Glossary

Affordable Housing According to government standards, housing, including utilities, should cost no more than 30% of your total income. Affordable rental housing usually has a maximum income limit of 60% of median income. In King County this equates to an annual income of $35,952 for one person or $46,224 for three persons. Homeownership programs generally allow up to 80% of median or $47,936  for one person or $61,632 for a three-person household.
HUD Abbreviation for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
Homeless A person who lacks a fixed and regular nighttime residence. The general public tends to think of “homeless” as persons living on the streets, whereas it can include persons living involuntarily with a friend or family member, living in a car, etc.—anyone without a fixed address.
Housing Authority Housing authorities are federally recognized public corporations with boards appointed by the local government. Their mission is to provide affordable housing to low- and moderate-income people. In addition to public housing, housing authorities also provide other types of subsidized housing for seniors or others with special needs and via housing vouchers such as Section 8, Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) or Family Unification Program (FUP). King County has three public housing authorities: the King County Housing Authority, the Seattle Housing Authority and the Renton Housing Authority.
Housing First Housing First is an innovative approach to ending chronic homelessness where people are provided rapid access to low-cost apartments, with vital medical, mental health and other support services available on site. It is a more humane, a more successful and a more cost-effective method than paying for these same individuals to cycle in and out of the emergency room, the sobering center or jail.

Seattle has taken a leadership role in funding Housing First programs. In just the past three years, Seattle has put 280 Housing First units into operation with another 289 expected to be online by 2011(from the Seattle Office of Housing website).
Low Income Housing Tax Credit Many for-profit and nonprofit-developed rental properties use federal income tax credits to create financially viable projects. The Washington State Housing Finance Commission allocates these credits to developers to build or rehabilitate low-income housing. Large corporations, financial institutions, pension funds, and insurance companies invest in the housing as a method to gain the tax credits and reduce their income tax obligations. Projects funded through this source must serve residents below 60% of median income and must accept Section 8 vouchers.
Market Rate Rent The prevailing monthly cost for rental housing. It is set by the landlord without restrictions. The rate varies on market conditions but historically trends higher over time
Median Income This is a statistical number set at the level where half of all households have income above it and half below it. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Regional Economist calculates and publishes this median income data annually in the Federal Register.
Nonprofit Housing Nonprofit housing is developed by nonprofit corporations with a community board of directors and specific mission. Most housing developed by nonprofit housing developers is affordable with rents or prices below market-rate. Income generated from the housing is put back into the buildings and the mission of the organization, rather than being distributed to stockholders or individual investors as would be the case in for-profit housing
Nonprofit Housing Developer A nonprofit organization with a mission that involves the creation, preservation, renovation, operation and/or maintenance of affordable housing.
Operating Subsidy This is a type of subsidy going to property owners to reduce the management, maintenance and utility costs of housing. It is needed for projects housing extremely low-income residents who can’t afford rents covering the actual costs of housing.
Permanent Housing Rental apartments or ownership homes that provide individuals and families with a fixed street address and residence. Most housing is permanent.
Private market or for-profit housing This housing rents or sells at market-rate and is developed and owned by for-profit individuals, partnerships, or corporations. Most housing in Seattle is privately developed
Project-Based Section 8 Housing: This federal program created in the mid-1970’s initially pledged 20-year commitments of rent subsidy to developers of privately owned rental housing stock in the community to encourage them to build affordable housing. The program is subsidized and regulated by HUD. 

Additionally, the Seattle Housing Authority and King County Housing Authority are able to convert some of their Section 8 vouchers to project-based subsidy because of their HUD Moving to Work program status
Public Housing Public housing is housing owned and run by a local housing authority under the oldest federal housing program—the Housing Act of 1937. To be eligible to live in public housing, you must be low income and meet certain other requirements. In most cases, rent including utilities can comprise no more than 30% of your income. 

In Seattle, the Seattle Housing Authority owns and operates 6,500 units of public housing. For the rest of King County, except Renton, the King County Housing Authority provides 3,384 public housing units.  Renton Housing Authority. Housing authorities operate significant numbers of other types of subsidized housing, in addition to public housing.
Section 8 Vouchers This federal program is administered by the local housing authorities. Eligible tenants receive vouchers they can use to help them pay for apartments in the private market.
Shelters Also called emergency housing. Provides temporary overnight living accommodations. Shelters often are not open during the day.
SRO Single room occupancy units. The traditional SRO unit is a single room, usually less than 100 square feet, designed to accommodate one person. Amenities such as a bathroom, kitchen or common areas are located outside the unit and are shared with other residents. Many SROs can be found in renovated hotels in downtown Seattle and provide affordable options for recently homeless individuals linked with supportive services.
Subsidized Housing A generic term covering all federal, state or local government programs that reduce the cost of housing for low- and moderate-income residents. Housing can be subsidized in numerous ways—giving tenants a rent voucher, helping homebuyers with down payment assistance, reducing the interest on a mortgage, providing deferred loans to help developers acquire and develop property, giving tax credits to encourage investment in low- and moderate-income housing, authorizing tax-exempt bond authority to finance the housing and/or providing ongoing assistance to reduce the operating costs of housing and others. 

Public housing, project-based Section 8, Section 8 vouchers, tax credits, the State Housing Trust Fund, and Seattle Housing Levy programs are all examples of subsidized housing..

Over the years, programs have been designed to help local housing authorities, for-profit developers and builders, nonprofit organizations and public development authorities provide low- cost housing. Unfortunately, the number of people needing subsidized housing is far greater than federal, state or local funding for these programs.
Supportive Housing Combines affordable housing with individualized health, counseling and employment services for persons with mental illness, chemical dependency, chronic health problems, or other challenges. Generally it is transitional housing, but it can be permanent housing in cases such as a group home for persons with mental illness or developmental disabilities. 

Supportive housing is a solution to homelessness because it addresses its root causes by providing a proven, effective means of re-integrating families and individuals into the community by addressing their basic needs for housing and on-going support.
Transitional Housing This housing model provides stability for residents for a limited time period, usually a maximum of two years and often much less to allow them to recover from a crisis such as homelessness or domestic violence before transitioning into permanent housing. Transitional housing providers often offer supportive services, which enable a person to transition to move a more independent living situation, often in market rate housing. 

Low income housing providers and funders have moved away from this model, and toward permanent supportive housing or housing with transitional services due in part to difficulties for residents to secure and maintain market housing.
Vacancy Rate The percentage of unoccupied units in a particular rental building or complex. A desirable low vacancy rate is generally considered to be 5% and factors for recently-vacated units beings prepared for the next occupants. Generally, in boom times, vacancy rates fall; while in recessions, vacancy rates rise. Low vacancy rates often are a signal for market providers to raise rents.
Waiting List Because there is a shortage of affordable housing, many individuals and families must sign up to be on a waiting list for a particular apartment or type of affordable housing. Waiting lists in King County can be up to three years depending on location and type of subsidy offered.