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Dear Maureen,
Over the past year and a half, there have been so many moments I’ve felt like we are standing at the edge of a cliff. Some times more than others, we have known what to do to avoid falling – and done it. Right now we are inching back to the edge of that cliff.
During two weeks in August alone, 173,589 renters in Washington reported being behind on rent; and over 60,000 reported feeling that it was likely they would be evicted within the next two months.
If eviction protections are not extended through the end of the year, we will see a massive wave of evictions sweep across our state, leaving thousands of people and families without a home. Renters of color – especially Black renters and Latinx renters – are
disproportionately at risk. So are families with children under 18. A new wave of homelessness will double down on the disparities our state already faces. We can’t let this happen.
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Earlier this summer we asked for protections to be extended to the end of the year. Many of you joined in that ask because we knew September 30th wouldn’t be long enough. Despite
that, across Washington our service providers worked fast to get everything in place – but we’re just not there yet. Our homeless response system has been working above and beyond since before the pandemic, and we all need more time.
Governor Inslee and our state lawmakers have the power to protect those who are at risk, but they need to hear from you how important it is or they won’t take action. We know that they are hearing from those who oppose tenant
protections – we must raise our voices as well. Join us today in letting our lawmakers know that renter protections against eviction MUST be extended through the end of the year – at least. Let’s add our state to the growing list of those who are standing
up to protect their tenants.
Take
action today to urge Governor Inslee to extend eviction protections through the end of the year. After you’ve taken action, if you’re a renter, a service provider, someone experiencing homelessness, or have a housing-related story to share, we invite you
to
tell us about your experience on this form. We want to hear what's needed in your community as we shape our state policy priorities for the upcoming 2022 state legislative session!
In solidarity,
Sarah
Sarah Cohn
Eviction Prevention Coordinator
Washington Low Income Housing Alliance
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