The Seattle Housing Authority is a public corporation that provides affordable housing to more than 26,500 low-income people in Seattle. SHA owns and operates roughly 5,200 conventional public housing units subsidized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and nearly 1,000 additional units for seniors and people with disabilities as part of the Seattle Senior Housing Program. Approximately 8,500 SHA residents are children.

SHA owns and operates housing in neighborhoods throughout Seattle. These include the four large family communities of NewHolly and Rainier Vista in Southeast Seattle, High Point in West Seattle, and Yesler Terrace in Central Seattle.

The mission of the Seattle Housing Authority is to enhance the Seattle community by creating and sustaining decent, safe and affordable living environments that foster stability and self-sufficiency for people with low incomes.

For more information about SHA, please follow the links below.

• History of the Seattle Housing Authority
• Housing Programs
• Budget Statement
• Population Profiles
• SHA Properties
• Printable Quick Facts

History of Seattle Housing Authority

SHA has a long-standing presence serving fundamental housing needs in nearly all of Seattle's diverse communities. Since its inception in 1939, SHA has progressively developed and cultivated housing options for Seattle's residents, with programs specifically for senior citizens, low-income and the disabled.

Housing Programs

SHA provides affordable housing through five programs, which are all administered from the agency's PorchLight housing center in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood.

Low-Income Public Housing

LIPH provides low-rent housing to families whose incomes are less than 80 percent of the median income in Seattle, totaling about 5,200 units. Among its LIPH communities, SHA provides family-size units in its four large garden communities and four townhouse villages. This program also operates 28 public housing high-rise buildings with mostly one-bedroom units suitable for singles and couples. Residents of the LIPH program pay 30 percent of their net monthly incomes for rent and utilities. For more information about Low-Income Public Housing, click here.

Housing Choice Voucher Program (Section 8)

The Housing Choice Voucher program is a public/private partnership designed to provide rent subsidies for low-income families using privately-owned rental housing in the community. The program is funded and regulated by the federal government. SHA acts as an agent for HUD in the Section 8 program, making subsidy payments to private landlords. Other Section 8 programs include New Construction and Moderate Rehabilitation. For more information about Housing Choice Vouchers, click here.

Seattle Senior Housing

The Seattle Senior Housing Program has 23 low-rise buildings with about 1,000 units for elderly and disabled residents, with at least one building located in every major neighborhood of the city. The units are mostly studio and one- or two-bedroom. SHA receives no federal subsidy for this program. Residents pay an affordable rent, with a minimum rent of $248 up to a maximum of $720 for a one-bedroom unit or $820 for a two-bedroom unit. For more information about the Seattle Senior Housing Program, click here.

Impact Property Management Units

Impact Property Management units are owned or operated by SHA, but the eligibility requirements and application procedure for these units are different than other programs. IPM's buildings are located throughout Seattle, and come in a variety of sizes, including townhomes, small apartment complexes and high-rises. Rent payments are generally 30 percent of tenants' adjusted monthly income. For more information about IPM units, click here.

Mixed-Income Housing

NewHolly is a mixed-income community that includes public housing units and other types of homes, including affordable units and market-rate homes. Rainier Vista and High Point, both currently under redevelopment, feature a similar mix of housing. For more information, click here.

Budget Statement

Population Profiles

Printable Quick Facts 

SHA's Quick Facts Sheet is available to you in a printable version. This version includes details about SHA's programs, statistics and the efforts to build and renovate its public housing. Follow this link to open the PDF document.