Listing of self-help materials and informational publications.
There are 77 resources
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Energy assistance, utilities & telecommunications
Low income energy assistance programs
Low-income Home Energy Assistance Program
(Separate Website)
If you are in need of help to pay your home energy bill, you may qualify for emergency assistance.
By: LIHEAP Washington State
Programs Can Help Keep the Heat On
(Separate Website)
Winter 1997 consumer newsletter article describing the programs that can help consumers keep the heat on when they get behind on their utility bill.
By: Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
Additional Requirements: Extra Money for Welfare (TANF) Clients
If you qualify for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) State Financial Assistance (SFA) or a Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) welfare grant and you have an emergency you may be eligible to get Additional Requirements (AR) which is money for emergency needs. This publication tells who can get additional requirements (AR) and under what circumstances.
By: Northwest Justice Project
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Public Utilities
General information about your rights when dealing with public utilities.
By: Northwest Justice Project
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Filing a Complaint with the Utilities and Transportation Committee
(Separate Website)
If you have a dispute with your utility company, you should first try to resolve it with the company. Many disputes can be resolved by asking for a supervisor. If you are unable to resolve the issue, this web site has an online complaint form if you decide to file a complaint regarding your utility service.
By: Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
Smart Consumer Guide: Public Utility Service
(Separate Website)
Describes consumer rights relating to telephone, natural gas, electricity and water services.
By: Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission
Citizens Utility Alliance Web Site
(Separate Website)
The Citizens' Utility Alliance mission is to organize educate and advocate for residential natural gas electric water and telecommunications customers.
By: Citizens Utility Alliance of Washington
Washington Telephone Assistance Program (WTAP)
WTAP is a benefit program that provides discounts on telephone fees for eligible households.
By: Columbia Legal Services
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Eviction and Your Defense
If your landlord wants you to move and you refuse to do so, you cannot be forced to move legally unless your landlord files a lawsuit to evict you and obtains a court order. The lawsuit is called an Unlawful Detainer Action. Even if you are behind in your rent or have violated other terms in your lease or rental agreement, your landlord cannot force you to move by locking you out, turning off your utilities, taking your personal property, or using other kinds of force.
By: Northwest Justice Project
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Vacating a Judgment and Staying Enforcement of a Writ of Restitution
If you receive a judgment or a writ of restitution and you believe you had a good reason for not responding to the eviction summons or appearing at the show cause hearing, you may ask the court to vacate (or withdraw) the judgment and stay (or temporarily stop) the eviction.
By: Northwest Justice Project
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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