVIDE
IN MY DISTRICT AND THROUGHOUT
THE CITY.
I HOPE YOU KNOW I HAVE, IN THE
PAST, WORKED HARD TO AMEND
LEGISLATION TO RECOGNIZE YOUR
UNIQUE BURDENS, AS WELL AS THE
BENEFITS OF THE HOUSING YOU
PROVIDE.
WHICH, BASED ON ANECDOTAL DATA,
IS OFTEN AT OR BELOW MARKET
RENT.
THAT SAID I ALSO HEARD COMMENTS
TODAY ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF
DETAILED DATA.
AS LONG AS WE MOVE QUICKLY, I
AM OPEN TO AMENDMENTS TO
IMPROVE IMPLEMENTATION OF
GETTING DETAILED DATA, THAT
ALLOW ME TO START TODAY WITH
THE RATIONALE FOR THIS DATA
COLLECTION BILL.
WHEN I MET WITH THE PREVIOUS
DIRECTOR OF A CITY DEPARTMENT
THAT RELIES ON HOUSING DATA, I
MENTIONED AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN
THE UNIVERSITY DISTRICT THAT
WOULD BE AT RISK OF DEMOLITION
AND REPLACEMENT WITH MORE
EXPENSIVE HOUSING.
IF ADDITIONAL LAND-USE CHANGES
WERE PURSUED WITHOUT FIRST
PUTTING INTO EFFECT THIS PLACE
AND PREVENTION LAWS.
WHILE RECOGNIZING THE BENEFITS,
THE PREVIOUS DIRECTOR WAS NOT
AWARE OF THOSE APARTMENT
BUILDINGS.
FOR EXAMPLE, THEY WERE NOT
AWARE OF THE PACIFIC
APARTMENTS, A 34 UNIT BUILDING.
UNIVERSITY AVENUE.
5200 BLOCK.
SEVERAL OTHER AFFORDABLE, BELOW-
MARKET, RENTAL HOUSING ON THE
AVENUE AND THROUGHOUT OUR CITY.
THAT IS SIMPLY BECAUSE OUR
DEPARTMENTS HAD BEEN RELYING ON
A FIRM, DUPREE AND SCOTT, WHICH
IS GREAT.
DID LOTS OF DATA.
THEY CLOSED AT THE END OF 2017
AND SINCE THEN DEPARTMENTS HAVE
BEEN RELYING MAINLY ON CENSUS
TRACT DATA THAT IS TOO HIGH-
LEVEL AND INFREQUENT.
WE NEED BLOCK BY BLOCK DATA ON
EXISTING CONTRACT RENTS IN
PLACE SO WE KNOW WHAT TENANTS
ARE PAYING NOW AND WHICH
BUILDINGS ARE NATURALLY
OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
TO CLARIFY, THIS BILL WOULD NOT
COLLECT ANY PERSONALLY
IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION.
NOW THE COUNCIL ADOPTED IN
NOVEMBER, 2020, A STATEMENT OF
LEGISLATIVE INTENT.
IT ASKED THE EXECUTIVE TO
PREPARE A PLAN TO FILL THE DATA
GAP.
SEVERAL DEPARTMENTS TRIED TO
WORK TOGETHER.
A YEAR LATER THEY CAME BACK
WITH A RESPONSE THAT DID NOT
HAVE AN IDEAL SOLUTION TO THIS
PROBLEM.
TO USE THE RENTAL HOUSING
INSPECTION ORDINANCE, RRIO,
THAT WOULD REQUIRE IT BE
AMENDED, HENCE THIS BILL.
IT'S UNFORTUNATE THE RENTAL
SURVEY CLOSED, BUT EVEN THAT
FIRM HAD GAPS IN INFORMATION
AND SHOWS YOU CAN'T RELY ON A
PRIVATE SURVEY FIRM.
FOR A GROWING CITY, WE SHOULD
HAVE OUR OWN DATA.
WHILE CRAFTING THE ORIGINAL
RENTAL ORDINANCE WAS
CHALLENGING SEVERAL YEARS AGO,
IT HAS BEEN IN PLACE FOR
SEVERAL YEARS.
LANDLORDS ALREADY SUBMITTED A
LIST OF UNITS.
I WANT TO THANK THE LANDLORDS
OF OVER 30,000 PROPERTIES
ALREADY REGISTERED WITH RRIO.
THOSE CONTAIN ABOUT 150,000
UNITS.
THEY ARE ALREADY COMPLYING BY
PROVIDING THIS LIST OF UNITS
AND THEY ALREADY PRODUCE THEIR
OWN LIST OF RENTAL UNITS FOR
THEIR OWN BOOKKEEPING, WHICH
INCLUDE RENTS, NUMBER OF
BEDROOMS, NUMBER OF BATHROOMS.
IN SOME CASES, SQUARE FOOTAGE
AND VACANCY STATUS.
IN OTHER WORDS, RRIO AS A
VEHICLE CAN BE AN EFFICIENT WAY
TO HAVE LANDLORDS SUBMIT THEIR
RENTAL RATE AND OCCUPANCY DATA.
WE HAVE, HOWEVER, RECEIVED A
LOT OF FEEDBACK AND CONCERNS
ABOUT THIS NEW BILL.
I AM OPEN TO REASONABLE
AMENDMENTS, AS LONG AS THERE IS
NOT UNDUE DELAY.
BUT IT WAS REALLY HELPFUL TO
HAVE THIS BILL AIRED TODAY TO
GET THAT INPUT.
COMPLETE AND ACCURATE HOUSING
DETAILS BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL
MAKES MAJOR DECISIONS DURING
OUR COMPREHENSIVE PLANNING
PROCESS NEXT YEAR.
WHILE WE DON'T YET KNOW WHICH
RESEARCH UNIVERSITY THE CITY
DEPARTMENT WOULD CHOOSE TO
RECEIVE AND ASSESS THIS DATA,
MY OFFICE HAS CONFIRMED WITH
THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
CENTER FOR REAL ESTATE
RESEARCH.
THEY OFFERED TO ASSEMBLE A
WORKING GROUP OF HOUSING
PROVIDERS TO DISCUSS THE
MECHANICS OF PROPOSED DATA
COLLECTION.
I WOULD BE OPEN TO THAT.
I ALSO WANT TO HAVE TENANT
GROUPS AT THE TABLE, CITY
DEPARTMENT REPRESENTATIVES AT
THE TABLE.
SO WE WILL NEED A FEW WEEKS TO
WORK OUT THE IMPLEMENTATION
HURDLES AND CRAFT ANY
AMENDMENTS.
GET THIS APPROVED I THE CITY
ATTORNEY'S OFFICE.
I KNOW WE WERE HOPING TO DO
SOMETHING ON APRIL 1. APRIL 15,
THAT MIGHT BE TOO SOON.
APRIL 15 IS PASSOVER, SO MAY
SIX IS WHEN I WOULD ASK THAT
THE CHAIR MAKE MORE TIME
AVAILABLE FOR US TO COME BACK.
AND I KNOW IT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
IF MY COLLEAGUES HAVE QUESTIONS.
ASHA IS HERE FROM CENTRAL STAFF
TO PRESENT HER MEMO.
SHE MIGHT END UP ANSWERING
THOSE QUESTIONS.
SO, CHAIR, I DEFER TO YOU ON
WHAT TO DO NEXT.
>> SORRY, I WAS ASSUMING ASHA
WOULD COME INTO MAKE COMMENTS.
THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN, FOR THAT EXCELLENT
DESCRIPTION.
AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, I
DEFINITELY SUPPORT THIS.
ASHA.
>> S, ASHA VENKATARAMAN,
COUNCIL CENTRAL STAFF.
IF IT WORKS FOR YOU ALL I CAN
GO THROUGH AND DO A SUMMARY OF
THE BILL ITSELF AND THEN SOME
OF THE ISSUES TO CONSIDER.
FOR THE COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER.
AND SOME POTENTIAL AMENDMENTS
THAT MIGHT COME UP FOR THE NEXT
COMMITTEE DISCUSSION.
SO, AS COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN
MENTIONED, COUNCIL BILL 120284
WOULD REQUIRE PROPERTY OWNERS
TO SUBMIT SPECIFIC RENT AND
RESIDENTIAL HOUSING INFORMATION
TO A RESEARCH UNIVERSITY, TWICE
A YEAR.
AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO RRIO
WOULD BE THAT THEY WOULD HAVE
TO SUBMIT A CERTIFICATION TO
THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTIONS
UNDER THE RRIO PROGRAM, THAT
THEY HAD SUBMITTED THAT DATA TO
A RESEARCH UNIVERSITY.
THE IDEA WOULD BE FOR A
DEPARTMENT, EITHER THE OFFICE
OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT FOR
THE SEATTLE DEPARTMENT OF
CONSTRUCTION AND INSPECTIONS,
MAYBE EVEN THE OFFICE OF
HOUSING, TO HOLD A CONTRACT
WITH THAT RESEARCH UNIVERSITY
THAT WOULD DETAIL ALL OF THE
SCOPE OF INFORMATION THAT THE
CITY IS REQUESTING FOR
ANALYSIS, USING THE DATA THAT
THE PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD
SUBMIT.
AS THE BILL IS CURRENTLY
DRAFTED, THE INTENT IS FOR A
PROPERTY OWNER TO SUBMIT
INFORMATION ABOUT FEBRUARY OF
EACH YEAR TO THE UNIVERSITY, BY
MARCH 31 OF THAT YEAR.
AND AGAIN, INFORMATION ABOUT
THE MONTH OF JULY, TO THE
UNIVERSITY BY AUGUST 31.
AS COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN
INDICATED, THE INTENT IS NOT
FOR ANY PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE
INFORMATION TO BE SUBMITTED.
TO THE UNIVERSITY.
SO, SPECIFICALLY, PROPERTY
OWNERS WOULD BE ASKED TO SUBMIT
A LIST OF ALL THE RENTAL
HOUSING UNITS ON A PROPERTY.
WHETHER THE UNIT IS VACANT OR
OCCUPIED.
NET RENTABLE SQUARE FOOTAGE FOR
THAT UNIT.
FOR THOSE UNITS.
THE NUMBER OF BEDROOMS AND
BATHROOMS.
INFORMATION THAT REFLECTS THE
NET MONTHLY RESIDENTIAL RENT
AND IF UTILITIES ARE INCLUDED
IN RENT, WHAT THAT AMOUNT IS.
AND THE LENGTH OF A RENTAL
AGREEMENT.
SO, AS COUNCILMEMBER INDICATED,
THIS INFORMATION WOULD ALL BE
USED BY THE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY
TO PROVIDE INFORMATION TO THE
CITY TO HELP INFORM HOUSING
POLICY, DISPLACEMENT INDICATORS.
WORKING TO HELP THE CITY MAKE
ITS UPDATES TO THE
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN.
IF THERE ARE NO QUESTIONS ABOUT
THE MECHANICS OF THE BILL
ITSELF, I CAN MOVE INTO SOME
POTENTIAL ISSUES FOR THE
COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER.
SO, FIRST, EXCUSE ME, AS I
MENTIONED, EITHER OPCD OR
ANOTHER DEPARTMENT WOULD NEED
TO CONTRACT WITH A RESEARCH
UNIVERSITY.
WE HAVE BEEN IN CONVERSATION
WITH BOTH OPCD AND SDCI ABOUT
WHICH DEPARTMENT WOULD BE
APPROPRIATE TO HOLD THAT
CONTRACT.
IN GENERAL, THEY WOULD
COORDINATE BETWEEN THEMSELVES
AND THE OFFICE OF HOUSING TO
SCOPE OUT WHAT A CONTRACT MIGHT
LOOK LIKE.
AND SO I THINK EITHER OPCD OR
SDCI WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TO
HOLD IT.
DEPENDING ON WHAT
COUNCILMEMBER PREFERENCES ARE
AND IF THE EXECUTIVE CONTINUES
TO PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT
WHICH WOULD BE THE APPROPRIATE
DEPARTMENT, IT MAY BE WORTH
AMENDING THE LEGISLATION TO
REFLECT WHICH DEPARTMENT WOULD
HOLD THE CONTRACT.
AS IT IS CURRENTLY DRAFTED, THE
LEGISLATION REFERS TO OPCD OR
ANOTHER EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT,
SO AN AMENDMENT COULD CLARIFY
THE ISSUE.
THE NEXT ISSUE IS ONE
SURROUNDING TIMING.
AT THIS POINT, THERE ARE A
COUPLE OF DIFFERENT ISSUES THAT
WOULD NEED TO BE WORKED OUT, IN
TERMS OF GETTING THE INFORMATION
TO THE UNIVERSITY AND GETTING
AN ANALYSIS BACK.
THE FIRST IS THAT IT TAKES TIME
TO NEGOTIATE A CONTRACT AND TO
EXECUTE IT.
SO DEPENDING ON -- EXCUSE ME, I
AM SORRY -- DEPENDING ON THE
AMOUNT OF THE CONTRACT, WHICH
COULD BE ANYWHERE FROM $50-
$150,000 IN THE INITIAL
ANALYSIS.
IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT IS HOW MUCH
IT WOULD BE.
THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR
DISCUSSION AROUND WHETHER THE
DEPARTMENT COULD DIRECTLY
CONTRACT WITH AN ENTITY LIKE
THE UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON OR
IF IT WOULD NEED TO GO THROUGH
A COMPETITIVE BIDDING OFFICE
AND ISSUE AN RFP, REQUEST FOR
PROPOSALS, AND TO THAT LEVEL OF
WORK.
IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THAT
CONTRACT NEGOTIATION AND
EXECUTION COULD TAKE SOME TIME.
IT MAY BE WORTH THE COMMITTEE
CONSIDERING AT WHAT POINT
PROPERTY OWNER SHOULD BE
REQUIRED TO SUBMIT THEIR
INFORMATION TO A UNIVERSITY.
GIVEN THE WAY THE BILL IS
CURRENTLY DRAFTED, IF PROPERTY
OWNRS WOULD HAVE TO SUBMIT
INFORMATION ABOUT THE MONTH OF
JULY, BY AUGUST 31, THAT WOULD
MEAN THE CONTRACT WITH WHATEVER
UNIVERSITY IS GOING TO BE
ANALYZING THIS DATA, WOULD HAVE
TO BE COMPLETED BY AUGUST 31.
SO PROPERTY OWNERS WOULD KNOW
WHICH UNIVERSITY THEY WERE
SUBMITTING INFORMATION TO.
SO, PENDING FURTHER
CONVERSATIONS WITH THE
DEPARTMENTS ABOUT WHAT A
TIMELINE MIGHT LOOK LIKE, AND
MAY BE WORTH ADJUSTING SOME OF
THE TIMELINES AROUND WHEN THAT
INFORMATION SHOULD BE SUBMITTED.
ANOTHER ISSUE THAT COMES UP IS
THE FUNDING FOR THE CONTRACT,
AS WELL AS POTENTIAL FUNDING
FOR ENFORCEMENT.
GIVEN THAT THIS LEGISLATION IS
COMING UP AFTER BUDGET DECISIONS
FOR 2022 HAVE ALREADY BEEN
MADE, THERE NEEDS TO BE
CONTINUING DISCUSSION ABOUT
WHETHER THERE ARE FUNDS
AVAILABLE TO REPRIORITIZE FOR
THIS PURPOSE.
ASSUMING THAT A CONTRACT WOULD
BE EXECUTED IN 2022.
IT'S NOT CLEAR THAT EITHER OF
THE DEPARTMENTS HAVE FUNDING
THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO
PRIORITIZE FOR THIS.
I DON'T BELIEVETHERE IS
EXISTING EXTRA FUNDING,
ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE CURRENT
CONVERSATIONS ABOUT GENERAL
FUND CHALLENGES MOVING INTO
2023.
THE OTHER ISSUE, OTHER THAN THE
CONTRACT COST ITSELF, WOULD BE
ANY FUNDING THAT IS NECESSARY
FOR SDCI TO MONITOR
COMPLIANCE.
STAFFING AND RESOURCE, AS WELL
AS I.T.
ISSUES, COULD BE MINIMAL, IF ALL
SDCI IS DOING IS TRACKING
WHETHER A CERTIFICATION HAS
BEEN SUBMITTED TO THEM.
HOWEVER, THE INTENT OF THE
COUNCIL IS FOR A MORE ROBUST SET
OF ENFORCEMENT, WHICH WOULD
LOOK AT IF THE INFORMATION
SUBMITTED TO THE UNIVERSITY
ITSELF WAS ACCURATE.
THAT COULD TAKE A LOT MORE TIME
AND RESOURCES.
SO IT MAY BE WORTH FURTHER
CONVERSATIONS, BOTH WITH THE
DEPARTMENT AND IN COMMITTEE
ABOUT WHAT THE SCOPE OF
ENFORCEMENT ON THIS PIECE OF
LEGISLATION MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
THE LAST PIECE OF THE FUNDING
CONVERSATION IS THAT EVEN IF --
EXCUSE ME, I'M SORRY.
EVEN IF FUNDING WERE FOUND TO
SUPPORT THE CONTRACT AND
ENFORCEMENT IN 2022, THERE
WOULD NEED TO BE CONVERSATIONS
DURING THE BUDGET DISCUSSIONS
FOR 2023 THAT WOULD PROVIDE
ONGOING FUNDS FOR A CONTRACT
WITH A RESEARCH UNIVERSITY.
SO IT IS BOTH A CONVERSATION
ABOUT HOW TO IMPLEMENT THIS
LEGISLATION AND THEN ASSUMING
THAT IS NOT ONGOING FUNDING,
WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE IN 2023
AND BEYOND.
I WILL MOVE INTO WHAT POTENTIAL
AMENDMENTS MIGHT LOOK LIKE.
AS COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN
MENTIONED, IF THIS MOVES
FORWARD ON MAY 6, THERE IS TIME
BETWEEN NOW AND THAT TIME FOR
COUNCILMEMBERS TO DISCUSS MORE
AMENDMENTS.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN IS
CONSIDERING AMENDMENTS ALREADY
FOR POTENTIAL DISCUSSION.
THE FIRST WOULD ENSURE THAT
NOBODIES CONTACT INFORMATION,
PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE
INFORMATION, WOULD BE SUBMITTED
TO A UNIVERSITY.
RIGHT OF THE LEGISLATION REFERS
TO A TENANTS INFORMATION NOT
BEING REPORTED, SO THE POTENTIAL
AMENDMENT WOULD ADD THAT THE
PROPERTY OWNER'S INFORMATION
ALSO WOULD NOT BE INCLUDED IN
THE INFORMATION REQUIRED FOR
SUBMISSION TO THE UNIVERSITY.
THE SECOND WOULD BE TO ADJUST
THE SCOPE OF THE WORK TO BE
DONE FOR THE UNIVERSITY.
RIGHT NOW THE LEGISLATION
MENTIONS REPORTING ABOUT
DISPLACEMENT.
SO A POTENTIAL AMENDMENT,
EXCUSE ME, WOULD BROADEN THAT
SCOPE TO SAY INFORMATION ABOUT
THE RENTAL HOUSING MARKET
CONDITIONS IN GENERAL.
JUST SO THAT IT COULD ACCOUNT
FOR BOTH DISPLACEMENT AS WELL
AS MARKET CONDITIONS.
AND LASTLY, THIS GOES TO ONE OF
THE ISSUES THAT I MENTIONED FOR
THE COMMITTEE'S CONSIDERATION,
ADJUSTING THE DATES THAT A
PROPERTY OWNER COULD, WOULD
SUBMIT, INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR
RENT AND RESIDENTIAL UNITS.
SO INSTEAD OF SUBMITTING
INFORMATION ABOUT FEBRUARY BY
MARCH 31, THE POTENTIAL
AMENDMENT WOULD REVISE THOSE
DATES FOR SUBMISSION APRIL 15,
FOR MARCH INFORMATION.
AND THEN INSTEAD OF AUGUST 31
FOR JULY INFORMATION, MOVE THAT
TO BE REPORTING BY OCTOBER 15
FOR SEPTEMBER INFORMATION.
AS FAR AS IMPLICATIONS IN 2022,
IT WOULD ALLOW DEPARTMENTS MORE
TIME TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE
CONTRACTS FOR A FIRST-ROUND OF
INFORMATION TO COME IN LATER IN
THE YEAR.
INSTEAD OF HAVING TO SUBMIT BY
AUGUST 31, THEY WOULD LOOK AT
OCTOBER 15, WHICH PROVIDES AN
ADDITIONAL MONTH AND A HALF, IF
THAT DOES ALLOW SUFFICIENT TIME
TO BE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE AND
EXECUTE CONTRACTS.
I WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT AND I
AM HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS THAT ANY
COUNCILMEMBERS MIGHT HAVE.
>> THANK YOU, ASHA.
I DON'T SEE ANY HANDS UP YET.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN, DID YOU
WANT TO COME IN AGAIN?
>> I CAN CLOSE IT OUT.
>> COUNCILMEMBER NELSON, GO
AHEAD.
>> THANK YOU, VERY MUCH.
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN.
I SHARE YOUR DESIRE TO GET A
SENSE OF THE DISPLACEMENT IN
ACTUALLY AFFORDABLE HOUSING.
WE NEED TO KNOW THAT FOR MANY
REASONS.
AND BECAUSE, SDCI RENTAL
REGISTRATION INSPECTION
ORDINANCE ANNUAL REPORT THAT
COUNCIL RECEIVED ON AUGUST 5,
THAT WAS ABOUT, IT WAS
REPORTING ON 2020.
NOTES THAT BY THE END OF THE
YEAR, TOTAL REGISTRATIONS
DECREASED, REGISTRATIONS INTO
THE PROGRAM, DECREASED BY 14.4%
FROM 2019.
THAT IS OVER THE COURSE OF A
YEAR.
BUT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF UNITS
STAYED RELATIVELY STABLE.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN UNITS
AND ACTUAL RENEWALS OF
PROPERTIES INDICATES THAT THE
APARTMENTS OR THE UNITS THAT
WERE ALREADY BUILT, STAYED IN
THE SYSTEM AND WERE COUNTED.
THEY DID NOT DECREASE.
BUT THE FACT THAT THE ACTUAL
PROPERTIES WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT, THE RENEWALS IN THE
PROGRAM, INDICATES TO ME THAT
IT IS THE SMALL MOM-AND-POP
LANDLORDS THAT ARE BASICALLY
NOT, THEY ARE TAKING PROPERTIES
OFF THE MARKET.
I LOOKED AT THE 2018 UNIVERSITY
OF WASHINGTON STUDY.
IT WAS THE PREVIOUS.
IT WAS THE SEATTLE RENTAL
HOUSING STUDY FINAL REPORT,
PUBLISHED IN JUNE, 2018.
IT SURVEYS LANDLORDS AND ONE
LINE CAUGHT MY ATTENTION, WHICH
IS BASICALLY -- LET'S SEE.
IT NOTES -- WELL, LANDLORDS
FRUSTRATION WITH THE FIRST IN
TIME AND OTHER LAWS THAT
COUNCIL PAST.
IT BASICALLY SAYS ABOUT 40% OF
LANDLORDS SOLD OR PLAN TO SELL
PROPERTY IN RESPONSE TO CITY
ORDINANCES GOVERNING THE
MARKET.
THREE YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE
THEN AND THERE HAVE BEEN MORE
RECENT REGULATIONS.
SO I THINK THAT WE DO NEED TO
DOCUMENT THIS.
AND MY INTEREST IS IN MAKING
SURE THAT WE ARE NOT DRIVING
SMALL LANDLORDS OUT OF THE
MARKET.
WHEN THEY TAKE PROPERTIES OR
SELL PROPERTY, IT IS
REDEVELOPED FOR MARKET-BASED
RENT, OFTENTIMES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR TIMELINE
IS BASED AROUND UPCOMING ZONING
DECISIONS THAT WILL BE MADE.
MY WHOLE POINT IS, IS IT
POSSIBLE, AND MAYBE WE SHOULD
TALK ABOUT THIS OFF-LINE, BUT
GET A POINT IN TIME STUDY,
BECAUSE IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THE
TREND DATA THAT YOU ARE LOOKING
FOR, OVER TIME BY THE ONGOING
REPORTING, MIGHT NOT, THAT IS
ONGOING, BUT THIS INFORMATION --
SO I AM JUST WONDERING IF YOU
HAVE CONSIDERED A POINT IN TIME
STUDY INSTEAD OF AN ONGOING
REPORTING.
FUNCTION.
AND ALSO MAY BE PUSHING IT TO
2023.
AND THEN I HAPPEN TO KNOW, ONE
LAST THING.
WHEN I WAS READING THIS REPORT,
IT MENTIONED, I KNOW THAT
DUPREE AND SCOTT CLOSING THEIR
OFFICE HAS BEEN A BIG DETRIMENT
TO US.
GETTING THIS INFORMATION, WE
ARE ALL ON THE SAME PAGE ABOUT
THAT.
BUT IT MENTIONS THE RONSTADT
CENTER FOR REAL ESTATE.
ALSO A POTENTIAL -- YOU KNOW,
MAYBE, YOU KNOW, SOURCE, OF
RESEARCH.
INFORMATION, YOU KNOW.
SO, THAT'S IT.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
NELSON.
YOU KNOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHICH
UNIVERSITY WOULD DO IT.
EVEN WITHIN THE SAME
UNIVERSITY, IT COULD BE A
DIFFERENT DEPARTMENT THAT COULD
DO IT.
AND IN TERMS OF WHETHER TO DO
IT ONE TIME, POINT IN TIME,
VERSUS ONGOING, I DEFINITELY
SEE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING IT
ONGOING, SO WE KNOW WHAT THE
TRENDS ARE AND WE HAVE TO DO A
PLAN AGAIN.
IN THE FUTURE.
SO IT WOULD BE NICE IF WE WERE
MORE READY THIS TIME.
AT LEAST WITH THAT PIECE OF
RENTAL HOUSING DATA.
THE OTHER THING IS THAT I THINK
WE ARE SO FAR BEHIND ON THIS IN
A WAY, BECAUSE THERE ARE OTHER
POLICY DOCUMENTS THAT THE CITY
HAS APPROVED, STATING THAT WE
WANT TO PREVENT DISPLACEMENT.
THAT ONE OF THE WAYS OF DOING
THAT IS HAVING BETTER DATA.
HAVING GRANULAR DATA.
NOBODY HAS THAT RIGHT NOW.
SO WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING NOW
TO GET THAT LEVEL OF
SPECIFICITY, BLOCK BY BLOCK.
ON WHERE THE ACTUALLY
AFFORDABLE HOUSING IS, SO WE GO
IN WITH EYES WIDE OPEN ON HOW
WE WILL CHANGE LAND-USE OR
ANYTHING ELSE AROUND WHERE
THOSE PROPERTIES ARE LOCATED.
I MEAN, IT COULD BE WHERE WE
SET IT UP TO BE ONGOING AND
THEN MAYBE WE REALIZE WE DON'T
NEED IT OR MAKE A CHANGE LATER.
BUT I KNOW MY COLLEAGUES ARE
ALSO INTERESTED IN HAVING THIS
ONGOING.
SO WE CAN TALK ABOUT THAT
FURTHER.
THANKS FOR PUTTING THAT ON THE
TABLE AS AN IDEA.
>> SURE, AND NOT SUPER INVESTED
IN THE OUTCOME OF THAT
DISCUSSION.
I JUST, WHILE I HAVE YOU, I
KNOW, DIDN'T COUNCIL ADVOCATE
MONEY FOR ANOTHER RENTAL
HOUSING STUDY LAST BUDGET
CYCLE?
WHAT'S UP WITH THAT?
I COULD BE COMPLETELY WRONG.
>> I DON'T KNOW.
I DON'T KNOW IF IT WAS THIS
LEVEL OF SPECIFICITY.
ONE OF THE PROBLEMS IS WHAT IS
READILY AVAILABLE IS
INFORMATION FROM THE AMERICAN
COMMUNITY SURVEY, BUT IT DOES
NOT GIVE US THE BLOCK TO BLOCK
INFORMATION.
SOMETIMES RENTAL STUDIES ARE
BASED ALSO ON WHAT THEY WOULD
BE CHARGING FOR A UNIT TODAY.
WE ARE INTERESTED ALSO IN WHAT
ARE THEY PAYING RIGHT NOW, THAT
THERE ARE TENANTS THERE RIGHT
NOW PAYING POTENTIALLY BELOW
MARKET, UNREGULATED, BELOW
MARKET RATE RENT, WHICH IS
GREAT.
WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE THAT
IS.
>> I COMPLETELY AGREE WITH THE
VALUE OF NEEDING TO KNOW THAT.
SO, THANK YOU.
>> I JUST HAD A FEW POINTS
ABOUT THIS LEGISLATION AND THE
PROPOSED LEGISLATION AND
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN WILL
CLOSE THIS ITEM OUT AND THEN
WE WILL ADJOURN.
JUST VERY QUICKLY, YEAH, I
MEAN, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS
JUST COLLECTING DATA.
THIS IS NOT PUTTING ANY
MONETARY BURDEN ON LANDLORDS OF
ANY KIND.
I JUST WANTED TO ECHO KATE
RUBINS POINT, THAT WHEN YOU
BECOME A LANDLORD, YOU ARE
SIGNING UP FOR DOING THE
PAPERWORK, JUST LIKE TENANTS
HAVE TO DO PAPERWORK IN ORDER
TO BE ABLE TO RENT A PARTICULAR
UNIT.
ALSO, JUST ON THE POINT IN TIME
DATA, AS AN ECONOMIST I AM ALL
FOR DATA.
IF WE GET POINT IN TIME DATA,
THAT'S ALSO GREAT.
BUT JUST TO CLARIFY, POINT IN
TIME DATA WILL NOT ACTUALLY
GIVE YOU ANY INFORMATION ON
TRENDS.
IF THE GOAL IS TO LOOK AT
TRENDS, AND I AGREE WITH THAT
GOAL, WHICH IS WHY I AM
SUPPORTING THIS LEGISLATION,
THEN YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT
ONGOING.
OTHERWISE IT WILL NOT GIVE YOU
THAT INFORMATION.
I ALSO WANTED TO SAY THAT
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON IS
BASICALLY REITERATING THE
LANDLORD ASSERTION, WHICH WE
HAVE HEARD MANY TIMES, THAT
SUPPOSEDLY RENTERS RIGHTS BEING
STRENGTHENED IN THE CITY IS
DRIVING SMALL LANDLORDS OUT OF
THE MARKET.
THAT IS JUST TOTAL SPECULATION.
THERE IS NO DOCUMENTARY
EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT IT.
THAT IS A CLAIM BY LANDLORDS.
NOBODY ELSE IS CLAIMING THAT.
THE REALITY IS THAT PROPERTY
VALUES ARE SKYROCKETING.
OUR LANDLORD SELLING BECAUSE
THEY DON'T WANT TO COMPLY OR
BECAUSE PROPERTY VALUES HAVE
GONE THROUGH THE ROOF AND THEY
CAN CASH IN ON THEIR PROPERTY
LIKE NEVER BEFORE?
IT'S TOTALLY THEIR RIGHT AND IF
THEY ARE SELLING THEIR
PROPERTY, THAT'S THEIR
DECISION.
BUT CONNECTING IT TO INCREASED
RENTERS RIGHTS IS NOT
APPROPRIATE.
I HAVE NO DOUBT MANY LANDLORDS
DON'T LIKE INCREASED RENTERS
RIGHTS, BUT IT'S NOT ABOUT WHAT
THEY LIKE OR DON'T LIKE.
IT'S ABOUT HAVING A CITY THAT
ACTUALLY HAS BARE MINIMUM
STANDARDS, LET ALONE ANYTHING
BETTER, BUT BARE MINIMUM
STANDARDS FOR HOW RENTERS ARE
TREATED AND WE ARE NOT THERE
YET.
I DON'T THINK ANYBODY CAN CLAIM
TOO MUCH, OTHER THAN LANDLORDS.
AGAIN, I HAVE NEVER HEARD
ANYBODY CLAIMING THAT.
I ALSO WANTED TO ADD THAT THE
DATA THAT LANDLORDS ARE
REFERENCING, LANDLORDS WHO
DON'T WANT EVEN THIS KIND OF
REPORTING ARE REFERENCING A
NUMBER OF LLCS.
THE PROPERTY OWNER OF THE
BUILDING THAT WAS GUTTED BY
FIRE THAT WE JUST HAD TESTIMONY
ON, ONE OF THE TENANTS, OWNS A
DOZEN LLCS AND EACH BUILDING IS
ITS OWN COMPANY.
SO YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO KEEP
THAT IN MIND AS WELL.
THAT IS A COMMON THING FOR
CORPORATIONS AND BIG LANDLORDS
TO DO.
LASTLY, I WANT TO CLARIFY THAT
THIS TERM OF NATURALLY
OCCURRING AFFORDABLE HOUSING
COMES UP.
IT IS ECONOMIST JARGON.
IT BASICALLY MEANS THAT IT IS
HOUSING THAT IS GENERALLY AT OR
BELOW 30% OF A POTENTIAL
TENANTS INCOME, BECAUSE THAT IS
THE RULE OF THUMB FOR
AFFORDABILITY BUT IT IS NOT
NATURALLY OCCURRING IN THE
SENSE THAT IT DOES NOT JUST
EXIST BY ITSELF IN THE WORLD.
IT IS REFERRING TO HOUSING THAT
IS AFFORDABLE BY THAT LOW
INCOME DEFINITION, FROM THE FOR-
PROFIT MARKET, AS AFFORD TO
BEING SOCIAL HOUSING -- NOBODY
CALLS PUBLIC HOUSING NATURALLY
OCCURRING HOUSING, BUT NEITHER
OF THEM IS NATURALLY OCCURRING.
HOW MUCH SOCIAL HOUSING THAT IS
AND HOW MUCH PRIVATELY OWNED
HOUSING THAT IS, THAT IS
ENTIRELY A QUESTION OF THE
POLITICAL BALANCE OF FORCES AND
TENANTS NEED TO FIGHT FOR
INCREASED SOCIAL HOUSING.
AND JUST GIVEN WHAT
COUNCILMEMBER PEDERSEN HAS
SAID ABOUT THE TIMELINE FOR
AMENDMENTS, WE WILL LET
COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND MEMBERS
OF THE PUBLIC, OF COURSE
STARTING WITH COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN, WE WILL BE TALKING
WITH HIS OFFICE.
TO KNOW WHEN THE LEGISLATION
WILL BE SCHEDULED FOR AMENDMENT
AND VOTE.
IN ADDITION, I WOULD BE HAPPY
TO COSPONSOR IT AS WELL AND I
ALSO WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW
THAT COUNCILMEMBER MORALES, WHO
HAD TO LEAVE, INDICATED TO ME
SHE WANTED TO COSPONSOR AS
WELL.
SO PLEASE CLOSE US OUT.
>> THANK YOU, CHAIR SAWANT,
AND THANK YOU FOR THE COMMENTS.
THANKS FOR QUESTIONS
COUNCILMEMBER NELSON.
ASHA, I APPRECIATE YOUR HARD
WORK AND I WANT TO THINK MY
STAFF AS WELL.
FOR THE PEOPLE AGAIN WHO CALLED
IN TODAY, WE WILL BE TALKING
MORE AS WE CRAFT AMENDMENTS.
I REALLY HOPE THAT THE
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS EMBRACE
THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO
FINALLY GET THE DATA THAT THEY
HAVE NOT HAD FOR THE LAST 40
YEARS.
SO THANKS TO THEM WE CAN COMPLY
WITH EXECUTIVE ORDER 2019 --
AND FOLLOWING UP ON STATEMENTS
OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT THAT OUR
COUNCIL PASSED.
THIS IS A WAY TO GET US THERE
THE DETAILS STILL NEED TO BE
WORKED OUT, ON THE MECHANICS OF
GETTING ACCURATE, COMPLETE
DATA.
IN A COLLABORATIVE WAY.
SO I LOOK FORWARD TO WORKING ON
THAT.
THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU, COUNCILMEMBER
PEDERSEN.
AND I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S
PATIENTS.
IT WAS A LONG COMMITTEE.
I APPRECIATE COUNCILMEMBERS AND
ALL OUR SPEAKERS FOR STAYING
BACK, FOR US TO COMPLETE ALL
THE ITEMS.
I THINK IT WAS MAYBE TWO OR
THREE COMMITTEE AGENDA ITEMS
ROLLED INTO ONE, SO IT WAS A
BIT LONG.
I ALSO APPRECIATE FAITH, GEOFF,
AND MICHELE FROM SDCI ALSO
STICKING AROUND AND ALSO TRAM,
KATE, THANK YOU FOR STAYING AS
WELL.
I APPRECIATE EVERYBODY'S
COOPERATION.
AND HAVING SAID THAT, IF THERE
ARE NO FURTHER COMMENTS OR
QUESTIONS, THE MEETING WILL BE
ADJOURNED.
THANK YOU, ASHA, AND CENTRAL
STAFF AS WELL.
BYE-BYE.