$41.4 Million Dedicated To King County Rental Assistance Programs

KING COUNTY, WA —King County will provide more than $41 million in rental assistance and eviction protection funds for up to 10,000 families, under a new program announced Thursday.

According to the county, funding will be prioritized based on the highest need. All recipients must have an income below 50 percent of the area's median income over the last 60 days, and be partially or fully behind on at least one month's rent. Secondary criteria to be considered will include having a high rent burden, a history of homelessness, previous evictions or having a member of the household with a disability.

"Many people are facing serious challenges due to COVID-19 and the loss of health or income, leaving them extremely vulnerable to eviction," said Dow Constantine, the King County Executive. "This emergency program will forestall the loss of housing and prevent homelessness for thousands of residents in need across King County."

Those seeking assistance, including tenants, property managers and landlords, can access a new web portal to indicate interest. According to the county, most grants will be chosen by lottery to assure assistance for more than just people than just those who sign up first.

Applicants can be awarded up to three months of rent. If they owe more, landlords must agree to waive additional late rent and agree not to raise rents, evict the tenant or refuse to renew tenancy agreements without cause before March 31, 2021. Landlords must also accept 80 percent of the rent, so funds can provide for more households.

Eviction Prevention and Rent Assitance Programs:

• Large Residential Property Fund ($17.9M)
• To reach the largest number of low-income households as quickly as possible, nearly $18 million is dedicated to a fund that is available to larger residential property managers and landlords with multiple residents needing assistance. Efforts will focus on Low Income Tax Credit properties and properties in the zip codes with the highest unemployment and COVID-19 disease burdens.
• Individual Household/Small Landlord Fund ($10M)
• Another fund focuses on assisting any individual household that meets the eligibility requirements. Due to expected high demand, tenant selection will occur via a weekly lottery. Potential recipients will submit a form to enter the lottery process, with the first tenants and landlords drawn on September 14, 2020, and weekly thereafter until all funds are spent. Community-based organizations will assist tenants with the application process, and other nonprofit organizations will provide the actual rental assistance.
• Manufactured Home Park Fund ($2M)
• Specialized assistance and funding is dedicated to help manufactured home park residents, many of whom are Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, including approximately 70 percent Latinx. Similar to the Large Residential Property Fund, non-profit organizations administering the funds will work with park owners to assist households quickly. Community-based organizations will provide residents with language and other assistance, as needed.
• Eviction Prevention – United Way of King County ($5M)
• Funding is allocated to United Way’s Rental Assistance Program to support households through UWKC’s Home Base program when the state-mandated Eviction Moratorium ends in mid-October, unless the moratorium is extended. If extended, the resources will be reallocated to support the other funds.

Services are slated to begin on Sept 1, and the first weekly lottery will take place on Sept. 14. Between now and Aug. 25, the county is seeking public comments to make sure the program is "as effective, equitable, and efficient as possible," so there is time to implement any changes before the programs begin.

Money for the new program comes from the King County COVID Relief Fund, the federal CARES Act, the Washington State Department of Commerce, Community Development Block Grant funding, and $1.2 million from the voter-approved Veterans, Seniors and Human Services levy.

Learn more about the programs on the King County website.