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Rental assistance steered toward Spokane’s young adults

The city of Spokane will directing rental assistance to young adults as it seeks to help people affected by the pandemic. (Christopher Anderson)
By Adam Shanks adams@spokesman.com(509) 459-5136

Spokane’s next burst of rental assistance will be directed at young adults.

The city of Spokane accepted a $668,000 grant on Monday to help young people who have fallen behind on rent since the COVID-19 pandemic struck Washington.

The city has yet to choose an agency to administer the program, according to Timothy Sigler, director of the city’s Community, Housing, and Human Services Department.

“The sooner that we can get this out for (a request for proposals), the better,” Sigler told the Spokane City Council on Monday.

The money was awarded to Spokane through the state Department of Commerce’s Eviction Rent Assistance Program. The funding was awarded to Spokane based on a formula, not a specific amount the city requested.

A central goal of the state’s rental assistance program is to provide assistance to people who have had trouble accessing other forms of assistance or have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, including Latinx or Hispanic, young adult, Black or African American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander.

The city can spend 50% of the grant funds until it proves it is providing equitable access to the program.

In July, Gov. Jay Inslee extended a moratorium on evictions through Oct. 15, but it does not nullify rent. As tenants face financial hardship due to accrued back rent, advocates for landlords and tenants have expressed concern about their ability to ever repay and called for government assistance.

The Spokane City Council, which unanimously approved acceptance of the grant on Monday, has funded rental assistance programs as money becomes available.

In July, it set aside $500,000 in federal Housing and Urban Development grant funds for an assistance program overseen by the nonprofit Spokane Workforce Council, which was expected to help more than 200 tenants.

Earlier this month, the council dedicated $1.34 million to rental and housing assistance programs during the first round of funding from the city’s $6.6 million share of the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

To be eligible for rental assistance under the state’s guidelines, tenants must earn 50% or less of the area median income and have accumulated unpaid rent since March 1. The tenant also must meet at least one of a number of other conditions, including being 24 or younger, spending at least 30% of their income on rent, or having a history of homelessness.