We sent this email to Governor Inslee about rent relief. Bottom line? We can solve the problem of unpaid rent without eviction bans.

Dear Governor Inslee, 

Happy Holidays! I understand from reading the Seattle Times that you extend the state’s eviction ban until the 31st of March of 2021. In Seattle because of legislation passed there, this ensures that the ban will continue for all of 2021. I’m sure you knew that. 

I’m sure you also know that the relief bill passed by congress on Sunday, the one I referenced in my last letter, has $25 billion for rent relief that is to be paid to housing providers. Did you know that about $506 million is coming to Washington State (see attached). 

Now I don’t make a practice of believing what I read in the Seattle Times (a longer story I’d love to tell you) but let’s go with their numbers in the story I read here: https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/homeless/gov-inslee-to-extend-washington-statewide-eviction-moratorium-to-march-31/

“In Washington, more than 181,000 households are estimated by the survey to have fallen behind on rent payments — more than 11% of households in the state that rent.”

Our own analysis (which I’m sure you have considered) found about $26 million in unpaid rent in the state’s six most populous counties as of May of this year. If that figure increased by four times we’d have about $100 million in unpaid rent in Washington state, about the amount you allocated from CARES act funding to rent relief already, money that few if any housing providers have seen. 

But forget about our numbers, let’s go back to the Seattle Times. Let’s guess (which is what seems to be what the federal, state, and local government does when making big decisions about housing) that the average amount owed by those 181,000 households is $1,000. 

The total unpaid rent in Washington would be about $181,000,000. Again, just guessing, let’s say it was three times that amount. That would be $543,000,000, close to what we’re being allocated and still less if added together with the $100 million. 

Unpaid rent is probably much closer to the $181 million figure. But unless you act now to establish a rent relief program that will quickly and without any strings or excessive process, we will eventually see a number that high.Why wait to let that happen? We have the resources on the way to solve this problem, including $100 million already allocated. 

We need to hear from you as soon as possible about how we are going to plan together to get resources to families who are behind on their rent and just as important we need a program that will just as quickly provide payments for rent if you decide on another lockdown in the future. Lastly, please remove the prohibition against removing people who are not paying rent but who have jobs or income. This continues to be an issue across the state. 

Finally, please engage the state’s banks and lenders, including non-profit credit unions. Our suggestion is to allocate at least $181,000,000 to them and let them get the money to providers fast. 

All we want for Christmas this year is to hear from your staff and the Commerce Department so we can get this money where it should go — families struggling to pay rent — as soon as it arrives. 

Roger– 
Director
Seattle For Growth
206-427-7707