New COVID-19 laws you should know, and my interview on housing rights
Governor Inslee has issued a series of executive orders addressing COVID-19. All are accessible here. Some important ones to note:
There is a State-wide moratorium on evictions.
The one-week waiting period to apply for unemployment benefits is waived.
Expanded benefits for the Family Emergency Assistance Program through DSHS.
Restrictions on non-emergency medical procedures.
I was interviewed by Washington Super Lawyers regarding the eviction moratorium and the importance of housing rights during this crisis. The full article, along with input from other lawyers, is here. Here is my part:
“The moratorium was necessary for a number of reasons,” says Andrew N. Ackley, a plaintiff’s personal injury attorney with Stritmatter Kessler Koehler Moore in Seattle. “First, I don’t believe we’ve ever seen such a sudden and widespread work reduction. Obtaining unemployment insurance benefits takes time, particularly with a massive spike in unemployment filings, even though Governor Inslee has also suspended the one-week waiting period.
“Second, our court systems are operating at a very limited capacity right now. Rent-related evictions are not the type of emergency relief courts are focused on. Third, a pandemic is the worst possible time to force people out of their homes. Evictees have a stain on their rental record, and a difficult enough time finding a new place to live. We cannot force thousands of people into long-term homelessness and/or more crowded living situations at a time when social distancing is vital.”
You may be wondering why there is a picture of a dog as click-bait for this post. Well, something my 2.5 y.o. son said pretty well sums up the weird loneliness of social distancing. I have no idea where he learned this.
We were playing on a play structure in our back yard. Neighbor’s dog starts barking at us from the deck, then runs away. My son: “Wait, doggy! I don’t even know your name!”
