$725K Settlement to Tenants for Wrongful Eviction
Northwest Justice Project (NJP) and Rivercrest Law PLLC announced today that claims brought by Ms. Aaron Allen and the Estate of Kathleen Allen have been settled for $725,000.
Beyond Merit: What Right To Counsel Reveals About Case Selection
Any operation where demand far outstrips supply must make difficult choices. A business will increase their prices or scale up to meet demand. Legal aid has the same problem: no shortage of poor people in need of legal services and a very static level of the supply of providers of those services," Scott Crain writes. Legal aid works around this problem by deciding who gets representation based on "merit" — essentially whether a case is likely to be won — but this harms vulnerable clients, lets opposing attorneys take advantage of unrepresented people, and allows entire areas of law to erode.
Preventing Illegal Evictions from Transitional Housing
A formerly homeless woman living in a transitional housing hotel in Lacey was locked out of the unit she had occupied for two years and denied access to her personal belongings, including her clothes and toiletries. When she pleaded to stay, staff called the police. NJP argued that such practices violate Washington State law. It's a growing problem.
Read more.
OPINION: WA long-term care residents should have the same rights as renters
In his opinion piece, Scott Wilson, a 66-year-old assisted living resident in Yakima, Washington, describes himself as “a fighter” – and he’s had to be. Facing two eviction attempts from his facility, Wilson turned to the Long-Term Care Ombudsman program and attorneys at the Northwest Justice Project, who provided legal counsel to help him navigate the appeal process.
He won both times. But he knows most residents aren’t so fortunate, noting that “many of us don’t have family or friends to help us learn about our rights and navigate the burden of appealing.” Wilson has joined the Long-Term Care Ombuds and NJP in suing the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to strengthen eviction rules for residents in long-term care, urging that “the state can do better to support older adults who are facing eviction and homelessness.”
Eviction Prevention Cuts Would Only Drive More Costs for WA
A planned $3 million cut to Washington State's Eviction Prevention Program would deny 2,000 tenants the right to an attorney in eviction court — and would be felt across communities and elsewhere in the state budget. It's a decision now before the WA State Legislature.
Read the commentary in the Washington State Standard by Abigail Daquiz, Executive Director of Northwest Justice Project, and Sandra Miller, Executive Director of Sound Legal Aid: https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/01/30/eviction-prevention-cuts-will-only-drive-more-costs-for-wa/
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Evicted from the Home I Owned
In 2018 my now ex-husband and I decided to rent-to-own a one-bedroom one-bathroom house in Electric City. I was working full time as a cashier at a gas station. We used his mother's inheritance to put down a large down payment and began making monthly payments. Then in 2020, I had two major strokes. I […]
Deanna: Caught Between Two ‘Landlords’
When my dad was placed on hospice care, I found a house that would be suitable for myself, my dad, and my three stepchildren. I signed the lease, and we moved in. The owner of the house didn’t live in the area and had enlisted the next-door neighbor to serve as “the landlord.” While this […]
From Right to Counsel in Eviction to Civil Justice for All
In less than three years, Washington state's landmark “Right to Counsel” (RTC) legislation guaranteeing legal representation for low-income tenants facing eviction has demonstrated a powerful truth: when people with low income receive legal counsel, the balance of power in our civil justice system shifts. Northwest Justice Project (NJP), one of Washington's largest providers of RTC […]
Krystal Jeffries: Fighting eviction and landlord fraud video
Michael Shapsnikoff overcomes addiction and eviction
After overcoming addiction and working to get his life back, Michael Shapsnikoff was unable to secure housing because an eviction was part of his rental history, and many landlords screen out prospective tenants with an eviction record.
As Michael pursued recovery, he reached out to Northwest Justice Project (NJP) for help. NJP worked with Michael to petition the court for an Order of Limited Dissemination (OLD), which removes an eviction from a person’s rental history. The court granted the OLD in 2023, clearing the path for Michael to find stable housing.