Gov. expands statewide eviction moratorium, halts rent hikes
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Thursday extended and expanded his moratorium on evictions and imposed a new freeze on increases of residential rents in an effort to help residents better handle the economic shutdown amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The order comes a month after Inslee announced a 30-day moratorium on evictions for residential tenants, the Seattle Times reported. The statewide ban on evictions will be extended another seven weeks and will include new measures meant to protect more tenants.
Part of the new eviction moratorium includes a ban on residential rent increases during the public health emergency. Commercial rent increases also will be barred if the commercial tenant has been impacted by the coronavirus.
The state Attorney General’s Office said earlier this week that it had received complaints of landlords sending out rent increases during the pandemic, which could, under certain circumstances, violate state law. Attorney General Bob Ferguson said his office would be looking closing at those complaints.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/gov-expands-statewide-eviction-moratorium-halts-rent-hikes/ar-BB12KHuw