Considering moving to Washington - (WA) - Page 4 - City-Data Forum

rkcarguy · 05-07-2021, 09:24 AM

[quote=CrazyDonkey;60978609]$500-650 for a one-bedroom is not realistic for normal unsubsidized rent. If you are over 62, you should preferably look for an income-restricted seniors-only or seniors-disabled subsidized apartment. You may need to first find a "tax-credit" apartment (which charges a lower rent in return for charging a lower rent) and then get on waiting lists for subsidized apartments with rent limited to 30% of your income. "Project-Based" (HUD/USDA) properties can be easier to get into than tenant-based properties managed by housing authorities, because they maintain their own waiting-lists and don't require a voucher. See:

https://aptfinder.org/

For more "coastal" living, look at Sequim, Port Townsend, Port Angeles, Ocean Shores, Montesano, Forks, Hoquiam, Clallam Bay, Long Beach, Ilwaco, South Bend, Raymond.

For "wetside" cities with the most subsidized properties, look at Seattle (159), Tacoma (17), Bellingham (15), Bellevue (10), Centralia (10), Oak Harbor (10), Port Orchard (8), Mount Vernon (7), Marysville, Kirkland (6), Issaquah (6), Port Townsend (6), Vancouver (5), Lake Stevens (5), Shelton (5), Sequim (5), Auburn (5), Arlington (5).

You can also look at westside counties: King (224), Snohomish (38), Pierce (25), Whatcom (24), Kitsap (22), Skagit (17), Lewis (14), Island (13), Thurston (10), Clark (10), Grays Harbor (10).

Note: Generally, the further from Seattle, the shorter the waiting lists.[/QUO

Bellingham's wait lists are all closed, there is only two options of the 16 different housing wait lists even open in Whatcom county, 3 bedroom family housing in Everson and farm worker housing in the county.

CrazyDonkey · 05-07-2021, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyDonkey

$500-650 for a one-bedroom is not realistic for normal unsubsidized rent. If you are over 62, you should preferably look for an income-restricted seniors-only or seniors-disabled subsidized apartment. You may need to first find a "tax-credit" apartment (which charges a lower rent in return for charging a lower rent) and then get on waiting lists for subsidized apartments with rent limited to 30% of your income. "Project-Based" (HUD/USDA) properties can be easier to get into than tenant-based properties managed by housing authorities, because they maintain their own waiting-lists and don't require a voucher. See:

https://aptfinder.org/

Bellingham's wait lists are all closed, there is only two options of the 16 different housing wait lists even open in Whatcom county, 3 bedroom family housing in Everson and farm worker housing in the county.

Where are you getting that? If the waitlist is closed, it should say "Over 2 year wait or wait list currently closed". "No waiting list at this time" is stated elsewhere as "No wait at this time". That said, availability changes month to month and not all listings are up to date. That housing voucher waiting lists might be closed is another thing - project-based or tax-credit units don't require vouchers.

rkcarguy · 05-12-2021, 05:56 PM

https://bellinghamhousing.org/home/a...open-waitlist/

Link for Bellingham's housing authority. A friend of mine's wife works there, said it is awful and that the lists had pushed out 2+ years and then they closed them. Closed wait list does not mean there isn't a wait list at all, and there's empty subsidized units just waiting to be filled (ROFL).

That said, earlier today there was only the one AG housing wait list open, and now there are 4 various places with lists open so it changes daily. A lot of the working class give up and leave the area, so many of the people on the wait list end up being gone by the time they get the call for an available unit.

CrazyDonkey · 05-13-2021, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkcarguy

https://bellinghamhousing.org/home/a...open-waitlist/

Link for Bellingham's housing authority. A friend of mine's wife works there, said it is awful and that the lists had pushed out 2+ years and then they closed them. Closed wait list does not mean there isn't a wait list at all, and there's empty subsidized units just waiting to be filled (ROFL).

That said, earlier today there was only the one AG housing wait list open, and now there are 4 various places with lists open so it changes daily. A lot of the working class give up and leave the area, so many of the people on the wait list end up being gone by the time they get the call for an available unit.

Try actually looking at the site I posted. It is not limited to "housing authority" properties. 24 properties are listed for Whatcom County, including:

WS Tax-Credit Properties (no voucher required)

WSHFC Bond properties (no voucher required)

HUD Project-Based Section 8 Properties (no voucher required)

USDA Project-Based Properties (no voucher required)

Housing Authority Tenant-Based Section 8 Properties (voucher required)

https://aptfinder.org/