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In her first action, Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan, signed an Executive Order aimed to quickly develop and implement strategies, including rental assistance, to assist rent-burdened lower income households pay for their housing.

To provide immediate relief in the first weeks in December, all families on Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) waiting list without preferential status will be contacted to expedite enrollment in utility discount programs and other public benefits. A pilot Seattle Rental Housing Assistance Program will be developed by January - this program will aim to provide a combination of vouchers and/or subsidies for renters on the SHA to provide relief for families with income between 30% and 50% of the area median income (AMI). In addition, the Office of Housing (OH) and SHA will work to expedite placement into housing and an interdepartmental effort will work to streamline City benefits. You can read the complete Executive Order here (pdf).