About the Committee

King County has created an advisory board of nine people that provided input on policy, procedures and protocols for rental assistance and eviction prevention programs and services. The advisory committee has provided valuable first-person experience and perspective decisions impacting people who were renting their homes in King County. In particular, the committee has advised the County on how funding should be allocated to the King County Rent Assistance and Eviction Prevention Program (EPRAP). 

The Advisory Committee assisted King County to ensure an equitable allocation of EPRAP funds to those communities with experienced disproportionate health and economic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, including those who performed essential work during the COVID-19 pandemic and those who historically had been disproportionately impacted by inequities and discrimination related to housing, such as the African American, Native American and Alaska Native, Asian/Pacific Islander, Latinx, immigrant and refugee, disability and LGBTQI+ communities. 

Time Commitment

The committee meets on a monthly basis, discussing the County's rent assistance program and input on the current priorities and policies.. 

Criteria

To have been considered for membership, an applicant must have been a King County resident and a current renter of housing in King County. Prioritization went to community members who had accessed or tried to access rental assistance in the past five years or had experienced eviction. Applicants may not have any job-related connection to property management or any agency receiving King County Eviction Prevention and Rental Assistance Program funding. If the applicant worked for an organization receiving other King County funds, the applicant must recuse themselves from participating in any board business regarding the organization while serving on the advisory committee. Participating on the advisory committee did not impact an individual’s chance of receiving rental assistance from EPRAP or any other rent assistance program.