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Reviews and inspections

Reviews and inspections

For most households, Seattle Housing Authority checks once a year to make sure that participating households are still eligible for the program and recalculates the amount of voucher assistance they receive.

The annual review begins several months before the original lease anniversary, and must be completed for assistance to continue.

The agency checks the household's income and family composition. If any of these items change, the voucher amount is adjusted accordingly.

Households receive a letter informing them of their eligibility for annual review several months before their annual review date. 

Review every three years

Some households are eligible to have the review only once every three years.

If all adults in the households are either elderly or disabled, the household will not receive a letter every year. However, these households are still required to report any interim changes as described below in Special reviews.

Special reviews

If the household's income, family composition, student status or immigration status change in between annual reviews, tenants are required to inform Seattle Housing Authority. They must report any such change within 10 business days of it occurring.  The agency will perform a special review in these cases to determine if the tenant’s amount of housing assistance should be adjusted.

Inspections

Seattle Housing Authority inspects each subsidized unit at least once a year to ensure compliance with Housing Quality Standards.

The annual inspection generally takes place at about the same time as the annual review.

The unit must pass the inspection for voucher assistance to continue.

If the owner does not maintain the unit in accordance with all applicable laws and Housing Quality Standards, Seattle Housing Authority may withhold or terminate payments to the owner.

If tenants do not pay for or repair damage they caused, Seattle Housing Authority may terminate their participation in the program. 

Learn more about inspections