Thursday March 26, 2020

Dear Governor Inslee,

As the COVID19 pandemic continues, working people are experiencing widespread layoffs and lost wages, making it difficult or impossible to make rent, mortgage, or utility payments. Many small businesses are also struggling.

Many renters are also starting to receive notices for rent increases from their corporate landlords. This is shockingly unconscionable.

We, the undersigned, urge you to immediately:

*Suspend all rent, mortgage, and utility payments for as long as the pandemic lasts. Suspension means working people and small businesses make no payments, without adverse consequences like accruing back rent or incurring other debts, evictions or foreclosures, or damage to credit rating.

*Institute a statewide residential and small business rent freeze through the end of the year (to be extended for longer if the economic impact of the coronavirus crisis continues in 2021). Use your executive powers to protect tenants by prohibiting any rent increases for month-to-month tenants, lease renewals, and new leases.

This is the least you can do for working people and struggling small businesses, while big banks and corporations get bailed out by the Trump administration. I urge you to take these proactive steps now to protect renters in Washington state from being priced out of their homes in this crisis.

Sincerely,
(Add name after email address)