Seattle is a majority renter city. From 2010 to 2018, rents rose 69%, three times the rate of inflation, and 46% of Seattle renters were rent burdened. The Covid-19 pandemic has aggravated this already dire situation, with thousands of working-class renters accumulating debt and facing the terrifying prospect of eviction when the moratorium ends. People of color are being disproportionately hit. Corporate landlords have failed to make rents affordable, instead raking in profits from astronomical rent increases. Seattle rents rose over 22% between November 2020 and November 2021, and rents are back to the pre-pandemic highs.

Enough is enough! We urge the Seattle City Council to stand with working-class renters, marginalized communities, and struggling small businesses, and immediately adopt the following legislation from Councilmember Kshama Sawant:

1) Residential rent control with no corporate loopholes, to take effect the moment the State Legislature lifts the rent control ban.  
2) Commercial rent control for small businesses - with no corporate loopholes.