We have two key bills that have passed through committee and need to be pulled for a floor vote in the House: Just Cause and Damage Deposit Reform. If bills don't get a vote scheduled by tomorrow at 5pm, they die.
Because of fierce partisan opposition, both legislative bills need support in order to get to a floor vote TOMORROW (Wednesday 2/19).
Please contact your representatives (especially Rep Jinkins, Rep Leavitt, and Rep Kirby) and tell them that we need their votes. Tenants should not become homeless for no stated reason even when they pay rent on time and follow the rules (SHB 2453). Share with them that without damage deposit reform, renters rarely receive the return of the deposit even when they leave conditions spotless (SHB 2520).
Both bills deserve to be heard and voted on! Tenants deserve due process and we need to close this fair housing loophole.
Will you please take 2 minutes out of your day and call the legislative hotline urging your lawmakers to hold a vote and VOTE YES on these two bills? Here's a sample script below:
LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE: 1-800-562-6000
SAMPLE SCRIPT: "Hello, my name is _____, and I live in your district. The link between protections for tenants and preventing homelessness could not be clearer. I am urging you to fight to ensure we get a vote on two crucial bills which will make a major difference in promoting housing stability for people all over Washington. Please vote YES on House Bill 2453 and House Bill 2520 ASAP! Thank you."
You can also take action by clicking here using the Housing Alliance's action alert: https://housingalliance.salsalabs.org/wk6-importantfloorvotes/index.html
Finally, if you're available and interested on Thursday (2/20) in Olympia, join the Resident Action Project (RAP) and the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance for a panel with lawmakers on Tenant Protections and Affordable Housing - rally at the compass at the Capitol! 8:45am.
More info on the facebook event here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/189799388936217/
