Yes, legislation is moving through the Legislature to enhance protections for tenants whose rental apartments are either threatened to or are being converted into condominiums ("Renter aid bill alive in State Legislature," West Seattle Herald, Feb. 6). House Bill 2014, sponsored by Rep. Maralyn Chase (D-Shoreline), and my bill, Senate Bill 6411, received a public hearing on Feb. 5 in the Senate Consumer Protection and Housing Committee along with SB 5031, sponsored by Sen. Ken Jacobsen (D-Seattle), which is currently residing in the Senate Rules Committee (and has) since the end of the 2007 session.

However, contrary to what was stated in the article, my bill, Senate Bill 6411, does include language allowing local ordinances to be enacted to limit the number of condo conversions and is the only one of the three that does. Unfortunately, the committee did not report the bill out of committee by last Friday's cut-off. Instead, the committee's chair, Sen. Brian Weinstein (D-Mercer Island), has indicated he will work to get SB 5031 passed by the Senate as there is insufficient support for the condo conversion moratorium language.

Although SB 5031 does contain some enhanced protections for tenants, I believe it's very unfortunate that the moratorium language is not included. My bill, on the other hand, would strike a better balance in addressing availability of affordable rental housing and ownership opportunities. Cities should be able to decide how to conform with their own housing plans rather than be restricted by what the state dictates.

We must do all we can to keep . . . all of Seattle affordable and reflective of the diverse community we're in danger of losing.

Jeanne Kohl-Welles

State Senator