Slog - Comments on City's Tenant Assistance Plan Misses the Target http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/citys_tenant_assistance_plan_misses_the A small pool of money set aside by the city to assist displaced tenants remains untapped, because the nonprofit agency tasked with distributing the funds can't find anyone to give money to. Nonprofit Solid Ground has contacted the owners of 12 of the 15 buildings scheduled for conversion since September 2007, but they have been unable to find any eligible tenants. While some of the tenants contacted by Solid Ground make too much money to receive relocation assistance—like the folks in a $1500-a-month building on Alki—the real problem is that the city's outreach efforts took too long, and most tenants... Copyright 2008 Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:02:15 -0800 Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:28:10 -0800 http://www.movabletype.org/?v=3.34 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Comment by Sargon Bighorn I bet the paper work for this program is a nightmare.

]]> Sargon Bighorn http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/citys_tenant_assistance_plan_misses_the#c975024 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/citys_tenant_assistance_plan_misses_the#c975024 City Thu, 20 Mar 2008 12:16:14 -0800 Comment by Dougsf Man does Seattle need some heftier renters' protections. The city shouldn't have to be shelling out for this. If property owners want tenants out in order to convert their units, it should be buying them off. THAT is the market taking care of itself, not letting developers clean house and leaving the city to scramble to assist the displaced.

]]> Dougsf http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/citys_tenant_assistance_plan_misses_the#c975231 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/citys_tenant_assistance_plan_misses_the#c975231 City Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:06:19 -0800 Comment by LH Jonah - if the city's long-standing law requiring *owners* to pay $500 to low income people displaced by conversion was working properly then Solid Ground would be able to simply get the names of all income-elibible tenants from DPD.

http://web1.seattle.gov/DPD/CAMs/CamDetail.aspx?cn=602

You've perhaps revealed that it is not only the *City's* new money that isn't getting to income-eligible renters, but perhaps DPD isn't enforcing this long-standing owner obligation to pay either. Perhaps this is happening on a much greater scale than you and I thought might be happening before.

I have a really hard time accepting that there weren't any income-eligible renters in any of these buildings. (one person earning $3500/month) In any event, DPD should be able to demonstrate whether or not the property-owners in these 11 buildings informed their renters of their rights to $500 from the landlord as required by law.

]]> LH http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/citys_tenant_assistance_plan_misses_the#c975277 http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/03/citys_tenant_assistance_plan_misses_the#c975277 City Thu, 20 Mar 2008 14:28:10 -0800