City Councilmember Kshama Sawant pitching her Rent Control proposal on Tuesday
A rowdy and emotional crowd packed the Seattle City Council chambers on Tuesday afternoon as outgoing councilmember Kshama Sawant tried one last time to pass a rent control law.
Sawant saw her measure as a “Trigger Law”; a local ordinance that might put pressure on the state legislature to end a decades old ban. “This is political gaslighting” she told fellow councilmembers who worked from the crowd in their offices and away from the crow “The state ban on rent control has been in effect for 42 years and they have never, ever, brought a bill to lift the ban to a vote.”
Between 2010 & 2020 rents jumped by 90% in Seattle “It has vacancy control” Sawant has high hope her law would prevent those days from ever returning “It limits rent increases to inflation, and it covers all of the rental housing in Seattle regardless of type, size or building date.”
This proposal includes new homes and apartments where most exclude new construction.
“Are they going to build anything that’s affordable” the desperation was palpable in a crowd filled with working class people, college students and senior citizens “Are they going to build anything that’s rent control” this woman screamed “No! They are Not! Shame on you!”
Nearing the end of her 3rd term in office, Kshama Sawant is a controversial Socialist with a sometimes-rabid following “We don’t have a choice but to build our forces of the working class” she told a crowd that chanted and cheered.
Several councilmembers publicly revealed their interest in rent control, but not this law.
“I believe localities should have the right” Council President Debra Juarez was supportive of Sawant but voted no and the measure fell by a 5-2 vote “I’m hoping that you will still vote with us to address this 42-year-old unjust law.”
An hour after the city council meeting President Juarez issued a sternly worded warning about what she called the “intimidation” of councilmembers.
This is a portion of that warning: “Earlier today I issued a department wide memo reiterating the concerns my office has received about safety in Council chambers” the warning read “It was brought to my attention that during a recent committee meeting some participants and members of the public were made to feel unsafe inside City Hall and in Council chambers. This is unacceptable.
“For our democracy to function – at any level – it’s imperative that elected-officials and the public have forums where they can participate in democracy without fear of intimidation or threats.