Senate Hearing Coming Up
Dear neighbors,
The urgency for rent stabilization in Washington State cannot be overstated. Skyrocketing rents continue to inflict a devastating impact on our communities, forcing many to make impossible choices between essential needs like food, healthcare, and maintaining stable housing. You’ve been generous in sharing countless heart-wrenching stories with me about your experiences with rent increases. We were able to share parts of some of these stories during the debate on the House floor this week.
We’ve heard from people who have had to take second jobs and spend time away from their families. You’ve told us about skipping days of medication and delaying cancer treatment. Some have taken on credit card debt to avoid homelessness. I have also talked to many small landlords who are struggling to compete in an unstable housing market.
To hear stories from both renters and small landlords, we’ve put together nine short videos in this rent stabilization playlist. I hope you find these stories meaningful and encourage you to share your own story with me.
This week, I feel like we have made real progress – HB 1217 passed off of the House floor . This is a reasonable bill to address the biggest cost of living for about half of Washingtonians who rent their homes. The current market isn’t working for the majority of Washingtonians – a market that ultimately has impacts on small businesses, homelessness, and the overall well-being of our communities.
This is not sustainable for individuals, families, or our communities. The good news is that change is possible. To maintain our momentum, Senators need to hear from you. Please click here or on the image above to sign up for notification to testify on HB 1217.
Sudden rent increases, abusive rental practices, and inaccessibility of homeownership are just a few examples of stories that are powerful to share as we build a coalition of renters, homeowners, and concerned citizens seeking housing affordability and stability for all.
In Service,
Rep. Alex Ramel
WA State Representative | 40th Legislative District
House Majority Whip
Pronouns: he/him/his