Help Rainier Vista Families with Rent Relief

---Update #3 1/25/2021----

Wow, we've blown by our first goal of $40,000 and made it past our second goal of $50,000 in less than a day!

On behalf of the Rainier Vista Neighborhood Fund Committee, I want to say how touched and blown away we all are by the outpouring of support for SHA families experiencing rent hardship right now. We are all in (happy) disbelief.

I will post updates as we are able to pay off the back rent. 

Again, thanks to everyone for their outpouring of love and support. Faith in humanity restored!


----Update #2 1/25/2021-----

Gofundme has asked me to complete the following information:

Who you are

My name is Jared Howe, and I'm a member of the New Rainier Vista Neighborhood Fund Committee, along with Ian Lee and Susan Montecute. 

Where you're from

I live in Rainier Vista in Columbia City, which is a neighborhood in South Seattle.

Your relationship to the parties you're raising funds for

We are raising funds for Seattle Housing Authority residents of Rainier Vista who have back rent due because of income loss due to the pandemic. We (me, Ian, and Susan) are their neighbors. 

How the funds will be used (be specific as possible)

We will be giving 100% of the funds directly to the SHA families who have been identified as needing help paying back rent.

If you intend to withdraw the money, how you plan to send the funds to the parties you're raising money for or use the money on their behalf

We will be giving the money directly to the families in whatever mode works best for them: cash, Cash app, Venmo, or Zelle. We plan to fully document who receives the funds, the amount received, and the date sent for audit purposes. 


----Update 1/25/2021----

We've blown by our $40,000 goal, so I'm upping our new goal to $50,000! All proceeds will go to Rainier Vista families who have accumulated back rent. We've currently identified 30 families, but there are certainly more families who need help. Any proceeds above our $40K goal will go to additional families who come forward. 

Thanks so much to all who have given! I am speechless right now. Many thanks to King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay who helped tremendously with this effort!

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New Rainier Vista Neighborhood COVID-19 Rent Relief Fund

COVID-19 has created one of the most difficult moments many of us have ever faced. On top of the health worries and life disruptions we are all dealing with right now, many of our black and brown neighbors here in New Rainier Vista (NRV, South Seattle) have lost significant income during the pandemic and are struggling to pay rent and meet their basic needs. During the best of times, many of our Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) neighbors live at or near the poverty line.

While Governor Inslee has extended Washington state’s eviction moratorium through April, rent debt is still accruing and many families are facing huge backlogs of unpaid rent. Rental assistance programs are overwhelmed and they have been unable to access them.

We came together as a community this past year, raising over $15,000 that went directly to NRV families in need. These funds have made a real difference in the lives of many residents. 

Thanks to your generous donations and in partnership with the SHA, we have helped 65 families fill needs like groceries, gas, bills, and things they need for their children. With food banks at capacity and some not qualifying for public food benefits, we continue to assemble and provide emergency grocery bags and basic household items.

We’ve helped make things easier during a very hard and uncertain time for our neighbors who contribute to the fabric of our lives and our community. Through this epic crisis, we’ve come together to help lift up our neighbors.

Right now, at least 30 NRV SHA families are unable to pay their back rent, and collectively owe $38,000. There are likely other families who are struggling and haven’t come forward.  We are aiming to raise this amount as quickly as possible to take the burden of unpaid rent off the backs of our neighbors.

If you can contribute any amount, we would be very grateful.

In gratitude and service,

The New Rainier Vista Neighborhood Fund Committee

Jared Howe, Susan Montacute, and Ian Lee