CODE ENFORCEMENT. City of Seattle Department of Planning and Development (DPD) (206) CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS

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1 Seattle HOUSING AUTHORITY Housing Choice Voucher Program Address Telephone Fax TTY Website 190 Queen Anne Ave. N. P. O. Box Seattle, WA Community resources & assistance Up-to-date information about community resources is always available from The Crisis Clinic. Just dial Code Enforcement page 1 Cultural Organizations 1 Disability Services 2 Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault 3 Fair Housing 3 Immigration Services page 4 Legal Help 5 Tenants Rights Counseling 6 Utility Assistance 7 CODE ENFORCEMENT City of Seattle Department of Planning and Development (DPD) (206) DPD staff respond to customer complaints about minimum housing standards, land use violations, tenant relocation assistance, just cause eviction, and vacant and unfit buildings. DPD inspectors also address building code violations. Inspections are free and can usually be scheduled within a week. CULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS El Centro de la Raza (206) th Avenue South, Seattle El Centro de la Raza states, As an organization grounded in the Latino community, our mission is to build unity across all racial and economic sectors, to organize, empower, and defend our most vulnerable and marginalized populations and to bring justice, dignity, equality, and freedom to all the peoples of the world. El Centro provides a diverse range of services for low-income communities, including children s services, meals and food bank, ESL and citizenship classes, legal clinics, housing and homeownership programs, and employment support. This guide to resources was prepared by SHA in partnership with the Tenants Union of Washington and Solid Ground. 0210

2 2 Asian Counseling and Referral Services (206) Martin Luther King Jr. Way S, Seattle Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) is a nationally recognized nonprofit organization offering a broad array of human services and behavioral health programs to Asian Pacific Americans in King County. ACRS offers comprehensive mental health services, aging and adult services, chemical dependency treatment, a food bank, domestic violence batterers treatment, a legal clinic, naturalization and immigration services and employment services. DISABILITY SERVICES Alliance of People with DisAbilities (206) , tty or info@disabilitypride.org The Alliance s motto is, People with disabilities advocating for equality and choice. It provides an information and referral service, independent living skills training, peer groups, emergency preparedness preparation, and community education. The Disabilities Law Project provides legal information and assistance, as well as consultations regarding civil rights matters affecting people with disabilities. Disability Rights Washington (206) , , tty (206) or info@dr-wa.org Disability Rights Washington (DRW) is a private nonprofit organization that protects the rights of people with disabilities statewide. It describes its mission thus: To advance the dignity, equality, and self-determination of people with disabilities. We work to pursue justice on matters related to human and legal rights. DRW provides free advocacy services to people with disabilities. Contact DRW for disability rights information and referrals, problem-solving strategies for disability issues, community education and training, and legal services concerning disability discrimination or violation of rights. NAMI Greater Seattle (206) office@nami-greaterseattle.org 802 NW 70th Street, Seattle NAMI Greater Seattle s mission is to address the unmet needs of individuals with mental illness and their families through legislative advocacy, public education, information and referral, and self-help support groups. NAMI Greater Seattle provides free educational courses and support services concentrated in the city of Seattle, and provides assistance and information through the statewide Mental Health Helpline.

3 3 DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT Abused Deaf Women s Advocacy Services tty (206) API Women and Family Safety Center (206) , tty (206) The mission of the Asian and Pacific Islander Women and Family Safety Center is to organize communities, educate, train, and provide technical assistance and comprehensive culturally relevant services on domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking to Asian and Pacific Islander community members, service providers, survivors, and their families. Communities against Rape and Abuse (CARA) (206) or info@cara-seattle.org CARA is an organization created to undermine the root causes of sexual violence. The work is spearheaded by survivors who are marginalized from mainstream sexual assault services. CARA states that it Creates spaces for [our] constituencies including people who are young, of color, queer, incarcerated, poor, and/or have disabilities to invest in the power of collective action, critical dialogue, and community organizing to undermine rape, abuse, and oppression. CARA pushes a broad agenda for liberation and social justice while prioritizing anti-rape work at the center of its organizing. New Beginnings (206) New Beginnings provides services to women and children whose lives have been affected by physical, emotional, or sexual abuse. Some women who use its services are in physical danger. Others are living with controlling partners in relationships that are emotionally abusive. New Beginnings provides an array of services including 24-hour emergency shelter, transitional housing, information and referrals, legal clinics, support groups, individual advocacy, and community education. Washington State Domestic Violence Hotline FAIR HOUSING Fair Housing Center of Washington Phone and tty or or info@fhcwashington.org The Fair Housing Center of Washington is a nonprofit agency dedicated to ending illegal discrimination through the provision of fair housing education, outreach, and enforcement services to the residents of Western Washington. The Fair Housing Center provides complaint investigation and advocacy, and provides intake and investigation of housing

4 4 discrimination complaints and assistance through the complaint process. FHCW also provides basic and tailored fair housing education for both consumers and providers of housing related services. The information and referral services provide information about regional housing service providers, attorneys, and state, local and federal agencies. Seattle Office for Civil Rights (206) , tty (206) Central Building, 810 3rd Avenue, Suite 750, Seattle The Seattle Office for Civil Rights states, We envision a city where all people enjoy equal rights, equal opportunity and freedom from illegal discrimination. SOCR promotes racial and social justice for everyone in Seattle through education, policy work, and enforcement of civil rights laws. At SOCR, you can file complaints regarding discrimination in housing. IMMIGRATION SERVICES Northwest Immigrants Rights Project (206) or Monday to Friday, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm NWIRP is a nonprofit organization that provides limited legal services to immigrants and refugees, including applications for political asylum, representation in removal/deportation proceedings, petitions under the Violence Against Women Act, and other immigration applications, including naturalization, family visas, and applications for replacement green cards. Resources are limited; please contact the office for more information on eligibility requirements. Refugee Resettlement Office (206) or info@rroseattle.org 1610 South King St., Seattle The Diocese of Olympia s Refugee Resettlement Office helps newcomers, citizens and the working poor achieve economic self-sufficiency. It states, Our mission is accomplished through job placement activities and business development that promotes self-employment.

5 5 LEGAL HELP Housing Justice Project (206) King County Courthouse, Room West 314 (3rd floor) 516 3rd Avenue (at James Street), Seattle Open Monday through Friday, 8 am to 10:30 am. No appointment needed. The Housing Justice Project (HJP) provides free legal help to eligible low -income tenants who would otherwise appear without legal representation at their eviction hearings. Individuals who have a Show Cause Hearing on the same day as their visit to the HJP receive priority. Services include information and educational materials about the eviction process, referrals, legal advice, negotiations and representation at eviction hearings. King County Bar Association Neighborhood Legal Clinics (206) Neighborhood Legal Clinics (NLC) serve King County and other Washington State residents who have legal issues in King County. NLC provides individual meetings with volunteer attorneys for up to 30 minutes of free legal advice and consultation. There are NLC clinics all around Seattle. Call between 9 am and noon Monday through Thursday to make an appointment. Bilingual Spanish Legal Clinic Located at Senior Services, 2208 Second Avenue (at Seneca), Seattle (Belltown). Walk- in clinic; first eight clients served, hours strictly enforced. Spanish -speaking interpreters provided. Open Wednesdays from 5:30 to 7:30 pm. Legal Action Center at Catholic Community Services (206) rd Ave S., Seattle The Legal Action Center, a program of Catholic Community Services, strives to prevent homelessness by offering preventive advice, negotiation and representation to preserve and improve landlord/tenant relationships. The Legal Action Center offers free legal assistance to low income people with the following types of legal problems: Landlord/ tenant, eviction, repairs/habitability, deposits, retaliation, lease/sublease, lockouts, and debtor/creditor related to past tenancies.

6 6 Northwest Justice Project (206) or The Northwest Justice Project (NJP) is a non profit statewide organization that provides free civil legal services to low -income people throughout the state of Washington. NJP s mission is to secure justice in a democratic society by working for equal access to the legal system by empowering low-income persons and communities through education about their legal rights and obligations, and by promoting respect for human dignity through legal advocacy. TENANTS RIGHTS COUNSELING Solid Ground Tenant Counseling Services (206) Solid Ground Tenant Counseling Services operates a state wide hotline for tenants seeking information on the Residential Landlord-Tenant Act, and provides resources on renters rights concerning repairs, deposits, and evictions. Tenant Counselors can help with housing search resources, what to do in case of discrimination or harassment, and provide information on proper notices for rent increases, rule changes, termination of tenancy, or landlord entry. Anyone in Washington State can call for information and referrals related to tenancy by calling the Tenant Services hotline Monday, Wednesday, or Thursday from 10:30 am to 4:30 pm. Tenants Union of Washington (206) B Rainier Avenue S, Seattle Monday & Wednesday 3 to 6 pm; Thursday noon to 4 pm The Tenants Union Tenant Information Hotline answers questions about tenants rights and remedies available under Washington State Landlord/Tenant Law. The TU states that The TU challenges and transforms unjust housing conditions and housing policies through empowerment based education, leadership development, and community organizing and tenant ownership. Open for calls and walk- ins Mondays and Wednesdays from 3 to 6 pm and Thursdays from noon to 4 pm. Services are free, and you do not need an appointment.

7 7 UTILITY AND OTHER FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 211 Community Information Line or or (206) is the central referral line for almost all social services, including referrals for utility assistance. Centerstone (formerly Central Area Motivational Project) Energy Assistance Program (EAP) centerstone provides limited emergency utility assistance for low-income renters. Renters should first apply for EAP before other utility resources through the City of Seattle. Section 8 tenants are eligible to receive services. City of Seattle Office of the Hearing Examiner (206) The Office of the Hearing Examiner enforces Seattle s Third Party Billing ordinance, which allows certain tenants* to request a hearing to dispute utility bills if they feel they are wrongfully being charged and haven t been able to resolve the problem with the billing agent. * note: Only tenants who live in a building with three or more rental units that share a utility meter are covered by this ordinance. DSHS - Additional Requirements for Emergent Need (AREN) People receiving Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), State Family Assistance (SFA), or Refugee Cash Assistance may be eligible for an aren grant through their local CSO office if their lateness in paying their rent or a utility bill is jeopardizing their housing stability. (Grants range up to $750 if such a grant would fully satisfy a payment delinquency.) Seattle City Light Emergency Low Income Assistance (ELIA) (206) The ELIA program provides once-a-year assistance to pay a delinquent utility bill but only after a client has first accessed the Energy Assistance Program EAP. Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) tenants are eligible for this assistance.