Rent increases have forced over 136,000 of Washington's households to move in the first six months of 2023 (not a typo). And where did these renters go? With housing out of reach of low and moderate-income households, the chances that they were able to find an affordable home in their community – or anywhere in Washington – is slim. Rent increases lead to evictions, community instability, and homelessness. Washington must do better.
Housing stability for renters is critical to ending the homeownership gap that too many Black and other people of color households face. If tenants continue to pay so much of their incomes towards excessive rent increases, their credit and ability to save for a home purchase are compromised.
Many BIPOC households are renters in Washington State. Advancing tenant protections like rent stabilization is critical to address the needs of BIPOC households.
The good news is that lawmakers have the opportunity to solve this problem by passing solid protections against destabilizing rent increases, while still allowing modest increases to cover inflation and repairs. Washington can stabilize our rental market and set the foundation for a day when the key drivers of homelessness are solved.
If you are sick of seeing homelessness increase in our communities, please tell your lawmakers that they must pass protections next session. Now is the time that lawmakers are setting priorities for the 2024 legislative session that begins in early January. Please make sure your lawmakers know how important this issue is by sending them a note now!
PS. Are you personally impacted by a rent increase? Please personalize your note to lawmakers and also consider sharing your story with us! We have this simple survey – we'd love to hear from you! Are you inspired to share why you want rent stabilization now? Consider recording a short video here! Videos are powerful tools to share stories!
Make your email even more effective by adding one or two sentences to the letter with a personal message about the impact of lawmaker inaction to stabilize rents, after you click “Take Action” below.