Seattle Housing Authority Section 8 Waitlist Lottery Opening 2/4-2/22

Hi, if you or someone you know need subsidized housing: One week from today, on February 4th, the online lottery registration will open for Section 8 housing vouchers through Seattle Housing Authority.

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.

Seattle Housing Authority will be opening a new waitlist in the Spring of 2013 for the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) Program using a lottery system with registration available online-only. Any person may register for the lottery no matter where he or she lives. If someone lives outside of Seattle and receives a lottery number, and later a voucher, they will be required to live in Seattle during their first year on the program. Residents of Seattle Housing’s Low-Income Public Housing units are welcome to register.

Important information:

• Registration will be open from February 4, 2013 at 7 a.m. through February 22 at 5 p.m. and a lottery will be held to determine who is placed on this new waitlist. The registration period will not close early; it will remain open from February 4th at 7 am through February 22nd at 5 pm.

• There is no limit to the number of registrations that will be accepted. After the registration period closes on February 22nd, 2000 households will be selected by random drawing to receive spots on the new waitlist. Everyone who registers for the lottery will receive a letter by March 31st to notify them whether they have been selected in the lottery or not.

• Only one person per household may register. Households may only register once.

• Registering for the lottery, does NOT mean you are applying for housing.

• This is not a first-come, first-served process, so there is no need to be the first in line to register. A rush at the beginning of the registration period may result in website instability. If you experience this, please come back to the site later. Also, please do not leave registration until the last minute on February 22 in case you experience technical difficulties.

• The registration form asks you to provide the name, date of birth, social security number, race and gender of all members of your household. Since it is not possible to save an unfinished registration, it is best to have this information on-hand before beginning your registration.

• A link to the online-only registration form will be made available on seattlehousing.org/waitlist once the registration period officially opens on February 4 at 7am

• To access the most up-to-date information about this lottery and the waitlist process, visit their website at seattlehousing.org/waitlist and check back for updates. You can also call the waitlist hotline at (206) 239-1674. For technical problems with registration, call the waitlist hotline at (206) 239-1674 for help or submit an email using their contact form at seattlehousing.org/waitlist.

• If you do not have access to a computer, call the waitlist hotline at (206) 239-1674 for a list of locations that can serve you, or visit one of their Computer Access Points.

For a preview of the registration process, watch an online video tutorial. Spread the word, by posting a Section 8 Waitlist Lottery flyer.

Good luck!

Winter Shelters & Setting Up Email

Hello there. This is Daniel from Springwire, with information about how to find winter shelter and get set up with an email account.

It’s really cold out there! If you don’t have a place to sleep, make sure you call 2-1-1 and ask about winter shelters. They can also provide you with many other resources. If you’re on a computer, you can also visit 211.org.  Here is 2-1-1's list of Cold Weather Shelters in King County.

If you are looking for a job, applying for resources, or just trying to keep in contact with your loved ones, an email address may be helpful, and in some cases, necessary. Many employers now want your application or resume emailed to them, and learning how to manage an email account is a great way to start learning about the Internet. Most libraries across the country offer walk-in assistance with setting up an email account. You may also have an employment program such as WorkSource in your city that could provide you with assistance in setting up an account.

Google and Yahoo are two of the big names in free email addresses on the Internet. You can visit gmail.com or yahoo.com to get email addresses directly by clicking” Create an Account”. For more information on how to set up your own email address, you can also visit the following website tinyurl.com/howtoemailaddress.

Census Hiring Events & Greater Seattle Career Fair next week

If you or someone you know are looking for work, I want to let you know about US Census hiring events next Monday the 28th through Thursday the 31st and The Greater Seattle Career Fair, next Thursday the 31st.

US Census Hiring Events are being held in multiple locations across King County Monday through Thursday next week. They are hiring multiple part-time, temporary Field Representatives who will conduct both personal & telephone interviews, and enter data into a laptop computer. Field reps will explain the purpose of the survey, ask questions as worded on the questionnaire or survey instrument, and enter accurate and complete information into a laptop computer or survey forms. This an ideal job for a self-starter who is motivated and organized. Requirements: High School diploma or equivalent. Must pass a basic skills test, successfully complete the structured interview session, and a mock interview which demonstrates ability to do the job. Must be able to work full-time during the survey period, usually one or two weeks per month. Evening and weekend work is required; car and a telephone are required. Must have 6 months general clerical/administrative experience or one year above high school to qualify for Level 3 pay, OR one year of general progressive administrative/clerical experience or 2 years above high school to qualify for Level 4 pay OR four years above high school to qualify for Level 5 pay. Level 3 is $12.75 per hour; Level 4 is $14.31 per hour and Level 5 is $16.01 per hr. Plus 55 cents mileage reimbursement while on official business.

The hiring events are all from 8:30 am to 4 pm at the following dates and locations:
-Monday January 28th at WorkSource Auburn
2701 I Street N.E., Auburn
-Tuesday January 29th at WorkSource Rainier
2531 Rainier Ave S., Seattle
-Wednesday January 30th at WorkSource Redmond
7735 178th Place NE, Redmond
-Thursday January 31st at WorkSource North Seattle
9600 College Way N, Seattle

You must RSVP! Please contact your nearest WorkSource Center for referrals and to RSVP at 1-800-992-3529. Please bring your photo ID on the event date! Job seekers need to be at the session throughout the day for testing and interview. For more info on Census Hiring events contact Kitty Kitnikone at nkitnikone@esd.gov.

The Greater Seattle Career Fair is next Thursday, January 31st, from 11am – 2pm at The Seattle Center Northwest Rooms. Meet Face to Face with the Hiring Managers from some of the best employers in the greater Seattle area. Just walk in and start interviewing, it's that simple. You can save time, money and effort interviewing with dozens of local companies in one day and at one location. Free Admission, hundreds of Jobs, in most job categories. The recruiters at this event have many job titles they need to fill. 

Do you have a resume, but aren’t getting called for interviews? If so, it means your resume needs improvement to catch the attention of hiring managers. Bring a copy of your resume to the Greater Seattle Career Fair and receive a free resume consultation. Find out about small changes that can make a big difference in getting your resume noticed. Free resume reviews are available from 11:00am to 1:45pm.

That's the Greater Seattle Career Fair, next Thursday the 31st, from 11 to 2 at Seattle Center Northwest Rooms - Next to Key Arena at 1st Ave. N & Republican St., Seattle. For a list of job titles, maps and a line pass, go to choicecareerfairs.com.

Good luck!

Free flu vaccination clinics

Along with the rest of the nation, King County is experiencing widespread flu, with more people sick and requiring medical care early in the flu season compared to recent years. Public Health – Seattle & King County is offering free flu vaccination clinics to make flu vaccine more widely available to people without health insurance or who are unable to pay.

Public Health – Seattle & King County is offering free flu shots for all people over 6 months of age without health insurance or who are otherwise unable to pay for vaccination, starting this Saturday. No other vaccinations will be offered at the time of the clinics. You will be able to get flu shots or nasal spray vaccines, and preservative-free, gelatin-free, and latex-free vaccines will be available. You do not need to be a regular client at Public Health Centers and you do not need to show proof of citizenship to get the vaccination. The locations and times of the free vaccination clinics are as follows:

Columbia Public Health Center
4400 37th Ave S, Seattle, 206-296-4650
Saturday, January 19, 10 am-2 pm
Thursday, January 24, 3-7 pm
Thursday, January 31, 3-7 pm

Eastgate Public Health Center
14350 SE Eastgate Way, Bellevue, 206-296-4920
Saturday, January 19, 10 am-2 pm
Wednesday, January 23, 3-7 pm
Wednesday, January 30, 3-7 pm

Federal Way Public Health Center
33431 13th Place S, Federal Way, 206-296-8410
Saturday, January 19, 10 am-2 pm
Saturday, January 26, 10 am-2 pm

North Public Health Center
10501 Meridian Ave N, Seattle, 206-296-4765
Saturday, January 19, 10 am-2 pm
Tuesday, January 22, 3-7 pm
Tuesday, January 29, 3-7 pm

Flu vaccination is the single best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from flu. The flu may be spreading for many weeks, so get vaccinated now to have protection for the rest of the flu season. Health experts recommend flu vaccine for all people 6 months and older, especially for pregnant women and people who have long-term health problems, like diabetes, asthma, and heart or lung problems. Anyone who lives with or cares for an infant younger than 6 months should get vaccinated to protect the infant from getting flu.

Flu vaccine is also available at many healthcare provider offices and pharmacies for those who have insurance or are able to pay for vaccination. Visit flushot.healthmap.org to help find locations. For more information visit kingcounty.gov/health/flu. We hope you’ll get vaccinated, and stay healthy!

MLK Day: Poverty Action at the Capitol

We want to encourage you to take action to end poverty this Martin Luther King Day! Come to Olympia with the Statewide Poverty Action Network on Monday, January 21st for their Poverty Action on the Capitol Day.  

One week from today, a free bus will leave Seattle from Solid Ground (at 1501 N 45th St. in Wallingford) at 7:30 am on Monday, Jan. 21. The bus will make stops in Tukwila, Kent, and Federal Way and return around 5:00 pm the same day. You must sign up for the bus in advance by calling Poverty Action at 206-694-6794 (ask for Senait) or registering online.

Breakfast and lunch will be provided. Children are welcome. Come to learn about policies that affect low-income people, network with people from across the region and share your story with lawmakers.

We hope you will turn out on January 21st to call upon the state legislature and the Governor to make ending poverty a priority. For more information call Poverty Action at 206-694-6794 or visit povertyaction.org.

Go Direct: Federal Benefit Checks Switching to Electronic Payment 3/1

If you are currently getting Social Security, SSI, VA or other federal benefits by paper check, did you know that you are required by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to switch to electronic payments by March 1st, 2013? This switch to electronic payments is called the Go Direct Campaign. If you have a bank account, you can sign up to have the money deposited directly into your account though “direct deposit”. Or, you can have the funds put on a prepaid “Direct Express” debit card. Just contact the U.S. Treasury Electronic Payment Solution Center at 1-800-333-1795 or visit godirect.org.

If you are retiring or applying for federal benefits soon, you will get your money electronically from day one. Be ready to choose direct deposit or the Direct Express card when you fill out your application. If you do not choose an electronic payment option by March 1, 2013, you may receive your payments via the Direct Express card. If you are already receiving your federal benefit payments electronically, this change will not affect you. 

You can sign up for direct deposit online, and learn more, at godirect.org. The deadline is just 7 weeks from today, so if this affects you and you haven’t yet switched over from paper checks, please do so as soon as possible!

Free Tax Preparation Services

You can get your income tax return prepared and filed for free at any one of 17 United Way of King County sponsored tax sites throughout King County from January 15th through April 15th. In addition to getting help filing your taxes, you may be eligible to receive a refund from the Earned Income Tax Credit, a refundable tax credit for working people with low and moderate incomes. This year, the maximum EITC credit you can receive as a single adult with no dependents is $475, or $3,169 with one qualifying child, $5,236 with two qualifying children and up to $5,891 with three or more qualifying children.

The free tax preparation service will be provided by IRS trained multilingual volunteers, and electronically filed for a fast refund. Free tax preparation is available to households who make less than $51,000 and need basic individual tax returns. Free tax prep allows low-income people to keep more of their hard-earned money and avoid paying unnecessary fees for commercial tax preparation and "rapid refund" loans.

Multilingual tax preparers are available at several sites to serve customers who do not speak English. You don’t need an appointment! Sites operate on a drop-in basis and no appointments are set. Many sites get very crowded, especially during January and April so you should arrive as close to the site’s opening time as possible for the best chance of getting served. People who arrive later may not be able to see a volunteer.

You can also get help signing up for public benefits like food stamps, utility assistance, and children's health care, get help with the FAFSA (the application for college financial aid), pulling your credit report; learning where to go for more financial information; and setting up a credit union account.

Make sure you bring all the necessary documents to the tax site. Click here to find a free tax prep location near you or dial 2-1-1 from any phone in King County (this is a free call, even from payphones) or 206-461-3200 and tell the 2-1-1 operator that you want information about free tax preparation services. Or text the word TAX and your 5-digit ZIP CODE (for example, "TAX 98104") to 313131, or e-mail EITC@uwkc.org. For more information visit unitedwayofkingcounty.org/taxhelp.