>>>
>>> IF
>>> IF YOU ARE A RENTER IN WASHINGTON STATE, THINGS CAN GET
CONFUSING.
CONFUSING. THAT IS WHY THERE HAVE BEEN
REGULAR CLINICS HELPING PEOPLE
WORK THROUGH THE ISSUES THAT
THEY FACE.
THEY FACE. WE HAVE AN EDUCATION COUNSELOR
THAT JOINS ME NOW.
THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
WHAT ARE THE BIGGEST PROBLEMS
ACCORDING TO WHAT THEY SAY TO
YOU?
YOU?
YOU? >>
YOU? >> I
YOU? >> I THINK THE BIGGEST PROBLEM
THAT TENANTS ARE FACING IS
REALLY THE ON AFFORDABILITY OF
RENT.
RENT.
RENT. IT'S PUTTING PEOPLE IN A
PRECARIOUS SITUATION
PRECARIOUS SITUATION FINANCIALLY AND PUSHING THEM
OUT OF THEIR COMMUNITIES OFTEN.
THIS IS NOT JUST A SEATTLE
PROBLEM BUT A PROBLEM ALL OVER
THE STATE.
THE STATE. THAT IS WHY WE NEED RENT CONTROL
AND WE NEED IT TODAY.
>> IF PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE WITH
THEIR LANDLORDS, THEY ARE NOT
IN A POSITION OF POWER.
IF THEY ATTEND A RIGHTS
WORKSHOP, WHAT WILL THEY LEARN
THERE?
THERE?
THERE? >>
THERE? >> YOU WILL LEARN A LITTLE BIT
ABOUT WHAT YOUR RIGHTS ARE FOR
THE STATE LAW AND WE HAVE A LOT
OF ADDITIONAL PROTECTIONS IN
THE CITY OF SEATTLE SO YOU WILL
LEARN ABOUT THAT AS WELL.
YOU WILL ALSO LEARN ABOUT HOW
TO GET ORGANIZED WITH OTHER
TENANTS IN YOUR BUILDING AND
CITY BECAUSE THAT IS ONE OF THE
BEST WAYS TO ENFORCE YOUR RATES
-- YOUR RIGHTS AND THERE WILL
BE A WORKSHOP TONIGHT.
>> THAT IS SUPER IMPORTANT
BECAUSE OTHERWISE, YOU MIGHT
NOT KNOW THAT YOU HAVE THIS
SWEEP OF RIGHTS THAT YOU CAN
COUNT ON LEGALLY.
>> YES, I WAS SPEAKING TO
SOMEONE EARLIER THAT HAD A NO
CAUSE NOTICE TO MOVE OUT AND
WITHIN THE CITY OF SEATTLE,
THAT IS NOT LEGAL. THAT IS THE
PROTECTION THAT WE HAVE.
IT IS ALSO A PROTECTION THAT WE
DO NOT HAVE OUTSIDE OF THE CITY
OF SEATTLE.
OF SEATTLE. WE ARE WORKING ON THAT. WE HAVE
BEEN WORKING WITH A GROUP OF
TENANTS IN TACOMA. THROUGH ALL
OF OUR WORK, THE CITY COUNCIL
IS CONSIDERING A JUST CAUSE LOT
LIKE WE HAVE IN SEATTLE THAT
WOULD PREVENT THE NO-COST
TERMINATIONS AND THEY ARE
HAVING A HEARING ABOUT IT
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT.
TONIGHT. >> WHAT CAN LANDLORDS DO?
WHAT WOULD HELP THIS WHOLE
SITUATION TO BE MORE PEACEFUL
AND BE ABLE TO MEET MEDIATED IN
A WAY THAT IS A WIN FOR BOTH
PARTIES?
PARTIES?
PARTIES? >> THEY JUST NEED TO NOT PRICE
DOWN JUST.
DOWN JUST. THEY NEED TO MAKE THE REPAIRS
THAT ARE THERE JOBS TO MAKE AND
THEY NEED TO GIVE TENANTS THE
STATE -- THE SPACE TO ENJOY
THEIR HOME AND THEY NEED TO
TREAT TENANTS WITH BASIC HUMAN
DIGNITY AND RESPECT.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT IS NOT
ALWAYS THE CASE AND OFTEN NOT
THE CASE.
THE CASE.
THE CASE. >> THE PROBLEM IS, WE ARE
TALKING ABOUT WHERE PEOPLE
LIVE, YOUR HOME.
THIS SHOULD BE A PLACE THAT YOU
FEEL SAFE.
FEEL SAFE. IS THE WORKSHOP FREE FOR PEOPLE
TO COME?
TO COME?
TO COME? >> YES, THEY ARE ALWAYS FREE.
>> I IMAGINE THIS IS PUBLIC
TRANSPORTATION FRIENDLY AS
WELL.
WELL.
WELL. DO
WELL. DO YOU FEEL THAT PEOPLE ARE
SURPRISED AND THAT THEY LEARN
THINGS THAT THEY HAD NO IDEA
THEY WERE ENTITLED TO?
THE MAC --
>> YES.
>> YES.
>> YES. I
>> YES. I THINK PEOPLE ARE SURPRISED
FOR SEVERAL REASONS.
SOMETIMES THEY ARE SURPRISED AT
HOW LITTLE PROTECTIONS DO EXIST
AND I THINK THAT HAS A LOT TO
DO WITH WHAT SITUATIONS THEY
ARE COMING FROM AND WHAT THE
PAST EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN LIKE.
ALSO, WHAT OTHER THINGS ABOUT
THEM THAT MAKES THEM MORE OR
LESS MORE VULNERABLE.
WE HAVE SEEN THAT REFUGEE
COMMUNITIES ARE VULNERABLE IN
THIS CURRENT CLIMATE BECAUSE
THEY CAN ONLY BE OUT OF THE
HOUSE BUT THEY COULD FACE A LOT
MORE SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES.
>> THAT IS GOOD TO KNOW.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR SENDING
-- FOR SHARING THAT WITH US.
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