(SEATTLE) On Thursday, Gov. Jay Inslee announced a “bridge proposition” plan to help transition Washington out of its eviction moratorium by Sept. 30.
Inslee explained during the press conference that the eviction moratorium put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic will transition to housing stability programs implemented by the state legislature, KGW reports.
Currently, the eviction moratorium is scheduled to expire on June 30.
The bridge proposition seeks to take advantage of the more than $1 million in federal funds available for states to provide renters with assistance. While Washington's Eviction Resolution Pilot Program and the Right to Counsel program are not up and running yet, the proposition anticipates these programs will be made available for all tenants in the state.
Inslee emphasized that the proposition is not an extension of the existing moratorium, which will have added provisions starting July 1.
Some of the new provisions include:
- For past due rent between Feb. 29, 2020 and July 31, 2021, landlords cannot evict a tenant until there is an operational rental assistance program and eviction resolution program in that county.
- Starting Aug. 1, renters are expected to pay full rent, a negotiated amount with their landlord or seek rental assistance. A landlord cannot evict a tenant if they’re taking any of these actions.
- Landlords must provide tenants with past-due rent from the moratorium with a reasonable payment plan before eviction. Tenants must also receive a written statement that includes the support and services available to them.
Inslee removed certain housing types from the eviction moratorium, including hotels, Airbnbs, long-term care facilities and non-traditional housing.
He was joined during the press conference by this week’s $250,000 COVID-19 vaccine lottery prize winner Marissa P. from Spokane.