State eviction moratorium end date draws near
The current WA State eviction moratorium is set to expire on March 31. Here are resources service providers can share with tenants and landlords. To better understand the impact, check out an article in Crosscut that Commerce recently contributed to that outlines efforts stakeholders and the state legislature are taking to address the issue.
The Washington State Office of the Attorney General
Eviction moratorium complaint form available in English and Spanish:
https://fortress.wa.gov/atg/formhandler/ago/COVID19EvictionComplaintForm.aspx
The Rental Housing Association of WA
Summary of the current moratorium:
https://www.rhawa.org/covid-19##
Support your clients in applying for the Earned Income Tax Credit
Many low to moderate-income households and people experiencing homelessness qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) from the IRS.
Households who earned $50,864 or less in 2020 are encouraged to see whether they qualify for the EITC by visiting www.IRS.gov/eitc or a volunteer tax assistance site. The EITC can range from $538 to $6,660 per household.
Qualifying households must file a tax return and claim the EITC to receive this tax benefit. Filing taxes can be intimidating, but there is help! WA 2-1-1 is a statewide call center that directs people to free tax preparation sites throughout the state with experts to assist in filing taxes and claiming EITC benefits.
To learn more about the EITC eligibility, please visit the IRS's EITC webpage or contact the Community Service Block Grant program
COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution Planning
Good news! There is a lot of information coming out about the COVID-19 vaccine for people experiencing homelessness and for people living in congregate shelters.
The Washington Department of Health website is your go-to page for what's happening in your community.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has published extensive information on vaccine distribution planning, including the following:
Utilizing Incentives to Increase Vaccine Adherence
Vaccine Event in a Congregate Setting Checklist
Congregate Setting Vaccination Event Floor Plan
Vaccine Ambassador Program and Job Description
Many expenses related to vaccine planning and distribution are allowable under the Emergency Solutions Grant-COVID 19 (ESG-CV) and the Consolidated Homeless Grant (CHG). If you have questions, please reach out to your grant manager.
HMIS Training Changes
Commerce is launching a new online HMIS Learning System web portal for HMIS Trainings. Trainings are at your own pace, any day or time! They currently focus on the required trainings for new users, but we have plans to expand training.
Learn more
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