Seattle Extends Eviction Moratorium Through September

SEATTLE — Seattle's eviction moratorium has been extended through September.

The Office of the Mayor confirmed Friday that Mayor Jenny Durkan had signed Executive Order 2021-06, officially extending the commercial and residential moratoria to September 30. Previously, both had been set to expire at the end of the month. The statewide eviction moratorium is also currently set to expire June 30, though there have been scattered reports that Gov. Jay Inslee is also considering an extension as well.

Utilities have also been directed not to shut off service to customers through the end of 2021.

Durkan's order marks the fifth time the city's eviction moratoria have been prolonged since they were first issued on March 14, 2020.

“As the first major US city to be impacted by COVID-19, Seattle created an exemplary COVID response template for the rest of the country, which led with establishing one of the first in the nation moratoria on evictions to keep families safe," Durkan said in a written statement. " This swift and early action saved countless lives as we’ve maintained the lowest infection rate, hospitalizations, and COVID-related deaths of the top American cities while also reaching key vaccine milestones."

According to the Mayor, the extension will buy time for the city to disburse another $23 million in rent relief to tenants and landlords, hopefully preventing a tidal wave of evictions when thousands of tenant's unpaid rent comes due.

“We must also recognize that the economic impact of the pandemic forced many businesses to close, left far too many without jobs, and we are still responding to the fallout," Durkan said. "While we continue to be in a state of emergency, this three-month extension will ensure we can provide the cash rental assistance and housing support that is critical to stabilizing the community as we reopen.”

Under the moratorium, landlords cannot evict tenants unless they can prove there is an "imminent threat to the health and safety of the community". They are also not allowed to demand late fees, interest or other charges on unpaid rent, the Mayor's Office said. Tenants however will still be required to pay back any past-due rent they've accrued over the past year.

Once the moratorium does expire, landlords are encouraged to offer flexible repayment plans, though the city has also passed an ordinance creating a system of standardized repayment plans.

Residential tenants who do receive eviction notices during the moratorium can file a complaint by calling the Renting in Seattle hotline at 206-684-5700 or online through the City of Seattle's website.