This work is expanding to include organizing and mobilization within our communities of color to advance housing justice, including advocacy for affordable housing, increased resources for our neighbors without homes, and increased protections for renters. Check back here in 2022 for our Housing Justice page and important advocacy for the Legislative Session.
Eastside families are in urgent need of action to prevent an overwhelming rise in homelessness and crushing debt. The current crisis highlights the enduring affordable housing crisis that disproportionately impacts Black, Latinx, Indigenous, and undocumented community members. Join us in conversation and action for a healthy, livable, and just community.
Eastside Renters in Crisis is a collaborative partnership of local and state organizations including Eastside For All, Eastside Legal Assistance Program, WA CAN (Community Action Network), Tenants Union of WA State, India Association of Western WA, Muslim Community and Neighborhood Association, Muslim Community Resource Center, Issaquah Sammamish Interfaith Coalition, Safe Haven, 4 Tomorrow, WA Low Income Housing Alliance, the Housing Justice Project, and the Housing Development Consortium. We appreciate everyone who is helping inform the community about resources and their rights, and advocating for policies that protect local individuals and families. Thank you!
-> If you would like to be invited to Eastside Renters in Crisis meetings and events, please contact us and ask to be added to the list.
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EVENTS
Be the Change! How to Advocate for Policies that Serve Your Community [Recording] – August 18, 2021
Addressing the Eviction Crisis: Policy Options and Community Solutions [Recording] – May 19, 2021
Housing and Homelessness Advocacy Days [Recording] – Panel Presentation, Feb. 8, 2021
Building the Future of the Eastside -[Recording ] Oct. 14th, 4:30-6pm.
Eastside Renters in Crisis: September 30, 2020 – Recording – Updates on state advocacy efforts from John Stovall (WA Low Income Housing Alliance); interview with Burien Deputy Mayor Krystal Marx on measures that Burien has taken to protect renters. Event Notes
June 1, 2020 | “Eastside Renters in Crisis” Event Slide Deck
July 9, 2020 | “Eastside Renters in Crisis” Event Slide Deck
Tenant Rights and the Extended Moratorium – Recorded June 16
Shane Woerner, ELAP’s Kirkland Housing Attorney, presented info about tenant rights, and offered guidance on how to protect yourself as a tenant.
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NEWS/ALERTS
Fact Sheet: Biden-Harris Administration Announces Initiatives to Promote Housing Stability
Please see additional information including multilingual resources from the National Housing Law Project.
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INFORMATION & RESOURCES
King County Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance Program
Local Rental Assistance Resources
Worksheet that tenants can use with landlords (from the WA Attorney General’s Office) : English| Español | Pусский
WA State’s Protections– from Eviction Lab’s COVID-19 Housing Policy Scorecard
Model Ordinance for Local Cities to Prevent Housing Loss Due to COVID-19 (Author: King County Bar Association)
Local Data on Cost Burdened Households by Race (2011-2015)
Losing Home: The Human Cost of Eviction in Seattle
WA Housing Development Consortium – reports, infographics, and other relevant articles on the intersection of housing and key community issues
National Information and Trends:
- 2019 Cost Burden Report
- American Families Facing a Greater Rent Burden, Pew Charitable Trust, 2018
ARCH (A Regional Coalition for Housing) – ARCH is a partnership of the County and East King County Cities who have joined together to assist with preserving and increasing the supply of housing for low– and moderate-income households in the region.
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ADVOCACY & LEGAL SUPPORT
Please see legislative updates and priorities from our partners who are advocating for renter protections and a range of housing justice issues for WA: WA Low Income Housing Alliance, Tenants Union of WA, and the Housing Development Consortium. Learn how you can support critical legislation to protect individuals and families.
If a landlord is threatening eviction for non-payment of rent, increasing the rent, or demanding late fees, that is all strictly forbidden by the moratorium, and we encourage you to file a complaint with the Attorney General’s office HERE. For legal advice regarding tenant issues, contact ELAP (Eastside Legal Assistance Program) at 425.747.7274 (English) | 425.620.2778 (Español), or contact Housing Justice Project – (253) 234-4204.
City of Bellevue Conflict Resolution: offers mediation between tenants and landlords
Eastside Legal Assistance Program (ELAP) – Kirkland Housing Stability Project and other services, Tenant Rights Webinars for Community Members, Providers and Advocates
WA Low Income Housing Alliance
WA CAN (Community Action Network)
King County Bar Association’s Housing Justice Project
Northwest Fair Housing Alliance
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Do you have information or resources to suggest for this page? Please contact us. Thank you for your support!