A supporter hangs a banner before last week’s renters’ rights committee at All Pilgrims Church (Image: CHS)

One candidate in the District 3 primary supports her bill in its entirety. One supports “rent stabilization” policy. And one, “tangible goals” to help solve the city’s affordability crisis.

Friday will bring a showdown over rent control as Kshama Sawant’s renters’ rights committee of the Seattle City Council meets for a possible vote on her proposed “trigger law” legislation that would tie rents to inflation in the city — if a statewide ban on the controls is ever lifted.

CHS reported here on last week’s unusual committee session as Sawant brought the debate to her home District 3 with a hearing at Broadway’s All Pilgrims Church and challenged the “Democrat” members of her committee to approve the bill. “The question is whom will they allow to control rents? Is it going to be rent setting, price setting, or price fixing in interest of the insatiable greed of these millionaires and billionaires,” Sawant said during the evening session, “Or is it going to be rent control in the interest of the survival of the majority of our working people?”

District 3 primary candidate Ry Armstrong says they are the only D3 candidate who supports Sawant’s rent control legislation.

“For me, we need negotiating power and you do not go into a negotiation asking for rent stabilization and renter protections,” the Democratic Socialists of America candidate said in a statement to CHS. “You start with what you want most, rent control, and then find potential compromise despite the State law.”

Candidate Alex Hudson sees another path. “Rent control is a broad term that can encompass a wide variety of policies, each with details and specifics we would need to analyze and craft to get right,” Hudson tells CHS. “But rent stabilization policies aim to fight against corporate landlords who extort renters, exacerbate the housing and homelessness crisis, and accelerate displacement – and that’s a top priority for me.”

Joy Hollingsworth, the leader in financial contributions in the race and the Mayor Bruce Harrell’s choice in the race, says she prefers a simpler approach.

“Rent is high and prices have surged since the pandemic,” Hollingsworth said. “I want to focus on tangible goals that will help alleviate our housing issues.”

Hollingsworth said instead of a fight over rent control or stabilization, she wants to focus only on straightforward elements like streamlining the permitting process, addressing the need for more “missing middle” programs including those that “can help people age in place by adding ADUs, Triplexes and Duplexes,” and supporting the city’s new Seattle Social Housing Developer with “resources for workforce housing to start developing and implementing the proof of concept.”

Hollingsworth says she would also support monthly vouchers” to help alleviate the financial burden with temporary rental assistance for families.”

Hudson’s vision for housing policy would address many of the same issues. But she says she does see rent stabilization as a needed initiative.

“As a lifelong renter who has to look for housing in the open market, I know firsthand how scary it is constantly worrying if my next rent increase will be the one to push my family out of our home,” Hudson said. “The City should stay laser-focused on ensuring everyone who wants to can find a safe, affordable, stable place to call home.”

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