King County dedicates $41 million to COVID-19-related rental assistance and eviction prevention

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Almost half the recent calls to King County’s 2-1-1- hotline were for assistance with housing. 

While eviction moratoriums are still in place, many people worry about how they will catch up on payments when those moratoriums expire. 

Individuals and families throughout King County economically impacted by COVID-19 due to illness, lost wages, and unemployment may apply for assistance through the King County Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program 

The new program dedicates $41.4 million for emergency housing aid and is expected to assist 7,700 to 10,000 households across the region. 

King County will use several approaches to serve as many households as possible, as quickly as possible. Funding is prioritized for the highest-need areas and individuals in King County. 

To be eligible for assistance, all tenants must have an income that is at or below 50 percent of the Area Median Income over the past 60 days, and must be partially or fully behind at least one month of rent since March 1, 2020. 

Tenants must also meet one of several secondary criteria, such as having high rent burden, a history of homelessness or eviction, or a disability. Details are available HERE