Low-income HUD-subsidized Apartments

Subsidized low-income HUD apartments in Seattle

Community Roots Housing has provided affordable housing in Seattle since 1976. We offer pet-friendly HUD apartments for people with very low incomes. Unlike regular affordable apartments with fixed rent, HUD apartment rent is scaled to your household income. If you are approved, your rent will stay at about 30% of your monthly income, even as your income changes.

What if my income is too low to afford most apartments, including affordable housing?

In a low-income HUD apartment, you pay around 30% of your household income for rent. You may be eligible even if you have no monthly income.

Could I qualify if my income or housing situation is not typical?

Yes! You may qualify even if any of these situations apply to you:

  • You are working, retired, or receiving benefits.
  • You receive wages, tips, Social Security or disability benefits, child support, have a fixed income, or a mix of income sources. (Even if your income changes from month to month.)
  • You have no income.
  • You are staying temporarily with others or experiencing homelessness.

Eligibility requirements

  • Your maximum household income is within HUD income limits. See table above.
  • You pass Community Roots’ standard screening criteria.
  • Your household size fits the available apartment size.
  • All adults have a Social Security number (SSN) or valid ID.
  • You do not have a Section 8 Housing Voucher.
  • You are not subject to a lifetime sex offender registration requirement.
  • You have not been convicted of the manufacture or production of methamphetamine on the premises of federally assisted housing.
  • Some buildings may have extra requirements, such as age, living with a disability, or full-time student restrictions.

Your household includes everyone who will live in the apartment — not only the person completing the application. That includes children and people who are not working or earning income. You do not need to be married or legally related to be considered a household.

*Paid live-in caretakers do not count toward your household size for income estimation. Call us to learn more.

Waitlists for HUD apartments in these buildings are open!

Holdenvista.communityrootshousing 3b

Holden Vista

Delridge, Seattle
1-bedroom and 2-bedroom apartments available
(Full-time student restrictions apply)

Waitlist closes Sept. 16, 2026, at 5.pm.
LEARN MORE ABOUT HOLDEN VISTA
El Nor

El Nor

Central District, Seattle
1-bedroom apartments available
(55 years or older age restrictions apply)

Waitlist closes Dec. 1, 2026, at 5.pm.
LEARN MORE ABOUT EL NOR

Time on a waitlist can vary.

Joining a waitlist does not mean you will get housing right away. Keep your contact information current so we can reach you when it’s your turn. It might take several years before you are offered an apartment.

Apply for a HUD apartment

Before you can apply for a HUD apartment with Community Roots Housing, you need to fill out and send in the pre-application forms. After that, you will be put on a waitlist for that building. When it’s your turn, Community Roots will contact you by mail and by phone about available apartments to see if you are still interested. If you are, you can tour and apply for a HUD apartment.

Ready to join a waitlist for a building?

Community Roots staff can answer your questions before you send in your pre-application. Caseworkers can also help you collect documents, apply, and keep in touch. Waitlists will close when they get too long. If you want to join a waitlist, ask for a pre-application and return it while the waitlist is still open.

REQUEST A PRE-APPLICATION

How to join a HUD waitlist

  1. Contact Community Roots Housing to request a pre-application in person at our office, by phone (206) 895-1400, or by email (leasinginfo@communityrootshousing.org).
  2. Fill out every part of the pre-application. We cannot accept incomplete forms.
  3. Submit your pre-application by mail or in person at our office.
  4. Make sure your contact information is current while you are on the waitlist. You might be on the waitlist for years, so it needs to be up to date.
  5. Respond quickly if we contact you about the next steps when it is your turn for available HUD apartments.
Direct all HUD-related requests, paperwork, and questions to:

  • Your contact information and date of birth
  • Household members and household size
  • Social Security number (SSN) for each adult
  • Sources of income like wages, tips, benefits, retirement, SSI, or child support
  • Name, email address, phone number, and address of an alternative contact (if desired)
  • A signed Release of Information (ROI) if you are a caseworker acting on a client’s behalf

Frequently asked questions

No. You must first fill out and send in a pre-application to get on a waitlist before applying for a HUD apartment.

When you reach the top of the waitlist, Community Roots will contact you by mail and phone to check if you are still interested. You will need to respond by the deadline provided. Your eligibility is then reviewed because income, household status, and other factors may change from the time you join a waitlist to the time a HUD apartment becomes available. If you are eligible, you can tour and apply for the apartment.

Some of our properties are subsidized by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, commonly known as HUD.  A HUD-subsidized apartment means that the federal government pays the difference between a household’s rent payment (30% of their monthly income) and the unit’s defined “fair market rent.”

Email leasinginfo@communityrootshousing.org or call 206-895-1400 to request an pre-application by mail.

  • Mail your completed pre-application to 1620 12th Avenue Suite 205, Seattle, WA 98122; or
  • Submit your pre-application in person via a drop box at our main office location at the address listed above.

When a waitlist gets longer than the number of people we can help within a year, we stop taking new pre-applications. We do not accept pre-applications for closed waitlists.

If you are on a HUD waitlist and need to update your information, you can download the HUD update form and send it to our main office by mail, email, or bring it in person. Updates must be in writing and cannot be done over the phone.

After you join a waitlist, the only way to get an update is to contact Community Roots Housing by calling, emailing, or visiting us in person. We know waiting can be frustrating. Staff can confirm if you are on the waitlist but cannot tell you your exact spot or when you will be contacted. Waitlists change as apartments open up, people update their information, and eligibility is reviewed. When it’s your turn, we will contact you to see if you are still interested in a HUD apartment.

Caseworkers with a signed ROI from their client may also request waitlist updates.

If you are denied, you have 14 days to appeal the denial. Appeal instructions will be sent to you. Send your appeal in writing by email or mail to our office.

Feel free to call our office at (206) 895-1400 or contact us during office hours for an appointment. You can also email your questions to leasinginfo@communityrootshousing.org. One of our team members will be happy to help you find a place to put down roots.

We screen applicants in accordance with the Seattle Fair Chance Housing requirements. If the applicant or any adult member of the household is listed on the sex offender registry for a conviction that occurred when the individual was an adult, they may be subject to secondary screening to determine whether there is a risk to the health, safety, or welfare of residents or staff; in such instances, the applicant may provide supplemental information related to the individual’s rehabilitation, good conduct, and additional facts or explanations. Upon secondary screening, if it is determined that a legitimate business reason exists, the application will be denied.

Applicants for federally assisted housing, including HUD Sec 8 units, will be denied if the applicant or any member of the household is subject to a lifetime sex offender registration requirement under a state sex offender registration program and/or has been convicted of the manufacture or production of methamphetamine on the premises of federally assisted housing.

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