On Monday, King County Executive Dow Constantine announced the conclusion of the three-year Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program (EPRAP) that provided aid to more than 40,000 people and distributed $390 million throughout the region. The new rent assistance program, Keep King County Housed, will be funded by the state and will be operational by July.
“Thanks to many partners and organizations over the past few years, EPRAP was an extraordinary effort that ensured greater housing stability in uncertain times. Our ability to provide $390 million in assistance made a real difference for tens of thousands of residents who struggled during the pandemic,” said Constantine. “The need for rental assistance continues – and exceeds the limited funding available. These state funds are an important complement to our local housing investments to help more people stay housed.”
The EPRAP, which was launched at the start of the pandemic, was an unprecedented emergency response that took time to gain momentum, but ultimately provided assistance to a significant number of households in need. The program also addressed racial inequities in housing access by ensuring that 74% of recipients were headed by people of color.
“The historic EPRAP was an extraordinary effort that ensured greater housing stability in uncertain times. The program exceeded expenditure goals and distributed between $30 to $40 million in assistance at its peak,” said Constantine.
The program was administered by the King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS), which partnered with over 60 organizations to provide outreach and support to landlords and tenants during the application process.
“Thanks to the exceptional efforts of many partners and organizations, the EPRAP helped tens of thousands of King County residents stay in their homes during the pandemic. We are grateful for the opportunity to have played a part in this remarkable effort,” said Leo Flor, Director of the King County Department of Community and Human Services.
The remaining EPRAP funds from the State Department of Commerce will be exhausted by the end of May, and the DCHS will transition the program into the new state-level rental assistance program, which will be administered by the United Way of King County.
“United Way of King County is leading the way in disbursing much-needed rental assistance to ensure county residents stay housed. We are working with eight other agencies to get the funds out in the community,” said Jake Janesch, United Way program manager for rental assistance and homeless prevention. “Each agency is focused on providing support and case management to families. And United Way is doing case management while also focusing on communication, weekly payments and grievances.”
The new state-funded program has different requirements from the federally funded EPRAP. To ensure continuity in the assistance available for residents during the transition, King County has identified temporary fund sources, and Executive Constantine has notified the King County Council that funds from the existing Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services levy will be temporarily reallocated.
“The transition to the new Keep King County Housed program is an important step in continuing to provide much-needed support to households in our community who are struggling to make ends meet,” said Constantine.
The new program, Keep King County Housed, will be funded through state document recording fees. The DCHS is working closely with the state to implement the program to adhere to new guidelines and protocols.
We’re excited to see the launch of the Keep King County Housed program, which will ensure that thousands of households across King County have the support they need to stay in their homes,” said Flor.
