How to Apply for
Subsidized Housing

To be able to apply for the King County Housing Authority’s subsidized housing, you must meet eligibility and suitability requirements. This section summarizes KCHA’s general requirements for determining households’ eligibility for the Public Housing program, as well as their suitability as residents.

General Eligibility and Suitability Requirements

Income Limits

To be eligible for KCHA’s subsidized housing, applicants must have household incomes at or below 80 percent of the area median income as established by HUD (adjusted for family size).

Effective May 14, 2010

Family Size

30% of Median

50% of Median

80% of Median

1 Person

$18,000

$30,000

$45,100

2 People

$20,600

$34,250

$51,550

3 People

$23,150

$38,550

$58,000

4 People

$25,700

$42,800

$64,400

5 People

$27,800

$46,250

$69,600

6 People

$29,850

$49,650

$74,750

7 People

$31,900

$53,100

$79,900

8 People

$33,950

$56,500

$85,050

9 People

$36,000

$59,900

$90,150

10 People

$38,050

$63,350

$95,300

11 People

$40,050

$66,750

$100,450

Waiting List Priorities and Local Preferences

Families with children, seniors (age 62 or older) and people with disabilities are given priority on KCHA’s waiting lists. In addition, KCHA has established local preferences for households in the following circumstances:

  • Homeless or at risk of losing current housing.

  • Living in substandard housing.

  • Paying more than 50 percent of household income for rent and utilities.

Other General Eligibility Requirements

In addition to income limits, households must meet the following other general eligibility requirements to live in KCHA’s subsidized housing:

  • U.S. citizenship or documentation of status as an "eligible" non-citizen.

  • Documentation of Social Security number for each family member 18 years of age and older or a signed certification indicating no Social Security number has been assigned.

  • Family size for which KCHA has an appropriately-sized dwelling unit.

  • Have a head of household who is at least 18 years of age.

  • Submission of required consent forms.

General Suitability Requirements

The Housing Authority will ask applicants to provide information demonstrating their ability to comply with the essential elements of the lease, including, but not limited to:

  • Criminal background check of all adult household members, including live-in attendants.

  • Credit check of the head of the household, spouses and co-head, and all other family members age 18 or older.

  • Rental history check of all adult family members.

  • Check of the state’s lifetime sex offender registration program for each adult household member, including live-in aides. No individual registered with this program will be admitted to public housing.

The Authority will reject an application if any household member would be reasonably expected to have a detrimental effect on other tenants, the development environment or Housing Authority employees, or, it is determined that the applicant would be unable to manage their household or comply with or be held accountable for lease terms.

The Application Process

Application procedures are identical for families, elderly and disabled persons as well as for entry into different housing types. To apply for Public or Private Housing, you must complete a subsidized housing application (pdf) and submit it to a KCHA area/site management office.

If you wish to apply for KCHA’s Preservation housing on the Eastside, you must submit the Preservation application (pdf). Our subsidized housing is divided into five areas, with management offices in each one: North – Shoreline and Kenmore; Eastside – Bellevue, Kirkland, Redmond and Woodinville; Southwest – White Center, Tukwila, Normandy Park and Des Moines; Southeast – Kent and unincorporated Renton; and South – Auburn, Federal Way, Snoqualmie and Olympia.

Applicants should submit an application packet (pdf) either in person or by mail, to the management office located in the area where they would most like to live. Once the completed application is submitted and certified by the management office, an applicant will be placed on the waiting list. The application forms contain necessary information regarding household income, composition, number of bedrooms needed and, if necessary, reasonable accommodations (such as wheelchair accessibility) required. Applicants interested in applying at more than one management office may ask to have their application circulated to other offices.

You will be notified by mail when your name nears the top of the waiting list. You will be asked to provide updated information regarding your household income, family composition and qualifications for any preference. You will also have to submit information needed to complete a criminal history background check and credit history for all adult family members. With successful completion of this final screening process, you will be notified when an appropriate-sized unit becomes available.

Subsidized housing application (PDF)
Subsidized housing application (HTML)

Preservation application (PDF)

Contact information for KCHA management offices

Map of KCHA properties


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