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Business Development

Seattle Housing Authority strongly encourages the participation of small businesses, HUD Section 3 businesses, as well as minority-owned and women-owned business enterprises (WMBE).

If you have questions about the processes or requirements for these types of businesses, contact Liz Alzeer at 206-615-3470.

Small businesses

A small business means a business concern, including its affiliates, that is independently owned and operated, not an affiliate or subsidiary of a business dominant in its field of operation, and qualified as a small business under the criteria and size standards in 13 CFR 121. A business is also considered small according to the Small Business Administration's established guidelines.

HUD Section 3 businesses

A business can be Section 3 certified if it meets one of three criteria

  • It is owned 51 percent or more by Section 3 qualified persons

  • 30 percent or more of the permanent, full-time employees of the business are Section 3 eligible persons

  • The business can provide evidence of a commitment to subcontract in excess of 25 precent of the amount of all subcontracts to other Section 3 certified businesses.

A Section 3 eligible person must be a City of Seattle Housing Authority public housing resident; or live in the metropolitan statistical area (MSA) covering King, Snohomish, and Pierce counties, and, meet or fall below the income levels outlined in Seattle Housing Authority's Section 3 business certification form. The form is available in PDF format (download Adobe Reader):

To learn more about becoming certified as a Section 3 business, contact Samuel Pierce at : 206-722-4010 ext. 3

Seattle Housing Authority has certified several firms on Section 3 businesses in the areas of consulting services, janitorial services and construction. View a list of these Section 3 firms (Excel, 101 KB / Updated April 18, 2012). If there are subcontracting opportunities on a Seattle Housing project you are interested in participating on, the agency encourages you to review this list for outreach and potential participation purposes.

Minority- and women-owned businesses

Seattle Housing Authority encourages qualified firms to seek certification as a Minority Business Enterprise or a Women's Business Enterprise from the Washington State Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises.