King County Housing Authority Section 8 Waiting List opening 5/25-6/7

Hi, if you or someone you know need subsidized housing, I want to let you know about the opening of the King County Housing Authority’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list May 25 though June 7th.

Section 8 vouchers allow participating tenants to choose and rent units from private landlords. The Housing Authority pays a fixed amount of the rent to the owner each month, and the tenant pays the difference between this subsidy and the total rent, in addition to any utilities not included in the rent. In general, tenants pay between 30 percent and 40 percent of their monthly income for rent and utilities.

This month, as it did for two weeks in 2007, King County Housing Authority (KCHA) will create a new waiting list for its Housing Choice Voucher Program by means of a random drawing. The King County Housing Authority serves residents of King County outside of the cities of Seattle and Renton.

Starting on Wednesday, May 25, the application form will be available to submit or print online at www.kcha.org. Application forms for those without computer access can be picked up at any of the following 11 locations:

•Section 8 Office: 15455 65th Ave S, Tukwila
•Auburn DSHS: 810 28th St. NE, Auburn
•Eastside DSHS: 805 156th Ave NE, Bellevue
•Federal Way DSHS: 616 S 348th St., Federal Way
•Kent DSHS: 1313 W Meeker St, #100, Kent
•White Center DSHS: 9650 15th Ave SW, Seattle
•Kent Multi-Service Ctr.: 515 W Harrison St, Kent
•Mt. Si Senior Center: 411 Main Ave. S, North Bend
•Northshore Family Ctr.: 18315 Bothell Way NE, Bothell
•Shoreline Family Ctr.: 17018 15th Ave NE, Shoreline
•Spiritwood Apartments: 1424 148th Ave SE, Bellevue
•Kirkland Library: 308 Kirkland Ave, Kirkland

Applicants must qualify for a housing preference to be eligible. These preferences are: Households are homeless or about to become homeless; Families are living in substandard housing; or Families are spending more than 50 percent of their incomes on rent and utilities. Only one application per household will be accepted and applicants must be over 18 years of age. Applicants who receive a voucher are required to live in King County for their first year on the program.

All completed applications not submitted online must be returned by mail only and postmarked by June 7 to the following address:
King County Housing Authority
Section 8
P.O. Box 58550
Seattle, WA 98138

Applications will become available on May 25 and can be submitted any time during the two-week period. There is absolutely no advantage to submitting an application on the first day. Once all forms have been processed, no more than 2,500 names will be selected through a random drawing that will be held after June 7th. These will form the new Section 8 waiting list. Applicants not placed on the list will be notified by the Authority following the random drawing.

For information about the application process, please call the King County Housing Authority Section 8 Office at (206) 214-1300. So pick up or print out a section 8 lottery sign up form or submit the application online after May 25 and don’t forget to submit it by June 7th if you want a chance at receiving a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher. Good luck!