Seattle to issue emergency moratorium on evictions due to COVID-19

SEATTLE — Mayor Jenny Durkan will issue an emergency order to temporarily stop residential evictions in Seattle as the spread of COVID-19 continues to impact workers and businesses across the region.

In a statement released Friday evening, Durkan said she will be taking a series of actions in the coming days to help workers and businesses that have been hurt by the spread of the virus.

“For our small businesses and workers: I know you’re hurting. This has been an unprecedented time for our city, and it’s our most vulnerable communities that are disproportionally impacted," Durkan said in a statement.

“With the President’s national emergency declaration, I will be taking additional actions in the coming days focused on more relief for our workers and individuals hardest hit by this emergency, including a moratorium on residential evictions. We cannot let individuals lose their homes or go hungry at this critical time."

Durkan's announcement comes after several organizations and officials have been calling for a moratorium on evictions due to the impacts of the virus. Since the first confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Washington, restaurants and businesses have struggled, and some have been forced to lay off workers and shut their doors -- both temporarily and for good.

Earlier this week, the Rental Housing Association of Washington called for an order putting a hold on evictions at this time, saying people who are unable to go to work as a result of the spread of COVID-19 are being hit hard during the outbreak.

"The rental housing industry is recommending a 30-day hold on writs of restitution for King County residents. This hold would prevent physical evictions during the emergency period," the association said in a post on its website.

City Councilmember Kshama Sawant has also been advocating for a moratorium on evictions. An online petition she put out this week demanding a ban on evictions and foreclosures in Seattle received thousands of signatures.

The spread of COVID-19 has caused widespread closures and cancellations in the region and across the country. Officials have been taking unprecedented steps in recent days to try to curb the the number of people who get the virus in King County and across the state.

Gov. Jay Inslee announced this week all schools across the state would shut down beginning next week and would remain closed until the end of April. The governor also put a ban on events with more than 250 people. Initially, the ban applied to only King, Snohomish and Pierce counties, but he expanded the prohibition Friday to all counties across the state.

People who are able to work from home are being asked to do so as officials urge people to practice basic hygiene and social distancing measures to avoid further spreading the virus -- especially to those who are more vulnerable, including the elderly and people with underlying medical conditions.

As of Friday, there were more than 500 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across the state of Washington, according to the latest numbers from the Washington State Department of Health.

This story first appeared on the Seattle PI <>><>><>>