King County EPRAP has limited funding available. In any given year, the courts receive 17,000 to 20,000 eviction filings across the state, said Edmund. The program could help even more tenants based on volume, with nearly three times as many tenants applied than have received assistance so far. As recently as last week they are still doing database trainings for community-based organization providers. 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. Late fees, interest, or other charges due to late payment of rent during the moratorium are not allowed. Because of high demand, the Housing Justice Project cannot. Everybodys kind of confused about what they can and cannot do, Simpson said. Witter said running out of money isn't the only problem. 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. HJP received assurances the County would go back and double check for erroneous rejections, which could be why the rate is so high. 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. What has been abundantly proven over this last year and a half is that these eviction protections are working. Its not clear if enough money remains in the EPRAP coffers to reach all of these new applicants. Snohomish County has begun distributing about $58 million in aid. Asreported by SCC Insight, Magistrate Judge RichardCreaturafound the city and state eviction moratoriums to be constitutionalin a recommendation on September 15, 2021,to Judge Richard Jones. In incorporated cities, it will fall on the local mayors or city councils to extend eviction moratoriums. King County Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program - King County King County has created a new program to assist households economically impacted by the coronavirus due to illness, loss of income or unemployment who have been unable to meet rent obligations and are at risk for eviction. King County officials expect there will be upwards of 8,000 households that have already applied to the program that will not get help before the money runs out. 600 4th Ave, Seattle, WA, 7th Floor, Seattle, WA, 98104 When we require tenants to make the affirmative step, tenants often tend to struggle with a lot of other barriers.. 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. If you receive an eviction summons in King County, contact the Housing Justice Project at (206) 267-7069 or email hjpstaff@kcba.org. He lives in East Fremont and loves to explore the city on his bike. Asreported by the Seattle Times, 60,000 Seattle area renters are behind on rent. Box 94749, Seattle, WA, 98124-4749 If there is an unexpected windfall and the county can provide money to everyone whos applied, it will reopen the portal to new applicants. King County doesnt expect payments to begin until mid-July, according to Mark Ellerbrook, division director of the countys Department of Community and Human Services. 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 goal is to place a new, qualified tenant prior to the current lease end date in order to minimize vacancy time. That includes the Washington Multi-Family Housing Association, which pushed for the eviction ban to end June 30. For tenants who are actively facing eviction in court, the Housing Justice Project has a pool of about $13 million in county funds for rent assistance. 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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. Visalia Legal Aid - (559)733-8770. Much of the federal funds already allocated, which are distributed by county governments, has not made it to landlords bank accounts. Mayor Durkan Announces January 15, 2022 Extension of Eviction Call 211 to learn more. OLYMPIA Gov. STAFFORD COUNTY. By subscribing, you agree to receive occasional membership emails from Crosscut/Cascade Public Media. Based on the pace established earlier this month, The Urbanist had calculated King County wouldnt be finish distributing its federal assistance by years end, but it appears the County is picking up the pace a bit distributing a new high of $8 million in rent assistance last week and turbo-charging distribution by contracting with nonprofit and community-based organization partners. Landlord-Tenant | Washington State 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. In a press release today, King County Executive Dow Constantine said $63 million has been distributed to keep tenants housed and declared the Countys Eviction Protection and Rent Assistance Program (EPRAP) fully operational as required by the State. Remember, a 14-day notice is the beginning of a legal process that can result in eviction. Washington and Oregon Moratoriums on Residential and Commercial Evictions I'm a Landlord This timeline protects tenants from evictions for non/late payments throughmid-June2022. Seattle's COVID-19 eviction moratorium expired on February 28, 2022. Eviction protections in Washington state extended to Oct. 31 With not everyone in need receiving rent assistance on the front-end, many could end up in eviction court. Seattle's eviction moratorium expires | king5.com Every step of this pandemic, our residents and communitylistento scienceand public health officials,which is whywe havethe lowest cases, hospitalizations, and deaths of every major city. Tenants have 14 days to respond to that offer. In most judicial districts, eviction hearings in Washington continue to be held remotely. (Interpreters are available.). Sawant argued the city is on the edge of an eviction crisis. Tenants who miss rent payments within six months of the civil emergency order (not the moratorium) ending are entitled to installment plans to repay their debt, under a 2020 council ordinance. First elected in 2012, Inslee is only the second person to serve three consecutive terms as the state's governor. Landlords will be able to move forward with evictions proceedings for other purposes,such as those listed in the Just Cause Eviction Ordinance. The CDC's announcement came one 2023 Cascade Public Media. Charlie Baker's house in Swampscott, Mass. Housing Justice Project managing attorney Edmund Witter said renters who receive an eviction notice should contact the Housing Justice Project right away, either throughits web form, by phone at 206-267-7069 or email, hjpstaff@kcba.org. Ballots are due February 14. We dont want to have success reopening our businesses, and then see a wave of homelessness, Inslee said in a news conference on states response to the pandemic. For tenants who have already applied for rent assistance, King County will continue to select recipients using a lottery system. Mayor Harrell will issue anExecutiveOrder extending theresidential evictionmoratoriumfrom February 14through February 28,after which the moratorium will not be renewed. On Feb. 28, Seattles COVID-19 residential and commercial eviction moratorium ended. 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. The Washington State Department of Commerce has committed to providing $66 million more to King County for rent relief. 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. Both landlords and tenant advocates have questions about how the state will define which counties can go ahead with evictions and when. All other King County jurisdictions: The risk of eviction proceedings increases starting Nov. 1, 2021, but protection is available. 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. Officials expect 7,000 to 8,000 tenants who applied to be left without help. According to data from King County and Washington state departments of health, as of Monday, February 14, 2022: . 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. HJP is the main provider of legal aid to low-income tenants in King County and also tracks evictions with a heat map visualization. The remaining funds, Velasco says, will be distributed by the end of March to Seattle households through the King County Eviction Prevention Rental Assistance Program that applied before Feb. 28. 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. We also expect to receive soon additional funds to continue operating the program into 2022, communication director Chase Gallagher said in an email. Still, housing advocates dispute if that last-minute surge equals a fully operational program. 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. 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. So far, 716 households have received about $6.4 million, according to Jackie Anderson, division manager at the Snohomish County Human Services Department. Were going to be the last-ditch effort and hopefully we can settle the case with funding for tenants facing eviction, Tran-Larson said. Eviction Moratorium Will Expire at the End of February 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. All information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. 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. 401 5th Ave., Suite 500 The county partnered with community-based organizations to do in-person outreach for the emergency rent relief program with people who might not have otherwise used the web portal. In an email, Inslee spokesperson Tara Lee wrote that The programs need to be operational so that a tenant or landlord could at least submit an application for assistance or request to participate in the resolution process.. 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: Jay Inslee Thursday announced an extension of the emergency ban on evictions through Sept. 30 in an effort to help Washington tenants navigate the economic fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic. 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. During the last two years, he has relied on gig work and, for a time, another restaurant job to make ends meet. King County Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program Rent Increases in King County . Seattle and all of Washington must extend the eviction moratorium 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. So just get a vaccination, Inslee added later. Updated fees for restitutions in Seattle metro and elsewhere in King County found byclicking here. Deciding which notice to provide would require the advice of an Attorney, Legal Counsel or Kings County Legal Aid. The citys emergency declaration is still in place. 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. But each Friday, she said, she received an email from the countys lottery-like system telling her, You were not selected this week.. If you receive an eviction summons in King County, contact the Housing Justice Project at 206-267-7069 or email hjpstaff@kcba.org. 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. Community Technology Advisory Board (CTAB), Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), 600 4th Ave, Seattle, WA, 7th Floor, Seattle, WA, 98104. What will happen on February 28 when the moratorium expires? We are not prepared to handle the influx of eviction that might happen at the end of the month.. Whether you are waiting for rent assistance in the Tenant Pool or currently in the process of being served, if your landlord issues you an eviction notice, help is available. Without that, I would be homeless not a question about that one, Rigdon said. If you receive a pay-or-vacate notice in Seattle, call the City's Renting in Seattle Helpline at (206) 684-5700 to make sure it's a valid notice. Rent is not canceled.. SEATTLE Seattle's eviction moratorium officially ended Monday, two years after it was enacted. If you receive an eviction summons in King County, contact theHousing Justice Projectat 206-267-7069 or emailhjpstaff@kcba.org. An additional $28 million of federal funds was approved in August and the City is already distributing these funds including to United Way King County. If your bridge protections are lifted on November 1st our communities will experience an increase in unsheltered homelessness and the millions in unexpended rental assistance funds will not be able to provide the safety-net that we all banked on.Protections under the bridge proclamation and your previous eviction moratorium have played a massive role in preventing homelessness. About 2,200 households have received an average of $9,000 per household, said spokesperson Kari Moore. The detectives' assistance will include enforcing the court order and ensuring the peace. (ERA). Tens of thousands of tenants have applied for rent assistance, but local officials will run out of funds before serving all of them. 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. All Rights Reserved. At this time, wecannot accept credit,debit cards or 2nd party checks. The governor first ordered the moratorium in March 2020, after broad swaths of economic and social life closed down amid the pandemic. 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. 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. Seattle, Burien, and Kenmore: These cities extended their eviction moratoriums to protect renters until January 15, 2022. The Eastside Legal Assistance Program can also provide legal help to tenants. They have protected vulnerable households and have prevented racial inequities from getting even worse. Giusts landlord, Laura Toepel, cant apply directly to the county for help because the countys program opened only to larger landlords this spring. About 47,400 households have applied for help, and the county no longer takes applications because it expects to run out of money before serving everyone who has applied. Need legal help or resources for renters, it's all here. The remaining $6 million of this first allocation has already been obligated to community-based organizations that are targeting rental assistance to BIPOC communities that may be left behind by other rental assistance programs. State Senator Joe Nguyen (D-West Seattle), who is running against Constantine for King County Executive, has argued Constantine should extend the eviction moratorium in unincorporated King County in order to protect tenants facing evictions. The King County Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program (EPRAP) helps residents behind in rent and utility payments due to COVID-19 hardships. The City and our partners can help renters and landlords understand their rights, responsibilities, and available resources. Learn about Seattles ongoing eviction protections. Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant called for the moratorium to continue through the end of the COVID-19 public health emergency. All the conditions that made that true are still true. 1655 North Fort Myer Drive Suite 700 Arlington, VA 22209. 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. Tenants who have not yet applied for rent assistance can join United Ways waitlist atuwkc.org/renthelp. For tenants who have already applied for rent assistance, King County will continue to select recipients using a lottery system. If you get an eviction notice, call the Renting in Seattle Helpline. Address: 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. An investigation found no hiring policies were violated but noted there is no consistent process for filling leadership positions. Please read Mayor Harrell's latest eviction moratorium announcement. Seattle's Mayor is the head of the Executive department. Washington's statewide eviction moratorium expires on June 30, leaving a large number of low-income and vulnerable residents at risk of eviction, even as they struggle to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. But expenses add up each month, especially for the car and phone necessary for delivery work. We talked road safety, social housing, zoning, and more. The Eastside Legal Assistance Program can also provide legal help to tenants. The citys Renting in Seattle hotline has also seen an influx of calls. Many King County services are continually adapting because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tenants and landlords can fin information at www.seattle.gov/EvictionAssistance. Confused about the eviction moratorium expiring? Here's where King Countys initial holdup, as we reported in early September, was that it opted to set up a new database and payment automating system to distribute rent assistance in an effort to help shield nonprofit partners from liability and reporting headaches that federal contracts entail. 2 dead, 1 critically wounded in shooting at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle, Think Seattle-area property taxes are rising fast? Washington Gov. Statewide, tenants do not have those defenses in court, but have some other protections. The landlord is responsible for providing the moving crew and all other needed items. Detectives will serve the tenant or post a residence with a writ of restitution or court order. #EvictionCrisis https://t.co/KToqQ8UjA8. According to Witter, a little over half of renters in King County arent showing up for their eviction court dates right now. 2 dead, 1 critically wounded in shooting at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle, Think Seattle-area property taxes are rising fast? Ultimately the rent remains due. 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. P.O. But there's one thing both must do immediately, without delay: Extend the city and state eviction moratoriums through the end of 2021. 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. But most of those funds are already spoken for before evictions resume. Seattle's COVID eviction moratorium extended into January 2022 If the tenant has not moved by the date on the writ of restitution or court order, the detectives will assist the landlord in evicting the tenant. The extension also prevents eligible small businesses and nonprofits from incurring late fees, interest, or other charges due to late payment during the moratorium. Seattle's Mayor is the head of the Executive department. Im extremely worried, of course, Rigdon said. Landlords can find information about state mitigation programs on the Department of Commerce website. Gov. Renters can also seek help from the Tenant Law Center at (206) 324-6890. 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. Lifting these protections early will put many, many households in harms way.At this point, all county rental assistance programs are operational and working hard to meet the massive need in their community. Visit the EPRAP Tenant Portal. But the days just before and after the end of the moratorium have brought an uptick in calls for help, service providers say. The problem that we have is I dont think a lot of people are going to access that. 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. Skip to main content Eviction for No Lease or End of Lease. Residential tenants who receive aneviction notice during the moratorium should contact the Renting in Seattle hotline at 2066845700. But if that pace remains, the state may not reopen earlier than June 30. Click on this link for fees effectiveFebruary 1, 2023. As part of receiving rent payments from King County, the landlord signed a Payment Agreement. Building a database to manage King Countys $145 million (with more on the way) has contributed to the delay, Ellerbrook said. The rest of the citys $25 million is being distributed by the countys other community-based organization partners, including Marys Place, El Centro de la Raza, Chief Seattle Club, Africatown International andmany others. Housing advocates said the city and county should be looking at a long-term solution as rental assistance and the eviction moratorium expire. However, when the state eviction moratorium protections were lifted, rent increases were no . To not issue late fees or additional charges for the payment period. Phone: (206) 684-4000. King County renters owe an average of $4,750 in back rent, the highest in Washington state. 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. Checkor money order should be made payable to "King County Sheriff." Both moratoriums were first proclaimed in mid-March 2020 . 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 . 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. Correction: This article has been updated with the correct amount of rent relief money King County has distributed since the start of the pandemic. Legislators, among other things, also expanded the program that attempts to resolve disputes between tenants and landlords before eviction. 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. The Civil Division is prohibited from providing legal advice. 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. Questions about the moratorium ending? Here is a King County tenant After June 30, people who are not vaccinated are still going to be required to wear masks in indoor settings when they go to work, he said. 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.