Voucher Payment Standards (VPS) establish the maximum amounts SHA pays toward the difference between what a Housing Choice Voucher tenant (voucher holder) pays based on their income and the actual total rent and utilities. In setting the VPS, SHA continually seeks to balance serving the most people with serving people effectively, taking into account market conditions, cost factors and other related circumstances. The SHA Board of Commissioners is currently considering a change to the VPS that would affect Tenant-Based Voucher holders leasing or seeking to lease in the private rental market.

To address the issue of decreasing buying power of vouchers in the current rental market in Seattle due to rising rents, SHA is proposing an increase in the VPS for new voucher holders seeking to rent in the private market. In addition, to address the issue of households already leased with a voucher in the private market that have become rent-burdened and thus at risk of losing their housing, SHA is proposing to extend the increased VPS to those households

Read the statement of the proposed VPS policy change.

Read a more detailed background paper and impact analysis.

The public comment period will be open through July 23, 2018. To submit comment, or if you have questions, please email SHA. Or you may call 206.615.3576. To submit comment by U.S. Mail, write to Seattle Housing Authority, Attention Policy Office, PO Box 19028, 190 Queen Anne Ave N, 5^th Floor, Seattle, WA 98109. Or deliver in person 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. to the 5^th Floor receptionist at 190 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle.

A public hearing on the proposed VPS change will be held on July 9, 2018 at 3 p.m. in the Jesse Epstein Conference Room, First Floor, 190 Queen Anne Ave N, Seattle. If you need interpretation services for the meeting, please call 206.615.3576 by July 5.