Resolution 1452RESOLUTION NO. 1452
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS,
WASHINGTON, CALLING ON STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS TO
IMPOSE A MORATORIUM ON RESIDENTIAL RENT PAYMENTS AND
CERTAIN OTHER HOUSING COSTS RELATED TO COVID-19 IMPACTS
WHEREAS, the City of Edmonds Mayor declared an emergency due to the COVID-19 outbreak
on March 5, 2020, and the Washington State Governor issued a Stay Home —Stay Healthy
Proclamation on March 23, 2020; and
WHEREAS, layoffs and substantially reduced work hours will lead to widespread economic
hardship that will disproportionately impact low- and moderate- income workers resulting in lost
wages and the inability to pay for basic household expenses, including rent; and
WHEREAS, the National League of Cities has called on Congress to include targeted programs
focused on the intermediate and long-term needs of residents, households, and small businesses
on the economic margins to ensure an economic rebound; and
WHEREAS, a professional report delivered to the Edmonds City Council in 2019 estimated that
a combined 32% of Edmonds households were cost burdened or severely cost burdened,
including over 40% of renters; and
WHEREAS, according to the state Department of Employment Security, 94,754 initial claims
for Unemployment Insurance were filed in Snohomish County in the five weeks ending April 18,
2020; and
WHEREAS, Washington State Governor Jay Inslee announced on April 16, 2020 a moratorium
on rental increases through June 4, 2020 stating: "Landlords, property owners, and property
managers are prohibited from increasing, or threatening to increase, the rate of rent or the
amount of any deposit for any dwelling or parcel of land occupied as a dwelling;" and
WHEREAS, certain mortgage providers, such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, have already
begun to implement mortgage relief and temporarily suspended foreclosures and evictions in
connection with the COVID-19 outbreak; and
WHEREAS, the City Council on March 24, 2020, passed a 60-day moratorium on residential
evictions; and
WHEREAS, on March 27, 2020, Mayor Nelson through an open letter appealed to commercial
landlords to "find a way to work with tenants to weather this financial storm"; and
WHEREAS, it is a priority to prevent the displacement of Edmonds residents who may
experience homelessness in order to protect the public health, safety, and welfare by reducing the
number of individuals and families entering into homelessness during this pandemic; and
THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF EDMONDS, WASHINGTON, HEREBY
RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Section L. The Edmonds City Council calls on residential and commercial landlords within
the City of Edmonds to consider a freeze on increases in rental payments during this health
emergency to not further increase the potential financial burden for small businesses and renters.
Section 2. The Edmonds City Council calls on Governor Inslee:
A. To use emergency powers to impose a moratorium on residential and commercial rent
payments, including associated residential rental costs, such as renters' insurance, such
that no Edmonds resident who has lost income or faces significant new costs due to
COVID-19 should be required to pay rent during this health emergency. Governor
Inslee's order should require landlords to offer forgiveness, rent mitigation, or
manageable long term repayment terms for the rent payments missed due to COVID-1 9
impacts during the health emergency.
B. To call on federal legislators and President Trump's administration to impose a
moratorium on residential and commercial mortgage payments, including associated
residential ownership costs, such as property taxes and mortgage insurance, such that no
Edmonds resident who has lost income or faces significant new costs due to COVID-19
should be required to pay mortgage during this health emergency. The federal
moratorium should require that any mortgage payment missed due to the COVID-19
impacts during this health emergency shall be addressed after the last scheduled payment.
Section 3. The Edmonds City Council calls on members of Washington's congressional
delegation, to impose an immediate moratorium on residential and commercial mortgage
payments and rents, including associated residential real property rental and ownership costs,
such as property tax, renters' insurance, and mortgage insurance, such that no sufficiently in
need Edmonds resident who has lost income or faces significant new costs due to COVID-19
should be required to pay rent or mortgage during this health emergency or accumulate
additional debt for unpaid mortgage payments.
RESOLVED this 28th day of April, 2020.
CITY OF EDMONDS
Mk YOR, MIKE NELSON
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FILED WITH THE CITY CLERK: April 28, 2020
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL: April 28, 2020
RESOLUTION NO. 1452