Some quick hits from this morning’s Council Briefing, mostly about new legislation about to be introduced.
Council President Harrell noted that his Education, Ethics and Governance Committee meets this Wednesday and will have a discussion of bias-free policing. He mentioned the Council Central Staff would circulate a memo on the topic in advance of Wednesday’s meeting.
Council member Burgess’s Affordable Housing, Neighborhoods and Finance Committee will take up the B&O tax and business license fee again this Wednesday. He has a new proposal that keeps rates and fees the same for small businesses but raises them for larger businesses.
Burgess’s committee will also take up the short-term rental regulation again on Wednesday. He has a slightly modified proposal to “grandfather” in people who do short-term rentals of their second home.
Council member Sawant will hold a joint press conference on Thursday with the Washington Community Action Network. They will release a study showing that high move-in costs are a significant barrier for renters. She will unveil a new draft ordinance to cap move-in costs, specifically:
- limiting the non-refundable part of move-in costs to what the state requires and no more;
- limits the security deposit to no more than one month’s rent;
- requires that the security deposit, nonrefundable costs, and last month’s rent can be put on a payment plan.
Council member Herbold will hold a special CRUEDA committee on Friday, featuring a third discussion of “source of income” housing discrimination.
As a follow-up to the Seattle City Light strategic planning committee meeting last week, Herbold has developed an alternate version of Sawant’s rejected “rate options” amendment that simply asks SCL to research and report different rate structures, including having just a single rate class.
Council member O’Brien’s Sustainability and Transportation Committee meets tomorrow morning, and will have a discussion of the bicycle master plan and 5-year implementation plan. He noted the concern from the community that previous commitments have been shifted back.