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. The Mayor directs and controls all City offices and departments except where that authority is granted to another office by the City Charter. Earlier in February, Harrell announced a final two-week extension to push the moratorium's expiration date to the end of the month and directed the Office of Housing to distribute more than $25 million to support vulnerable renters and small landlords. And almost 169,000 renters express no confidence in their ability to pay next months rent. . What has been abundantly proven over this last year and a half is that these eviction protections are working.. Funding for rental assistance for all of King County is also running out. The goal is to place a new, qualified tenant prior to the current lease end date in order to minimize vacancy time. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the end of the eviction moratorium on Feb. 11, extending it for a final two weeks. Checkor money order should be made payable to "King County Sheriff." Evictions fall hardest on those on the margins of society: Undoubtedly, those most impacted by prematurely lifting the eviction bridge will be those historically most marginalized. Rent Increases in King County . Seattle renters must show up in court to use the remaining protections against eviction. 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. Outside King County, tenants seeking legal help can apply online at nwjustice.org/apply-online or call the Eviction Defense Screening Line at 855-657-8387. Now, more than ever, what we really need is to come together as a community to advocate for additional funds.. While we face theunexpected rise of the Delta variant, thisnextextension will ensureevery level of governmentcan providerental assistanceand housing supportto tenants and landlords, which iscritical to stabilizing the community as we reopenand recover.. 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. . Featured Links. Find certified small business contractors and suppliers. The King County eviction program has about $30 million left in the bank. In the first three days of March, after the Seattle moratorium ended, another 202 cases arrived. The City of Seattle will continue totake action to support thosemost in need striving toprotectthehealth andwell-beingof our residents,prevent homelessnessandundue financial hardship, and buildOne Seattlewithabundant opportunityfor all and thriving, vibrant, connected communities., Address: The number of positive Covid cases in King County is 90.2 cases per 100,000 people, according to the latest statistics . Last fall, said Witter, his clients' average debt . Washington Gov. Mayor Harrell will issue anExecutiveOrder extending theresidential evictionmoratoriumfrom February 14through February 28,after which the moratorium will not be renewed. Before the legislative session ends this week, state lawmakers are still debating their budgets in Olympia, where House Democrats have proposed spending an additional $55 million on rent assistance. In the last two weeks of February, before the moratorium ended, the center received 679 cases. 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. Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan is extending the city's COVID-19 eviction Legislators, among other things, also expanded the program that attempts to resolve disputes between tenants and landlords before eviction. The moratorium has been in place in Seattle since March 2020. Seattle's eviction moratorium set to expire on Feb. 28 | king5.com - KIII Commercial Leases Resources to help negotiate and amend leases for commercial property. 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. We also expect to receive soon additional funds to continue operating the program into 2022, communication director Chase Gallagher said in an email. Im extremely disappointed in the governors actions, Caldier added, describing Inslees extension as heedless overreach by the executive branch . Advocates, attorneys and mediators will begin to get a better idea of the scale of Seattle evictions later this month. Download: Adobe PDF. The state House has included $55 million in additional rent relief funds in its proposed budget. We talked Comp Plan, design review reform, the prospect of a Seattle Sixplex, and more. Landlords can find information about state mitigation programs on the Department of Commerce website. Mailing Address: Warning of 'wave of evictions,' Sawant calls for extension of Seattle Because of high demand, the Housing Justice Project cannot. Landlord-Tenant | Washington State Duringthe next two weeks, Mayor Harrell will reviewreports created by interdepartmental City teams defined in his previousExecutive Order toevaluatedata,improve existing efforts,and seekadditionalsolutions. 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. Currently, 21,761 tenants have been selected for service and referred to a caseworker to process their application. Please read Mayor Harrell's latest eviction moratorium announcement. The program could help even more tenants based on volume, with nearly three times as many tenants applied than have received assistance so far. Eviction Assistance - RentinginSeattle | seattle.gov 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. Apply onlineor call their helpline: 425-747-7274 (English) 425-620-2778 (espaol). 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. Time is running out for so many in our community. For most of the thousands of households in Seattle and King County behind on their rent, relief money will likely mean the difference between eviction and staying housed. National reports echo these grim numbers. Mayor Durkan Announces January 15, 2022 Extension of Eviction The extended moratorium, which bans evictions within the city only for nonpayment of rent and late fees, will expire whenever Gov. Doug Trumm is the executive director of The Urbanist. People still dont make enough money to afford housing.. The City and our partners can help renters and landlords understand their rights, responsibilities, and available resources. The Stay Housed Stay Healthy coalition (of which The Urbanist and HJP are members) is urging the Governor to extend the moratorium through the years end. EPRAP Tenant Eviction Prevention Fact Sheet - Amharic, EPRAP Tenant Eviction Prevention Fact Sheet - Arabic, EPRAP Tenant Eviction Prevention Fact Sheet Dari, EPRAP Tenant Eviction Prevention Fact Sheet - English, EPRAP Tenant Eviction Prevention Fact Sheet - French, EPRAP Tenant Eviction Prevention Fact Sheet - Korean, EPRAP Tenant Eviction Prevention Fact Sheet - Somali, EPRAP Tenant Eviction Prevention Fact Sheet - Spanish, EPRAP Tenant Eviction Prevention Fact Sheet - Vietnamese. Alexandria, VA 22315. We still dont have enough housing. Neighboring counties like Snohomish and Pierce County implemented their programs manually and were quicker to get money out the door. Additionally, in King County, there is currently a court order that any eviction may be delayed by up to 60 days for a person who is enrolled in the EPRAP program to allow time for the program to pay rent. Tenants who feel they have been discriminated against in housing based on one of Seattles protected classes can file a complaint with the citys Office for Civil Rights atseattle.gov/civilrights/file-complaint, For help negotiating, tenants and landlords can contact the Dispute Resolution Center of King County atkcdrc.org. 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. Rigdon fell behind on rent for months and received about $16,000 in rent assistance last year, he said. King County Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program Community Technology Advisory Board (CTAB), Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), 600 4th Ave, Seattle, WA, 7th Floor, Seattle, WA, 98104. Learn about Seattles ongoing eviction protections. And almost 169,000 renters express no confidence in their ability to pay next months rent. COVID-19 Assistance and Economic Relief Programs and services that help residents significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The county will stop accepting new applications for the Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance Program at 11:59 p.m. on Monday. The citys emergency declaration is still in place. Because of sometimes lengthy legal processes, the scale of evictions wont be clear for some time. >> Download KING 5's Roku and Amazon Fire apps to watch live newscasts and video on demand. King County has spent $227 million in federal funds on rent assistance since last year. King CountySuperior Court The new funding comes in addition to $500 million already released by the state, which has provided rental assistance to more than 80,000 renters and landlords, according to the governors office. The Eastside Legal Assistance Program can also provide legal help to tenants. We are not prepared to handle the influx of eviction that might happen at the end of the month.. Covid updates for Seattle: City's eviction moratorium to end in February House Bill 1110 is one of several proposals this year intended to ease an affordability crisis across Washington due to a statewide shortage. Farivar serves as policy director at Disability Rights Washington, a frequent ally of ours. 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. Paula Sardinas, president of the Washington Build Back Black Coalition, which backs city and state renter protections, agreed. Jay Inslee eventually loosened Washington state's moratorium to allow for evictions with a 60-day notice in cases where the landlord intends to sell or personally occupy the premises . Free legal assistance to renters facing eviction in King County. P.O. Late fees, interest, or other charges due to late payment of rent during the moratorium are not allowed. If you anticipate the eviction may require additional time, you must notify the assigned detective in advance and additional fees may apply. 60,000 Seattle area renters are behind on rent, and the WBBA has been working with the Dow [Constantine], and we are thankful to see the progress thats being made. Once the state runs out of onetime COVID funds, a new, permanent rent assistance program will distribute about $40 million each year, according to the Department of Commerce. Payments are distributed to tenants by United Way and other community groups and through payments to nonprofit affordable housing providers, according to the Seattle Office of Housing. All Rights Reserved. Anecdotally, Witter and United Way's McGowan agreed that, with each week of the pandemic, the amount of debt individual renters owe has grown. In December, Futurewise was our guest for a state legislative preview. The advance fee for service of the writ includes one hour of the detective's time at the eviction. Seattle provides additional eviction protection for qualified renters after the moratorium expires. We are committed to working with the County Executive, ensuring the community both landlords and tenants understand the program and the availability of funding.. Read the Mayor's eviction moratorium announcement. The state eviction moratorium is extended to October 31, 2021. According to Witter, a little over half of renters in King County arent showing up for their eviction court dates right now. Witter also said its essential that tenants facing eviction show up to court, which is currently being held remotely over Zoom. Seattle eviction ban has lifted, and landlords are taking action. Here Watch the video. According to data from King County and Washington state departments of health, as of Monday, February 14, 2022: . About 2,200 households have received an average of $9,000 per household, said spokesperson Kari Moore. 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. Seattle's eviction moratorium expires | king5.com Landlords cant just tell you to get out and change the locks on your doors. Free Virginia Eviction Notice Forms (3) - Word | PDF - eForms Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant called for the moratorium to continue through the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. We rely on donations from readers like you to sustain Crosscut's in-depth reporting on issues critical to the PNW. Seattle's Mayor is the head of the Executive department. Tiffani McCoy was our January guest to talk Initiative 135. Tens of thousands of tenants have applied for rent assistance, but local officials will run out of funds before serving all of them. Washington and Oregon Moratoriums on Residential and Commercial Evictions Seattlecontinues to show thenationhow to protect small businesses and residents byestablishingand continuingone of the first in the nation moratoriumson evictions to keep families safe. Josh Cohen is Crosscut's city reporter. SEATTLE(September 21, 2021)Asfederalfunds for rental assistancecontinueto be distributed, Mayor Jenny A. Durkan announced today that she is extending themoratoriumsforresidential and commercialevictionsthrough January 15, 2022throughExecutive Order 2021-07. Starting Aug. 1, renters will be expected to pay full rent, unless they have already negotiated an alternative with the landlord or are seeking rental assistance money. Eviction moratorium bridge extension too short for King County to The moratorium on eviction of nonprofit and small business commercial tenant applies to independently-owned businesses with 50 employees or fewer per establishment, state nonprofits, and 501(c)3) nonprofits. The department runs a weekly lottery to select qualified applicants. He has since extended the eviction ban several times. The vast majority of those funds are still available. By subscribing, you agree to receive occasional membership emails from Crosscut/Cascade Public Media. Example video title will go here for this video. The writ of eviction can be issued 10 days after the date the court rules in the landlord's favor; but it must be requested within 180 days at the very latest. Under Inslees latest order, landlords will be prohibited from evicting tenants for past-due rent accrued during the pandemic, until a rental assistance program and an eviction-resolution program are operational in their county. Jay Inslee announces he won't seek reelection in Washington state, Seattles about 5 inches behind normal rainfall this year, Download KING 5's Roku and Amazon Fire apps to watch live newscasts and video on demand, Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance Program, Organization suspected of paying fraudulent rental assistance applications, Thurston County claims, King County to stop accepting new applications for rental assistance program. With not everyone in need receiving rent assistance on the front-end, many could end up in eviction court. Reach him atjosh.cohen@crosscut.com or on Twitter at @jcohenwrites. For a family of four, 50% of the median is $57,850 per year currently. The federal government has some emergency rent relief funding left to distribute, but its unlikely Congress will appropriate morefederal funds in the near future. (Interpreters are available.). For tenants who have already applied for rent assistance, King County will continue to select recipients using a lottery system. Currently, upon expiration, Ordinance 126075 will take effect, providing additional tenant protections including the start of a six-month period in which a renter may claim a defense against evictionfor non-payment of rent if they candemonstratefinancial hardship due to COVID-19. The Eastside Legal Assistance Program can also provide legal help to tenants. Seattle's eviction moratorium will end February 28 . The County contracted with HJP to distribute $24 million in rent assistance which is aimed at protecting tenants facing eviction summons. That's due to dwindling . Governor Jay Inslee's eviction moratorium bridge order is set to expire on October 31st, and the Governor confirmed Thursday he is not issuing another extension, as the Spokesman-Review reported. 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. Landlords are encouraged to contact the detective prior to the physical eviction. Evictions for lease violations do not have those requirements, meaning those eviction cases can move faster. If the Executive continues to fail on getting out rental relief he needs to extend the moratorium for unincorporated areas. He graduated from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington. Unfortunately, we will not be able to help everyone that has registered. Funds are running out with 11,245 households still assigned to a provider and 10,943 applications that have pre-registered and are waiting for assistance. All the conditions that made that true are still true. Phone: (206) 684-5700 "We've done about all we can do," Inslee said. All information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. When the city's moratorium on residential evictions expires, a six-month defense in court against evictions due to COVID-19 hardship will kick in, as will a defense against evictions based. #EvictionCrisis https://t.co/KToqQ8UjA8. If the County continues to distribute ~$6M per week, they still have 15 weeks before that money is out the door. As of now, the majority of these funds have been disbursed or otherwise obligated through city partners, said Stephanie Velasco, communication director for the Office of Housing. The latest expiration . Many King County services are continually adapting because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The city of Seattle alone has invested nearly $59 million toward rental assistance using general funds and federal funding during the last two years. Apply online or call their helpline: (425) 747-7274 (English) (425) 620-2778 (Espaol). Giusts landlord, Laura Toepel, cant apply directly to the county for help because the countys program opened only to larger landlords this spring. However, tenants are still legally obligated to pay rent during the moratorium, and landlords are encouraged to offer flexible payment plans. Many of these [housing] providers are facing hundreds of thousands of dollars in arrears, and financial assistance programs will not adequately cover their expenses if the moratorium continues much longer, said Rep. Michelle Caldier, R-Port Orchard, in a statement. So far, 716 households have received about $6.4 million, according to Jackie Anderson, division manager at the Snohomish County Human Services Department. Tenants who have not yet applied for rent assistance can join United Ways waitlist at uwkc.org/renthelp. I'm a Landlord 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. @kcexec Extend the eviction moratorium until funds are dispersed.https://t.co/r3UtFjrf0y, Residents impacted by the pandemic and now on the verge of an evictiondont need excuses. Seattle Councilmember Tammy Morales was our guest on March 14. BIPOC communities, people with disabilities, households with children, LGBTQIA+ communities, immigrants, the WLIHA letter adds. 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. (The Urbanist Elections Committee endorsed Nguyen.) For tenants and landlords, the wait for rental assistance has been excruciating. Everybodys kind of confused about what they can and cannot do, Simpson said. 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Landlords will be able to move forward with evictions proceedings for other purposes,such as those listed in the Just Cause Eviction Ordinance. However, when the state eviction moratorium protections were lifted, rent increases were no . Extension language in the writ or an order allowing us additional time, will be necessary. Questions about the moratorium ending? That end date has not been determined. Watch the video. It expects it can help up to 750 households. rdenes judiciales de restitucin, Click here for information regarding rental assistance, Click here for information regarding landlords and tentants, Click here for information regarding King County Bar Association lawyer referrals, Click here for information regarding Washington Law Help.org, Click here for information regarding the Housing Justice Project. Contact Us. Watch the video. Sawant argued the city is on the edge of an eviction crisis. The County then contracted out with a third party vendor, Grantcare to create the database, and Grantcare was late in delivering the project. Get Help with Rent | United Way of King County But Inslee Thursday said some mask requirements will stay in place beyond that date for people who still arent vaccinated. The landlord may provide this notice and then wait the requisite fourteen days before proceeding with the eviction process. The extension drew swift criticism from some Republican state lawmakers, who have protested the eviction bans impact on landlords and, more broadly, the governors use of sweeping emergency powers. Money has started flowing, however, to landlords in other Puget Sound counties. The vote followed an announcement from Mayor Bruce Harrell that the moratorium would end on Feb. 28. That time frame includes rent that was due between Feb. 29, 2020, and July 31 of this year. But expenses add up each month, especially for the car and phone necessary for delivery work. The Eastside Legal Assistance Program can also provide legal help to tenants. The city's moratorium was set to end June 30, but Seattle and King County are still in the process of distributing tens of millions of dollars in payments to landlords on behalf of tenants who . Tran-Larson said rejection rate seemed alarmingly high. She pointed to hiccups in qualifying tenants who should have been approved based on their income but the system rejected. In 2021, the hotline averaged about 270 calls per month, according to data from the Department of Construction and Inspections.