Inslee extends eviction moratorium bridge for state residents through October

Governor Jay Inslee announced September 23 Washington’s eviction moratorium bridge will be extended until the end of October to allow counties time to get relief funds to renters.

The bridge was set to expire at the end of September but will now expire 11:59 p.m. on October 31.

“We are hearing that counties need a little more time to be able to effectuate the rental relief that is available today to citizens,” Inslee said in the September 23 press conference.

Under the bridge, renters are expected to pay rent in full, but those who are unable can work with their landlords to negotiate a reduced rent or payment plan and actively seek financial assistance, according to the governor’s office. The state requires landlords to offer reasonable repayment plans before any eviction process.

Landlords intending to sell or move into the property are allowed to evict tenants with a 60-day notice.

They must also provide information to tenants regarding their right to legal council. The governor said Washington is one of the first states to make such a
requirement.

The eviction moratorium was enacted at the beginning of the pandemic to help struggling tenants who lost income. Inslee has extended the moratorium several times over the last year and a half.

The Rental Housing of Washington and the Multifamily Housing Associated of Washington released a joint statement Thursday saying, “This moratorium is being extended on the backs of housing providers due to government moving at a glacial pace to distribute rental assistance funds. State and local government must work together with housing providers to prevent evictions for non-payment of rent instead of consistently blaming housing providers for a broader societal problem.”