Indivisibles to Senate Dem leadership: Pass HB 1277 to Mitigate Harm on Vulnerable Communities from Eviction

A letter from several Indivisible groups to the leaders of the Senate Democratic Caucus.

Update, April 30: HB 1277 passed! In The Stranger’s Big-Ass Round-Up of What Just Went Down in Olympia, Rich Smith quotes Michele Thomas of Washington Low Income Housing Alliance saying that“multiple lawmakers” told her the Senate’s data privacy bill needed to pass in order for the recording fee bill to pass … so yeah, there were indeed late-in-session cross-chamber negotiations happening.

Dear Majority Leader Billig and Majority Floor Leader Liias,

HB 1277 is a critical piece of legislation to prevent an increase in homelessness. While significant one-time rental assistance is coming into Washington from the federal government, many low-income renters will need an ongoing safety net. HB 1277 fills this gap by funding eviction and homelessness prevention to keep people in their homes, and also funds operations and maintenance of permanent supportive housing.

It is our sincere hope that late-in-session cross-chamber negotiations are not the reason why this bill is not on its way to the Governor’s desk. As progressives, we value and support HB 1277, which is a bill that will help people at a time of significant economic hardship. While many of us are in a position of privilege to live without the fear of eviction, we recognize that many in our communities are not. Evictions at a time of a worldwide pandemic are a grave public health issue that will directly impact people and indirectly affect entire communities throughout the state.

We urge the Senate to advance HB 1277 before the end of session, and hope that late-in-session conversations do not result in the negotiating away of support services for the most vulnerable members of our communities simply because of interests that benefit the corporate class.

Please move HB 1277 to the floor and pass it as quickly as possible.

Brandy Donaghy, on behalf of

Indivisible Plus Washington
Indivisible Whidbey
Indivisible Washington’s 8th District
Indivisible Valley (CD1)
Olympia Indivisible
North Kitsap Indivisible
Wallingford Indivisible
Indivisible Eastside
Indivisible Kirkland
Indivisible Tacoma
Indivisible Ocean Shores