Seattle Mayor makes official fair chance housing policy

As we predicted, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray today signed into law an ordinance that prohibits Seattle landlords from taking a prospective renter’s criminal history into account when deciding whether to rent to them. Here’s what I wrote on this subject a couple weeks ago:

—Original story—

On Monday, the Seattle City Council unanimously voted to pass an ordinance that prohibits landlords from taking a prospective renter’s criminal history into account when deciding to whom they can rent.

As City Councilmember Lorena Gonzales said, those with criminal histories “deserve a second chance.”

RELATED: Seattle landlords barred from using criminal records when renting

Mayor Ed Murray will undoubtedly sign this into law. The same Ed Murray who, when accused of child rape, said of his accuser in a Stranger guest-editorial, “his extensive criminal history is very relevant… his criminal history proves he cannot be trusted.”

So when Ed Murray is accused of raping a child, we should all take the accuser’s criminal past into account because it proves they “cannot be trusted.” But when a landlord wants to take someone’s criminal history into account, it’s irrelevant.

There is a prime example of one of the most hypocritical politicians we have ever seen. Seattle at it’s best.

Follow @http://www.twitter.com/dorimonson