Listing of self-help materials and informational publications.
There are 95 resources
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Housing discrimination
Fair Housing: Equal Opportunity for All
(Separate Website)
Comprehensive booklet containing information about the Fair Housing Act, what is prohibited under the law and what you can do if you are discriminated against.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Fair Housing: It's Your Right
(Separate Website)
HUD has played a lead role in administering the Fair Housing Act since its adoption in 1968. The 1988 amendments, however, have greatly increased the Department's enforcement role. First, the newly protected classes have proven significant sources of new complaints. Second, HUD's expanded enforcement role took the Department beyond investigation and conciliation into the area of mandatory enforcement.
By: U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development
Housing Discrimination & Your Civil Rights: A Fair Housing Guide for Renters and Home Buyers
(Separate Website)
Describes what housing discrimination is and what you can do if it happens to you.
By: King County Office of Civil Rights
Read this in:
Cambodian / Khmer
,
Chinese / 中文
,
Russian / Pусский
,
Spanish / Español
,
Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
Housing Discrmination Complaints
(Separate Website)
Federal law prohibits housing discrimination based on your race, color, national origin, religion, sex, family status, or disability. If you have been trying to buy or rent a home or apartment and you believe your rights have been violated, you can file a fair housing complaint.
By: U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development
Service Animals Questions
(Separate Website)
A service animal is one individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. This web page provides answers to frequently asked questions.
By: Washington Human Rights Commission
Where to File a Housing Discrimination Complaint
(Separate Website)
The web page tells you which agency to call to file a complaint.
By: King County
Attorney General's Mobile Home Landlord Tenant Dispute Resolution Service & Complaint Form
(Separate Website)
The Attorney General will take complaints from manufactured/mobile home tenants and landlords; investigate complaints; and attempt to negotiate an agreement. There is also an online complaint form available.
By: Washington State Attorney General
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Spanish / Español
Know Your Rights Before Purchasing a Manufactured Home
Many times the buyers do not understand all of the terms, often relying on verbal statements that are not in writing. Inform yourself well before buying!
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Landlord-Tenant Ombudservice
(Separate Website)
The Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Ombudservice helps identify issues, provides information, and assists with problem conciliation between manufactured/mobile home owners living in communities (parks) and the community owners and managers.
By: Deptartment of Community, Trade and Economic Development
Purchasing a Used Mobile Home in Grant or Adams County This brochure will educate you about important information to consider before buying a used mobile home within Grant and Adams counties.
By: Columbia Legal Services
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Tenants Rights under the Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act
The Manufactured/Mobile Home Landlord-Tenant Act, ("MHLTA" sometimes called the "M/MHLTA") has governed the relationship between a landlord and a tenant who rents a mobile home space since 1977. This publication discusses a tenant's rights and duties under the MHLTA.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Eviction for Non-Payment of Rent in Public and Subsidized Housing
This publication briefly describes the steps a tenant should take to avoid an eviction for nonpayment of rent when living in public or subsidized housing.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Public Housing Community Service/Self-Sufficiency Requirement
Adult tenants living in Public Housing are required to spend eight hours a month performing community service or participating in an economic self-sufficiency program.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Criminal History/Records: When and How to Seal/Vacate Non-Violent Class B or C Felony Convictions This publication provides information and forms on how to vacate and seal records concerning certain non-violent Class B or C felony convictions in Washington State occurring on/after July 1, 1984. Download the pdf file to use the forms.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA)
NAHASDA is a federal law passed in 1996 that was designed to give tribes more freedom to write their own rules for tribal housing. NAHASDA grants money to tribes to provide housing to tribal members.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Section 8 Certificate & Vouchers: Denial or Termination of Benefits
This publication will explain your obligations under the Section 8 program and what rights you have should the housing authority try to terminate your Section 8 assistance. The brochure also addresses some common questions raised by participants.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Public Housing Evictions
As a public housing tenant, you have greater protection against evictions than most other tenants do. You have these protections because if you are evicted from public housing, you will lose your federal housing subsidy, often worth hundreds of dollars per month. This publication briefly explains what you should do when the Housing Authority tries to evict you from public housing.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Public Housing Grievance Procedure
As a public housing tenant, you have the right to appeal many decisions or actions taken by the Housing Authority through its administrative Public Housing Grievance Procedure. Every Housing Authority is required by federal law to adopt a written public housing grievance procedure. A copy of the agency's grievance procedure should be posted in their office and available upon request.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
HUD Housing Evictions
As a tenant living in an apartment complex where the landlord has a contract with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), you have greater protection against evictions than most other tenants. This publication briefly describes your rights and the steps you can take to avoid an eviction. This information is important because if you are evicted, you will lose your federal housing assistance.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
HUD Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation Program Evictions
As a tenant living in an apartment complex where the landlord has a contract with a local Housing Authority under the Section 8 Moderate Rehabilitation Program, you have greater protection against evictions than most other tenants. This publication briefly describes your rights and the steps you may take to avoid an eviction. This information is important because, if you are evicted, you will lose your federal housing assistance.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Section 515 Rural Rental Housing Tenant Grievance and Appeals Procedure
As a tenant living in an apartment complex financed by the Rural Housing Service (formerly the Farmers Home Administration), you have the right to appeal many decisions you disagree with that are made by your landlord through the agency's tenant grievance and appeals procedure.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Section 515: Rural Rental Housing Evictions
As a tenant living in an apartment complex financed by the Rural Housing Service (formerly the Farmers Home Administration), you have greater protection against evictions than most other tenants. You may also be paying less than market rent for your apartment. It is important to understand that tenants who are evicted from such housing may lose their federal housing assistance. Because of this, you should do whatever you can to avoid an eviction. This publication briefly describes the steps a tenant can take to avoid an eviction.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
A Guide for Immigrants, Limited English Persons and Their Advocates to Federally Subsidized Housing
A detailed guide for immigrants and non-english speakers to federally subsidized housing programs.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
How to Use Small Claims Court to Recover Wages If you are owed wages by your employer, you may use Small Claims Court to attempt to recover them. This publication contains instructions on the process.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Small Claims Court In Small Claims Court, a person may sue for up to $5,000. This court is meant to be a relatively quick, inexpensive way to resolve disputes that you've been unable to settle. The Small Claims Court is not complicated. Lawyers generally cannot participate and there are no juries, motions or objections. There is only a small charge for filing the lawsuit. A trial may be obtained much sooner than in other courts, and most trials are short, lasting about 20 minutes.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
A New Federal Law Requires 90 Days Notice Prior to Eviction of any Tenant Living in a Foreclosed Property
If you rent your home, and your home was sold at a foreclosure sale after May 20, 2009, a new federal law, The Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act of 2009, requires the new owner to notify you at least 90 days before evicting you. You must still comply with the obligations of your lease or rental agreement during this time period.
By: Columbia Legal Services
Other Formats:
PDF File
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Domestic Violence and Your Housing Rights
(Separate Website)
Survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking have protections under the Washington Residential Landlord-Tenant Act (RCW 59.18).
By: King County Office of Civil Rights
Read this in:
Cambodian / Khmer
,
Russian / Pусский
,
Spanish / Español
,
Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt
Housing Search
(Separate Website)
Information about how to prepare for a housing search and links to sites that list available housing units.
By: Solid Ground
HUD Subsidized Apartment Finder
(Separate Website)
A search web site to find available subsidized apartments in Washington state.
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Landlord/Tenant Issues For Survivors of Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and/or Stalking Tenants who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking now have increased protection under the Residential Landlord Tenant Act (RLTA). The RLTA is found in the Revised Code of Washington (RCW 59.18). The law applies only to the rental of residential premises such as an apartment or house, or where both the mobile home and the space are rented in a mobile home park.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Letter to Landlord for Return of a Security Deposit - Interactive Interview
This online interview provides a completed demand letter for return of a rental security deposit in Washington State. Use this program if you did not receive or only partially received a refund of your rental security deposit from a previous landlord and wish to send a demand letter requesting that it be returned to you.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Mediation: Should I Use It?
(Separate Website)
3226EN - Mediation is an informal way to resolve disputes without going to court. The parties attempt to negotiate a mutually agreeable settlement with the help of a neutral mediator. Mediation can be used in many types of disputes.
By: Legal Voice
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Recovering Your Security Deposit
This publication gives step-by-step instructions on how to prepare to get your security deposit back and what to do if your landlord does not return your deposit.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Rental Agreements
(Separate Website)
Lots of information about the different types of rental agreements, the law and breaking a rental agreement.
By: Solid Ground
Search for Commission Financed Properties
(Separate Website)
The following pages of multifamily rental properties received Tax Credit and/or Tax-Exempt Bond financing from the Commission and are monitored by the Compliance and Preservation Division. If you would like to find out more about properties that are still being built, rehabilitated, or that are just renting up, please see Tax Credit Lists or the Capital Projects Multifamily Housing Lists.
By: Washington State Housing Finance Commission
Tenant Services: Repairs
(Separate Website)
State law outlines landlords? obligations to keep your unit safe and livable. Landlords must also maintain their units to comply with all local codes that govern housing quality.
By: Solid Ground
Tenants' Repair Remedies
This publication provides information on a landlord's responsibility to make repairs and what you can do to enforce your right to live in a safe home.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Other Formats:
PDF File
Word File
Read this in:
Spanish / Español
Your Rights - the Tenants Union Help Center
(Separate Website)
Information on tenant's rights, housing discrimination, rent increases, breaking your lease, etc.
By: Tenants Union
Your Rights as a Tenant in Washington This publication was written to help residential tenants and landlords in Washington understand their rights and responsibilities.
By: Northwest Justice Project
Read this in:
Russian / Pусский
,
Spanish / Español
Veteran and servicemember rights in housing and home loans
FAQs about VA Home Loan Program
(Separate Website)
Frequently Asked Questions About the VA Home Loan Program
By: U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
Home Loan Guarantee Services
(Separate Website)
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs home loan guarantee website.
By: U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
Home Modification Programs
(Separate Website)
VA has three main grant programs to assist disabled veterans and servicemembers with necessary home modifications.
By: U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
Information for Military Personnel Regarding Mortgage Relief and Foreclosure Protection
(Separate Website)
Information about payment relief and protection from foreclosure provided by the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (formerly known as The Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act of 1940)
By: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility (VA Home Loan)
(Separate Website)
Information and eligibility requirements for obtaining a Certificate of Eligibility for a VA Home Loan.
By: U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
Request for Certificate of Eligibility
(Separate Website)
Form and Instructions for requesting a Certificate of Eligibility for a VA Home Loan.
By: U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
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