There are small landlords and many tenants unaware of what is covered in Governor Inslee’s moratorium on evictions that will expire March 31. 

Read the full proclamation: https://www.governor.wa.gov/sites/default/files/proclamations/proc_20-19.5.pdf?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery.

Specifically it addresses the issue of evictions due to non-payment of rent because of impacts of COVID-19. There is also a prohibition “from increasing, or threatening to increase, the rate of rent for any dwelling or parcel of land occupied as a dwelling.”

The proclamation ends with the governor asking legislator’s to work to stem the tsunami of evictions that are expected by providing mechanisms for tenants and landlords to work out terms for repayment and continuing to allow people to stay housed. 

With this in mind Washington’s Low Income Housing Alliance, www.wliha.org/take-action, is urging people to ask your lawmakers to vote yes on SHB 1236 and 2SSB 2160.

SHB 1236 requires landlords to have a legitimate business reason to evict which “will improve housing stability by closing loopholes that allow landlords to get around all tenant protections” which is critical for rental assistance to work. Otherwise landlords can cash a rental assistance check one day, then evict a tenant the next.”

2SSB 5160 provides low-income tenants access to counsel and support to assert their rights and save their home; “2SSB 5160 also provides other critical protections including realistic payment plans, access to mediation and protections against future housing denials for tenants unable to pay during the pandemic.”

As a community we are facing a massive increase in homelessness (37 percent, according to Representative Tharinger). 

‘We will all be negatively impacted and must join together to support each other. One way of doing this is to get involved with the Housing Solutions Network (https://housingsolutionsnetwork.org/).

Julia Cochrane
Housing Solutions Network and Winter Welcoming Center volunteer
PORT TOWNSEND