What does the new Housing Stability ‘Bridge’ Emergency Order mean for Skagitonians?

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On June 29, 2021 Gov. Jay Inslee issued a housing stability ‘bridge’ emergency order, Proclamation 21-09, intended to ‘bridge’ the gap between the eviction moratorium and the new protections and programs enacted by the State Legislature. 

What does this means for renters and landlords?

Until there is an operational Eviction Resolution Program in Skagit County, eviction for non-payment of past due rent is not permitted. However, by August 1st, tenants must either begin paying full rent, negotiate a plan with their landlord to catch up on past due rent or apply for funds with a local rental assistance program. Public Health strongly encourages tenants to stay in their homes and housing providers not to proceed with evictions for tenants who owe rent. Tenants who leave will not be eligible for rental assistance and may have difficulty finding a new home. Landlords who evict tenants cannot then collect assistance for the back rent owed by that tenant.

What is the Eviction Resolution Program and when will it be available in Skagit County?

The Eviction Resolution Program engages both landlords, tenants, and their legal counsel to resolve any issues including but not limited to back rent issues that may cause an eviction once the moratorium has expired.

The goal of the program is to ensure landlords and tenants are connected to rent assistance, legal counsel and have an opportunity at mediation or meet and confer to resolve the housing conflicts prior to filing an unlawful detainer which may result in an eviction.

In Skagit County, there is not currently an operational Eviction Resolution Program and we will provide updates as more information becomes available.  In the interim, landlords and tenants are encouraged to reach out to and work with their local dispute resolution center (DRC) 425-789-7500 (intake) and skagitdrc@voaww.org.

Where can Skagitonians go for assistance if behind on rent?

The Skagit County Rental Assistance Program is currently active and accepting applications for assistance. Funding is available for renters or landlords who have lost income due to COVID-19 and are struggling to pay or collect rent. The program can cover rent up to 150% of Fair market value for past due rent incurred after March 13, 2020, as well as future rent. These funds can also assist with past-due utilities and other housing costs directly or indirectly due to COVID-19.

A list of local rental assistance provider is available here: English | Spanish

Renters and landlords who do not qualify for assistance will be referred to the Volunteers of America Landlord-Tenant Program. ltinfo@voaww.org 425-339-1335 ext. 4.

What should landlords do if they have tenants that are behind on rent?

Property owners can reach out to a rental assistance provider on behalf of their tenants.  A list of local rental assistance providers is available here: English | Spanish

Additional Resources:

Have You Heard About WA Notify?

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Information provided by WA DOH.

On Monday, Governor Inslee and the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) announced the launch of WA Notify, a simple, anonymous exposure notification tool to help stop the spread of COVID-19.

What is WA Notify?

Washington Exposure Notifications (also known as WA Notify) is a new tool that works through smartphones, without sharing any personal information, to alert users if they may have been exposed to COVID-19. It is completely private, and doesn’t know or track who you are or where you go.

How does it work?

When you enable WA Notify, your phone exchanges random, anonymous codes with the phones of people you are near who have also enabled WA Notify. The app uses Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to exchange these random codes without revealing any information about you. If another WA Notify user you’ve been near in the last two weeks later tests positive for COVID-19 and adds their verification code to the app, you’ll get an anonymous notification that you’ve had a possible exposure. This lets you get the care you need quickly and helps prevent you from spreading COVID-19 to the people around you.

How will it help?

Studies have found that the more people who use exposure notification, the greater the benefit. Models based on three counties in Washington state show that even a small number of people there using WA Notify would reduce infections and deaths. Just like wearing masks, physical distancing and keeping gatherings small, WA Notify is another tool to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

How do I sign up for notifications?

WA Notify is free and can be enabled in iPhone settings or downloaded as an app from the Google Play Store for Android phones. Users can opt out at any time.

Is it safe to use?

WA Notify uses privacy-preserving technology jointly developed by Google and Apple and works without collecting or revealing any location or personal data. WA Notify is based on Google Apple Exposure Notification technology, which was designed to safeguard user privacy. The system never collects or shares any location data or personal information with Google, Apple, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH), or other users. Participation is entirely voluntary. Users can opt in or out at any time.

Once I am signed up, what do I do next?

Additional action is only needed if:
1. You test positive for COVID-19, or
2. You receive a notification that you may have been exposed.

If you test positive, and public health reaches out to you, they will ask if you are using WA Notify. If you are, they will generate a verification code and help you enter it into WA Notify. The code is not tied to your personal information. Public health has no way to know who will be notified by the app about exposure when you enter your code. The notification will not include any information about you. The more people who share their codes, the better we can prevent the spread of COVID-19.

If WA Notify detects you may have been exposed, a notification on your phone will direct you to a website with information about what you should do next. This includes how and where to get tested, information about keeping yourself and those close to you safe, and resources to answer your questions. It’s important to read and follow the directions on the website carefully. The notification will not include information about who may have exposed you or where. It’s completely anonymous.

Why did Washington choose this solution?

Washington formed a state oversight group, including security and civil liberties experts and members of several communities, to review the Apple/Google solution. The group recommended adoption based on the platform’s proven reliability, robust data protection and use by other states.

Visit WANotify.org to learn more.

View a video that describes how WA Notify works:

New COVID-19 Guidance That Impacts Skagit Residents

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November 11, 2020

On Sunday, Governor Inslee announced changes to current COVID-19 guidance. The new guidance will take effect at midnight on Monday, November 16 (with a few exceptions) and be in place until at least December 14, 2020. There are many changes including:

  • No indoor social gatherings are allowed. Outdoor social gatherings can have five or fewer people from outside an immediate household.
  • Restaurants and bars are open for outdoor dining and takeout only- no indoor dining is allowed (these restrictions will go into effect on Wednesday, November 18).
  • Bowling alleys, movie theaters, museums, zoos and indoor fitness facilities are closed.
  • Personal services (such as hair dressers, nail salons, etc…) and retail occupancy, including grocery stores are limited to 25 percent of capacity.
  • Long term care facilities can only allow outdoor visitation, except in the cases of end of life care and essential support personnel.
  • Religious services are limited to 25 percent indoor occupancy or 200 people, whichever is fewer. No choir, band or ensemble shall perform during these services. Facial coverings must be worn at all times by congregation members, and there cannot be any congregational singing.
  • Wedding receptions are prohibited. Wedding ceremonies will be allowed with no more than 30 people in attendance.
  • Youth (school and non-school) and adult sporting activities are limited to outdoor only for intra-team practices, and all athletes must wear masks.
  • No real estate open houses.

“Cases have been spiking throughout Washington, including in Skagit County. These restrictions are necessary to prevent further spread, deaths and potential hospital overwhelm. I’m glad Governor Inslee is taking these steps, and encourage everyone to follow them; if not for their own health, for their neighbors.”

Skagit Health Officer Dr. Howard Leibrand

Governor Inslee is also requiring that those who are able to work from home do so. If a business is not able to operate remotely, only 25 percent of the buildings capacity can work from there at one time. Further, no public services should be provided wherever possible. No changes have been made to the guidance’s governing schools or childcare facilities.

This is not a complete list. Full text of the new guidance is available here.

Skagit County has reported more than 150 cases this week. According to the Governor’s risk assessment dashboard, Skagit County has 90.6 cases per 100,000 over the last fourteen days. Skagit’s percent positive test rate, which indicates the percentage of total COVID-19 tests that are coming back positive, has increased to 3.4%.

“I know it’s hard to think about spending this holiday season away from our families, but these restrictions will save lives, and they will the lives of people you personally know,” said Public Health Director Jennifer Johnson. “Following these guidelines will help keep you, your family and our community at large from facing a total health system crisis. Please, do your part.”

More information on Skagit County’s COVID-19 response is available at www.skagitcounty.net/coronavirus.

A link to Skagit County’s press release can be found here.

Fall Festivities in 2020

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I don’t know about you, but I’ve been eyeing our local pumpkin patches over the last week or two. While I’m not a big pumpkin spice consumer, there is little else that gets me excited like fall festivities. So when I read Governor Inslee’s recent updates to agritourism guidance, I was thrilled!

Based on these updates, things like u-pick farms, pumpkin patches, hayrides, and Christmas tree farms are now allowable in all Washington State counties, regardless of their current phase of re-opening. While this is exciting news, it is important to keep in mind that these locations must adhere to specific requirements, including social distancing and sanitation measures. 

What this means is that a lot of time and attention has been put into making these activities safe and fun for you, and your family! So what are some things to keep in mind, you ask?

Call in advance

As part of the new social distancing measures, our local farms and festivals will need to have procedures for spacing out the crowds. Timed entrance or advanced registration may be something we’ll see this year, and activities like hayrides and corn mazes may be ticketed in order to avoid people congregating in lines.

To be prepared for possible changes, call in advance or take a look at the company’s website. I know from experience that there is little worse than having a car full of excited kids, just to find out that you needed to have called in advance for an admission time!

Plan ahead

Along the same lines of calling in advance to find out about entrance, it may be helpful to do a little digging about what will be available when you get there. Will there be public restrooms available? How about food? Pack what you’ll need, including snacks, hand sanitizer, and water.

Do the usual

Mask up, keep your distance, and don’t go if you’re feeling sick. Enough said.

Respect the space

Talk to your children about expectations around keeping their distance, and try to avoid crowding around places like bathrooms, photo op locations, and food counters. Even though you’re outside, it is still really important to keep 6 feet (or more) between yourself and other groups.

Have a happy, healthy, and fantastic fall season!