Find Affordable Rental Housing
Are you searching for affordable rental homes in Seattle? The City of Seattle has agreements with different organizations like for-profit, non-profit, and public partners to offer affordable apartments for people who meet certain income requirements. You'll need to verify your income to apply. The Office of Housing does not own or manage these rental homes. To apply, contact the managers of the rental housing directly.
Search for affordable rental units in market-rate buildings with this interactive map of Seattle.
- Displays buildings based on number of bedrooms and neighborhood.
- Adds or removes map layers including transportation, parks, and school zones.
- Click on each building to display details, such as income restrictions and contact information. To find out which units are available and to apply, call the building directly.
- The Office of Housing publishes the map but does not handle leasing.
As of May 2023, over 300 market-rate apartment buildings in Seattle include a modest share of rent-restricted affordable units. Property owners agree to make those units available to satisfy requirements of a variety of land use or incentive requirements (the Multifamily Tax Exemption Program is one example). Household income requirements are dependent on the size of the household and rent levels are typically based on the number of bedrooms. The management team for each property handles the income certification and leasing process. Inquiries about vacancies and the application process must be directed to the property, not the Seattle Office of Housing.
Leasing Affordable Units in Market-Rate Apartment Buildings
If you want to lease an affordable rental unit in an otherwise market-rate property, you must contact the property manager for the participating multifamily rental building. They will provide you an application and certify your household income.
- Read the Renter's Guide to Market-Rate Apartment Buildings with Affordable Units.
- List of Market-Rate Apartment Buildings with Affordable Units in PDF and Excel formats.
- Current income and rent restrictions (effective as of 5/15/2023)
- Inquire about affordable rental unit vacancies directly with the property managers for properties you are interested in.
- Households applying to lease an affordable rental unit must disclose all income sources and verify total household income prior to signing a lease. Contact the property manager for properties you are interested for information about the income certification process.
The Office of Housing does not have information about or maintain a waitlist for affordable rental housing vacancies.
To find a list of Affordable Housing Providers in the City of Seattle, please click on the link below.
This is not a comprehensive list of all low-income housing providers in Seattle. This list does not include organizations that take referrals exclusively from KCRHA’s Coordinated Entry for All (CEA) and other referral sources.
To find a list of Affordable Senior Housing in the City of Seattle, please click on the link below.
Affordable Senior Housing List
For other Senior resources, please visit Age Friendly Seattle.
AptFinder.org is a non-profit website formed to connect low-income households with affordable apartment communities throughout Washington State. Listings are voluntarily advertised by owners and managers of rental apartments for households with annual incomes no higher than 80% of area median income.
The properties listed on AptFinder.org include both subsidized and unsubsidized apartments regulated by a variety of public agencies in Washington State. AptFinder.org helps people locate affordable housing that meets your needs.