What Eviction Resolution Program (ERP) in the Washington (WA) State Means for the Landlord

Recently updated on June 7th, 2025 at 06:58 am

The Eviction Resolution Program is created in the Washington State in 2021 to reduce the tidal wave of eviction lawsuits that are expected once the Eviction Moratorium ends on October 31st 2021

The program requires landlords to seek mediation first before proceeding on with a formal legal case. The mediation service is provided at the county level and is called the Disputed Resolution Center (DRC). The goal of the program is to bring all parties together with trained resolution specialists.

All Landlords are required to participate in the ERP before they can file rent-related evictions.

In case the DRC fails to resolve the issues or the renter does not want to participate then the landlord can proceed on with the regular eviction case.

The program reduces evictions particularly in the case of unpaid rent by utilizing funds from state and local rental assistance.

Background

Prior to COVID, a landlord could evict a tenant for various qualifying reasons such as for not paying the rent, for not complying with the important terms of the lease, for have some illegal activity conducted and for a few other reasons.

After the state and federal moratoria are lifted, the ERP will require parties to engage in pre-litigation conciliation efforts prior to the filing of an unlawful detainer action in cases where non-payment of rent, or non-compliance with previously agreed-upon payment plans, are the primary reason for the landlord’s action to evict.

Justice Debra L Stephens, Chief Justice for the Washington State’s Supreme Court (See the complete memo here)

However with COVID, many people including Washingtonian lost their sources of income and the issue of unpaid rent became a major societal issue. In order to prevent large scale evictions that would in turn make the COVID spread worse.

How it works

Step 1 : Landlords fills the ERP notice and sends a copy to tenant and one to DRC

As a landlord starting the process, the first step is that the landlord fills and provides the notice to the tenant, and send a copy to Dispute Resolution Center

Here’s what the notice looks like

 

 

 

Step 2: Tenant replies to DRC

The tenant must submit the form to the DRC within 10 days of receiving it.

If the tenant does not submit the form then the landlord can proceed onto

Step 3: Schedule time with DRC

Landlords must meet the local DRC. Here’s the complete list of DRC locations.

[expand title=”List of DRC locations in Washington state”]

County	DRC Name	Email	Website	Address	Phone
Adams	Columbia Basin DRC	cbdrcerpintake@ gmail.com	http://www. cbdrc.org	256 Basin St. NW, Suite B Ephrata, WA 98823	(509) 237-8401
Asotin	Neutral Ground DRC	director@neu- tralgrounddrc. org	https://www. neutralground- drc.org/	1200 SE 12th Street Suite 6 College Place, WA 99324	(509) 730-1317
Benton	DRC of Tri-Cities	erpspecialist@ drctc.org	http://www. drctc.org	5219 W. Clearwa- ter Avenue – Suite 11, Kennewick, WA 99336	(509) 783-1043
Chelan	Wenatchee Valley DRC	info@wvdrc.org	http://www. wvdrc.org	5 S Wenatchee Avenue, Suite 210 Wenatchee, WA 98801	(509) 888-0957
Clallam	Peninsula DRC	renee@pdrc.org	http://www.pdrc. org	319 S. Peabody Street Port Angeles, WA 98362	(360) 452-8024
Clark	Community Mediation Services	info@mediation- clarkcounty.org	http://www. mediationclark- county.org	303 East 16th Street Vancouver, WA 98663	(360) 334-5862 x 1
Columbia	Neutral Ground DRC	director@neu- tralgrounddrc. org	https://www. neutralground- drc.org/	1200 SE 12th Street Suite 6 College Place, WA 99324	(509) 730-1317
Cowlitz	Center for Construc- tive Resolution and Conversation	erpp.cowlitz. ccrc@gmail.com	https://lewis- countyccrc.org/	Satellite Office: 1338 Commerce Ave D2 Longview, WA 98632	(360) 232-8622
Douglas	Wenatchee Valley DRC	info@wvdrc.org	http://www. wvdrc.org	5 S Wenatchee Avenue, Suite 210 Wenatchee, WA 98801	(509) 888-0957
Ferry	Northwest Mediation Center	info@nwmedia- tioncenter.com	http://www.nw- mediationcenter. com	35 West Main, Suite 230 Spokane, WA 99201	(509) 456-0103
Franklin	DRC of Tri-Cities	erpspecialist@ drctc.org	http://www. drctc.org	5219 W. Clearwa- ter Avenue – Suite 11 Kennewick, WA 99336	(509) 783-1043
Garfield	Neutral Ground DRC	director@neu- tralgrounddrc. org	https://www. neutralground- drc.org/	1200 SE 12th Street Suite 6 College Place, WA 99324	(509) 730-1317
Grant	Columbia Basin DRC	cbdrcerpintake@ gmail.com	http://www. cbdrc.org	256 Basin St. NW, Suite B Ephrata, WA 98823	(509) 237-8401
Grays Harbor	DRC of Grays Harbor & Pacific Counties	erp@drcghp.org	http://www. drcghp.org	207 S Chehalis Street #301 Aberdeen, WA. 98520	(360) 532-8950
Island	Volunteers of America Dispute Resolution Center	earlyresolution@ voaww.org	http://www. voaww.org/drc	117 N First St, Ste 30 Mount Vernon, WA 98273″ Mail: PO Box 839 Everett, WA 98206-0839	425-339-1335 (press #3) Toll Free: (800) 280-4770 (press #3)
Jefferson	Peninsula DRC	renee@pdrc.org	http://www.pdrc. org	319 S. Peabody Street Port Angeles, WA 98362	(360) 452-8024
King	King County DRC	housing@kcdrc. org	http://kcdrc.org/ get-help/	4649 Sunnyside Ave. N, Suite 520 Seattle, WA 98103	(206) 443-9603 x 111 Spanish: (206) 443-9603 ext. 103
King	Bellevue Conflict Res- olution Center	bcrc@bellevue- wa.gov	https://bellevue- wa.gov/city-gov- ernment/ departments/ community-de- velopment/con- flict-assistance/ eviction-resolu- tion-program	450 110th Avenue NE Bellevue, WA 98004	(425) 452-4090
Kitsap	DRC of Kitsap County	Housing@Kit- sapDRC.org	http://www. kitsapdrc.org	9004 Washington Ave. NW Silverdale, WA 98383	(360) 517-5800
Kittitas	DRC of Yakima & Kittitas Counties	ERP@drcyaki- ma.org	http://www. drcyakima.org	132 North 1st Avenue Yakima, WA 98902	(509) 388-0366
Klickitat	Six Rivers DRC	outreach@6riv- ers.org	http://www.6riv- ers.org	601 Cascade Ave. Hood River, OR 97031	(541) 386-1283 #2 Direct: (509) 606-6363 Toll Free: (888) 628-4101
Lewis	Center for Construc- tive Resolution and Conversation	erpp.lewis.ccrc@ gmail.com	https://lewis- countyccrc.org/	500 W. Main St., Centralia, #11 (2nd floor) Centralia WA 98531	(360) 623-8788
Lincoln	Northwest Mediation Center	info@nwmedia- tioncenter.com	http://www.nw- mediationcenter. com	35 West Main, Suite 230 Spokane, WA 99201	(509) 456-0103
Mason	DRC of Thurston County	cstead@media- tethurston.org	http://media- tethurston.org	2604 12th Court SW, Suite A-2 Olympia WA 98502	(360) 956-1155 ext. 113
Okanogan	Okanogan County DRC	okcodrc@live. com	http://www. okanogandrc.org	113 N Main St. Okanogan, WA 98840	(509) 826-1776
Pacific	DRC of Grays Harbor & Pacific Counties	erp@drcghp.org	http://www. drcghp.org	207 S Chehalis Street #301 Aberdeen, WA. 98520	(360) 532-8950
Pend Oreille	Northwest Mediation Center	info@nwmedia- tioncenter.com	http://www.nw- mediationcenter. com	35 West Main, Suite 230 Spokane, WA 99201	(509) 456-0103
Pierce	Center for Dialog & Resolution	SolveIt@Center- ForResolution. org	https://center- forresolution.org	717 Tacoma Ave. South Tacoma, WA 98402	(253) 572-3657 Spanish: (253) 572-3657 ext. 123
San Juan	Volunteers of America Dispute Resolution Center	earlyresolution@ voaww.org	http://www. voaww.org/drc	Physical: 117 N First St, Ste 30 Mount Vernon, WA 98273 Mailing: PO Box 839 Everett, WA 98206-0839	(425) 339-1335 (press #3) Toll Free: (800) 280-4770 (press #3)
Skagit	Volunteers of America Dispute Resolution Center	earlyresolution@ voaww.org	http://www. voaww.org/drc	Physical: 117 N First St, Ste 30 Mount Vernon, WA 98273 Mailing: PO Box 839 Everett, WA 98206-0839	(425) 339-1335 (press #3) Toll Free: (800) 280-4770 (press #3)
Skamania	Six Rivers DRC	outreach@6riv- ers.org	http://www.6riv- ers.org	601 Cascade Ave. Hood River, OR 97031	(541) 386-1283 #2 Direct: (509) 606-6363 Toll Free: (888) 628-4101
Snohom- ish	Volunteers of America Dispute Resolution Center	earlyresolution@ voaww.org	http://www. voaww.org/drc	Physical: 2801 Lombard St Everett WA 98201″ Mailing: PO Box 839 Everett, WA 98206-0839	(425) 339-1335 (press #3) Toll Free: (800) 280-4770 (press #3)
Spokane	Fulcrum Institute DRC	housing@ fulcrumdispute. com	http://www. fulcrumdispute. com	211 West Augusta Spokane, WA 99205	(509) 838-2799
Spokane	Northwest Mediation Center	info@nwmedia- tioncenter.com	http://www.nw- mediationcenter. com	35 West Main, Suite 230 Spokane, WA 99201	(509) 456-0103
Stevens	Northwest Mediation Center	info@nwmedia- tioncenter.com	http://www.nw- mediationcenter. com	35 West Main, Suite 230 Spokane, WA 99201	(509) 456-0103
Thurston	DRC of Thurston County	cstead@media- tethurston.org	http://media- tethurston.org	Mailing: PO Box 6184,Olympia, WA 98506 Physical: 2604 12th Court SW, Suite A-2, Olym- pia WA 98502	(360) 956-1155 ext. 113
Wahkia- kum	DRC of Grays Harbor & Pacific Counties	erp@drcghp.org	http://www. drcghp.org	207 S Chehalis Street #301 Aberdeen, WA. 98520	(360) 532-8950
Walla Walla	Neutral Ground DRC	director@neu- tralgrounddrc. org	https://www. neutralground- drc.org/	1200 SE 12th Street Suite 6 College Place, WA 99324	(509) 730-1317
Whatcom	Whatcom DRC	gayle@whatcom- drc.org	http://www. whatcomdrc.org	206 Prospect Street Bellingham, WA 98225	(360) 676-0122 x 122
Whitman	Fulcrum Institute DRC	housing@ fulcrumdispute. com	http://www. fulcrumdispute. com	211 West Augusta Spokane, WA 99205	(509) 838-2799
Yakima	DRC of Yakima & Kittitas Counties	ERP@drcyaki- ma.org	http://www. drcyakima.org	132 North 1st Avenue Yakima, WA 98902	(509) 388-0366

[/expand]

 

Step 4: Meet the DRC and go through the Mediation Process

 

Step 5: Get Certificate

The DRC issues a certificate for both outcomes

Agreement reached: The certificate includes a copy of the agreement reached.

No Agreement reached: If the process is not successful, the DRC issues a certificate which is required to file the unlawful detainer case.

Here’s a sample copy of the Dispute Resolution Certificate

 

 

Step 6: Create paper work for Eviction case (also called Unlawful Detainer)

The legal name for Eviction cases is “unlawful detainer” . An unlawful detainer lawsuit is the civil case a landlord can file to basically request that the court along with law enforcement help in removing the tenant who may not be willing to leave themselves.

Create your court forms now

You can use LegalAtoms online do it yourself experience to step by step prepare your court forms. The process works as follows

1. Get a yes/no answer on your eligibility for an overall eviction process including the ERP
2. Prepare court forms updated with the current processes as at November 1st 2021 including, notices, ERP forms and the eviction legal case (Unlawful Detainer) case
3. Make appointments with free resources, pro bono lawyers, and paid lawyers in your area

Start by entering your zip code

 

 

Resources

King County’s Eviction Resolution Program

Eviction related forms by Washington Courts

Eviction Resolution Pilot Program by Washington Courts

Court order for setting up the Eviction Resolution Program in King County

King County Large Landlord Program

King County Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program

Governor Inslee’s Eviction Moratorium Bridge