The King County Housing Authority announced today that it will open its waiting list and accept new applications for its Housing Choice Voucher program for the first time in nearly four years.

Housing costs in the Seattle region have steadily climbed over the past year, while incomes have barely increased or in many cases, continued to decline. Households with low-skilled workers, elder or disabled individuals and poor families with children are increasingly having difficulty keeping up with rising rent and utility costs. The Housing Choice Voucher program, widely known as Section 8, currently helps about 11,000 low-income households in King County outside of Seattle and Renton pay their rent. One key initiative under this
program is the issuance of housing assistance to homeless and disabled veterans.

During the 2013 federal budget sequester, the Section 8 program stopped re-issuing vouchers for 11 months. While KCHA resumed issuing vouchers once
sequestration was lifted, the ability to house families applying for the new wait list will be dependent upon continued federal funding. If the sequestration goes back into effect and there are significant cuts in funding, few new families will be housed and the total number of families served through the program will shrink.

“The Section 8 program is our primary means of helping low-income families in King County to fill a basic need – housing,” said KCHA Executive Director Stephen
Norman. “Opening up this waiting list will offer much-needed assistance to an additional 2,500 families, preventing homelessness, providing the housing security that we know is necessary to enable children to succeed in school, and seniors and disabled individuals to live with dignity.”

Families wanting to apply for the program can do so online at www.kcha.org. The signup period will last two weeks starting at 6 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 28 until 4
p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 10.

The following qualifications must be met to be eligible for the lottery:
1. The head of household must be over the age of 18;
and
2. At least one member of the household must be disabled, or at least age 62, or under the age of 18; and
3. Families must be low-income.
Once a family has met the first three eligibility requirements, they must also meet one of the following:
• Must make less than 30 percent of the area median income for the family size ($26,450 for a family of four);
or
• Be paying more than 50 percent of its total income for rent and utilities; or
• Be homeless; or
• Be living in substandard housing.
If you need help, call the Housing Authority at 206-214-1300.”