Today’s The PI has the final chapter on the condo conversion legislation we’ve been following this session that Seattle activists and City Council Members were pushing in Olympia.
In short: It’s dead for now.
So much for conventional wisdom east of the mountains that Seattle runs the show in Olympia. Heck, even with the urban Democrats in the supermajority (not to mention a House speaker from the urbane 43rd District), the legislation didn’t pass.
The bill would have provided relocation assistance and notice guidelines to tenants displaced by condo conversions.
There were 2,352 condo conversions in Seattle in 2006, which is particularly alarming for low-rent renters given that 3,900 lower-priced rentals have been either converted to condos or filed for conversion in the last two years. The average price of new condos is $250,000.
The version of the bill that got iced didn’t even include an earlier provision that would have put a limit on condo conversions. Dems took out that provision as a compromise to move the legislation. Yeah, that worked.
Nope, gonna be many more - population growth is happening, and so long as we keep trying to cram people into 2-4 story buildings ... time to wake up and smell the 100-story tall inexpensive residential rental apartment buildings of the future ...
I am so pissed, as a renter and resident of the 43rd, that Jamie Pedersen didn't do more on this bill. I am even more pissed that its the homeowners and condo freaks, not us renters, that elected that tool, just because he's a homo. turns out he votes in favor of the PG&E condo interests as well! yay!
this is hardly surprising given that chopp got in bed with the bia earlier this session.
I am so frustrated with the legislature this year. I'm working at the capitol right now* and have been all session. I've watched the Democrats repeatedly throw away their progressive mandate in order to be more "centrist." Such bullshit! The Majority Leader Lynn Kessler (D-24) stated at the outset of session that the Democrats shouldn't use their supermajority to push through legislation that is considered "liberal" because they want to hold on to power. WHAT THE FUCK IS THE POINT OF BEING ELECTED IF YOU DON'T USE YOUR POLITICAL POWER?! Fuck the Democrats. This is why I voted for Ralph Nader. Stop throwing your vote away on people who don't represent you politically.
*well, not right now obviously, but I am sitting at a desk at the Capitol...
Ralph Nader? Thanks a lot, hwwnbn! We have you to blame for 8 years of failure!
#5: Totally. Now why do you think this is? I'm not in Oly so it's hard to figure this out. I mean, I understand the dynamics in Olympia (Everybody hates Seattle. Repeat.), but still, what gives? Josh, why do you think this is? Is Frank still living in 1996?
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Urgh. I hope our housing market tanks quickly enough to force owners to give up on pending conversions, since the dingleberries in Oly couldn't get shit done on this.