Coronavirus

Seattle extends COVID-19 eviction ban. How long are renters protected from landlords now?

The Associated Press
FILE - In this April 1, 2020, file photo, a pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads “Rent Strike” in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. The White House announced Tuesday, Sept. 1, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would act under its broad powers to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The measure would forbid landlords from evicting anyone for failure to pay rent, providing the renter meets criteria. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)
FILE - In this April 1, 2020, file photo, a pedestrian walks past graffiti that reads “Rent Strike” in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. The White House announced Tuesday, Sept. 1, that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would act under its broad powers to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The measure would forbid landlords from evicting anyone for failure to pay rent, providing the renter meets criteria. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File) Ted S. Warren Associated Press file photo
SEATTLE

Seattle is extending the city’s coronavirus moratorium on evictions through Sept. 30.

Initially established in March 2020, the moratorium is an attempt by the city to stave off evictions of people who lost jobs because of the pandemic and fell behind on their rent payments. The Seattle Times reports the extension announced Friday is the fifth Mayor Jenny Durkan has ordered.

Seattle’s moratorium applies to residential, nonprofit and small-business tenants, with small businesses defined as those with 50 or fewer employees.

Most evictions are prohibited for those tenants, including evictions for nonpayment of rent, though tenants remain obligated to pay rent and can accumulate debt.

Seattle is requiring landlords to offer payment plans and has banned late charges and interest. Evictions can be sought in dangerous situations.

A similar, statewide eviction moratorium is slated to expire June 30.

Landlords have objected to extensions of eviction bans.

“Where is the rental assistance? Literally millions of dollars have been allocated to help cover housing costs and no one is getting a dime yet,” the Rental Housing Association of Washington and the Washington Multi-family Housing Association said in a joint statement Friday.

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