Be:Seattle

The bill to ban rental junk fees passed! Thank you to the more than THREE THOUSAND renters who emailed and testified, all of our partners in the Coalition, and to Mayor Katie B. Wilson and Councilmember Dionne Foster for their leadership on this bill!

🚨ACTION ALERT🚨

The Seattle City Council is scheduled to vote on the bill to ban rental junk fees TODAY, Tuesday, August 11 at 2pm.

The bill passed unanimously out of committee, but we still need to fight two amendments that would weaken the protections for renters:

❌ Amendment C would cap pet rent instead of banning it outright. Renters already pay security deposits, and landlords can collect additional pet deposits to cover potential damage. Pet rent isn't tied to damage or an ongoing service provided to the renter.

❌ Amendment D would allow landlords to automatically enroll renters in landlord-provided insurance unless they opt out. If a service is optional, renters should have to actively choose it before being charged.

Join us for public comment at Seattle City Hall or testify remotely. If you can't get away to give public comment, email your councilmembers right away!

The Stay Housed, Stay Healthy Coalition linktree is below. It has a public comment guide to make testifying as easy as possible, and a form email you can send in 30 seconds.

Renter voices are needed to keep the bill to ban rental junk fees strong!

Tomorrow, Tuesday, August 11th, at 2pm, Seattle City Council will be voting on the legislation. We need as many renters as possible to tell them to vote YES on the bill, but REJECT weakening amendments C and D.

Amendment C (Kettle) would cap pet rent instead of banning it outright. Amendment D (Kettle) would allow landlords to make their renters insurance an opt-out fee rather than opt-in.

We know it's hard to give public comment on a Tuesday at 2pm because of work and school, but we've made it as easy as possible given the time constraints. You can testify in person or remotely, and there's a public comment guide with instructions and talking points to get you started.

The Stay Housed, Stay Healthy Coalition also has a form email that you can send to City Council RIGHT NOW. It will take 30 seconds.

The guide and the form email are on the coalition linktree: https://linktr.ee/StayHousedStayHealthy

Pet rent is a scam

Landlords know how much we love our pets. They've turned that love into a revenue stream.

Join the Stay Housed, Stay Healthy Coalition this Saturday, July 18, from 4–6 PM at Cal Anderson Park for Pets Against Pet Rent!

Bring your favorite furry, feathered, or scaly friend and help us tell City Council it's time to ban pet rent and other exploitative rental junk fees!

📸 Pet photos
🦴 Treats
🐾 Pet runway hosted by

Check out the coalition's Linktree to RSVP, learn more about the campaign, and email City Council: https://linktr.ee/StayHousedStayHealthy

Seattle Renters!

[Español abajo]

Help us spread the word about this important event...

Seattle Renter Town Hall
Saturday, July 11
2-4 pm PT

Beacon Hill Library
2821 Beacon Ave South

Come to this free event and connect with other renters about the major issues we face. We'll learn from each other, and collaborate to ensure fair treatment of tenants and advance renters’ rights.

Food and Spanish interpretation provided.

RSVP/More Info:
https://linktr.ee/seattlebanrubs

Hosted by:
Seattle Ban RUBS
Your City
Stay Housed, Stay Healthy Coalition
Seattle Renters' Commission
______________

¡Inquilinxs de Seattle!

Ayúdanos a correr la voz sobre este importante evento...

Foro Comunitario para Inquilinxs de Seattle
Sábado 11 de julio
2:00–4:00 p. m. PT

Biblioteca Beacon Hill
2821 Beacon Ave. South

Acompáñanos en este evento gratuito y conecta con otrxs inquilinxs para hablar sobre los principales desafíos que enfrentamos. Aprenderemos unxs de otrxs y colaboraremos para promover un trato justo hacia lxs inquilinxs y fortalecer los derechos de quienes rentan.

Se ofrecerán alimentos e interpretación al español.

Confirma tu asistencia (RSVP) y obtén más información:
https://linktr.ee/seattlebanrubs

Organizan:
Seattle Ban RUBS
Your City
Stay Housed, Stay Healthy Coalition
Seattle Renters' Commission

Be:Seattle

Housing is more than shelter. It's safety, stability, community, and belonging.

We're grateful to be joined by an incredible group of organizations working every day to build safer, healthier, and more equitable communities for LGBTQIA+ people. From housing advocacy and legal services to survivor support, policy change, and community care, each organization brings vital expertise and lived experience to this year's Q***r Housing Rights Forum & Resource Hub.

Whether you're looking for resources, want to learn from local leaders, or are ready to take action, this event is an opportunity to connect with those working to shape a more just future.

💜 Join us on Saturday, July 18
➡️Register: tinyurl.com/mefrchwd

***rHousing

Join Be:Seattle, QPA, and QLaw Foundation of Washington at the Q***r Housing Rights Forum & Resource Hub. This event is centered on building pathways to stable housing, livable wages, affirming healthcare, and political representation for our communities. Through facilitated conversations, workshops, and direct connections, we aim to empower individuals with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate systems, assert their rights, and take collective action.

By bringing together community members, organizations, and decision-makers in one space, we are strengthening support networks and advancing community-driven solutions that move us toward long-term stability, equity, and justice for LGBTQIA+ people.

We hope to see you there!

➡️ Register: https://tinyurl.com/mefrchwd

This is unacceptable.