Inslee issues statewide moratorium on evictions amid COVID-19 outbreak

For more coverage, visit our complete coronavirus section here.

Gov. Jay Inslee slightly mirrored the actions made by Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan and other public officials throughout the country amid the novel coronavirus outbreak and announced on Wednesday a 30-day statewide moratorium on evictions due to payment failure.

The measure was announced at a news conference with a few other orders from the governor in efforts to alleviate the financial stress workers across the state are feeling from the COVID-19-caused economic fallout.

"We know we are heading for some really choppy economic waters," Inslee said, saying the state will work to take as much action as possible to help those being impacted by the spread of the virus.

Under the moratorium, residential landlords can't issue eviction notices for the nonpayment of rent. Law enforcement is also required not to enforce eviction notices that are based on payment of rent.

The other orders issued included waiving the one-week waiting period when receiving benefits, which would retroactively work for claims filed back to March 8. Another order was a move to help small businesses, by releasing $5 million from the Governor’s Strategic Reserve Funds in micro-grants in an effort to keep them from closing. The state Department of Commerce will coordinate an application process.

Durkan also announced an order on Wednesday that would prevent evictions of small businesses. More investments from the city were made into the Small Business Stabilization Fund which was at $2.5 million afterward.

Durkan announced a ban on evictions in Seattle last week. Both eviction moratoriums were for people who failed to pay rent -- landlords can still issue eviction notices to tenants for other violations not having to do with the non-payment of rent.

Inslee also called for public utilities to suspend shutting off services and to waive late fees for customers who are out of work. Seattle City Light has announced it will not turn the lights off for anyone amid the outbreak, as has Puget Sound Energy.

The Washington Department of Social and Health Services is also looking to expand eligibility to families that don't have children for its Family Emergency Assistance Program, Inslee said.

The governor said he is working with the federal government to provide more relief to Washington residents.

The measures come as officials have been working to provide more relief to workers and businesses as the COVID-19 outbreak has left many worried about making rent and businesses struggling to stay open.

As Inslee was giving his news conference, the Washington State Department of Health updated its number of cases across the state. It included 1,187 confirmed cases and 66 deaths. However, a tally of all the deaths reported by the 22 counties with confirmed cases showed 67 deaths. The state did not include a Pierce County death in its count.

More coronavirus coverage...

A complete guide of where, how Seattle public school students can pick up free lunches

A comprehensive list of COVID-19 resources for Washington residents

Seattle to add hygiene trailers, hand-washing stations across city, pause most homeless camp sweeps