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April 16, 2020
Strong Support for Reducing Rent and Creating Good Cause Eviction Protections in Washington Survey Findings Interested parties To: From: Washington Community Action Network and Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Washington voters overwhelmingly support a measure limiting rent increases and protecting tenants with good-cause eviction protections: 71 percent approve. This consensus extends throughout the state, from progressive Seattle to the more conservative areas in the Northeast, involves both renters and homeowners and even captures a majority of self-ascribed Republicans. The reason why this measure draws such a response is that the cost of housing is just too high. A 78 percent majority describe housing costs as a crisis or major problem. This survey took place in March of this year, when the state of Washington represented the hottest of hot spots in the country for the coronavirus outbreak. At that time, 86 percent of voters described the virus as a major problem or crisis and 57 percent described it as a crisis. One day, this pandemic will be over. At that time, all the other problems we have pushed aside will reassert themselves. One of those problems in Washington state is the cost of housing and rent. One solution voters convincingly support is a measure to reduce rent and protect renters with good-cause eviction protections. This memorandum reflects the results of an online survey of 800 likely voters in the state of Washington, taken March 15-22. Online surveys are drawn from an opt-in, non-probability sample and are not representative. Therefore, no margin of error can be calculated. This survey was commissioned by the Washington Community Action Network.
Key Findings ⎚ A 71 percent majority of Washington voters support an initiative limiting rent increases and protecting renters with good-cause eviction protections. At this level of support, this majority captures most major subgroups in the state including both Democrats (88 percent) and Republicans (58 percent), younger voters (78 percent) and seniors (63 percent), white voters (69 percent) and people of color (82 percent), renters (92 percent), as well as homeowners (61 percent).1 1
See Appendix for language used to test this initiative. www.GQRR.com