Washington Legislators: Eviction Moratorium Ends June 30, Tenants Given Time to Pay

With an estimated 211,000 Washington renters behind in payments, the Washington House and Senate have passed two bills that are now awaiting Governor Jay Inslee's review. 

The first, Senate Bill 5160 would:

• End the eviction moratorium June 30
• Not allow landlords to collect late fees following the moratorium end
• Not allow reporting of unpaid rent to new landlords or credit reporting agencies
• Prohibit the denial of housing based on past medical history
• Require that repayment plans not require more than 1/3 of a single month's rent be added on to future payments.
• Provide tenants with the right to counsel in eviction cases - a national first
• Authorizes landlord access to state rental assistance programs

And while Washington State is estimated to receive $454 million for housing relief from the federal stimulus bill, it could take months to arrive and be distributed. 

House Bill 1236 would require landlords to provide a legitimate business reason before throwing a tenant out. This bill enacts statewide just cause eviction requirements and would eliminate the fixed-term lease. 

Broadly speaking, just cause eviction creates adversarial relationships between housing providers and tenants, pits neighbor against neighbor, and makes it more difficult to address minor nuisance issues. More importantly, just cause eviction does not prevent evictions.

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