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Category: Landlord-Tenant

Legal Aid for Indigent Tenants Facing Evictions

The passage of SB 5160 charged the Office of Civil Legal Aid (OCLA) with developing a plan to implement Washington State’s first-in-the-Nation program to provide no-cost legal representation for indigent tenants facing evictions.  OCLA has met the challenge and presented its plan to the Legislature ahead of its 90-day deadline.  The plan will bring to life Washington State’s historic Right to Counsel law.  It gives priority to those counties where evictions happen most frequently and will enable over 60 Right to Counsel (RTC) attorneys to provide full-time defense for qualified tenants.  Read more about the presentation of the plan here.  Tenants who are threatened with eviction should contact the Eviction Defense Screening Line at 855-657-8387 or apply on-line at https://nwjustice.org/apply-online.

Important Changes to Landlord Tenant Laws

The Washington Legislature recently passed a number of important changes to the state’s landlord-tenant laws (generally, at RCW 59.18).  These changes include things like standards for rent repayment plans (as long as the state eviction moratorium is in effect), help for low-income tenants to get legal assistance, support for Eviction Resolution Pilot Programs and a prohibition against “no cause” evictions.

 

The Northwest Justice Project has put together a very good summary of the changes HERE.

Information about King County’s Eviction Resolution Program can be found HERE.

You can find a link to an Eviction Defense Helper HERE.

Behind on Rent? King County Announces New Assistance

Low income residents of King County who are behind on their rent can now apply for a new assistance program.  Recipients will be selected in a weekly lottery-style drawing and can can receive up to 12 months of total rent – including up to three months of future rent.  To qualify for the aid, applicants must be experiencing COVID-related hardships and housing instability.

You can read the entire Seattle Times article HERE.

Renters can apply for the help here: https://rent-help.kingcounty.gov/

White House Fights to Increase Access to Legal Aid

Having legal representation can make all the difference in the world – from keeping someone in their home, to securing proper citizenship status, to protecting people against consumer fraud.  This week, the White House announced that it was reinvigorating federal efforts to provide that critical aid – including a request of $1.5 billion in funding for state and local justice systems.

 

You can read the White House announcement HERE.

The Associated Press story can be read HERE.

 

Summary of Eviction Protections

In response to COVID-19, governments and agencies at various levels have instituted protections for both residents and small businesses.  Things such as eviction moratoria rental assistance programs continue to be extended and modified, but it’s sometimes hard to keep track of them all.  Local attorneys have created a helpful guide that summarizes what’s in place as of January 4, 2021.

The announcement and guide and be found HERE.

If You’re Facing Eviction, You May Be Protected

A recent order from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) prohibits evictions due to an inability to pay – under certain circumstances.  The Suffolk University Law School has created an interactive questionnaire to help people decide whether they qualify under the federal guidelines.  It also generates a declaration that you can share with your landlord.

To qualify, you must be under a certain income limit, be unable to pay housing costs due to a substantial loss of income, and not have a suitable housing alternative.

While most of the interactive forms are specific to Massachusetts state courts, the protections afforded by the CDC order apply nationally – including here in Washington State.

To see if you qualify, access the Eviction Moratorium Assistant HERE.

There is more information about the CDC eviction protections HERE.