Key Facts
KCHA is a municipal corporation established in 1939
by the State of Washington to provide affordable housing and related
services. KCHA's primary area of operations is King County outside
of the cities of Seattle and Renton. KCHA also owns and manages
a
public housing complex in Olympia and administers 80 units of public
housing under contract to the Sedro-Woolley Housing Authority.
Organization
KCHA has an annual consolidated budget (including tax credit partnerships)
of approximately
$137.6 million. Authority operations are directed from an Administrative Office and Section 8 office, both located in Tukwila.
Area and site offices scattered throughout the county support field operations.
KCHA has 309 full-time employees.
Housing Inventory
KCHA owns or controls 114 residential complexes with 8,354 units.
KCHA's inventory can be divided into two primary categories: HUD-Subsidized
Programs and Local Programs.
HUD-Subsidized Programs |
62
Sites |
3,436
Units |
Public Housing (families) |
31 Sites |
1,252 Units |
Public Housing (senior/disabled) |
19 Sites |
1,223 Units |
Public Housing (permanent supportive) |
1 Site |
32 Units |
Section 8 Properties |
11 Sites |
929 Units |
| |
|
|
| Local
Programs |
52 Sites |
5,009 Units |
Tax Credit Partnerships |
17 Sites |
1,953 Units |
Bond-Financed Housing |
16 Sites |
2,461 Units |
Nonprofit Partnerships |
11 Sites |
136 Units |
Miscellaneous |
4 Sites |
29 Units |
Manufactured Housing |
4 Sites |
430 Units |
Programs include both permanent and transitional housing for families,
elderly households and "special needs" individuals.
 |
Laurelwood Gardens in Federal Way |
KCHA uses a mixture of in-house maintenance and management staff
and private management firms to oversee these properties. Our asset
base is valued at roughly $393 million. Approximately $14 million
in capital improvements are scheduled each year.
Rental Assistance
KCHA also provides tenant-based rental assistance in the form of
Housing Choice vouchers to almost 9,800 households living in privately owned
housing. More than 2,500 vouchers are reserved
for specific populations including disabled households and homeless
families. KCHA contracts with approximately 3,200 local property owners
under this program.
Resident Services
 |
Head Start at Birch Creek Apartments |
KCHA spends more than $4 million each year in support
of resident services. Programs are provided both directly through
the Authority's support service coordinators, who work with seniors
and younger disabled households in the federally assisted housing
programs, and through outside contracts with a wide range of nonprofit
agencies.
Housing Repair and Weatherization
KCHA coordinates and administers approximately $5 million in low-income
home repair and weatherization activities annually. Funding is provided
by the federal government, various utility companies, the State of
Washington, King County and the City of Bellevue. Approximately 900
privately owned multifamily, single family and mobile homes are upgraded
each year.
Development Activities
KCHA has maintained an active pipeline of property acquisitions
and new construction over the past decade. Projects are primarily
funded by combining federal, state, and local assistance with tax-exempt bonds and/or Low Income Housing Tax Credits. Since
1990, KCHA has issued more than $350 million in housing bonds to fund
development
activities. A total of 20 of KCHA's projects have also utilized tax
credits, with KCHA serving as sole general partner for the tax credit
partnership.
Demographics
Public Housing
In January 2009, 2,432 households lived
in KCHA public housing. Of these households, 33 percent are families;
41 percent are elderly; and 26 percent are disabled or live with a
person with a disability.
Average incomes for these three household types are as follows:
Family |
$15,167 |
Elderly |
$10,441 |
Disabled |
$10,064 |
More than 60 percent of families living in KCHA public housing receive
some income from employment. Thirty-two percent of families receive
income from TANF. Social Security provides income for 42 percent of
elderly and disabled households; SSI provides income for 58 percent
of elderly and disabled households.
Of current public housing households, 59 percent are white; 23 percent
are black or African-American; 1 percent are Native American; 12 percent
are Asian; 4 percent are Latino; and 1 percent are Pacific Islander.
Housing Choice (Section 8)
In January 2009,
9,786
households or 23,397 individuals lived in housing
leased with Housing Choice (Section 8) vouchers. Of these households,
49 percent were families; 16 percent were elderly; and 35 percent were
disabled or lived with a person with a disability.
Average incomes for these three household types were:
Family |
$13,693 |
Elderly |
$9,952 |
Disabled |
$10,200 |
Nearly half (48 percent) of families in the Housing Choice program get
income from employment. Thirty-nine percent of families receive income
from TANF. Social Security provides income for 48 percent of elderly
and disabled households; SSI provides income for 60 percent of elderly
and disabled households.
Of current Housing Choice households, 49 percent are white; 37 percent
are black or African-American; 2 percent are Native American; 6 percent
are Asian; 5 percent are Latino; and 1 percent are Pacific Islander.