Currently they are considering making revisions to the final ordinance, and the current proposal strips out any meaningful inspections. This is a huge concern for renters who can’t file a complaint with the city out of fear of retaliation from their landlord and are living in unsafe or unhealthy conditions.
According to city estimates and the 2010 Census over 27,000 people live in substandard conditions in Seattle; that is greater than the entire population of Seatac. The Tenants Union is forming a Tenant Empowerment Network (TEN) to establish a policy committee of renters to develop a response to this watered down proposal.
If you currently live in unsafe or unhealthy housing, or have ever had an experience living in substandard conditions, we encourage you to join us in January to create an action plan to ensure the City passes a strong ordinance to protect Seattle tenants!
We will have to act soon, the Council could vote on the issue in the next month or two!