House Bill 2583/ Senate Bill 6400:

Appeals the ban on statewide rent regulation and allows local cities and municipalities to determine their own local solutions to increasing affordable housing and decreasing homelessness.

HB 2583 Sponsors:Representatives:Macri,Gregerson,Frame,Pollet,Dolan,Peterson,Appleton,

Wylie,Cody,Tarleton,Robinson,Doglio,Ormsby

SB 6400 Sponsors: Senators: Saldaña,Chase,Hasegawa,Hunt,Kuderer

Background:

In 1981 pro-developer lobbyists and the Rental Housing Association of Washington successfully passed the bill to ban cities and municipalities from enacting rent regulation housing policies.1 For 36 years there has been a ban on rent regulation in Washington State. Conservatives and developers, who lobby to make as much money as possible, have made appealing the ban on rent regulation next to impossible. The last time a bill to appeal the ban on rent regulation was introduced in 1999.2

Why this is important:

  1. Washington State is in a housing crisis. According to LGBTQ Allyship’s 2017 Housing Survey3 of 300 LGBTQ individuals:
  1. 27% of LGBTQ individuals were economically evicted in the last 2 years
  2. 63% experienced a rise in rent
  3. LGBTQ individuals living with disabilities experience higher rates of homelessness, economic evictions and rises in rent.
  4. Sexual minorities are disproportionately impacted economic evictions. Almost 40% of bisexuals and almost 30% of people who identify as queer have experienced economic evictions in the last 2 years.
  5. Transgender and gender non-conforming individuals experience the highest level of homelessness out of all gender identities
  1. This bill gives cities and municipalities the freedom to advocate for a wide range of policies to address homelessness, scarcity in low-income senior housing and affordable housing for LGBTQ working families.
  1. This bill does not create rent control or any other policies – it removes the ban!
  1. Washington State is in a housing crisis. Our housing crisis is uniquely impacting LGBTQ communities. According to LGBTQ Allyship’s 2017 Housing Survey3:
  1. 42% of LGBTQ individuals feel less safe in Seattle because of the housing crisis
  2. 31% believe there has been an increase in hate crimes and harassment
  3. LGBTQ people are feeling an epidemic in social isolation. LGBTQ social isolation impacts mental health, a sense of safety, access to resources and overall LGBTQ well-being. 48% find it harder to find community.
  4. 37% are more socially isolated
  5. 33% experience a decline in LGBTQ visibility

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LGBTQ Allyship 1105 23rd Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122 :: LGBTQAllyship.org

:: 206-428-1986