Senator Murray Announces More than $173 Million in Homeowner Assistance from the American Rescue Plan Coming to Washington State

Senator Murray fought to include significant mortgage and rental assistance funding in the American Rescue Plan

Funds will go to Washington state government, which will craft plan to provide assistance to homeowners across the state 

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Senator Murray: “I fought to include this relief in the American Rescue plan, that will help those people who are struggling keep the lights on and remain in their homes” 

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced more than $173 million in Homeowner Assistance Funding for Washington state from the American Rescue Plan.

The federal funds are provided by the Department of Treasury to the Washington state government, which will craft a plan to provide assistance to homeowners across the state. Funding can be used for mortgage payment assistance, mortgage principal/rate reductions, utilities (including broadband), insurance, property taxes, home repairs to maintain habitability, and housing counseling. Homeowners will be eligible if they experienced a financial hardship after January 21, 2020 and have incomes equal to or less than 150% of the area median income. The state government can also use the funding to reimburse themselves and local governments for their own homeowner assistance programs that predate the American Rescue Plan and match the eligibility requirements of the Treasury program.

“I’ve heard from so many families in our state who are struggling to make ends meet each month, constantly wondering whether or not their paycheck or unemployment check will cover the next utility bill or mortgage payment. That’s why I fought to include this relief in the American Rescue plan, to help people who are struggling keep the lights on and remain in their homes,” Senator Murray said. “We were already in a housing crisis before this pandemic but COVID-19 has only made it worse, especially for people of color—so I’m going to keep working to get homeowners and renters the assistance they need to remain housed.”

The American Rescue Plan passed in March after a year of Senator Murray advocating for increased housing assistance to combat the effects of the pandemic on renters, homeowners, and people experiencing homelessness, and also includes more than $400 million in rental assistance and nearly $100 million for housing and services to support people experiencing homelessness in Washington state.

In the December COVID relief package, Senator Murray helped to secure $507 million for Washington state and $25 billion nationally for states, Tribes, and territories to provide rental and utility assistance, and last year, Senator Murray helped secure over $100 million in Emergency Solutions Grants for Washington state through the CARES Act, which provided a critical lifeline for people and families experiencing or facing homelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, Senator Murray has already announced more than $100 million in federal awards to combat housing insecurity and invest in public housing infrastructure across Washington state.

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