Seattle landlord offers free apartment in essay contest

Published 2:27 pm Friday, January 8, 2016

SEATTLE — With rents in the city soaring, one Seattle landlord is offering a free apartment for a year to the winner of an essay contest.

KING-TV reported that the landlord wishes to remain anonymous, but is offering a one-bedroom in the Ballard or Queen Anne neighborhoods that would normally go for about $1,500 a month. It has hardwood floors and laundry in the building.

Entrants have 350 words to explain how having a free apartment for one year would help them reach their goals in 10 years.

Seattle-based Walls Property Management is facilitating the contest at www.essayforfreeapartment.com. Assistant director Heather Tabler tells The Associated Press this is the second year of the contest. She said last year it only attracted 90 entries because people didn’t seem to believe it was real.

Last year’s winner was a single mother who is working and attending Seattle Pacific University.