Congress passed a new COVID-19 relief package that was enacted on Dec. 27, 2020. The relief package includes relief checks, rental assistance, SNAP assistance and more. Tenants who have questions about stimulus checks or need help with unemployment can call SHA's JobLink helpline at 206.615.3549 for assistance.  

Here is a selected list of some of the benefits in the bill. 

Direct payments  
Provides $600 direct payments to individuals making up to $75,000 per year; $1,200 for couples making up to $150,000 per year and $600 additional payments per dependent child. The House has passed a measure to increase these payments to $2,000 for eligible adults; the Senate is still debating it.  

Unemployment insurance  
Revives supplemental federal pandemic unemployment benefits at $300 per week through Mar. 14, 2021. Extends special pandemic benefits for “gig” workers and extends the maximum period for state-paid jobless benefits to 50 weeks. 

Paycheck Protection Program 
Revives the Paycheck Protection Program, which provides forgivable loans to qualified businesses. Especially hard-hit businesses that received PPP grants would be eligible for a second round. Ensures that PPP subsidies are not taxed. 

Rental assistance  
Provides money for a first-ever federal rental assistance program; funds to be distributed by state and local governments to help people who have fallen behind on their rent and may be facing eviction. 

Food aid  
Increases stamp benefits by 15% for six months and provides funding to food banks, Meals on Wheels and other food aid. 

Child Care  
Provides $10 billion to the Child Care Development Block Grant to help families with child care costs and help providers cover increased operating costs. 

In addition to the federal package, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee announced on Sunday, Dec. 27, 2020 that the state will provide a one-time unemployment payment of $550 payments to people who were receiving federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) to cover a week lapse between the previous special federal benefit in the last bill and the benefit in the new relief package.  

Here's the full text of the 5,593 page federal relief bill