Dear friends and neighbors,
September has been a busy month and I want to take a moment to quickly update you on some important legislative highlights.
WA Cares Webinar TONIGHT
Washington state is the first in the nation to develop a way to make long-term care affordable for all workers in the state as we age with the WA Cares Fund. We hope tonight’s webinar will allow you to learn more about the program and get your questions answered by guest panelists WA Cares Program Director Ben Veghte and AARP Washington Advocacy Director Cathy MacCaul. Register here.
How to Access State Grants and Loans
Is your nonprofit looking for funds to expand your facilities or services? Are you an organization looking to preserve a historic or ecological landmark? Each biennium the Legislature allocates money for grant and loan programs in the State’s Capital Budget. Check out this list of available grant and loan programs to see if your organization or project is eligible: http://fiscal.wa.gov/CapitalGrantLoanPrograms.aspx.
Make Your Voice Heard on New Redistricting Maps
The 36th Legislative District might look very different by the end of this year! Every ten years after the U.S. Census is completed, the Washington State Redistricting Commission redraws our state’s legislative and congressional district maps which you can view here: https://www.redistricting.wa.gov/.
The Commission will be holding two public meetings to solicit feedback on October 5 and October 9 before final maps are presented to the Legislature in November. Register for the outreach meetings at https://www.redistricting.wa.gov/outreach-meetings.
Eviction Moratorium Extended to October 31
I was proud to join 52 legislators in signing a letter calling for Governor Inslee to extend the statewide eviction moratorium for the remainder of the public health emergency as Washington has seen a dramatic increase in individuals experiencing homelessness. This will give the state and counties more time to continue distributing billions in rental assistance from the American Rescue Plan. I am pleased the Governor has agreed to extend the moratorium until October 31 but will remain vigilant to ensure the necessary eviction protections are in place so Washington will not experience the crisis that we have been working so hard to avoid.
To learn more about rental assistance in King County: https://kingcounty.gov/depts/community-human-services/COVID/eviction-prevention-rent-assistance.aspx
Landlords can find additional assistance here: https://www.commerce.wa.gov/serving-communities/homelessness/landlord-fund-programs/
It is an honor to represent you in Olympia. Please don’t hesitate to reach out anytime at liz.berry@leg.wa.gov.
Best wishes,
