Recent News

Most property owners have a mortgage.  In the course of property ownership, the owner may end up paying off this mortgage (“deed of trust”), whether by sale of the property to a third party, refinance of the loan, or outright payment with personal finances.  Once the loan is paid in full, this should effectively end… Read More

King County has provided funding to the Historic South Downtown Community Preservation & Development Authority (HSD), an agency created by the State of Washington to promote and preserve Seattle’s Pioneer Square and International District Neighborhoods.  The HSD will issue grants to nonprofit organizations that provide programming and services, or that provide direct support to small… Read More

In response to the postponement of the 2020 Major League Soccer season due to COVID-19, the RAVE Foundation has established the Seattle Sounders FC Relief Fund to assist individuals and small businesses in neighborhoods near CenturyLink Field.  Grants will be made on a rolling and ongoing basis contingent upon the availability of funds. Eligible individuals… Read More

Earlier this year, the City of Seattle placed a moratorium on evictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which is currently set to terminate on June 4th, at the same time that a similar statewide moratorium will also sunset.  On May 4th, the Seattle City Council voted to provide new additional protections to Seattle residential tenants… Read More

In March of this year, Amazon created a $5 million Neighborhood Small Business Relief Fund for small businesses located within a few blocks of their Regrade, South Lake Union, and Bellevue office buildings.  Amazon has already awarded funds to local businesses such as Lady Yum in Seattle’s Regrade neighborhood, and Cactus in South Lake Union.  It… Read More

In response to the financial impact of COVID-19 on small businesses, the City of Seattle previously committed $2.5 million in federal Community Development Block Grants to create the Small Business Stabilization Fund.  After receiving applications by March 25th, the City of Seattle selected 250 eligible small businesses through a lottery and awarded each of them… Read More

As part of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, many counties in Washington State have extended deadlines for payment of property taxes.  For example, King, Snohomish, Pierce, Thurston, Whatcom, and Pacific counties have extended the due date for the first half of property taxes for 2020 from April 30th to June 1st.  However, not all counties… Read More

In response to the financial impact of the COVID-19 virus, Washington State has delayed payment deadlines for the Business & Occupation (B&O) tax owed by small businesses.  Specifically, those who file monthly returns can request an extension from the Department of Revenue, while quarterly filers have an automatic extension to June 30, 2020 for their… Read More

The Small Business Administration (SBA) has made a few significant clarifications to the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, which the federal government passed as part of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability Act (CARES Act).  These clarifications may affect small business owners who have applied under this program, or who plan to apply in the… Read More