Washington

The King County’s homeless system has seen 445 cases of COVID-19 since March, with most of those cases occurring in the spring. Cases in Kings County have spiked in August, especially at homeless shelters. The Harborview Hall shelter in Seattle has seen 27 COVID-19 cases since the beginning of August.

A letter to the editor in the Kitsap Sun urges the Senate and White House to quickly enact a coronavirus relief package that includes emergency rental assistance and an eviction moratorium.

Updated on September 2, 2020.

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NLIHC has estimated a need for no less than $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and broke down the need and cost for each state (download Excel spreadsheet). 

In response to COVID-19 and its economic fallout, many cities and states are creating or expanding rental assistance programs to support individuals and families impacted by the pandemic, and NLIHC is tracking in-depth information on these programs.  

You can use the interactive map and searchable database to find state and local emergency rental assistance programs near you. You can also see the latest news on rental assistance programs through the state-by-state news tracker. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of all rental assistance programs as we continue to update frequently. If you are aware of a program not included in our database, please contact [email protected]. 

COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs
 

Across the country, homeless service providers are struggling to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to follow public health guidelines and help ensure people’s safety, some shelters are being forced to reduce services, restrict admittance, or close entirely. The loss of these critical resources puts people experiencing homelessness at even higher risk of illness. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of shelter closings.

Below is a list of shelters that have had to majorly alter services or completely close:

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Freezing Nights, the only overnight shelter program outside of Tacoma (in that county), announced Monday it would suspend shelter services this year.

The only daytime center in East Pierce County, the New Hope Resource Center, has reduced daily hours to 12 to 3 p.m. 

In the Seattle area, three homeless shelters operated by Union Gospel Mission closed on March 27, leaving 270 people quarantined inside the shelters for two weeks.

The Seattle Medium reports that while King County’s Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program (EPRAP) was slow to ramp up, data indicate that the program worked as intended and allowed thousands of households to stay in their homes during the pandemic. Over 75% of those who received assistance through EPRAP 2.0 were people of color. However, the risk of eviction is growing for many Seattle residents as the county wraps up its program due to dwindling state and federal rental assistance funds. More than 7,800 eligible households who applied to EPRAP 2.0 likely will not receive aid due to the lack of funds.

Updated on June 14, 2022

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The City of Spokane will receive nearly $5.6 million from the Washington State Department of Commerce to support its emergency rental assistance (ERA) program. Since June 2021, Spokane has distributed nearly $27 million in ERA funds to more than 2,740 households.

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly half of minority renters in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area do not feel confident that they can pay their rent. Rachael Myers, executive director of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, says that while the pandemic may have worsened this trend, it did not create it.

Crosscut reports that while evidence suggests fraud in federal emergency rental assistance (ERA) programs is rare, fears of fraud in some states have prevented tenants from receiving assistance. More than 1,000 residents in Thurston County applied or were approved for help before the county abruptly shut down the program due to rent relief fraud allegations. The decision to suddenly halt the county’s rental assistance program without a replacement provider left hundreds of tenants in uncertainty for several months.

The Olympian reports that many renters who have applied for rental assistance will likely remain in limbo for several more weeks as Thurston County’s new rental assistance provider continues processing a large backlog of applicants. The new provider, LiveStories, is prioritizing certain groups, including clients of the Eviction Resolution Pilot Program at the Dispute Resolution Center.

Updated on May 23, 2022

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The Spokane City Council narrowly approved an ordinance on January 10 that prevents landlords from seeking to evict a tenant awaiting a decision on their emergency rental assistance (ERA) application. The protections for tenants seeking ERA will remain in place through 2022.

Cowlitz County approved a $9.4 million contract with the Washington State Department of Commerce to administer the Eviction Rent Assistance Program (ERAP) 2.0 through June 2023. Over the last 16 months, the Lower Columbia Community Action Program has distributed about $6.9 million in rent and utility assistance to more than 1,300 households.

Updated on January 31, 2022

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The Reflector reports Community Mediation Services, a Clark County agency that provides landlord-tenant mediation, is seeing an influx of new cases after Washington State’s COVID-19 eviction protections ended on November 1. Legislation signed during the 2021 legislative session (Senate Bill 5160) established an Eviction Resolution Program that requires landlords and tenants to participate in mediation through a Dispute Resolution Center. The agency has increased staffing to handle the “tsunami” of new mediation cases.

Updated on December 13, 2021

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The City of Bellevue is offering landlord-tenant mediation and providing emergency rental assistance to keep families housed. The Bellevue Conflict Resolution Center, which has helped residents resolve disputes for years, is now helping landlords and tenants negotiate repayment plans through the state’s court-mandated Eviction Resolution Pilot Program.

Updated on November 15, 2021

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Governor Jay Inslee allowed the last of his COVID-related eviction protections to expire at the end of the month. Tenant advocates urged Governor Inslee to extend protections, highlighting that many renters are still behind on rent and face barriers to accessing ERA.

Tenants facing eviction across Washington state have a new right to free legal representation. Spokane County has certified its eviction resolution program and the right to counsel program, two requirements the state legislature enacted earlier this year. Advocates, including the Tenants Union of Washington, say tenants are often unaware of these new protections and their rights.

Advocates and officials say King County’s Eviction Protection Rental Assistance Program will have thousands of open applications after Washington state’s eviction moratorium bridge expires on October 31. The county is opening a pop-up resource center to help people apply for aid, conducting outreach in other languages, and partnering with 40 community organizations to reach households most at risk of eviction. The program has received 10,000 new applications in the last five weeks, and administrators expect there will be about 12,000 applications eligible for aid after the moratorium bridge expires, not including new applicants.

Updated on November 8, 2021

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King County’s Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program is urging renters to apply for aid now, despite a backlog in applications. County officials hope to assist 12,000 households by the end of October when Washington state’s eviction moratorium bridge is set to expire. The program has helped more than 4,650 households, but the county has received over 18,000 applications for aid.

Updated on October 19, 2021

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King County officials say the extension of Washington state’s eviction moratorium bridge will not provide enough time to address all emergency rental assistance (ERA) applications. Governor Jay Inslee extended the statewide moratorium bridge to October 31. King County, however, believes there will still be 6,000-8,000 ERA applications to address after it expires.

Updated on October 5, 2021

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The Seattle Times reports 60,000 Seattle-area renters are behind on rent, with most of those renters behind on multiple months’ worth of payments. Washington state’s eviction moratorium bridge is set to expire at the end of September. Housing groups are calling on Governor Jay Inslee to extend the moratorium bridge.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan on September 21 extended the city’s eviction moratorium through January 15, 2022. When Seattle’s eviction moratorium expires in January 2022, a new ordinance enacted in May 2020 will take effect, providing renters a six-month period in which they can be protected from eviction if they can demonstrate financial hardship due to the pandemic.
Updated on September 27, 2021

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As Washington State’s eviction bridge moratorium nears its expiration date, Pierce County has the highest eviction rate statewide. Starting September 30, Washington landlords will be allowed to evict tenants for nonpayment of rent; however, renters who submit a rental assistance application before that deadline will have additional time. Around 23,000 Pierce County households owe a combined $93 million in rent.

Updated on September 21, 2021

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The Seattle Times reports advocates for tenants and landlords sent a joint letter to King County Executive Dow Constantine on September 2 urging him to make immediate changes to the county’s emergency rental assistance (ERA) program. The letter urges the county to “immediately remove barriers and artificial delays to the program” by complying with Treasury’s revised guidance.

Washington State’s COVID-19 utility moratorium ends on September 30. State leaders are urging customers who are behind on energy and water bills to contact their utilities as soon as possible and make a plan to keep their services on. State officials and utility operators estimate more than 500,000 Washingtonians have overdue bills that could result in utility shut-off. Learn about available utility assistance.

Updated on September 14, 2021

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Governor Jay Inslee released a housing stability bridge proclamation, intended to bridge the gap between the expired eviction moratorium and new protections and programs created by the state legislature. The Washington Low Income Housing Alliance is reminding residents that this is not an extension of the eviction moratorium. See this graphic for more information.

Governor Jay Inslee announced on June 24 an extension of the statewide eviction moratorium through September 30. Under the new order, landlords will be prohibited from evicting tenants for past-due rent accrued during the pandemic until an emergency rental assistance (ERA) program and eviction-resolution program are operating in their county. Starting August 1, renters will be expected to pay full rent, unless they have negotiated an alternative plan with their landlord or are seeking ERA. Under the new order, landlords must offer tenants a repayment plan before the eviction process is initiated.

A petition organized by the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance is calling on Governor Inslee to reassess his quarterly approach to extending the state’s eviction moratorium. The petition, which includes signatures from about 150 housing and homelessness organizations, asks Governor Inslee’s office to make the eviction moratorium permanent and instead enact a plan to repeal the moratorium on a county-by-county basis if those counties meet certain criteria.
Updated on July 15, 2021

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The Spokesman-Review reports the city of Spokane has opened $6 million in federal rental assistance, as the state and federal eviction moratoriums are set to expire on June 30. The city’s rental assistance funding is divided among programs focused on different groups of renters within city borders – any household; households with minor children at risk of homelessness; landlords; and Black, Indigenous and people of color. 
Updated on June 14, 2021

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Seattle housing advocates are voicing concern about a potential tsunami of evictions when the state eviction moratorium expires at the end of June. Solid Ground, a Seattle-based organization that provides services to tenants in need, is warning that the end of Washington’s eviction moratorium could have wide-ranging, severe consequences for the Greater Seattle area.

The Seattle Times reports that King County will buy several hotels in the coming weeks to convert into permanent housing for people experiencing homelessness. The goal is to house 1,600 people in hotels by the end of 2022.
Updated on June 4, 2021

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The Seattle Times and Business Insider report that Washington is the first state in the U.S. to guarantee lawyers for low-income tenants facing eviction. Governor Jay Inslee signed a right to counsel guarantee as part of a larger bill aimed at preventing evictions when the federal eviction moratorium expires on June 30. The new law ensures free access to legal aid for tenants who receive public assistance or who have incomes 200% of the federal poverty level or below.

Updated on May 3, 2021

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The Yakima Herald reports that local advocates are bracing for a surge in homelessness when Washington state’s eviction moratorium expires on June 30, 2021. Yakima’s pre-existing affordable housing shortage is exacerbating the current housing crisis.

Updated on April 17, 2021

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Governor Jay Inslee extended Washington state’s eviction moratorium through June 30, 2021.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan on March 15 extended the city’s eviction moratorium through June 30, 2021. Extending the eviction moratorium provides housing stability for residents as new federal rent relief funds are distributed. In addition to the current proposal for $23 million for rental assistance, the City of Seattle has committed $18 million to rental assistance in addition to state and King County resources for landlords and tenants.

After weeks of disputes between Mayor Jenny Durkan and members of the Seattle City Council over whether the city would expand non-congregate shelter and rely on FEMA reimbursement to cover the costs, the city council unanimously approved $12 million to lease 200 hotel rooms and build some tiny homes to provide shelter to people experiencing homelessness. Seattle will seek reimbursement from FEMA for eligible costs and will pay for the remaining costs using funds from the American Rescue Plan or 2022 budget process. King County officials are also hoping FEMA will reimburse the more than 400 hotel rooms they have been operating during the pandemic.

Updated on March 31, 2021

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King County Superior Court Judge Johanna Bender rejected a landlord group’s challenge to three Seattle laws meant to protect renters from eviction when the COVID-19 eviction moratorium expires.

Updated on March 01, 2021

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The Spokesman-Review estimates thousands of renters in Spokane County could face eviction when Washington’s moratorium is lifted on March 31. In December and January, landlords in Spokane County filed eviction notices on 550 households. The Spokane County Bar Association estimates the county could see more than 2,000 eviction filings a month when the moratorium ends.

Updated on February 22, 2021

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Washington state lawmakers are scrambling to pass relief to avoid mass evictions when the state’s eviction moratorium expires on March 31. In addition to providing financial assistance, some Democratic lawmakers are proposing an informal package of bills that would freeze rent hikes, require housing providers to have a “just cause” to evict, guarantee a right to counsel for tenants facing eviction, and prevent rental debt from making it more difficult to obtain housing in the future.

Updated on February 17, 2021

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The Seattle Times reports that Washington lawmakers are seeking to end the eviction moratorium, while preventing a tsunami of evictions once it is lifted. The lawmakers are split on how to do so. While some have proposed a package of bills that could assist struggling renters, others are seeking to permanently alter the power dynamic between tenants and landlords.

Police in Olympia arrested seven individuals and removed dozens of homeless activists who were occupying a downtown hotel to secure housing for individuals experiencing homelessness. The group, Oly Housing Now, called on the Thurston County Health Department to apply for FEMA reimbursement for non-congregate sheltering.

Updated on February 08, 2021

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The Seattle Times discusses President Biden’s housing plan and how it could impact Seattle’s homelessness crisis. NLIHC President and CEO Diane Yentel says that with Democrats in control of the White House, Senate, and House, President Biden’s plan to make housing assistance an entitlement is achievable.

Updated on February 01, 2021

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Wisconsin housing advocates are hopeful about President Biden’s plan to extend the federal eviction moratorium and $1.9 trillion COVID relief proposal that would include additional housing and homelessness resources. Evictions in Milwaukee County, however, are moving forward, with 130 eviction filings for the week of January 4 through January 8.

A coalition of Wisconsin advocates – the Rural and Urban Communities United in Solidarity Coalition, North Side Rising, Our Wisconsin Revolution, and Rise Wisconsin – started a petition urging state leaders to enact a statewide eviction moratorium and provide critical housing resources. Between 35,000 and 75,000 Wisconsin households are at risk of eviction when the CDC moratorium is lifted.

Updated on January 25, 2021

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A low-income housing provider in North Idaho has agreed to pay $50,000 after evidence revealed that the company illegally threatened Spokane County tenants with eviction in April 2020, violating Governor Jay Inslee’s eviction ban.

Updated on January 25, 2021

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While Washington’s eviction moratorium is in place through March 31, advocates are concerned about the lack of a comprehensive plan to address the full rent and consumer debt tenants have accumulated during COVID-19. Approximately 60,000 to 140,000 Washington residents are at risk of eviction or mortgage default. The COVID-19 relief package enacted by Congress provides $25 billion in emergency rental assistance, but experts warn it is far from enough to meet the overwhelming need.

Rachael Myers of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance co-authored an op-ed in Crosscut outlining the urgent need for Washington legislators to address the impending but entirely preventable tsunami of evictions. The authors urge the governor to extend the state’s eviction moratorium to allow legislators to put longer-term solutions into place.

Updated on January 15, 2021

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A coalition of organizations is rushing to place individuals experiencing homelessness into hotels directly from the street using federal CARES Act funding that expires at the end of the year. King County allocated $4 million to the effort, called JustCARES, but the program is unlikely to spend the full amount before the deadline.

With federal relief money running out and Congress stalled on another stimulus package, Washington state lawmakers and housing officials fear a wave of evictions and an increase in homelessness in the coming months. 

A dispute between King County government officials and Renton city leaders about a Renton hotel currently housing people experiencing homelessness has escalated. While county leaders state that housing nearly 250 formerly homeless individuals at the hotel has been critical to slowing the spread of coronavirus, city officials argue that it has increased crime in the area.

Mary’s Place, a shelter in Seattle, is bracing for a rise in homelessness as the eviction moratorium nears its end. Mary’s Place started a rapid response fund as part of their annual “No Child Sleeps Outside” campaign to help families move quickly back into safe housing or remain housed during the pandemic.

Updated on December 9, 2020

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The Seattle Times reports that King County in partnership with the city of Seattle is opening a homeless shelter that will house nearly 300 people. According to Leo Flor, director of King County’s Department of Community and Human Services, the shelter will be able to house individuals temporarily residing in hotels when federal coronavirus relief expires at the end of the year.

Cowlitz County homeless service providers are bracing for a sharp increase in evictions when the statewide eviction moratorium expires at the end of the year.

Despite Washington’s statewide eviction moratorium, renters continue to be evicted amid the pandemic. Nearly 40 people were evicted through the King County court system in October.

Updated on November 17, 2020

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The Washington Department of Commerce launched the Washington COVID-19 Immigration Relief Fund. Immigrants who are not eligible for federal financial relief or unemployment insurance can receive a $1,000 one-time direct payment (up to $3,000 per household). Check out the Partner Outreach Toolkit. 

Updated on November 4, 2020

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Early findings from a study of King County’s initiative to move people out of shelters and into hotel rooms demonstrate the efforts helped slow the transmission of the coronavirus. Individuals who moved to area hotels also reported improved physical and mental health, as well as the ability to focus on long-term goals rather than solely focusing on day-to-day survival.

Updated on October 26, 2020

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Governor Jay Inslee extended Washington’s statewide eviction moratorium through the end of the year.

Updated on October 19, 2020

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The Bellingham Herald examines housing advocates’ concerns that without additional eviction protections and resources, Washington will see a surge of evictions and increased homelessness. The Washington Low Income Housing Alliance continues urging state officials to extend the eviction moratorium, currently set to expire on October 15, to March 2021 and couple the moratorium with significant rental assistance.

Updated on October 14, 2020

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In an article in Becker’s Hospital Review, the president and CEO of Catholic Charities Eastern Washington discusses why mass evictions will cause a healthcare crisis in addition to a homelessness crisis.

Updated on September 29, 2020

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Several Seattle landlords have filed lawsuits against eviction moratoriums enacted by the city and state of Washington. Governor Jay Inslee extended a statewide moratorium on residential evictions through October 15, and Mayor Jenny Durkan extended an order from March prohibiting Seattle landlords from evicting residents through December 31.

Updated on September 22, 2020

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A motel voucher program run by Snoqualmie Valley Shelter Services to provide shelter for people experiencing homelessness during the pandemic has demonstrated the effectiveness of the housing first model. 

Updated on September 15, 2020

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WAMU explains what the CDC’s eviction moratorium means for tenants and landlords in Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. The article discusses advocates’ concerns about the new order, linking to tweets about the action from NLIHC’s Diane Yentel. 

Updated on September 10, 2020

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As fall approaches, COVID-19 cases are rising among people experiencing homelessness in King County. According to the latest point in time count, 64% of people experiencing homelessness in the county have one or more health conditions, increasing their vulnerability to the coronavirus.

Updated on September 10, 2020.

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Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan on August 14 signed an executive order extending the city’s eviction moratorium until December 31, 2020.

King County launched a $41.4 million rental assistance and eviction prevention program in partnership with community organizations. The county is accepting interest forms from tenants, small landlords, large property landlords and managers, manufactured home park owners and managers, and local nonprofits who wish to participate in the program.

Updated on August 25, 2020.

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A letter to the editor in the Spokesman-Review urges people to contact their senators and demand that they pass the critical provisions in the House-passed HEROES Act. The author also asks Representative McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) to encourage Senate Republicans to enact the rent relief, eviction moratorium, unemployment assistance, and other relief funds that were included in the HEROES Act.

Updated on August 19, 2020.

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The Washington State Department of Commerce announced on August 3 that it is distributing approximately $100 million in CARES Act funding to community agencies that will operate rental assistance programs.

Updated on August 13, 2020.

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Federal CARES Act assistance, including the supplemental $600 unemployment assistance, has helped thousands of Washington residents from falling under the federal poverty level. “If we hadn’t had that $600, we’d be homeless,” said one Washington resident. The supplemental unemployment benefit expires July 31, and the Senate Republican proposal released this week would reduce the extra benefit.

Urge your legislators to enact the critical housing and homelessness priorities in the HEROES Act and the “Emergency Housing Protections Relief Act of 2020” in the next coronavirus relief package through the Washington Housing Alliance’s action portal. 

Updated on August 4, 2020.

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Seattle is allocating $13 million from the Washington State Department of Commerce COVID-19 Emergency Housing Grant to help people experiencing homelessness amid the pandemic.

Updated on July 28, 2020.

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Legislators, housing advocates, and tenants are hopeful that Governor Jay Inslee will extend Washington’s moratorium, which is currently set to expire August 1. While the state has earmarked $100 million from the CARES to provide rental assistance, advocates argue that this is not enough to prevent a massive wave of evictions.

The Seattle Medium highlighted findings from NLIHC’s Out of Reach 2020 report and discussed advocates’ concerns about how the pandemic will impact low-income renters. “COVID-19, job losses, and rent burden are all hitting Black, Indigenous, and Latinx communities the hardest. Without bold action from Congress and the state, thousands of people will lose their homes, homelessness will spike, and communities already struggling will be harmed the most,” said Rachael Myers, executive director of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, an NLIHC state partner.

Updated on July 20, 2020.

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Survey data reveals that nearly one in five Seattle-area renters doubt they can afford their July rent.

Updated on July 7, 2020.

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Pierce County granted the city of Puyallup and local nonprofits $461,834 in federal CARES Act funding, which will be used to provide sanitation and hygiene supplies for people experiencing homelessness and rental assistance to households on the brink of becoming homeless.

Updated on June 29, 2020.

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Governor Jay Inslee announced on June 4 that Washington has enough COVID-19 tests to expand testing to new populations, including those living in congregate settings, such as agricultural sites, long-term care facilities, low-income housing, and homeless shelters.

On June 2, Governor Jay Inslee modified and extended Washington's eviction moratorium through August 1. Read Proclamation 20-19.2.

The Grays Harbor County Board of Health decided that the temporary encampment behind Aberdeen City Hall does not qualify as a necessary public health response to COVID-19 and, as a result, does not qualify for any of the $390,000 that the state provided the county for housing relief.

Updated on June 12, 2020.

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The Lewis County Board of Commissioners approved $220,000 in funding to shelter people experiencing homelessness, with $120,000 stemming from COVID-19 relief funds distributed by the state Department of Commerce and $100,000 from federal CARES Act funding.

Advocacy groups in Washington are urging Governor Jay Inslee to extend the state’s temporary bans on utility cutoffs and evictions, which are set to expire next week. The state moratorium on utilities expires June 4, and Washington’s eviction moratorium expires June 1. Rachael Myers of the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, an NLIHC state partner, expressed concerns that without an eviction moratorium and rental assistance, the state will experience significant increases in evictions and homelessness.

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Bremerton Mayor Greg Wheeler announced that additional federal funds for the Bremerton COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program have been made available. An additional $268,383 from the CARES Act was allocated to the city, and the council approved spending the funds on a rental assistance program.

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A King County press release announced that COVID-19 cases among people experiencing homelessness are rising. Seattle and King County reported 112 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among people experiencing homelessness or working in homeless service sites.

According to data released by the Department of Human Services, COVID-19 is impacting how Seattle’s Navigation Team is approaching homelessness. The Navigation Team is focused on a public health approach rather than moving people experiencing homelessness into shelters. They are acting under a policy that restricts sweeping encampments during the pandemic.

President Trump approved a major disaster declaration for Washington State unlocking additional resources for Coronavirus response.

Washington’s Department of Commerce is dispensing emergency housing grants to each county in the state. Each county will receive at least $250,000.

Kitsap County in Washington will be opening two additional facilities to assist individuals experiencing homelessness that tested positive for COVID-19 or are awaiting results. One of the centers will be designated for families.

Approximately, 11,100 people in the Seattle area do not have homes, and, in many cases, access to basic hygiene services. City and county efforts have focused on three areas: opening new overnight shelters to decrease crowding in existing shelters, creating isolation, quarantine and recovery units, and installing additional hygiene services for people living outside.

In Seattle, twenty-seven people living in the 12 King County homeless shelters have tested positive for COVID-19. While the number of new cases in the general population has dropped, the county public health department believes the outbreak has not yet peaked among the homeless population.

Washington State Department of Commerce announced $5 million in emergency grants is now available to the 29 federally recognized tribes in the state to bolster their response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Seatle

The Seattle City Council is introducing an emergency budget amendment to more narrowly define when encampments can be removed during the pandemic. This comes after a recent removal of an encampment in Ballard.

Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan announced on May 11 the allocation of nearly $4 million in federal CARES Act Community Development Block Grant (CDBG-CV), Emergency Solutions Grants, and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS funding to provide rental assistance.

Olympia

The Olympia City Council allocated $310,000 of more than $1.1 million of CDBG funds  to shelter, housing and human services programs. Of the total amount, $110,000 will fund the homeless response coordinator position, $100,000 for mitigation site hygiene, and $100,000 for the Downtown Ambassadors program. Olympia received $237,383 in supplemental CDBG funds as part of the CARES Act, as well as carried $580,000 of FY19 funds into this year. The city will gain access to $350,000 of its regular 2020 allocation in September. 

King County

King County launched a new modular pilot shelter in Seattle’s Interbay neighborhood as part of its efforts to reduce density in congregate shelters. The modular shelter offers safe housing, 24/7 on-site access to health and behavioral health care, showers and laundry facilities, and meals.

Seattle's Downtown Emergency Service Center has successfully met the CDC guidelines for social distancing throughout their shelter programs while maintaining the same daily availability of 508 beds. They have shared their preparation and action strategies with the public.  

Federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums are rapidly expiring and the CARES Act supplemental unemployment benefits will end soon; at that time, millions of low-income renters will be at risk of losing their homes. The NLIHC estimates at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance is needed to keep low-income renters stably housed during and after the pandemic. This tracker links to news reports of the growing evictions crisis in various cities and states. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of eviction updates.

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Current eviction protections over all tenants except in cases of emergency. Landlords are required to over payment plans for renters if they are behind on rent. Landlords cannot initiate evictions, and law enforcement cannot executive eviction orders except in case of emergency. But hearings are still happening, and judgements are not stayed. 

Updated: August 1

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In the third week of July, 1 in 5 adults in Washington reported they had missed their previous housing payment or had little confidence they would make their next one on time, according to a weekly survey conducted by the Census. In the same survey, over a quarter of a million renters reported they had not paid their previous rental payment.

Updated: July 29

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According to a weekly survey by the Census, 1 in 5 adults in the state either missed their last housing payment or have little/no confidence of being able to make next month’s housing payment.

Seattle

One in 5 renters in Seattle doubt they can make July’s rent.

June 26

Updated: July 16