Eviction resolution program launched

The Eviction Resolution Pilot Program (ERPP) aims to stabilize housing and reduce a pending wave of unlawful detainer cases once the Washington state bridge proclamation ends Oct. 31. A pilot program has been available in six counties since November 2020, and the program is now available statewide.

The ERPP connects tenants who are behind on rent with a team in order to problem solve together with their landlord. Teams most often are a combination of rental assistance counseling, legal aid and mediation. The landlord and tenant may be able to access rental assistance, create a rent payment plan, or create a move-out plan, thereby resolving rent owed issues without going to court.

Six Rivers Dispute Resolution Center, a non-profit community mediation center, will provide free, facilitated conversations between landlords and tenants.

Washington Gorge Action Programs (WAGAP), a multi-purpose human services organization, will provide qualifying tenants and landlords in these counties with the rental assistance funding piece.

The program was developed by the state Superior Court Judges’ Association in partnership with the state Office of Civil Legal Aid, Dispute Resolution Centers and other stakeholders, at the direction of the Washington State Supreme Court, and codified by the Washington State Legislature in 2021.

As the COVID-19 pandemic endures, many tenants are unable to pay rent and many landlords are not receiving payments. Recent estimates from the U.S. Census Weekly Household Pulse show that approximately one in 10 Washington renters are behind on rental payments and 24% of renters are concerned they may not be able to pay next month’s rent. As a result, tenants risk losing housing and landlords lack the funds they need to make their businesses viable.

“Chronic housing stability issues are surging, particularly in communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19,” said Ona Lawrence, early resolution specialist at Six Rivers. An eviction record, or even an unlawful detainer filing in court, may appear on rental history, so finding resolution when possible, prior to filing, can benefit a renter’s ability to find future housing, the release stated.