Senator Murray: “Governor Inslee’s decision to extend Washington state’s eviction moratorium bridge is the right one. People who are struggling to pay their rent shouldn’t be forced to lose their homes when federal dollars meant to help them are still on the table.”
For more information on how to access federal rental assistance see more from the U.S. Department of Treasury and Washington State Department of Commerce
Tenants and landlords can also use the CFPB’s new locator tool to find out where they can apply for emergency rental assistance.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), issued the following statement applauding Governor Jay Inslee’s announcement that the state would extend its eviction moratorium bridge through October 31 to allow renters and landlords more time to access federal relief Senator Murray helped secure through the American Rescue Plan.
“Making sure we provided significant federal relief for renters and landlords was an important priority for me as we wrote the American Rescue Plan and other COVID relief packages—the distribution of those dollars has been understandably challenging for states and localities, so Governor Inslee’s decision to extend Washington state’s eviction moratorium bridge is the right one. People who are struggling to pay their rent shouldn’t be forced to lose their homes when federal dollars meant to help them are still on the table—my office is working hard to connect folks to these resources to make sure Washington state families stay housed.
“Homelessness and skyrocketing housing costs were at crisis levels even before the pandemic, so as I work to pass the Build Back Better budget, I am determined to secure a historic federal investment in affordable housing to make sure every family can afford a roof over their head.”
Through the American Rescue Plan, the Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) program at the U.S. Department of Treasury provided more than $46 billion to assist households that are unable to pay rent or utilities. The funds are provided directly to states, U.S. territories, local governments, and Indian tribes or Tribally Designated Housing Entities. Grantees use the funds to provide assistance to eligible households through existing or newly created rental assistance programs to distribute these funds to renters and property owners.
For more information on available rental assistance, Washington state families can visit:
- The U.S. Department of Treasury Emergency Rental Assistance Program page
- The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s locater tool to find rental assistance programs
- The Washington State Department of Commerce CARES Act and State Rent Assistance page
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 specifically.
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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