A South Seattle landlord pilloried by City Council members for hiking rents at a rundown building said Tuesday he won’t charge rent this month. But a demonstration against him is still planned for Wednesday.
The landlord of a rundown South Seattle apartment building that City Council members drew attention to last week said Tuesday he won’t charge rent this month.
Councilmembers Kshama Sawant and Nick Licata have pilloried Carl Haglund for scheduling steep rent increases at 6511 Rainier Ave. S., where tenants are living with mold, broken windows, pest infestations and other problems.
The council members cited the building Monday as the council approved legislation cracking down on landlords who avoid paying relocation assistance by forcing tenants out through rent hikes.
In a news release Tuesday, Haglund, who bought the building in July, said giving his tenants a break on rent for October “should give them some time and money, should they understandably decide to relocate.”
Hana Alicic, an organizer with the Tenants Union of Washington State who’s been working with the 6511 Rainier Ave. S. tenants, was skeptical.
“I’ve heard nothing from the tenants about this,” she said, adding, “This is coming only after a great deal of political pressure.”
Sawant, Licata, Councilmember Mike O’Brien and others plan to demonstrate with tenants against Haglund outside his company’s office Wednesday morning.