
What Eviction Resolution Program (ERP) in the Washington (WA) State Means for the Landlord
Recently updated on April 27th, 2025 at 01:21 pm
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 | 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
- Get a yes/no answer on your eligibility for an overall eviction process including the ERP
- 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
- Make appointments with free resources, pro bono lawyers, and paid lawyers in your area
Start by entering your zip code
Eviction
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
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