I am writing to thank our Democratic legislators for voting in support of House Bill 1217.
Thank you to state Sen. Mike Chapman, Rep. Steve Tharinger and Rep. Adam Bernbaum for listening to the stories of all of us who have had incredible rent increases in the last couple of years.
While the bill did not pass as it was initially written, the measures it provides for will be a safety net for those of us renters living on the cusp of becoming homeless.
Many opposed the bill for its cap on rent increases and likened it to being unfair to property owners.
The real estate lobby spent a ton of cash trying to make this bill go away.
For me, having had rent increases of 12 to 15 percent every year, it’s a huge relief.
Thank you to our Dems for supporting and advocating for tenants. Mostly, thank you for listening.
Mary Margolis
Port Angeles