On January 17, 2017, I sent a letter to Washington State House Speaker Frank Chopp and the House Local Government Committee, calling on them to reject HB 1082, an unjust bill that would have prohibited multiplicities from enacting commercial rent control. Cities like Seattle, where small businesses and working families face skyrocketing rents, need to […]

On February 16, 2016, I invited small business owners, residents, and community leaders from the Central District to discuss the impact of the construction project on the 23rd Avenue corridor. The situation on 23rd Ave is a microcosm of how our city responds to gentrification. Infrastructure developments are necessary. So is making and keeping Seattle affordable for […]

For months now, much of 23rd Avenue has been blocked off, under construction. Large construction projects like this one very often lead to much-needed street improvements, and are beneficial to the entire community in the long run. But impacts during construction differ. Big businesses have the cash reserves to stay afloat and weather a loss of business […]

On October 27, 2015, restaurant and nightlife venue owner Dave Meinert joined K. Wyking Garrett of AfricatownSeattle.com, Paula Lucas of Le Frock, Mike Rodriguez from Restaurant Opportunities Center United, Nate Omdal from Fair Trade Music Seattle, former small business owner Sonia Ponath, and me to introduce a series of initiatives supporting small business, including commercial rent control.  We […]