The Thurston County Board of County Commissioners (BoCC) met with the Office of Housing and Homeless Prevention (OHHP) yesterday, November 2, to discuss its rent assistance survey results.
Elisa Sparkman, Communication Specialist in Housing and Homeless Prevention, shared the results of COVID-19 rent assistance in the county funded by state legislation, the Emergency Rent Assistance Program (ERAP), and the Treasury Rent Assistance Program (T-RAP).
“This program spent about just over $53.5 million in rent and utility assistance to Thurston County residents in a three-year span, funded by the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan Act,” Sparkman reported.
“This program covered their past due rent since March 2020, when the pandemic first began here in Washington, and then past due utilities and three months of future rent assistance. Overall, each household had a limit of 18 months [of] assistance,” Sparkman added.
Earlier this year, OHHP surveyed around 2,000 households that received rent assistance to determine the extent of outstanding needs.
The survey had 639 total respondents, but only 541 were considered eligible and completed surveys.
“When this program closed this summer, we decided to survey the people who received this funding. We wanted to know ‘how did this program impact you,’ and ‘what's your current situation as a renter in Thurston County after receiving this help,” shared Sparkman.
For the respondents’ current living situation, 19 households reported they were either homeless, in between places, or living with friends and family. Two households answered they no longer rent because they now own a home. Over half of the respondents rent an apartment.
“75% of respondents said either all their income goes to renting/utilities or almost all their income goes right to utilities. This sample of people is really struggling. And then the other 21% can cover the right utilities but nothing beyond essential. So 96% basically not doing okay out of these respondents,” Sparkman reported.
When asked about their current needs for additional rent assistance, 24% of the respondents answered they do not need it now but will if an emergency arises. 22% answered that they need assistance for the next several months, 17% said they need the assistance just to get caught up. 16% said they need help for the next years, 8% for the next several years, and 8% for the rest of their lives.
Only 5% of the respondent answered that they do not need further rent assistance.
“The last question was ‘Is there anything else you want to share?’ and the main sentiment that we received in the open-ended comments was just lots of gratitude, thank you so much, and the main critique was that ‘the program took too long,’ and ‘we still really need the help.’ In the comments of gratitude, lots of people commented that they would have been homeless without this program,” Sparkman said.
The summary stated that “the survey responses align with what community partners are seeing. Many residents of Thurston County need significant financial support to maintain housing now and in the future.”
Thomas Webster, Office of Housing and Homeless Prevention Program Manager, shared that the state-funded ERAP and T-RAP had ended, and the current rent assistance available to county residents will be the Eviction Prevention Rent Assistance (EPRA), funded from the document recording fees on the sale or refinance of a home in the state.
For this year, less than $2 million is available for EPRA. Other limited short-term rent assistance exists through faith communities, school districts, and some Homeless Services agencies.
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BobJacobs
At a recent public forum sponsored by our state legislators, several small landlords mentioned how they assist needy tenants by reducing their rents below market rates, some by as much as 50%.
In all the housing articles I've seen, there has been no mention of this private, voluntary rental assistance. Worse than that, government "rent stabilization" programs penalize these generous landlords, while helping the wealthy owners of large apartment buildings.
It is high time to include this source of private rental assistance in articles on this topic.
Bob Jacobs
Saturday, November 4, 2023 Report this
bobkat
Is there EVER a time when "assistance" programs of one kind or another wouldn't be "nice" to have. After all wouldn't it be "kind, nice, and compassionate" to build affordable rental assisted (gifted) housing to EVERYBODY. And the cost of this borne by WHO? The taxpayers of Thurston County of course. You know . . . the people who actually work and who in many cases struggle to pay their own ever-increasing costs of living. Can we please return to sanity and keep programs such as these from groping for loose change in our pockets.
Sunday, November 5, 2023 Report this
JamesW
The people that received taxpayer money want more. Hardly s surprise. Please do a similar survey of homeowners who did NOT receive any assistance from Thurston county. Let's see how their doing.
Sunday, November 5, 2023 Report this