Seattle City Councilmember Andrew J. Lewis (District 7, Magnolia to Pioneer Square) expressed his enthusiastic and unequivocal support for the Third Door Coalition’s plan to reach functional zero chronic homelessness in King County. The Third Door Coalition, a group of business leaders and homeless rights advocates, made an announcement on Tuesday morning about their plans […]

COVID crisis reinforces need for universal broadband access to address inequities Councilmember Alex Pedersen (District 4, Northeast Seattle) has crafted a Resolution charting the course for universal internet access in Seattle. The Resolution requests the city government, led by Seattle’s Information Technology department, to craft an action plan, expand partnerships, and ensure the implementation of […]

Council President M. Lorena González and her Council colleagues unanimously approved legislation May 11 that creates payment plans between residential renters and their landlords to pay back rent that became overdue during and six months after the COVID-19 crisis.  Council Bill 119788 creates rental payment plans on a specific installment schedule, setting tenants on a […]

‘They are nervous about the Amazon Tax movement,’ says Sawant Councilmember Kshama Sawant (District 3, Central Seattle), chair of the Council’s Human Services, Equitable Development and Renters Rights, responded Monday to the announcement by Council President González to put a stop to all meetings related to the Sawant-Morales Amazon Tax legislation, a decision supported by […]

Legislation provides relief for renters by ensuring evictions during crisis are not counted against them Councilmember Tammy J. Morales (District 2 – South Seattle & Chinatown/Int’l District) and her Council colleagues passed legislation in an 8-1 vote to protect renters, ensuring evictions that occurred during and six months after the COVID-19 crisis aren’t used against […]

Limited by Gov’s Proclamation and citing OPMA ‘concerns,’ Select Budget Committee Meetings for May cancelled during coronavirus emergency Council President M. Lorena González issued the following statement with regard to Governor Jay Inslee’s Proclamation 20-28 and the City Council’s consideration of Council Bills 119772, 119773 and 119774, regarding a tax on corporate payroll: “In recent […]

Legislation adds eviction defense for tenants in court proceedings Council President M. Lorena González (Position 9, Citywide) and her Council colleagues unanimously passed legislation that will create an additional defense for renters in eviction proceedings for six months following the end of the City’s moratorium on evictions and the immediate COVID-19 crisis.  Currently, the City […]

Council President M. Lorena González issued the following statement after Council passage of the Mayor’s Emergency Order (Resolution 31945), which places a 15 percent cap on app-based delivery and pick-up commission fees charged to restaurants. In an effort to aid restaurants, which are already struggling due to the COVID-19 economic crisis, the executive order aims […]

‘Work of gov’t goes on, thanks to efforts of impressive group of task force members’, says Lewis Councilmember Andrew J. Lewis (District 7 – Pioneer Square to Magnolia) was appointed chair of the newly-formed nine-member working group tasked with producing a set of recommendations for enhancing the role of the Auditor’s office.  Joining him on […]

Councilmember Alex Pedersen (District 4 – Northeast Seattle), and Chair of the Council’s Transportation Committee, today asked the City Auditor to complete an audit to assess the conditions and maintenance of Seattle’s bridges. “In a city surrounded by several waterways, our bridges are the backbone of Seattle’s infrastructure for its residents and local economy and […]