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Seattle Housing Authority
Official application routes, service-area details, contact information, and HUD-reported program data for this Seattle housing agency.
Independent directory: CalculateBenefits is not SHA or HUD. Recorded source-check date for the agency-specific details below: 2026-11-02.
Is the Seattle Section 8 waiting list open?
As of Nov. 2, 2026, SHA's website said it was open only for some applicants: Application is open to adults 18 years or older or emancipated minors, no matter where they currently live, however applicants selected for a voucher will be required to use the voucher within the city of Seattle for a minimum of one year. (year-round).
Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
Open — limited Application is open to adults 18 years or older or emancipated minors, no matter where they currently live, however applicants selected for a voucher will be required to use the voucher within the city of Seattle for a minimum of one year. (year-round)
What the agency's site said on Nov. 2, 2026. See the notice →
Public housing
Call to ask
No current check. Call or check the agency's site.
Waiting lists open and close without much notice. Applying is free; only SHA can take an application or tell you your place on a list.
Start with the official agency
Visit the official SHA website →
Housing applications and waiting-list registration are free. A third party cannot guarantee approval or move you ahead on a waiting list.
What this agency serves
SHA provides subsidized rental housing and rental assistance to people in Seattle with low incomes. People picked for a voucher must use it in the city of Seattle for at least one year.
- Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8)
- Low-Income Public Housing
- Seattle Senior Housing Program
- Collaborative Housing (partner properties)
- Special-purpose vouchers (Foster Youth to Independence, Family Unification, VASH)
- Education, job training and resident services
Housing Choice Voucher application
You register for an SHA Portal account and apply online; it takes about 30 minutes. SHA draws names at random whenever vouchers are available, and your chance is the same no matter when you applied. Preference goes to households at 30 percent or less of area median income and people who are homeless. To stay on the list, you must check in once a month with Save My Spot.
What SHA said when we checked on . Waiting lists open and close; check SHA's official site or call for the current status.
Public housing application
You can apply to up to two Low-Income Public Housing properties, and up to two Seattle Senior Housing properties if you qualify. SHA sends a confirmation letter and adds you to each property's wait list. Waits are usually at least two years. You must check in every month with Save My Spot.
What SHA said when we checked on . Waiting lists open and close; check SHA's official site or call for the current status.
Income limits for King County
HUD fiscal year 2026 limits (pulled July 27, 2026) for King County, where SHA's main office is.
| Household | 30% (extremely low) | 50% (very low) | 80% (low) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $34,550 | $57,550 | $81,700 |
| 2 people | $39,450 | $65,800 | $93,350 |
| 3 people | $44,400 | $74,000 | $105,000 |
| 4 people | $49,300 | $82,200 | $116,650 |
Section 8 vouchers generally use the 50% limit, and agencies must give most new vouchers to families at or below 30%; families up to 50% can still qualify. The 80% limit applies to public housing.
Source: HUD income limits. Check 5 to 8 people or another county →
Other help in Seattle
Heat and utility bills
Byrd Barr Place — Energy Assistance · 206-812-4940
Runs LIHEAP and other energy help for Seattle residents: heating and cooling bills, oil refills, and furnace repair. Apply online or return a paper application by email, mail or drop-off.
Checked Nov. 2, 2026.
Food
The food bank for Western Washington. Search its map by address or ZIP code for free groceries or a hot meal near you.
Checked Nov. 2, 2026.
Facing eviction
Northwest Justice Project · 1-855-657-8387
Free legal help for people with low incomes in Washington. For eviction help, call the Eviction Defense Screening Line or apply online. For other King County legal issues, start by calling 211.
Checked Nov. 2, 2026.
Everything else
Washington's statewide helpline for local services. Dial 211, or 1-877-211-9274 if 211 does not work from your phone.
Checked Nov. 2, 2026.
These are separate organizations, not SHA and not CalculateBenefits.
Contact SHA before you visit
General inquiries: 206.615.3300
Central office: 101 Elliott Ave W Suite 100, Seattle WA 98119
Housing Choice Voucher line: 206.239.1728 (Housing Choice Vouchers general); 206.239.1674 (voucher list)
Published hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
SHA's Central Office at 101 Elliott Ave W is open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Applicants may visit during business hours. Current voucher holders are asked to book an appointment first. SHA offers disability accommodations and language help when you ask.
SHA says it will provide language assistance upon request and reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities.
From CalculateBenefits, not SHA
Waiting-list news by email
Get our free emails. If a main Section 8 waiting list we track opens and we see it, we email the people who signed up here. Some lists close before we can send. To sign up, you take our free benefits check. You give your name and email and answer a few questions. A phone step is optional. Then you see offers from partners. Your information may be shared with or sold to marketing partners. They may also contact you (how we use it). Signing up does not apply for housing or put you on any waiting list.
Because you've turned on a privacy opt-out, we don't offer this sign-up here. Check the agency's own site for openings.
Before and after you apply
- To apply for a voucher, have an email address, Social Security numbers and dates of birth for everyone in your home, total yearly income, and a mailing address.
- Check in once every month with Save My Spot online, or for SHA Housing call 206.256.7000. If you miss check-ins or SHA can't reach you, you can be removed.
- Report changes to your contact information, income or household size, and tell SHA if someone in your home becomes disabled.
- When your name gets close to the top, SHA mails you more paperwork and then sets up an interview.
- Because waits are long and uncertain, SHA suggests also looking for other housing help.
Documents SHA asks applicants to have ready
- An active email address for your SHA Portal account
- Social Security numbers and dates of birth for each household member
- Total annual household income
- A mailing address where you can get mail
From SHA's published guidance. Ask the agency if you are missing something; do not wait to call.
HUD-reported assistance
These figures are HUD reporting-data snapshots, not a count of openings. Equal inventory and occupied counts do not prove that no future opening is possible. Waiting-list status comes from SHA, not this dataset.
HUD public housing designation: Advisory. Advisory means HUD issued the score for informational purposes rather than as a binding final performance designation, such as during a transition or waiver period. Treat it as historical context and confirm the agency's current status.
HUD directory dataset retrieved 2026-07-20; record last updated 2026-04-07. Read the data methods and limitations.
Agency and data sources
Related: All Washington housing agencies · Washington income limits and Fair Market Rents · How Housing Choice Vouchers work · Section 8 waiting lists at large agencies.