WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Marilyn Strickland spoke to KOMO News recently about protecting tenants and landlords after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control extended an eviction moratorium, which aim to keep struggling renters in their home.
“I remind folks it is a lot easier and more cost effective to help people stay housed than it is to fund housing once they become homeless,” Strickland said. “There is a whole chain here, tenants have to pay land lords, and land lords have to pay their mortgage lender. We want to make sure we are taking care of people on both sides of this conversation so at the end of the day we have housing that is available, well maintained, and people staying securely housed.”
The former Tacoma Mayor says local governments need to make sure the billion dollars in funding passed by Congress, needs to get to renters and landlords. Currently, Governor Jay Inslee has extended Washington state’s eviction moratorium through September 30th.
In an interview with KOMO News, the freshman Congresswoman also talked about how she and Rep. Derek Kilmer secured a record $50 million to help improve Puget Sound and restore the waterways. Last month, the U.S. House approved the Puget Sound SOS Act to help protect what is considered the country’s largest estuary.
“We have run off into the Puget sound that is contaminating it, so we want to make sure that we are elevating the Puget Sound, looking into the effects of storm water on the Puget sound, which is about our way of life, our culture and tied to tribal treaty rights,” she said.
Strickland also addressed the looming Infrastructure bill, gun violence and voter rights.