Governor Inslee decided to extend the stay-at-home order until May 4th? On today of all days, 24 hours after rent was due? This is cruel, tone-deaf, and dangerous.
This announcement should not have been made until after we figured out exactly how people are going to pay rents, mortgages, and property taxes, while they're out-of-work. This is wildly irresponsible.
Between now and May 4th, rent will be due *for a second time* since this crisis caused unprecedented unemployment and uncertainty. Anxiety and fear is at its peak right now, and Inslee just poured salt in the wound.
To be clear, we absolutely need to extend the stay-at-home order, and we'll likely have to extend it beyond May 4th. But this current situation is unsustainable.
So many people have already received antagonistic messages from landlords, warnings they'll be evicted when the ban is lifted, suggestions that they should take out costly loans and add to the burden they already face.
And if we freeze rents, we certainly have to freeze mortgages, many of which depends on revenue from tenants. Same goes for property taxes. It all needs to stop for now. I know this seems extreme, but look around you.
People are desperate and scared right now, and they feel threatened from all angles. We cannot ask them to stay home, to not work, while risking the home where they sleep. Where their kids sleep. We just cannot do it.
There is zero chance that this desperation will manifest in productive or peaceful ways, or that letting this uncertainty linger for another moment will help us get this crisis under control. This has to be addressed.
If Inslee is incapable of making this happen, whether because he doesn't have the will or he doesn't have the power, we need to figure out who will get it done. Because it's getting done one way or another.
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