Letter to Gov. Inslee: Extend the Eviction Moratorium
We sent a letter to Governor Inslee asking him to extend Washington's eviction moratorium through March in order to keep our neighbors housed and prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Dear Governor Inslee,
We are writing on behalf of the 23 member institutions representing 35,000 individuals and families in King and Pierce Counties. We are grateful for the eviction moratorium in Washington that has helped our neighbors stay safe and stay home during this ongoing pandemic. We are writing to request you to extend the eviction moratorium through March 31, 2021 so that we can continue to prevent the spread of COVID-19, prioritize health in our communities, and keep people housed this winter.
As an alliance of faith, labor, health, education, and community organizations, we believe that housing is a human right and that nobody should be a COVID casualty because they cannot afford their rent. We work to make the Puget Sound region a place where everyone can have access to health and safety, and that includes housing and services, especially during this pandemic.
With the cold weather setting in and COVID cases on the rise, now is not the time for a wave of evictions. Studies show that increased rates of COVID infections and deaths are closely linked with a rise in evictions. With more than 153,000 Washington renters already behind on rent and vulnerable to eviction, an end to the moratorium could result in a dangerous super-spread of the virus.
We support an extension through March because we believe that Washington residents should stay housed and protected from COVID while our legislators have the chance to come up with long-term solutions that work for renters and landlords alike, such as the pilot Eviction Resolution Program.
Our state must avoid the catastrophic consequences of a wave of evictions during the height of the pandemic and the cold of winter. Governor Inslee, please prevent the spread of COVID and keep people housed this winter by extending the eviction moratorium through March 31, 2021.