Winter Eviction Ban Sought By Seattle City Councilmember

SEATTLE, WA — Seattle Councilmember Kshama Sawant will introduce legislation Monday seeking an emergency moratorium on all evictions during the coldest months of the year. The Seattle Renters' Commission sent a letter addressed to the City Council, and Mayor Jenny Durkan's office, in early November requesting immediate action be taken.

"Setting limits to curb homelessness and loss of life during winter months should be a no-brainer and would fall in line with procedures that the City already has in place," the commission's letter reads in part.

The commission's co-chairs pointed to a similar law in Paris, where no one can be evicted between November 1 and March 31. In the U.S., Washington D.C. and Cook County, Ill. bar evictions from taking place when temperatures fall below a certain threshold.

"The City declared a Homelessness State of Emergency four years ago. These commonsense measures can save lives and treats this emergency with the severity that it merits," the letter said.

During the last Point in Time count in January 2019, more than 11,000 people were found to be experiencing homelessness in King County, with almost half living unsheltered. 15 percent of those surveyed listed an eviction as directly leading to their homelessness.

Sawant's proposed legislation follows a successful campaign to delay the planned closure of the Northlake Tiny House Village this month, which would have displaced 23 people.