Seattle’s eviction moratorium is due to expire on Jan. 15. The ongoing surge of the highly transmissible Omicron variant is disrupting Seattle’s schools and workplaces and straining our health care systems. For many Seattle residents, boosters and tests are hard to obtain. Evictions disproportionately impact Black, Indigenous and communities of color and LGBTQ+ renters. Very often they lead to homelessness. Last year in King County at least 183 homeless people died outside, in public, or by violence, a record-breaking number.

This is a terrible time to restart evictions. Please join us in urging Mayor Harrell to extend the eviction moratorium through the end of the public health emergency.