by Nathalie Graham • Jan 28, 2021 at 12:18 pm
Having access to a lawyer helps tenants stay in their homes. ROB DOBI
With Seattle s eviction moratorium due to lift at the end of March, Councilmember Kshama Sawant is drawing up legislation to guarantee Seattle tenants the right to counsel in eviction proceedings.
Sawant wants to extend the moratorium until at least the end of 2021 to give renters a chance to catch their breath and maybe try to catch up on rent, but because catching up on months and months of backlogged rent won’t be possible for many, she s adding in right-to-counsel legislation as additional protection.
Martha “Marty” McLaren, a past West Seattle/South Park representative on the
Seattle Public Schools Board of Directors, has died. Ms. McLaren, a Puget Ridge resident, was 76 years old. She was a longtime educator and community advocate, but her highest-profile role was that of board member. She won election in 2011 by unseating incumbent
Steve Sundquist and then four years later was unseated herself by current board member
Leslie Harris. We talked with Ms. McLaren after her election in 2011; she spoke of her teaching career following her involvement with advocacy as a PTA leader while her children were in school. More details on her life are in her obituary, which we’ve just received: