Finding a Home for Voucher Holders

You have up to 120 days (about 4 months) to find a home after receiving your voucher.

To help you find a home, KCHA partners with Emphasys Software and AffordableHousing.com for free online housing search tools that can look for affordable housing in all parts of King County. Other services like AptFinder.org, Rent.com, and ForRent.com can also help you search online.

Payment standards

KCHA's voucher payment standards — the highest amount we will pay each month to help you with rent and utilities — are higher in areas where rents are higher. 

For example, the cost of rent may be higher in Bellevue than it is in Burien, so the payment standard is different for Bellevue than for Burien. KCHA's subsidy calculator can help you figure out if the home you want to rent is affordable within the limits of the Housing Choice Voucher program. It can also help you understand how much you would pay each month, and how much KCHA would pay, depending on where the home is located.

Voucher Extension Requests

KCHA understands that finding the right home can take time, and we’re here to support you throughout your search. If you need more time to use your Housing Choice Voucher, our Voucher Extension Form is designed to help both households request additional days.

Any request for an extension must come prior to the Voucher expiration date.

Extensions will be granted using the following criteria:

For Disabled Participants

• After the initial 120-day voucher period, the Senior Housing Program Manager may grant an extension of the voucher for an additional 60 days.
• Extension requests beyond 180 days may be approved by the Assistant Vice President up to an additional 60 days. The request must include a plan on how you will find a unit in the time allotted.
• For requests beyond 240 days, you’ll need to complete the Voucher Extension Form and provide documentation from a third-party provider familiar with your disability. Please email this documentation to Reasonable Accommodations at RAs@kcha.org.

For Non-disabled Participants

• After the initial 120-day voucher period, the Senior Housing Program Manager may grant an extension of the voucher for an additional 60 days if they can document one of the following hardship reasons kept them from locating a unit in the initial time period:
  • Medical Reasons
  • Domestic Violence
  • Work Obligations
  • Military Obligations
  • Other Family Obligations
• Additional time, if needed, must be approved by the Assistant Vice President

If supporting documentation is not included with your request, your housing specialist may contact you for additional information. Our goal is to make the extension process as smooth as possible, so you can focus on finding a home that meets your needs.

Landlords

The landlord must be willing to accept a Housing Choice Voucher for part of the rent. In Washington State, landlords cannot discriminate against you based on your "source of income" or use of a Section 8 voucher.

Cost of Rent

The home's rent needs to meet two standards:

• Your portion of the rent must not exceed 40 percent of your monthly household income.
• The rent must be reasonable, as compared to rents charged for similar homes in the area.

If the rent does not meet these standards, KCHA may ask the landlord to lower the rent. If they decline, you will need to find a different home. We do not allow side agreements where you pay the difference to your landlord.

Inspections

If KCHA accepts the cost of rent, then we will set up a time to inspect the home. It takes between 2 and 10 business days to schedule and then conduct the inspection. If the home passes, you may sign the lease with the landlord. You can move in on the date the lease begins. If it does not pass, the landlord will have the chance to repair any failed items. Once the repairs have been made and the home passes re-inspection, then you may sign the lease and move in.