Dozens of groups sign onto letter pushing to extend Seattle's eviction moratorium through 2021
Dozens of organizations are urging Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan to extend Seattle's eviction moratorium through the end of the year to prevent people from losing their homes during the coronavirus pandemic.
In a letter, nearly 50 organizations in the city -- including Be:Seattle, El Centro de la Raza, Housing Justice Project, Seattle/King County Coalition on Homelessness, UFCW 21 and Working Washington / Fair Work Center -- asked Durkan to extend the moratorium on evictions for residents, nonprofits and small businesses through 2021 and warned of the disproportionate impacts the pandemic has had on BIPOC communities.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a rental debt crisis of massive proportions," the letter said. "Black, Indigenous people of color communities are especially hard-hit, facing disproportionate unemployment, loss of income and lack of access to affluent social networks and generational wealth. Many lower-income households are taking on consumer debt to pay bills, including rent, and as the pandemic wears on it’s getting harder to keep up."
Throughout the pandemic, thousands of people have lost their jobs and struggled to pay rent and other basic necessities without a steady income. Even as vaccinations are ramping up across the state, all regions in Washington remain in Phase 2 of the state's reopening, meaning indoor dining is open at only 25%, along with fitness centers and indoor entertainment establishments.
https://www.seattlepi.com/coronavirus/article/Dozens-of-groups-sign-onto-letter-pushing-to-16012805.php
