Seattle Council Member Calls for Rent, Mortgage Moratorium

SEATTLE, WA — Seattle City Councilmember Tammy Morales has issued a resolution calling for a moratorium on commercial and residential rents and mortgage payments. Her office argues such measures are necessary to help Seattle residents and business owners who are struggling to stay afloat during the coronavirus outbreak.

"Since this crisis started, nearly every one of my constituents that I’ve heard from has asked for this," Morales said.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and the Council previously passed a 60-day moratorium on residential evictions for missing rent payments, but Morales says that isn't enough. She argues that when the current moratorium ends, renters will still have to pay their landlords back, and many still won't have the income they need to afford it. "We already have a public health crisis on our hands, we can’t add to it by creating a housing and homelessness crisis,” says Morales "We must stop this economic freefall now, rather than kicking this can down the road."

Earlier this month the Mayor also halted evictions of small businesses and nonprofit tenants, and in February City Council passed a three-month ban on winter evictions to prevent residents from going homeless in the cold.

In her call to action, Morales points to San Fransisco as an example worth following. San Francisco leaders recently issued a similar resolution calling for a moratorium on rent and mortgages during California's shelter-in-place order.

Morales' resolution will be heard by the city council on Monday.