Inslee Extends Washington Eviction Moratorium Through March 2021

OLYMPIA, WA — Gov. Jay Inslee on Wednesday announced a last-minute extension to a statewide moratorium on most evictions, previously set to expire on Dec. 31. The governor's latest extension will keep the rule in place until March 31, 2021.

"COVID-19 has had a significant financial impact on Washingtonians over the last nine months," Inslee said. "I know this moratorium has been critical for many families and individuals as they cope with the impacts of this virus. People need certainty about whether the moratorium will be extended, and it is important that I provide that certainty today while we work out the final details of the moratorium."

Inslee first moved to temporarily suspend evictions in March, extending the order three times since. Text from the last extension prohibited landlords, property owners and property managers from threatening, serving or enforcing most evictions over unpaid rent, except in cases where this was "a significant and immediate risk to the health, safety, or property of others created by the resident."

Landlords are required to offer a re-payment plan that is "reasonable based on the individual financial, health, and other circumstances of that resident."

Activists have called for further measures, including the canceling of rent, amid worries that mass evictions will begin after the moratoriums lift and large rent bills become due. A recent analysis found nearly 12 million renters across the United States expect to owe nearly $6,000 in back rent and utility payments by January 2021.

The governor's office did not share details on how the extended moratorium might differ from previous versions of the rule and said more information would be shared as the plan is finalized in the days to come.