Rise in evictions, more homeless possible with end of Whatcom prevention program
Whatcom County could see a rise in evictions and homelessness now that a local eviction prevention program has ended.
The Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center’s (WDRC) Eviction Resolution Pilot Program (ERPP) ended as of June 30 as a result of Washington state legislation.
The ERPP was a two-year mandatory program operating statewide from Nov. 1, 2021, to June 30 of this year that was established by the state legislature to help stabilize housing as pandemic eviction moratoriums expired.
The program allowed the WDRC to offer free dispute resolution services, rental assistance and civil legal aid to both tenants and landlords in Whatcom County, creating a pause point before eviction.
Since the program ended, many former ERPP tenants have already received eviction notices, according to Gayle LaCroix, Whatcom Dispute Resolution Center’s mediation program manager.
“Thousands of community members utilized our ERPP dispute resolution services and Opportunity Council’s emergency rental assistance the past two years, and many of them are expressing heightened stress and anxiety over the possibility of being evicted,” LaCroix said in a written statement to The Bellingham Herald.
Reducing evictions
During the 21 months of the program, the WDRC opened more than 2,400 unique cases and directly served more than 3,770 clients.
Some 95 percent of those cases reached resolution when tenants chose to engage in services, and 55 percent of them received rental assistance totaling more than $6,517,600, according to the WDRC.
About 90 percent of all Whatcom County ERPP cases were resolved without an eviction and did not proceed to court, something the WDRC says is a huge success in terms of keeping people housed, helping property managers and landlords and reducing the load on the court system.
Evictions lead to homelessness
Eviction is one of many factors that can lead to housing insecurity, according to the WDRC.
Homelessness affects a rapidly growing number of people locally. The number of documented people experiencing homelessness in Whatcom County surpassed 1,000 for the first time this year, according to the most recent Point-in-Time Count.
Overall, homelessness increased by 27% from last year to 1,059 people in Whatcom County, according to the report, which was conducted in cities and states nationwide on Jan. 26. Homelessness in Whatcom County was previously at its highest level in more than a decade in 2021, when 859 people were homeless — the most since the nationwide count began in 2008, according to previous reporting by The Herald.
Available resources
The WDRC continues to offer other free mediation services to help resolve housing issues outside of court.
The organization’s Housing Stability services can be used to resolve disputes, address overdue rent, negotiate payment plans, discuss deposits and move-out timelines, access legal resources and limited rental assistance and address lease agreements. More than 75 percent of the WDRC’s housing stability cases that have been opened since July 1 involve former ERPP tenants who are looking for ways to resolve evictions outside the court system.
The Opportunity Council is opening a new eviction prevention rental assistance program serving low-income households who are at risk of becoming homeless. Services will include housing-focused case management and temporary rent subsidies to help families maintain housing and avoid homelessness. The funds available through this program are more limited than the emergency rental assistance programs that ended on June 30, according to the WDRC.
The Opportunity Council’s Whatcom Homeless Service Center can also help people apply for the Housing and Essential Needs Program to access rental assistance and other housing needs. Those interested in the program should visit the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to be screened for eligibility. If eligible, DSHS will send a letter to the applicant referring them to Opportunity Council for assistance. Assistance is prioritized by need and vulnerability, according to Whatcom Homeless Service Center Director Teri Bryant.
Puget Sound Energy has a Utility Payment Assistance program that can help tenants pay their bills.
The Washington State Department of Commerce also offers several Landlord Mitigation Fund Programs for unpaid rent and damages.
This story was originally published July 27, 2023 at 9:23 AM.
