Doug Trumm is the executive director of The Urbanist. Phone: 206-684-4000. In April 2020, Governor Jay Inslee amended Washington State's initial eviction moratorium to prohibit landlords from increasing rents during the COVID-19 pandemic, and for over a year, tenants were protected from rent increases, as well as from many kinds of evictions. According to the Housing Justice Project (HJP), an arm of the King County Bar Association that provides free legal assistance to people facing eviction, most evictions filed during the state moratorium on evictions between April 2020 and March 2021 occurred in South King County, which was also particularly hard hit by the coronavirus pandemic. OLYMPIA Gov. The county will stop accepting new applications for the Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance Program at 11:59 p.m. on Monday. The average payment has been a little over $11,000 per household. The landlord may provide this notice and then wait the requisite fourteen days before proceeding with the eviction process. We are not prepared to handle the influx of eviction that might happen at the end of the month.. Another says tenants can at any time raise a similar defense if they are being evicted for rent debt accrued during the civil emergency declared citywide and for six months after the emergency. Phone: (206) 684-5700 When we require tenants to make the affirmative step, tenants often tend to struggle with a lot of other barriers.. Mailing Address: The eviction moratorium lapsed on July 31, but the CDC announced on August 3 a limited eviction moratorium through October 3 for renters living in communities experiencing a surge in COVID-19 cases, covering an estimated 80% of all U.S. counties and 90% of all renters. For questions and general information about tenants' rights, call Solid Ground's Tenant Services Message Line at (206) 694-6767 or the Tenants Union of Washington State hotline at (206) 723-0500 or try tenantsunion.org. Last fall, said Witter, his clients' average debt . We will review your notice to see if it complies with City regulations and refer you to resources. Deciding which notice to provide would require the advice of an Attorney, Legal Counsel or Kings County Legal Aid. New laws delay some evictions and provide renters a right to legal counsel. Giust used the last of her savings to cover expenses during the pandemic, and in August her roommate moved out, she said, which left her owing the entire rent herself but without the money to move somewhere less expensive. Additionally, please provide our office with all items listed on theWrit of Restitution Intake Sheet. Our early actions haveand continue tokeeppeople safe and housed, said Mayor Durkan. BIPOC communities, people with disabilities, households with children, LGBTQIA+ communities, immigrants, those with the lowest incomes, and other marginalized groups all face serious risks of homelessness on November 1st unless eviction protections are extended.The undersigned organizations urge you to extend the eviction bridge protections until the end of the public health emergency or at least until rental assistance funds are expended. The King County Department of Community and Human Services, which runs the emergency rent relief program, expects to be able to help 8,000 to 9,000 households with those remaining dollars. Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant called for the moratorium to continue through the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. Evictions are a legal process that plays out in court, and it is up to a judge to grant a landlord the ability to remove a tenant from their home. 401 5th Ave., Suite 500 The program finally got up and running this month, but King County had a lot of money to distribute as the most populous county in the state, which means it is still lagging behind. On Feb. 28, Seattles COVID-19 residential and commercial eviction moratorium ended. To not increase rent for six months after payment period. SEATTLE - Seattle's eviction moratorium will expire at the end of February after Mayor Bruce Harrell announced a final two-week extension for the program through a new executive order Friday. Its not clear if enough money remains in the EPRAP coffers to reach all of these new applicants. BIPOC communities, people with disabilities, households with children, LGBTQIA+ communities, immigrants, the WLIHA letter adds. Apply online or call their helpline: (425) 747-7274 (English) (425) 620-2778 (Espaol). So far, 716 households have received about $6.4 million, according to Jackie Anderson, division manager at the Snohomish County Human Services Department. In addition to the moratoria extension, the executive order ends dates for rent deferral policies for tenants of City Finance and Administrative Services facilities for December 31, 2021, for both businesses and nonprofits. Seattle's eviction moratorium, which for the past nearly two years has prevented evictions of residential renters, small businesses and nonprofits, will be extended through the end of. OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) Washington Gov. Landlords will be able to move forward with evictions proceedings for other purposes,such as those listed in the Just Cause Eviction Ordinance. By subscribing, you agree to receive occasional membership emails from Crosscut/Cascade Public Media. Ultimately, its getting money to pay back rental debt that will keep tenants in their homes. SeattleToday, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced thatresidential andcommercialeviction moratoriawill expire at the end of the monthof February. Tenants and landlords can fin information at www.seattle.gov/EvictionAssistance. King County renters owe an average of $4,750 in back rent, the highest in Washington state. Were not advising our members to do anything until we see the specific language of the moratorium, said Brett Waller, director of government affairs at the association. The Washington Low Income Housing Alliance (WLIHA) Action Fund (a coalition member) also has launched a letter-writing campaign to the Governor with 1,800 letters and counting sent. As recently as last week they are still doing database trainings for community-based organization providers. Both landlords and tenant advocates have questions about how the state will define which counties can go ahead with evictions and when. Advocates, attorneys and mediators will begin to get a better idea of the scale of Seattle evictions later this month. The department runs a weekly lottery to select qualified applicants. Landlords can, once again, serve their tenants eviction notices for nonpayment of rent, but renters facing. There are additional county and state resources that are also being distributed. Monday-Friday8:30am-4:30pm. We also expect to receive soon additional funds to continue operating the program into 2022, communication director Chase Gallagher said in an email. Mailing Address: There are still options.. According to data from King County and Washington state departments of health, as of Monday, February 14, 2022: . Washington Low Income Housing Alliance full letter to Governor Inslee: Dear Governor Jay Inslee,On October 31, Washington communities will still not be prepared for the expiration of the eviction bridge proclamation. Landlord and tenant advocates both agree that for any tenant facing eviction, communication and following the rules will be key. The Eastside Legal Assistance Program can also provide legal help to tenants. House Bill 1110 is one of several proposals this year intended to ease an affordability crisis across Washington due to a statewide shortage. SEATTLE (September 21, 2021) - As federal funds for rental assistance continue to be distributed, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced today that she is extending the moratoriums for residential and commercial evictions through January 15, 2022 through Executive Order 2021-07. They have protected vulnerable households and have prevented racial inequities from getting even worse. The advance fee for service of the writ includes one hour of the detective's time at the eviction. Tram Tran-Larson, Community Engagement Manager at Housing Justice Project (HJP) of the King County Bar Association, is worried about what this means for tenants. After obtaining a court order to evict a tenant,a landlord wishing to pursue an eviction should fill out, Formulario de informacin de desahucio obligatorio del sheriff, Additionally, please provide our office with all items listed, Oficina del sheriff del condado de King Find information about your rights and how the eviction process works at washingtonlawhelp.org. The program also targets people of color, withnumerous reportsfindingthat people of color account for disproportionate numbers of evictions locally and nationally. Thats illegal, Simpson said. Ballots are due February 14. The citys Renting in Seattle hotline has also seen an influx of calls. Skip to main content Search kingcounty.govSearch KingCounty.gov Home How do I. The evictions prevention program was slow to get off the ground, but has helped stave off the tsunami of evictions that many advocates feared the pandemic would cause. State officials meanwhile continue to prod residents to get vaccinated. With the Governors bridge order in effect, Washington state landlords have been barred from evicting tenants for nonpayment of rent, but have been able to use other grounds, most commonly lease term violations or the owner wishing to occupy the unit or sell. Landlords can find information about state mitigation programs on the Department of Commerce website. Even with an array of new city and state protections, including the right to a payment plan, the notice is a source of anxiety because its the first step toward potential eviction. On March 18, 2020, Governor Inslee issued Proclamation 20-19 imposing a 30-day statewide eviction moratorium prohibiting residential landlords from issuing any eviction notice based upon non-payment of rent or termination of a tenancy unless the landlord attaches an affidavit attesting that the action is necessary to ensure the health and safety Officials around the nation are seeing a slowdown in people starting the vaccination process, Shah said, adding: That is something that we are concerned about in the public health community.. Payment Plans Request payment plans online to Seattle City Light and Seattle Public Utilities. >> Download KING 5's Roku and Amazon Fire apps to watch live newscasts and video on demand. The Mayor directs and controls all City offices and departments except where that authority is granted to another office by the City Charter. Because of high demand, the Housing Justice Project cannot. Eviction Moratorium Expired February 28, 2022. Landlords also must notify a dispute resolution center in their county. Utility Discount Program Apply for a discount on your electricity and utility bills. If the County continues to distribute ~$6M per week, they still have 15 weeks before that money is out the door. Ultimately the rent remains due. MayorHarrellhas also directed the Citystaff to develop a website to connect tenants and small landlords to available financial resources,information onrights and protections,and other criticalupdatesneeded as the moratoriaends. Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. And our message really is that renters still have rights. In December, Futurewise was our guest for a state legislative preview. Seattlecontinues to show thenationhow to protect small businesses and residents byestablishingand continuingone of the first in the nation moratoriumson evictions to keep families safe. Read the Mayor's eviction moratorium announcement. United Way of King County has launched a service on its website to alert tenants to new financial help if it becomes available. Some jurisdictions like Seattle, Kenmore, and Burien have extended local eviction moratoriums through years end, but many living in other jurisdictions who are behind on rent will find themselves at risk of eviction come November. Because of high demand, the Housing Justice Project cannot currently help tenants earlier in the eviction process, such as upon receipt of a 14-day notice. The federal government has some emergency rent relief funding left to distribute, but its unlikely Congress will appropriate morefederal funds in the near future. Meanwhile 368,600 tenants who are current on rent report that they have had to rely on money from savings or selling assets or possessions (including withdrawals from retirement accounts) to meet their basic needs over the last seven days. Additional information can be found in theProcedures for Writs of Restitution. The pandemics unprecedented economic toll threatened thousands of our neighbors with eviction, but the hard work of our staff and community partners has kept more than 12,000 households in their homes, Executive Constantine said. Its a problem with dire consequences for tenants and landlords, even as Washingtons economy starts to rebound and most restrictions on businesses and social activities are set to end by June 30. Tens of thousands still havent been helped yet: The most recent Census Bureau Pulse Survey data (week 39) finds that there are 128,126 tenants still behind in rent. Community Technology Advisory Board (CTAB), Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), 600 4th Ave, Seattle, WA, 7th Floor, Seattle, WA, 98104. However, Harrell's office said it's difficult to track the number of people who have benefited from the moratorium. Update: This article was updated at 1:42pm October 29th to add Governor Inslees no extension announcement. Please dont walk away now. An estimated 195,000 Washington renters are behind on their rent, according to a Census Bureau survey conducted in late May and early June. King Countys tally for 2021 is currently at 674. As part of thoseefforts, Mayor Harrellhas directedthe Office of Housing to urgently distribute over $25millionin identifiedfundingto supportrenters andsmall landlords,complementingfundingbeing allocated byKing County. . Seattle, WA 98104, Find certified small business contractors and suppliers, Department of Community and Human Services, Supporting Residents Experiencing Homelessness, COVID-19 Response: A Year in Review Timeline. With the existing moratorium set to end June 30, the extension which is a new version that will be released in the coming days is an attempt to deal with the pandemics massive economic disruptions. Renting in Seattle Helpline: (206) 684-5700, Moving Out and Evictions Learn about what to do when giving or receiving notice to move: Renters | Landlords. Rent assistance was sometimes slow to come by, frustrating advocates on both sides. Mayor Harrell will issue anExecutiveOrder extending theresidential evictionmoratoriumfrom February 14through February 28,after which the moratorium will not be renewed. Chase Gallagher, who is communication director for the King County Executive, said another $22 million would go toward community-based organizations doing outreach and processing applications. King County received $145 million in rent assistance from the Federal government to distribute to tenants in what could be a godsend for many. AKA mid-January. I'm a Tenant King County has $90M remaining of the $145M in federal rent assistance funds they received. "It's up to them to get it distributed.". But Inslee Thursday said some mask requirements will stay in place beyond that date for people who still arent vaccinated. I have no desire to ever throw out a tenant but I dont know what were going to do, Toepel said. Rent assistance:King County no longer accepts new applications for rent assistance, but smaller organizations and nonprofits throughout the region still have some assistance programs. Its no Bellingham, WA lawmakers deadlocked as drugs ravage Snohomish County, rest of state, Woman shot in West Seattle, hours after 2 killed on Capitol Hill, Oregon tells a cautionary tale about drugs, but were not listening. The additional $16 million reserved for second-half payments of landlord advances would push that percentage to 54%. With COVID casessteadily declining, the time has comefor the City to move on from thebroadapproachof the eviction moratoriaandinstead drive more deliberateandfocusedefforts to support thosemostin need,said Mayor Harrell. Jay Inslee says he won't run for a fourth term, ArtSEA: Remembering singular Seattle artist Alfredo Arregun, King County prosecutors office accused of self-dealing promotion, Mossback's Northwest: After clearing forests, settlers were stumped, Seattle's eviction moratorium ended, but some protections remain, Community colleges are failing their students in WA, nationwide, WA Senate passes "missing middle" bill to increase housing density, Sign up for the Crosscut Weekly newsletter, WA transgender youth bill targeted in national culture war, With assault weapons ban, Washington enters a new era of gun reform, The U.S. Supreme Court is losing the trust of WA voters, poll says, ArtSEA: Environmental art to celebrate Earth Day in Seattle, Seattle singers survive Sweeney Todd through razor-sharp vocals, The Seattle Kraken made the Stanley Cup playoffs. Therefore, a thirty-day notice to quit addresses major violations by notifying the tenants they will be evicted at the end of 30 days. Like what weve seen in most communities, you dont see this automatic wave of evictions right away because there are a number of tenant protections, McGowan said. Its up to them to get it distributed.. What has been abundantly proven over this last year and a half is that these eviction protections are working. In the first three days of March, after the Seattle moratorium ended, another 202 cases arrived. Seattle's Mayor is the head of the Executive department. Tenant advocates praised the announcement, saying it will allow more time to set up programs, distribute rent assistance and educate landlords and tenants. Due to limited funding remaining, the EPRAP program is no longer accepting new applications for rent assistance. SDOT Director Greg Spotts was our guest on February 15. Fee: General District . The Housing Justice Project, which represents King County tenants facing eviction, is receiving 150 to 200 calls a day, up from 40 to 50 about six months ago, said senior managing attorney Edmund Witter. If you have signed up for the waitlist and have not yet been contacted by a staff person, you will not have an account through this portal and should direct all questions regarding your application status to United Way King County through their Rent Help site and support form. Watch the video. Leo Flor, director of the county Department of Community and Human Services,worries that as the program winds down and funding runs out, King County might return to the old normal of evictions. Tens of thousands still havent been helped yet: The most recent Census Bureau Pulse Survey data (week 39) finds that there are 128,126 tenants still behind in rent. Residential tenants who receive aneviction notice during the moratorium should contact the Renting in Seattle hotline at 2066845700. All of this means that for Seattle tenants falling behind on bills because of financial hardship, you should be OK, at least for the time being, Witter said. And almost 169,000 renters express no confidence in their ability to pay next months rent. King County expects to have 6,000-8,000 rental assistance applications to address after the eviction moratorium bridge expires. Since they waited until a few days before the eviction moratorium expires to certify as fully operational, theyre sending a clear message to the Governor that theyre not supporting an extension, and its a clear message to tenants as well, despite the tens of thousands of applications still to be processed, Tran-Larson said. Apply onlineor call their helpline: 425-747-7274 (English) 425-620-2778 (espaol). About 2,200 households have received an average of $9,000 per household, said spokesperson Kari Moore. This spring, she said she landed a job at Seattles Lumen Field mass vaccination site. This marks the sixth extension of the eviction moratoriumas part of the COVID-19 civil emergency since March 14, 2020,when Seattle declared one of the firstevictionmoratoriumsin the country. For a family of four, 50% of the median is $57,850 per year currently. Complete this online form to request legal assistance in English or Spanish. Seattle residents facing eviction are also afforded a right to legal counseland additionaleviction protectionsbased on time of year. They cannot be, A requirement that landlords allow tenants to pay the rent they owe, A right to legal counsel in eviction protections. The Mayor directs and controls all City offices and departments except where that authority is granted to another office by the City Charter. Statewide, tenants do not have those defenses in court, but have some other protections. Data about how many people have fallen behind on rent in Seattle and King County is spotty at best. This means that landlords are prohibited from evicting a tenant for past rent due from Feb. 29, 2020 through July 31, 2021. Beyond Seattle, Burien, and Kenmore, most havent taken up the cause. Seattle Councilmember Tammy Morales was our guest on March 14. During the last two years, he has relied on gig work and, for a time, another restaurant job to make ends meet. Skip to main content Posting comments is now limited to subscribers only. Time is running out for so many in our community. It is also important to note that King County is not at risk of having funds reallocated or taken back for being an underperforming jurisdiction based on recent Treasury guidance.. To date, King CountysEviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program has distributed $265 million of state and federal funding to more than 31,000 households throughout King County. They have protected vulnerable households and have prevented racial inequities from getting even worse. Tens of thousands of tenants have applied for rent assistance, but local officials will run out of funds before serving all of them. HJP is the main provider of legal aid to low-income tenants in King County and also tracks evictions with a heat map visualization. For tenants and landlords, the wait for rental assistance has been excruciating. Rent assistance: King County no longer accepts new applications for rent assistance, but smaller organizations and nonprofits throughout the region still have some assistance programs. Here is a King County tenant fact sheet that may help! The executive order continues tenant protections prohibiting landlords from issuing notices of termination or otherwise initiating eviction actions with the courts unless there is an imminent threat to the health and safety of the community. We still dont have enough housing. Duringthe next two weeks, Mayor Harrell will reviewreports created by interdepartmental City teams defined in his previousExecutive Order toevaluatedata,improve existing efforts,and seekadditionalsolutions. Its very premature of them, because we are still have issues with their database.. Acceptable methods of payment are cash, check, or money order. Seattle's COVID-19 eviction moratorium expired on February 28, 2022. With the existing moratorium set to end June 30, the extension which is a new version that will be released in the coming days is an attempt to deal with the pandemic's massive economic. Mayor Durkan has also directed utilities to refrain from shutting off service to customers through January 15, 2022. Seattle Councilmember Andrew Lewis was our guest April 11th. One city law says that for the next six months, tenants can raise a defense in court if they can certify they suffered financial hardship because of the pandemic. Inslee has continued to string along the moratorium in small one to three month increments, with the last extension announced on September 24th. The resources are available, Snohomish and Pierce Countyhave been able to allocate the money and this is a failure of the current Executive, Nguyen said via email last month. We need to make sure were creating safety nets, said Paula Sardinas, president of the Washington Build Back Black Alliance, which had called on Inslee to extend the moratorium. Housing Choice Vouchers Assistance for low-income families and individuals paying rent (formerly Section 8). 600 4th Ave, Seattle, WA, 7th Floor, Seattle, WA, 98104 The City continues to assess when to lift these individual suspensions as it relates to the COVID-19 emergency. The CDC's announcement came one Announcing a final two-week extension of the eviction moratoria, Mayor Bruce Harrell issues directive to support vulnerable tenants and small landlords through $25 million in emergency assistance, online resources. In any given year, the courts receive 17,000 to 20,000 eviction filings across the state, said Edmund. Gov. The detectives' assistance will include enforcing the court order and ensuring the peace. But expenses add up each month, especially for the car and phone necessary for delivery work. Before COVID, it was normal in King County to evict more than 4,000 households a year, and those evictions contained really appalling racial, ethnic and gender disproportionality within them, said Flor. He graduated from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington. King County EPRAP has limited funding available. In 2021, the hotline averaged about 270 calls per month, according to data from the Department of Construction and Inspections. What has been abundantly proven over this last year and a half is that these eviction protections are working.. Renters can also seek help from the Tenant Law Center at (206) 324-6890. For questions and general information about tenants rights, call Solid Grounds Tenant Services Message Line at 206-694-6767 or the Tenants Union of Washington State hotline at 206-723-0500 or try tenantsunion.org. We cant have no income for that forever.. kindertransport list of names,
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