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King County, WA — Housing & Help Directory (Updated September 2026)

Mysti's News
11 hours ago
14 min read

Updated: 6 hours ago

This is Mysti's working directory of housing and help resources for King County, Washington (Seattle, Kent, Bellevue, Renton, Federal Way and surrounding areas). Every link below was opened and every waitlist status was quoted from its source on September 19, 2026. We re-check the whole page monthly (next refresh: October 2026). Statuses change without notice — confirm directly with the agency before you count on anything.

A straight word about rent help: Mysti's helps some clients with move-in, rent, or utility costs, but only through specific funded programs, only when you meet that program's eligibility, and only while funds last. Nobody — not us, not any agency — can promise it. Work your county's Coordinated Entry, 2-1-1, housing authorities, and the local programs below at the same time as anything you do with us.

Start here — today

Housing authorities and waitlists

Apply to every list you qualify for — including neighboring counties you could realistically move to. See what is open statewide right now and the statewide programs guide for vouchers, public housing, and how portability works.

King County Housing Authority (KCHA)

Website · (206) 574-1100 · Serves: King County outside the cities of Seattle and Renton (which have their own housing authorities)

  • CLOSED — Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) — "KCHA's waiting lists are currently closed and we are not accepting applications for Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) or for Subsidized Housing (Public Housing)." Not currently accepting applications; check KCHA's waitlists page for reopening announcements. Same statement repeats on the Section 8 page (https://www.kcha.org/housing/section8, checked 2026-09-19). (not accepting applications; check for reopening; checked 2026-09-19 · source)

  • CLOSED — Public Housing / Property waitlists (Subsidized Housing) — "KCHA's waiting lists are currently closed and we are not accepting applications for Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8) or for Subsidized Housing (Public Housing)." Not currently accepting applications. (not accepting applications; check for reopening; checked 2026-09-19 · source)

  • OPEN — Moderate-Income Housing — "To apply for Moderate-Income Housing, please contact the property managers listed on the property page." Contact the individual property manager listed on KCHA's property pages. This is market-rate-adjacent housing for people who can pay closer to market rent, not the low-income voucher/public-housing programs. (apply now; checked 2026-09-19 · source)

Seattle Housing Authority (SHA)

Website · 206.239.1674 (Housing Choice Voucher list); (206) 615-3300 general · Serves: City of Seattle

  • OPEN — Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) — "Application for a chance to receive a Housing Choice Voucher is ongoing. Families and individuals may apply at any time." Create an SHA Portal account at seattlehousing.org and apply online; call 206.239.1674 or email voucherlist@seattlehousing.org for paper applications, in-person help, disability accommodation, or interpretation. SHA uses an ongoing random-drawing model, not a traditional open/closed waitlist: applicants join a list at any time and are drawn at random when vouchers become available, with… (apply now; checked 2026-09-19 · source)

  • STATUS NOT POSTED ONLINE — SHA Housing (Public Housing / Seattle Senior Housing Program properties) Apply through the SHA Portal / property search at seattlehousing.org. SHA owns/operates more than 8,000 apartments and homes at nearly 400 sites; the specific property-by-property waitlist page (https://www.seattlehousing.org/housing/waiting-list)… (call or check the site to confirm; checked 2026-09-19 · source)

  • STATUS NOT POSTED ONLINE — Collaborative Housing (senior/disabled and other nonprofit-operated units subsidized by SHA) Apply directly to the nonprofit agency operating the specific property. Applicants apply directly to the operating nonprofit, not to SHA. (call or check the site to confirm; checked 2026-09-19 · source)

Renton Housing Authority (RHA)

Website · Serves: City of Renton

  • CLOSED — Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) — "All Section 8 HCV Applications are closed at this time. The current HCV waitlist is extensive and given the rate of availability, adding more applications to the waitlist at this time is not feasible." Not accepting applications; current waitlist members should keep contact information updated. Check https://apps.rentonhousing.org/ for status changes. Confirmed again on the Section 8/HCV program page: 'At this time, the applicant waitlist is closed.' (https://www.rentonhousing.org/Section8HCV/Section8HCV.aspx, checked… (not accepting applications; check for reopening; checked 2026-09-19 · source)

  • STATUS NOT POSTED ONLINE — Public Housing / Property waitlists See individual property pages; Sunset Gardens applications go through Allied Residential Management. RHA's new Sunset Gardens property is not yet open to the public: 'We are currently at our office location below but are still not open to the public until a permanent Certificate… (call or check the site to confirm; checked 2026-09-19 · source)

  • STATUS NOT POSTED ONLINE — Senior / disabled properties (62+ / 55+) Contact Renton Housing Authority for property-specific application information. No dedicated senior-property waitlist status page was found on rentonhousing.org during this check; RHA's Cedar River Terrace was referenced in a September 2026 public notice but… (call or check the site to confirm; checked 2026-09-19 · source)

Nonprofit housing you can apply to directly

  • Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) — Low-income, homeless, and formerly homeless people across Washington State, including tiny house villages and Urban Rest Stops. Search and apply through LIHI's housing search page for specific properties. Home page confirms LIHI 'develops, owns and operates housing for the benefit of low-income, homeless and formerly homeless people in Washington State.' No specific property-level waitlist status was… Apply / availability

  • Plymouth Housing — Adults who have experienced homelessness, primarily chronically homeless single adults, housed via Housing First model in apartment buildings throughout King County. Referral generally comes through the Coordinated Entry system rather than direct application; confirm current intake process with Plymouth Housing. Home page describes ongoing Housing First model; no numeric waitlist figures were published on the pages checked. Apply / availability

  • DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) — Adults experiencing homelessness with behavioral health and substance use needs; operates shelter, permanent supportive housing, and crisis services in King County. No public waitlist status page found on desc.org during this check.

  • Compass Housing Alliance — People experiencing or at risk of homelessness; operates shelter and affordable/supportive housing in Seattle and King County. Apply / availability

  • Bellwether Housing — Low- and moderate-income individuals and families; serves about 7,000 residents/year in urban King County near transit. Apply through Bellwether's property search/find-housing page. Home page advertised a promotion ('Save $500 on rent at The Rise on Madison') indicating at least one property had open availability as of 2026-09-19; check the find-housing page for current…

  • Mercy Housing Northwest — Low-income families, seniors, and people with disabilities; owns/operates affordable housing across Washington, including new King County developments (Kent Multicultural Village, Burien shelter+housing campus with… Apply / availability

  • Catholic Community Services / Archdiocesan Housing Authority (CCS/AHA) — successor branding for Catholic Housing Services in Western WA — Low-income individuals, families, seniors, and people with special physical/mental health needs; 22 shelters, 17 transitional housing facilities, and 52 permanent housing properties across Western Washington. Contact CCS/AHA directly or via listed property pages; page phone numbers found (360) 583-3410 and (360) 373-0638 were for Olympia/Vancouver-area offices, not King County-specific, so are not included as King County contact numbers.

  • Chief Seattle Club — Native American and Alaska Native people experiencing homelessness or poverty in the Seattle area; also operates ?ál?al permanent supportive housing. Contact Chief Seattle Club directly for housing and services intake. No public waitlist status page identified on the site during this check.

  • Mt. Baker Housing — Low-income residents of the Mt. Baker/Rainier Valley area of Seattle. See property listings on mtbakerhousing.org for individual applications. Home page was primarily image content; no waitlist status text was found on the page loaded.

  • Community Roots Housing (formerly Capitol Hill Housing) — Affordable-housing residents across ~42 buildings serving over 2,800 residents in the Seattle area. Apply / availability

  • Imagine Housing — Low-income individuals and families on the Eastside (East King County). Site includes a 'looking for housing?' resident pathway; contact Imagine Housing directly for current openings. No specific waitlist status text found on the home page loaded.

  • YWCA Seattle | King | Snohomish — Women, families, and communities affected by poverty, racism, and gender-based violence, including housing and homelessness services across Seattle, King, and Snohomish counties. No specific waitlist status was found on the home page loaded; use the program finder for current housing program details.

  • Africatown Community Land Trust — Black residents of the Seattle Central District and greater King County, focused on permanently affordable housing and anti-displacement. Contact Africatown Community Land Trust directly; no online application/waitlist page found on the page loaded. Home page emphasizes development pipeline ('Building homes for generations') rather than a current open waitlist.

  • El Centro de la Raza — Latino/a community and other low-income residents in King County; provides housing (including Plaza Roberto Maestas) plus early learning, family support, and advocacy. Contact El Centro de la Raza directly for housing program applications. Page checked showed a Jose Marti Child Development Center enrollment notice, not a housing waitlist status; verify housing waitlist separately.

  • Homestead Community Land Trust — First-time, low- to moderate-income homebuyers locked out of the market; permanently affordable homeownership, not rental housing. This is a homeownership program, not rental housing; see homesteadclt.org for buyer eligibility and application cycles. Homeownership opportunities open periodically by listing, not a continuous rental waitlist.

  • Habitat for Humanity Seattle-King & Kittitas Counties — Low- to moderate-income first-time homebuyers in King and Kittitas Counties. This is a homeownership (not rental) program requiring sweat equity and an application process; see habitatskc.org for current homebuyer application cycles. Homeownership program, not a rental waitlist; note this distinction for readers.

Senior housing (55+ / 62+) and housing for people with disabilities

  • SHAG (Sustainable Housing for Ageless Generations) communities in King County/Puget Sound · 61+ (or 55+ with a disability) (SHAG / housing4seniors.com) — Affordable/moderate-income senior apartment communities Search communities at housing4seniors.com/communities/ and apply per property, or call 844-592-SHAG (7424). Our SHAG communities offer an active, enjoyable, and attainable lifestyle for those 61+ (or 55+ with a disability).

  • Sound Generations · Older adults generally, with housing navigation help via its Housing Stability program (Sound Generations (Area Agency on Aging for Seattle-King County)) — Information & referral / housing stability legal support, not a direct housing provider Contact Sound Generations via its Housing Resources & FAQs page; see https://soundgenerations.org/our-programs/pathways-information-assistance/housing-resources-faqs/ Housing Stability is an extremely high-demand program. Services can sometimes have long wait times and they may close to new clients at times. [OPEN — LIMITED]

  • Mercy Housing Northwest senior properties · Varies by property (many 62+) (Mercy Housing Northwest) — Tax credit / HUD-funded senior affordable apartments Use the Find a Property search at https://www.mercyhousing.org/find-housing/

  • KCHA and SHA senior/disabled buildings · Varies by property (King County Housing Authority / Seattle Housing Authority) — Public housing / PHA-operated senior and disabled housing See KCHA and SHA housing search tools; KCHA's overall Subsidized Housing waitlist is closed as of 2026-09-19 (see housing_authorities section above).

How to find open senior housing anywhere in Washington: step-by-step in the statewide guide.

Rent help and eviction prevention (funding-dependent)

These programs open and close as funding arrives and runs out, often within weeks. Call first, ask what is open today, and ask what documents to bring. If you have an eviction notice, contact the legal help below the same day — do not move out just because you received a notice.

  • Keep King County Housed (KKCH) — successor to the federal Eviction Prevention and Rent Assistance Program (EPRAP) · 2-1-1 or 1-800-621-4636 (King County Department of Community and Human Services, administered with United Way of King County and six community-based organizations) — Very low-income King County renters behind on rent or facing eviction due to nonpayment Apply through United Way of King County's rent-help portal (https://www.uwkc.org/renthelp/); households are placed on a tiered, randomly-drawn waitlist due to high demand. Direct quote: 'Due to high levels of demand for the program, households who apply for Keep King County Housed support are placed on a waitlist. The program uses a tiered prioritization system, where…

  • Solid Ground — Tenant Services / Housing resources · King County Tenant Resource Hotline 206.580.0762 or 1.855.485.8767 (M-F, 9am-1pm, per Solid Ground housing page) (Solid Ground) — King County renters needing eviction prevention help, tenant-rights information, and referrals Call the King County Tenant Resource Hotline or visit solid-ground.org/housing/. Solid Ground also publishes the weekly Resource Wire newsletter (see local_directories_and_newsletters) which lists current housing, rental-assistance, and utility resources as they change.

  • Catholic Community Services / Archdiocesan Housing Authority (Catholic Community Services of Western Washington) — Low-income individuals and families, including those at risk of eviction Contact CCS/AHA directly through ccsww.org for current program intake. Provides shelters, transitional housing, and permanent housing across Western WA including King County.

  • St. Vincent de Paul of Seattle | King County · 206-767-6449 (Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Seattle/King County) — Impoverished, underserved, and vulnerable individuals and families in Seattle and King County Contact St. Vincent de Paul Seattle directly for rental/emergency assistance intake.

  • Byrd Barr Place — Low-income Seattle/King County residents; energy assistance and other poverty-to-self-sufficiency programs Contact Byrd Barr Place directly via byrdbarrplace.org for energy assistance and other services. Home page emphasizes 'help people move from poverty to self-sufficiency in Seattle' and building Black community wealth statewide; program-specific waitlist status not published on the page loaded.

  • Hopelink — Low-income residents primarily in North and East King County (also Snohomish); services include housing, energy, food, transportation, financial assistance Contact Hopelink via hopelink.org/programs/housing/ or /programs/energy/ for current program status. Hopelink administers PSE HELP and Bill Discount energy-assistance programs on behalf of Puget Sound Energy per Hopelink's Energy Programs page.

  • Multi-Service Center (MSC) · (253) 383-1717 (message only) (Multi-Service Center) — Residents of South King County cities (Auburn, Burien, Des Moines, Federal Way, Kent, Tukwila, SeaTac, etc. per MSC's service area) Apply through mschelps.org/get-help/; MSC is also a KCRHA Regional Access Point for Coordinated Entry (walk-in Tue/Thu 9am-3pm at the Federal Way location). Quote: 'In partnership with South King County cities, MSC provides one-time rent assistance and limited resources for temporary emergencies like utility bill assistance.'

  • Wellspring Family Services — Families with children at risk of or experiencing homelessness Contact Wellspring via wellspringfs.org/get-help/. Mission quote: 'Wellspring Family Services exists to end family homelessness by preventing it before it happens and intervening early when it does.'

  • Mary's Place · 206-245-1026 — Women and families experiencing or at risk of homelessness Call 206-245-1026 or visit marysplaceseattle.org/get-help. Mary's Place also has a homelessness-prevention/rental-help page (marysplaceseattle.org/get-help/homelessness-prevention) referencing the statewide eviction defense screening line 855-657-8387.

Shelter and crisis housing

  • Mary's Place (family shelter) · 206-245-1026 — Families with children experiencing homelessness Multiple shelter locations in King County; Mary's Place and Mercy Housing Northwest are jointly building a co-located shelter + affordable housing campus in Burien (groundbreaking reported 2026).

  • DESC (Downtown Emergency Service Center) — Adults experiencing homelessness with behavioral health needs Operates shelter, crisis, and permanent supportive housing; access largely via outreach/Coordinated Entry.

  • Compass Housing Alliance — People experiencing homelessness in Seattle/King County Operates shelter and day-center services in addition to affordable housing.

  • YouthCare · 800-495-7802 — Youth and young adults experiencing homelessness Quote: 'YouthCare works to end youth homelessness and to ensure that young people are valued for who they are and empowered to achieve their potential.' Call line: 800-495-7802.

  • Chief Seattle Club — Native American/Alaska Native people experiencing homelessness Provides day-center services and permanent supportive housing (?ál?al).

  • Mother Nation — Native women and their families, including homelessness prevention services Quote: 'Mother Nation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that delivers social and cultural healing services for Native women...We offer cultural healing circles, homeless prevention services,…

Food

Utilities and energy bills

Legal help and tenant rights

  • Housing Justice Project (King County Bar Association) · 206.267.7069 (per Solid Ground's Resource Wire listing, checked 2026-09-19); King County Bar Association main line 206-267-7100 — Quote (from KCBA's own page): 'The Housing Justice Project provides free legal assistance to renters facing eviction in King County.' Serves low-income tenants with an active eviction case or…

  • Northwest Justice Project (NJP) / CLEAR line — Statewide legal aid organization; provides free help for housing, family safety, income security, and health issues. Also offers language-specific help pages (Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog,…

  • Tenants Union of Washington State · 206-723-0500 (Tenant Hotline, per King County's renter-resources page, checked 2026-09-19) — Statewide tenant-rights education and advocacy organization based in Seattle.

  • Solid Ground Tenant Services · King County Tenant Resource Hotline: 206.580.0762 or 1.855.485.8767 (M-F, 9am-1pm) — Provides tenant counseling and eviction-prevention support; also 206-694-6767 listed for Solid Ground Housing Counseling Services on King County's renter-resources page.

Veterans

  • King County Veterans Program (KCVP) · 206-263-8387 (both Seattle and Tukwila offices) — Offices: 9725 3rd Ave NE, Suite 300, Seattle, WA 98115 (walk-in M-F 8:30-11:00am and 1:00-3:00pm) and 645 Andover Park West, Suite 100, Tukwila, WA 98188 (same walk-in hours). Services include…

  • Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs (WDVA) — Housing Resources · (877) 827-3702 (VA Regional Loan Center, foreclosure help); (877) 424-3838 (VA National Call Center for Homeless Veterans) — Lists the WDVA Veterans Transitional Housing Program plus links to VA home-loan and foreclosure-prevention resources, downpayment assistance, and adapted-housing tax exemptions.

Youth and families

  • YouthCare · 800-495-7802 — Shelter, housing, education, and employment programs for youth and young adults experiencing homelessness in King County.

  • Mary's Place · 206-245-1026 — Family shelter and homelessness-prevention services, including a rental-help page.

  • Wellspring Family Services — Homelessness prevention and early-intervention services for families with children.

  • Mother Nation — Culturally specific services for Native women and families, including homeless-prevention programs.

  • El Centro de la Raza — Family support, early learning, and housing programs serving the Latino/a community and other low-income King County residents.

Seniors and people with disabilities — services

Local directories and newsletters

  • Solid Ground Resource Wire · weekly (most Wednesdays) — Sections cover general resources, child care, education, food, health/behavioral health, housing, internet/phones, jobs/training, transportation, and utilities for people living on low incomes in…

  • KCRHA Regional Services Database · continuously updated — Interactive map/database of more than 400 housing, shelter, outreach, navigation, day-service, behavioral health, and substance-use programs across King County, operated by the King County Regional…

How Mysti's fits in

Mysti's Adult & Family Services — Washington provides case management, housing navigation and benefit navigation, including Foundational Community Supports (FCS) supportive housing and supported employment for people on Apple Health, and Community Choice Guide services for DSHS clients. New here? Read Need help with housing? Start here, then message us through our contact page or email help@mysticares.org · (800) 524-4827. We will screen your situation and point you to the right door — with us or elsewhere.

Already a Mysti's client? Your case manager is your first call. If you cannot reach them, email help@mysticares.org with your name, county, and the best way to reach you, and use the resources on this page in the meantime — every door on this list is open to you whether or not we are the ones walking you through it.

Partners and case managers: refer through our Partners & Referrals page. Send county, contact details, Apple Health status and housing situation; please do not email medical details.

Learn while you wait

Free, self-paced courses from Mysti's: Housing Search Bootcamp, Speak Up (self-advocacy), Budgeting for Stability, and short guides to SNAP, ABD/HEN, Apple Health, TANF, SSI/SSDI and McKinney-Vento school rights — open the Free Learning Programs. A free member account is all you need.

Get King County updates once a month

Want to know when a waitlist opens, a senior building starts taking applications, or a new program launches in your county? Tell us which counties and topics you care about and we will email you one short update a month — no more, and you can stop any time.

Found a broken link or a status that changed? Email help@mysticares.org and we will fix it in the next refresh. Last full check: September 19, 2026.

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