Jody Moss - "Seniors Sunset Times - Clallam County Edition

Housing – This is no Time for Sticking Your Head in the Sand!

October 7, 2021

By Jody Moss, Director of Contracts Management & Planning

Finding and keeping housing has become an increasingly challenging issue for people, and this is sadly also true for older adults. We hear from housing nonprofits that the largest increase in people who are at risk of, or actually homeless, is in older adults and especially older women.

How awful is this! We women spend our entire lives taking care of a home and often a family. And then through circumstances beyond our control, like a devastating illness, expensive caregiving, and the loss of a spouse leading to no longer being able to afford the home we expected to live in for the rest of our lives.

The pandemic has made the entire housing issue even more complicated.

In normal times people may move from one rental property to another, or purchase a home, sell a home, maybe downsizing as a senior. Because of the pandemic, there has been less movement in housing. People have stayed where they are, sometimes keeping up with payments, and sometimes not.

And we have also heard about a trend in people moving to more rural environments to get away from the city and to enjoy the benefits we have always known here in our fair corner of the world.

All these issues have reduced housing access to almost nothing. Have you heard about people unable to move to our community and fill jobs because no housing is available? This is happening to medical professionals who have been so hard to hire. It is affecting professionals and nonprofessionals alike. Our own agency has had potential employees decline positions because relocating was too risky due to housing.

On one side of the coin is this housing shortage.

On the other is this looming potential crisis of people who have been relying on the COVID-19 eviction moratorium. Many people lost their jobs because of the pandemic. Rental assistance has been critical to supporting individuals renting homes and for the landlords who have mortgages and other bills to pay. Some people have been unable to pay their mortgages and COVID-19 assistance has been there for them as well.

But the eviction moratorium will end on September 30, and far too many home renters and homeowners have not done what they need to do to access mortgage or rental assistance, or eviction help. There is also a moratorium on utility turn off which will end on September 30th.

COVID-19 Mortgage Assistance: – Copied from the Washington State Department of Financial Institutions website (https://dfi.wa.gov/coronavirus/mortgage-relief):

Important Things To Know First

If you can pay your mortgage, pay your mortgage.

If you can’t pay mortgage, or can only pay a portion, contact your mortgage servicer immediately. You may need to stay on the phone for a while before the servicer is able to take your call. Loan servicers are also impacted by the pandemic, so may be working with staffing and technology limitations.

Homeownership counseling and assistance is available to Washington residents.
Homeowners in distress may call DFI’s toll-free number 1-877-RING-DFI (746-4334) to talk to a member of our team and to get assistance in how best to contact their mortgage servicer, and to learn more about their options.

If you would like to talk to a housing counselor, call the Washington Homeownership Hotline at 1.877.894.HOME.

Help for Renters

Rental Assistance is available form the following Agencies in O3A’s 4 counties:

Clallam – Serenity House – Eviction Rent Assistance ERAP and T-RAP

The Eviction Rent Assistance Program has ended, but that doesn’t mean we’re finished preventing evictions in Clallam County. Serenity House has recently been awarded funding from the Treasury Rent Assistance Program, also known as T-RAP.

T-RAP is part of Washington State’s response to the COVID-19 disaster, intended to prevent evictions that would contribute to the spread of the virus by paying past due, current due, future rent, and utilities, targeting limited resources to those who have experienced financial hardship due to the COVID-19 outbreak and are at risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability.

The program goals are to prevent evictions, target resources to very low income households who are unemployed and promote equity in those who are served. Landlords are welcome to initiate the T-RAP application on behalf of their tenants. The grant period is currently expected to last through December 31, 2021.

Housing Resource Center
Phone: 360-452-7224 x1
Address: 2203 W 18th Street, Port Angeles
Email: housinghelp@serenityhouseclallam.org

Jefferson County – OlyCAP – Also has the TRAP Program in place:
823 Commerce Loop
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Phone: (360) 385-2571
Or go online to request rental assistance at https://olycap.org/housing-services/

Grays Harbor and Pacific Counties – Coastal Community Action Programs
101 E Market St. (Public Parking & Entrance on Broadway)
Aberdeen, WA 98520
(360) 533-5100
Or go online for help at https://www.coastalcap.org/

There is also legal help available for eviction assistance through Northwest Justice at their Eviction Defense Screening Line: Call 1-855-657-8387 and follow the instructions, 9 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Northwest Justice has many online resources located at here:
https://www.washingtonlawhelp.org/resource/eviction, as well as new resources and answers to questions here: https://mailchi.mp/64b8973fe4f4/washingtonlawhelp-8891078?e=543e8f2f57

Very important…Be Aware of Scams – According to the Federal Housing Finance Agency Website – “During times of crisis, there is an increased risk of scams and fraud. Protect yourself by asking questions, reading the materials provided to you, and avoiding any solicitations requiring up-front cash payments. If you think you may have been a victim of a scam and your concerns with Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, or a Federal Home Loan Bank involve fraud, please contact the FHFA Office of Inspector General (FHFA OIG) at 800-793-7724 or visit the FHFA OIG’s website, located at https://www.fhfaoig.gov/ReportFraud.”

Again, we know that these problems often seem confusing and overwhelming. Please don’t let yourself be caught in inactivity. Take action immediately.

Jody Moss is the Director of Contracts Management & Planning for the Olympic Area Agency on Aging and can be reached at 360-379-5064. For help with senior or adults with disability questions call Information and Assistance at 360-452-3221 in Clallam, 360-385-2552 in Jefferson, and 360-532-0520 in Grays Harbor.

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