By Joey Ager | October 8, 2019
Congratulations to the amazing faith leaders, teachers, young people, renters and parents who secured the final passage of a Just Cause Eviction ordinance in Burien last night!
For over a year – triggered by the displacement of families who lived at the Fox Cove apartments – local leaders have been organizing as a powerful grassroots coalition to pass a group of strong renter protections including Rental Licensing and Inspection, Just Cause and the creation of a Housing Ombudsperson.
This year, local leaders have done extensive research around these policies, led community workshops to inform and invite their neighbors into this work, and organized hard to secure the votes on the Burien City Council.
Three weeks ago, over 100 community leaders met for a community assembly with Councilmember Krystal Marx to ask her to champion the passage of these protections. At this powerful event, testimonies and research were shared, and Councilmember Marx made a public commitment to support these policies.
Two weeks ago, Burien City Council took the first step by approving over $100k in funding for a new Rental Licensing and Inspection Ordinance.
Last night, the final step was taken with the passage of a package of renter policies including Just Cause Eviction. Burien is the first city outside of Seattle in King County to pass this vital protection.
Congratulations to Highline’s phenomenal community leaders! You are a testament to the fact that organizing works.
Photos from the Community Assembly with Councilmember Krystal Marx, taken by The Rev. Shalom Agtarap and shared with her permission.
Processed with VSCO with m6 preset
Processed with VSCO with g6 preset
Processed with VSCO with g6 preset