First elected in 2012, Inslee is only the second person to serve three consecutive terms as the state's governor. The federal government has some emergency rent relief funding left to distribute, but its unlikely Congress will appropriate morefederal funds in the near future. Neighboring counties like Snohomish and Pierce County implemented their programs manually and were quicker to get money out the door. Apply online or call their helpline: 425-747-7274 (English) 425-620-2778 (espaol). 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. Matt Hutchins was our November guest. Despite the resources offered by the city, Tram Tran-Larson, the community engagement manager with the Housing Justice Project, believes the end of the eviction moratorium may lead to tens of thousands of evictions. We are excited to have a definitive end date to the eviction moratorium, to allow the regulations that have been passed to take hold and to see an ability to move forward and away from the pandemic, said Waller of the Washington Multi-Family Housing Association. In incorporated cities, it will fall on the local mayors or city councils to extend eviction moratoriums. For nearly two years, Seattles eviction moratorium helped tenants who fell behind on rent avoid eviction and drew criticism from landlords who said they were struggling to cover their own bills. Landlords are required to notify tenants of the installment option. For tenants who have already applied for rent assistance, King County will continue to select recipients using a lottery system. The latest expiration . The executive order also extends certain suspensions put in place to limit the economic impact of the pandemic on Seattle residents and small businesses. Seattle's Mayor is the head of the Executive department. 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. Download: Adobe PDF. The numbers are so low, the EOC has stopped collecting data on it this week. Visit the Partner Resources page on the King County EPRAP website. The City and our partners can help renters and landlords understand their rights, responsibilities, and available resources. 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. In January, it received 343 calls and in February the number jumped to 527. Rigdon said he lost work at the Westin downtown early in the pandemic when hotels and restaurants were hard hit by shutdown orders. Everyones in panic mode of what to do and whos going to get served with remaining rent assistance funds, said Lauren McGowan, associate vice president of United Way of King County. Fully lifting the moratorium and allowing evictions for nonpayment of rent is expected to unleash a larger wave of evictions that have built up over the course of a year and a half eviction moratorium that also included a statewide rent freeze until the Governors less restrictive bridge order in late June. King County received $145 million in rent assistance from the Federal government to distribute to tenants in what could be a godsend for many. Legal help:If you receive a pay-or-vacate notice in Seattle, call the citysRenting in Seattle Helplineat 206-684-5700 to make sure its a valid notice. The Countys proclamation appears a signal to Governor Inslee that its OK to let the moratorium lapse. Washington Administrative Code This timeline protects tenants from evictions for non/late payments throughmid-June2022. Distributed Federal Rental Relief Funds:King County: 4.5%Pierce: 59%Snohomish: 47%We have the money. All information, content, and materials available on this site are for general informational purposes only. But overall, the rollout of rent assistance has been slow. 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. (Interpreters are available.). Meanwhile, landlords under the new order must offer tenants a repayment plan before the eviction process is started. The program could help even more tenants based on volume, with nearly three times as many tenants applied than have received assistance so far. On Feb. 22, the Seattle City Council voted 5-3 against a proposal to extend the moratorium for the eighth time since March 2020. OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) Washington Gov. For cases filed in General District Court, the average cost is $110. Phone: (206) 684-4000. What does this mean for renters, landlords, and property managers?Renters continue to have a number of eviction protections detailed below. The citys emergency declaration is still in place. The number of positive Covid cases in King County is 90.2 cases per 100,000 people, according to the latest statistics . Seattle Times staff reporter Joseph OSullivan covers state government and the Legislature. Extension language in the writ or an order allowing us additional time, will be necessary. Pierce County has so far spent about $19 million for rent and utility help, of roughly $69 million from various sources, according to the county. Correction: This article has been updated with the correct amount of rent relief money King County has distributed since the start of the pandemic. 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. We led the way as the first major US city to be impacted by COVID-19. . State officials meanwhile continue to prod residents to get vaccinated. Thanks to new laws passed by the state and the city of Seattle, low-income tenants facing eviction are guaranteed free legal support from an attorney. Everybodys kind of confused about what they can and cannot do, Simpson said. The stress has been unbelievable.. There is some hope that King County could get more rent relief money from the state and perhaps the federal government. Meanwhile, King County plans to stop accepting new applications for pandemic-related rent assistance on the same day Seattle's eviction moratorium will end, on Feb. 28. Statewide, tenants do not have those defenses in court, but have some other protections. Monday-Friday8:30am-4:30pm. Watch the video. Today we are at 68.1%, yesterday we were at 68.0% so were making progress, theres no doubt about it, Shah said during the news conference. Mailing Address: The catch is that King County has been lagging behind other counties in disbursing those funds. 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. Rigdon fell behind on rent for months and received about $16,000 in rent assistance last year, he said. Ballots are due February 14. In the spring, the Legislature and Inslee approved a host of programs aimed at preventing a cascade of foreclosures and evictions. 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. 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. Seattle's COVID-19 eviction moratorium expired on February 28, 2022. That includes the Washington Multi-Family Housing Association, which pushed for the eviction ban to end June 30. King County has $90M remaining of the $145M in federal rent assistance funds they received. United Way of King County has launched a service on its website to alert tenants to new financial help if it becomes available. Housing advocates said the city and county should be looking at a long-term solution as rental assistance and the eviction moratorium expire. That action included directing $658 million in federal aid dollars through the new state budget, which takes effect July 1, for rental assistance. Advocates, attorneys and mediators will begin to get a better idea of the scale of Seattle evictions later this month. For tenants who have already applied for rent assistance, King County will continue to select recipients using a lottery system. Mailing Address: But expenses add up each month, especially for the car and phone necessary for delivery work. 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. 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. As recently as last week they are still doing database trainings for community-based organization providers. There are still options.. Connect with services that can help with rental assistance, shelter, legal referrals, housing assistance, and more. Im extremely worried, of course, Rigdon said. The advance fee for service of the writ includes one hour of the detective's time at the eviction. Landlords are required to include this information on 14-day notices. For additional questions please see the Office of Economic DevelopmentsCOVID-19 Lease Amendment Tool Kit. And almost 169,000 renters express no confidence in their ability to pay next months rent. Call 211 to learn more. 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: Yet BIPOC renters and organizations report significant barriers and difficulties in accessing these funds that are being made more difficult by language barriers, technology barriers and workforce issues being experienced at the nonprofit and county level.Undoubtedly, those most impacted by prematurely lifting the eviction bridge will be those historically most marginalized. United Way received $6 million of that to distribute to Seattle households that applied through the county eviction prevention portal. 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White Center renter Annalisa Giust, who said she owes more than $10,000, applied for King Countys rental assistance last fall. Watch the video. Posting comments is now limited to subscribers only. State Health Secretary Umair Shah said hes hopeful the state can still hit its goal before June 30. Renters can also seek help from the Tenant Law Center at (206) 324-6890. 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. The new ban removes some types of housing from the existing order, including hotels and motels, Airbnbs, long-term care facilities and other nontraditional housing. The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times. The problem that we have is I dont think a lot of people are going to access that. "We've done about all we can do," Inslee said. The Eastside Legal Assistance Program can also provide legal help to tenants. King Countys tally for 2021 is currently at 674. Additional information can be found in theProcedures for Writs of Restitution. So far, 716 households have received about $6.4 million, according to Jackie Anderson, division manager at the Snohomish County Human Services Department. Checkor money order should be made payable to "King County Sheriff." OLYMPIA Gov. Because the need for help greatly exceeds existing funding, King County stopped taking new eviction prevention program applications on Feb. 28. 600 4th Ave, Seattle, WA, 7th Floor, Seattle, WA, 98104 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 everyone landlords and tenants.. . Seattle, Burien, and Kenmore: These cities extended their eviction moratoriums to protect renters until January 15, 2022. McCoy is advocacy director of Real Change and leads the House Our Neighbors campaign that crafted the Seattle social housing initiative. Executive Constantine touted the EPRAPs successes in his release. 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. Evictions (writs of restitution) - King County An eviction (Writ of Restitution) involves a tenant being court ordered to leave a residence. I wouldnt really say that were ready on our end because there have been so many issues, Tran-Larson said. The site closed this month, leaving her looking for full-time work again, she said. 21/30-Day Notice to Quit ( Non-Compliance) - If a tenant has . Skip to main content Search kingcounty.govSearch KingCounty.gov Home How do I. We are not prepared to handle the influx of eviction that might happen at the end of the month.. (Interpreters are available.). 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. In this Oct. 14, 2020, file photo, housing activists erect a sign in front of Massachusetts Gov. Josh Cohen is Crosscut's city reporter. 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. He lives in East Fremont and loves to explore the city on his bike. The Housing Justice Project estimates 5,000 to 7,000 households could be left behind when funding runs out. We rely on donations from readers like you to sustain Crosscut's in-depth reporting on issues critical to the PNW. If the Executive continues to fail on getting out rental relief he needs to extend the moratorium for unincorporated areas. 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. People still dont make enough money to afford housing.. 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 program also targets people of color, withnumerous reportsfindingthat people of color account for disproportionate numbers of evictions locally and nationally. Box 94749, Seattle, WA, 98124-4749 The well-paid front-of-house work he depended on still hasnt fully returned to pre-pandemic levels, he said. If you receive an eviction summons in King County, contact the Housing Justice Project at 206-267-7069 or email hjpstaff@kcba.org. Fees are payable in advance. Both landlords and tenant advocates have questions about how the state will define which counties can go ahead with evictions and when. To not issue late fees or additional charges for the payment period. HJP is the main provider of legal aid to low-income tenants in King County and also tracks evictions with a heat map visualization. Phone: (206) 684-5700 Weve done about all we can do, Inslee said. Legislators, among other things, also expanded the program that attempts to resolve disputes between tenants and landlords before eviction. Landlord and tenant advocates both agree that for any tenant facing eviction, communication and following the rules will be key. 2 dead, 1 critically wounded in shooting at Cal Anderson Park in Seattle, Think Seattle-area property taxes are rising fast? 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.. Phone: 206-684-4000. However, Harrell's office said it's difficult to track the number of people who have benefited from the moratorium. 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. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer). Fortunately, our eviction moratorium has withstood initial legal challenges in King County Superior court as it is directly tied to the COVID-19 public health crisis." 5680 King Centre Drive . Rent is not canceled.. Mayor Harrell will issue anExecutiveOrder extending theresidential evictionmoratoriumfrom February 14through February 28,after which the moratorium will not be renewed. and service fees can vary based on the county. Evictions for lease violations do not have those requirements, meaning those eviction cases can move faster. HJP received assurances the County would go back and double check for erroneous rejections, which could be why the rate is so high. Landlords can, once again, serve their tenants eviction notices for nonpayment of rent, but renters facing eviction still have several city- and state-mandated protections to help them stay in their homes. A recent joint NPR and Harvard report finds significant growth in hardship by race and income: The majority of Black, Indigenous and Latinx households report facing serious financial hardship and many report losing all of their savings over the last several months.Washingtons renters are on the brink of instability and the only thing preventing a massive increase in evictions and homelessness are the extra protections put in place while rental assistance gets distributed. Landlords can find information about state mitigation programs on theDepartment of Commerce website. Find information about your rights and how the eviction process works at washingtonlawhelp.org. If your landlord issues you an eviction notice, Housing Justice Project will provide you free legal counsel. Watch the video. 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 . Currently, 21,761 tenants have been selected for service and referred to a caseworker to process their application. Watch the video. 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. Ill have to get on that and just work as hard as possible, Rigdon said. even as Washingtons economy starts to rebound, remaining state restrictions will lift June 30. 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 . Address: Tiffani McCoy was our January guest to talk Initiative 135. Featured Links. 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. 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. The Utility Discount Programs Self-Certification Pilot Program, as announced in Executive Order 2020-03, willbe extended through October 31, 2021. Additionally, please provide our office with all items listed on theWrit of Restitution Intake Sheet. 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. Both moratoriums were first proclaimed in mid-March 2020 .