TUESDAY: Renters’ advocacy on Admiral Neighborhood Association agenda

Amplifying the voices of Seattle renters is the spotlight issue on the Admiral Neighborhood Association agenda this Tuesday (7 pm, December 13th). Here’s the announcement from ANA president Larry Wymer:

Zachary DeWolf – a communications, policy, and community-development professional – is both director of communications and education with Pride Foundation, and president of the Capitol Hill Community Council. Following Mayor Murray’s cutting of formal ties with the neighborhood district-council system, contending that they don’t adequately reflect the full diversity of their neighborhoods, Mr. DeWolf (along with Joel Sisolak, who launched the Capitol Hill Renter Initiative and hosted the Capitol Hill Renter Summit) will describe his and Joel’s efforts to lead a citywide effort to initiate a renters’ commission that would help assure that city policymakers considers the effects on renters who typically are younger, less wealthy, less white, and less car-dependent than their home-owning counterparts.

Ultimately, this is about including voices that are all-too-often left out of the critical conversations that are shaping the future of our city.

We will also complete Nominations for Admiral Neighborhood Association officers for 2017, with Elections to follow (hopefully) at this meeting, or a meeting in the near future.

The ANA meets at The Sanctuary at Admiral, at 2656 42nd Ave SW. Our monthly meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of each month at 7:00 pm. Everyone is welcome to attend.

CAM December 11, 2016 (3:35 pm)

I’m definitely interested in getting more information on the renters commission. Would it be appropriate for renters from outside of the Admiral district to attend this meeting?

WSB December 11, 2016 (3:45 pm)

Having covered most community-council meetings in West Seattle for the past nine years, I can tell you they are open to everyone – no residency (or other) requirements. – TR
Jeff December 11, 2016 (7:22 pm)

A renter’s commission is something that is actually overdue. My 85-year-old mother and I were forced out of our beloved West Seattle and away from the natural support of family earlier this year when our wealthy Bellevue landlord raised the rent by nearly $100 (and above market).

This slum lord has performed almost no maintenance in the three years since he purchased that 23-unit building in North Admiral from the son of the local man who built it in 1985.

Now, water heaters are bursting, drain pipes are leaking, rainwater is penetrating exterior walls, sheetrock is sagging, and balconies are in danger of collapsing. As is the case with much Seattle area property that is being “flipped,” the land is worth far more than its current structure, so the tenants should expect to see their rent continue to rise until they receive their eviction notices announcing redevelopment plans.

After being flooded out three times in four months (without compensation for time out of the unit), having to re-do shoddy repair work at our own expense, and being exposed to mold and mildew, we were fortunate enough to find a larger apartment with great amenities at the north end of the city. And, it is still owned and exceptionally well maintained and managed by the local family that built it in 1965.

By the way, we didn’t discover the serious and extensive health hazard in our old apartment until we emptied the pantry on moving day.

Now, for the added value at our new, freshly remodeled unit by Jackson Park Golf Course, we are happy to pay an extra $100 per month!

In my work, I have discovered that our terrible experience with a greedy owner is now far from unique, Seattle’s new rental housing inspection ordinance notwithstanding.

John December 12, 2016 (8:35 am)

Jeff,

If what you say is true, “Now, water heaters are bursting, drain pipes are leaking, rainwater is penetrating exterior walls, sheetrock is sagging, and balconies are in danger of collapsing.”

And, “serious and extensive health hazard in our old apartment until we emptied the pantry on moving day”.

Then, your our first and foremost responsibility is to report the landlord, file complaints with the city and immediately notify all existing tenants as well as those moving into your unit of these hazards.

I consider this a responsibility for anyone witnessing such flagrant violation to public safety.

Stop complaining on WSB Jeff, and put your communication skills to good work perhaps saving lives rather than airing grievances where they have no impact and do nothing to protect lives.

I look forward to further posts from Jeff, describing how he has filed complaints and their outcomes.

Mike December 12, 2016 (9:03 pm)

If I was a landlord, I’d want to know about issues before they get out of hand and cost more to fix than a few thousand dollars or even just a few hundred. I think tenants forget how much things cost to fix and landlords can’t just randomly walk in and check everything out when they want. Tenants need to help by alerting landlords. If a landlord decides to ignore the issues, the tenant has legal rights to file complaints with the city. Seattle is the most renter friendly city in the USA. That said, I had a crappy landlord prior to buying our own home. I told them everything that was going wrong, they ignored it. When I was about to move out they complained to me, I laughed and said I had documented all the issues and dates I alerted them, feel free to try and take legal action, I’ll take their townhome. They backed off.

cherable December 12, 2016 (10:23 pm)

Just a reminder: By law notice of repairs needed and any damage must be delivered to the landlord/management in writing. Then if repairs are not made notify the city.

Mike, you “documented” but did you give the management written notice each time? If not, they have no duty to make repairs. If you write them and they ignore it, you have reason to notify the dept of code violations. Landlords usually won’t pursue damages from a tenant because it would delay making the repairs thus delaying rerenting the unit which would cost a lot more in lost rent than it would be worth.

Rents have been unsustainably low for a number of years and costs have, in most rentals , been higher than income. The only reason for owning rentals was appreciation of the land or as a tax shelter. Many landlords have had a hard time affording repairs. Now rents are increasing to sustainable levels and are in line with other comparable cities thus converting rentals into income producing businesses. Tenant ‘sticker shock’ is very real but government interference with private enterprise as debated in Seattle is not the answer.

Sorry, comment time is over.