Welcome to the Resident Action Project!
The Resident Action Project is a statewide network in Washington led by people who have experienced housing injustice. Together, we are building power to change state policy through storytelling, organizing, and civic action.
Our aim is to build a statewide network of people who are directly impacted by housing and homelessness issues who are leading the charge for social change. These issues do not exist in a vacuum. We know that too many of the people with lived experience are people of color, people who identify as LGBTQ+, people with disabilities, and single parent families, and housing is one part of a larger system of oppression that we hope to address in our organizing work.
By becoming a Resident Action Project friend and member, you will gain organizing, advocacy, and policy skills. We are connected to the Washington Low Income Housing Alliance, where we have access to the resources we need to bring about justice to all Washington-ians. We welcome anyone with a lived experience and non-profit staff!
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Advocating for Stable Homes By Ending No Cause Evictions
In Washington State, landlords do not have to provide or describe a “cause” when kicking someone out of the home. The notice to vacate must be in writing and be served at least 20-days before the last day of the rental period. Although landlords aren’t legally allowed to evict a tenant for a discriminatory or retaliatory reasons, this “hidden” practice still happens all over the state because landlords are not required to describe a legitimate business reason for displacing the tenant.
No-cause evictions are a serious problem statewide because they:
- A) Directly force people out of their community and into housing instability and homelessness;
- B) Restrict renters’ access to justice, bypassing the court system in which the renter could otherwise make an argument to keep their home;
- C) Makes tenants more fearful to organize or raise concerns with issues happening on the property; and
- D) Often hide underlying discrimination or retaliation by the landlord.
Did this happen to you?
Have you ever received a 20-day “no cause” notice to vacate your home? Do you know someone who has? The Washington Low Income Housing Alliance would love to connect with you and anyone who has experienced this loophole in our renter protections firsthand.
With your help, we can make 2020 the year our decision-makers outlaw no-cause evictions in Washington.
If you have received a no-cause eviction, we are asking for your help to go to www.evictedwithoutcause.com and complete the form on the page. We will follow up with you to learn more and discuss how we can build power to outlaw no-cause evictions! Please share the link widely, and if you have any questions or would like to learn more about our efforts, please contact John Stovall at johns@wliha.org.
