Across Washington, more and more veterans and seniors with disabilities find themselves with only 20 days to find a new home after receiving a “no cause” termination notice of their month to month tenancy. NJP attorney staff attorney Jose Trejo speaks about the issues facing people he helps in Spokane’s tight housing market, where rents went up more than 11% last year.

Sixty-five families who depend on Section 8 vouchers to help pay their rent received notices that their vouchers would no longer be accepted and were told they would have to leave by the end of October 2016. Notice was given by the purchasers of two Renton buildings who wanted to raise the rents above what the Section 8 program subsidy allows. NJP attorneys Scott Crain and Matt Brady agreed to represent the tenants and raised the prospect of fair housing violations. All 23 families in one building are African American, many are female headed households, and many tenants are also disabled.