Everett Housing Authority: waitlist, vouchers, and landlord guide

Last updated 2026-07-09

What is the Everett Housing Authority and what programs does it run?

The Everett Housing Authority (EHA) is the local public housing authority (PHA) for the City of Everett in Snohomish County, Washington. It was set up under Washington State law (RCW 35.82) and runs under HUD's federal rules, mainly 24 CFR Part 982 for the Housing Choice Voucher program and 24 CFR Part 966 for public housing. ^[1]

EHA runs three things. The Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8), public housing units the authority owns and manages directly, and project-based vouchers attached to specific buildings. It also handles some special-purpose vouchers, including VASH vouchers for veterans (issued with the VA) and mainstream vouchers for people with disabilities. ^[2]

EHA is not the only housing authority in Snohomish County. The Snohomish County Housing Authority (SCHA) runs a separate program covering unincorporated areas and other cities in the county. Live outside Everett's city limits and SCHA is probably your agency. This matters more than it sounds. An EHA voucher is issued by EHA, and porting it follows different steps than porting a SCHA voucher.

The main office is at 3107 Colby Ave, Everett, WA 98201. EHA manages roughly 1,500 to 2,000 vouchers in active use, though the authority doesn't post a live count. HUD's Picture of Subsidized Households database is the best independent source for that number. ^[3]

Is the Everett Housing Authority waitlist open right now?

Probably not. That's the honest answer, and it's the first thing everyone wants to know.

EHA's Housing Choice Voucher waitlist spends far more time closed than open. The authority opens it for a short window, takes several thousand applications in a matter of days, then closes it again for months or years. The last open period I can document was 2023. Waitlist status changes without much warning, so verify it directly at EHA's website or by phone before you count on anything. ^[4]

When the list opens, EHA draws names by lottery. It's not first-come, first-served. You submit during the open window, and the authority pulls names at random to build the list. Speed only matters in one sense: your application has to land before the window shuts. Applying at 9 a.m. on day one does not put you ahead of someone who applied on day three.

Once you're on the list, waits in Everett have run two to six years or more, depending on funding, voucher turnover, and how many names sat ahead of yours in the draw. Nobody publishes precise current wait times for EHA. The closest national number is HUD's 2019 Worst Case Housing Needs report, which found a median wait of 26 months across all PHAs. High-cost metros like Everett usually run much longer than that median. ^[5]

For open Section 8 waiting lists across Washington, the Washington State Housing Finance Commission and HUD's resource locator show which nearby agencies are taking applications. If EHA is closed, check King County Housing Authority and the Snohomish County Housing Authority.

Apply to every open list you qualify for. Sitting on one closed list while ignoring open ones nearby costs applicants years. It's the most common mistake I see.

How do you apply to EHA's Housing Choice Voucher program?

When the waitlist opens, you apply online at EHA's website. Paper applications may be available at the office or on request for people who can't get online, which HUD requires as a reasonable accommodation under 24 CFR 8.6. ^[6]

Have your household details ready: names and dates of birth for everyone in the household, Social Security numbers, income sources, and your current address. You don't have to live in Everett to apply. But a residency preference can move you up in the lottery if EHA has adopted one, so read the current waitlist notice to see whether a local preference applies. EHA has used them before.

Income limits decide a lot. HUD sets them for the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett area every fiscal year. For FY 2024, the very low-income limit (50% of Area Median Income) for a family of four was about $63,350. Most vouchers go to households at or below that line, and a big share is reserved for extremely low-income households at 30% AMI or below. ^[7]

If your name comes up in the draw, EHA contacts you for an eligibility interview. They verify income, assets, and household composition, and run a criminal background check. Two things are federally required grounds for denial: a conviction for manufacturing methamphetamine in federally assisted housing, and lifetime sex offender registration. Everything else sits at EHA's discretion under its administrative plan.

What are EHA's payment standards and how does the rent calculation work?

A payment standard is the most EHA will pay toward rent and utilities for a given bedroom size. Payment standards run as a percentage of HUD's Fair Market Rents (FMRs), usually 90% to 110% of FMR, and a PHA can request exception standards up to 120% of FMR in high-cost markets. ^[2]

HUD publishes FMRs for the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett metro every fiscal year. Here are the FY 2025 figures:

Bedroom Size	FY 2025 FMR (Seattle metro)
0-BR (studio)	$1,706
1-BR	$1,899
2-BR	$2,278
3-BR	$3,131
4-BR	$3,600

EHA's real payment standards are a percentage of those numbers. The authority posts its current schedule on its website and updates it as FMRs change. If EHA is at 100% of FMR, the table above is roughly its payment standard too. At 110%, add 10%. Pull the current schedule from EHA directly, because it shifts with every FMR update. ^[8]

Here's how the tenant's share works. A voucher holder pays 30% of adjusted monthly income toward rent and utilities. EHA covers the gap between that 30% and the actual contract rent, up to the payment standard. Rent above the payment standard comes out of the tenant's pocket, on top of the 30%. And 24 CFR 982.508 caps the initial rent burden: a tenant's share can't exceed 40% of monthly adjusted income at move-in. ^[2]

So a tenant who takes a unit priced above the payment standard pays more than 30% of income. That's a real trap in Everett, where rents in a lot of neighborhoods clear the FMR. Understand it before you start searching and you'll save yourself a lot of grief.

How does the HQS inspection process work in Everett?

No inspection, no subsidy. Before EHA pays a dime, the unit has to pass a Housing Quality Standards (HQS) inspection. HQS is HUD's baseline, written into 24 CFR 982.401. The inspector runs through thirteen categories: structure, plumbing, heating, electrical, and working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors among them. ^[9]

The sequence usually goes like this. The tenant finds a willing landlord. The landlord signs a Request for Tenancy Approval (RFTA). EHA schedules the inspection. The inspector visits. If the unit passes, EHA signs the Housing Assistance Payment (HAP) contract with the landlord. If it fails, the landlord gets a short window (often 30 days, though EHA sets the exact timeline in its administrative plan) to fix things and ask for a reinspection.

What trips up units in the Pacific Northwest: missing or dead smoke detectors, rotted window glazing, peeling paint in pre-1978 homes (which pulls in extra lead-based paint rules under 24 CFR 35), and heat that can't keep up with a Washington winter. Fix those before the inspector shows up. A failed inspection can cost a tenant their move-in date.

EHA has shifted toward biennial inspections for units that pass cleanly, following the HOTMA (Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act) provisions that took effect in recent years. Units that fail or draw complaints still get looked at more often. EHA's plan may let landlords self-certify minor repairs, but that policy varies, so ask.

What do landlords need to know about renting to EHA voucher holders?

The big one: Washington bans source-of-income discrimination. RCW 49.60.215 makes it illegal to refuse a qualified tenant just because they pay with a housing voucher. Everett's city code piles on more fair housing protection. You can't advertise "no Section 8" and you can't screen out voucher holders as a group. ^[10]

You still screen the tenant. You just can't screen the voucher. Apply your usual income, credit, rental history, and background criteria, as long as you apply them the same way to everyone and they don't have a disparate impact on protected classes.

The steps look like this:

1. The tenant hands you their voucher paperwork and certificate. 2. You look at the proposed rent and decide if it works for you. 3. If you're in, you and the tenant fill out the RFTA and send it to EHA. 4. EHA schedules the HQS inspection. 5. If the unit passes and the rent clears, EHA sends you the HAP contract. 6. HAP payments land by direct deposit, usually on the first of the month.

Landlords worry about the lag between finding a tenant and cashing the first check. That gap is real. From RFTA to first payment runs three to six weeks, sometimes longer when inspections back up. Build it into your lease start date.

For rental assistance listings and voucher-ready renters, tools like Go Section 8 let landlords list units at no cost and reach tenants who are actively searching.

VoucherReady sells a one-time landlord kit covering HAP contract basics, rent reasonableness paperwork, and inspection prep in plain language. Genuinely useful if you're new and don't feel like reading all of 24 CFR 982.

Can you port an EHA voucher to another city or state?

Yes. The Housing Choice Voucher program is portable, and an EHA voucher holder can use it anywhere in the country a housing authority runs the HCV program. The rules live in 24 CFR 982.353. ^[2]

There's a catch on timing. You have to have lived in EHA's jurisdiction for at least 12 months first (or be working, or hired to work, in the place you're moving to). Domestic violence survivors and some others get exceptions under VAWA. Once you clear the 12-month rule, you send a portability request to EHA.

EHA, as the initial PHA, hands you a portability packet and forwards your file to the receiving PHA. That PHA decides whether to absorb your voucher (issue you its own) or bill EHA. Your rent calculation in the new city uses the receiving PHA's payment standards, not EHA's. That can help you in a cheaper market and hurt you in a pricier one.

One warning. Port to a PHA with a long incoming-portability queue and your move can stall for weeks or months. Call the receiving PHA about its processing time before you commit to anything.

What public housing units does EHA manage?

Besides vouchers, EHA owns and manages public housing in Everett. These are actual apartments the authority owns, where rent is capped at 30% of a resident's adjusted income. Applying for public housing is a separate process from the HCV waitlist, even though the same office may handle both.

EHA's public housing portfolio is small next to big-city authorities. The units cluster in a handful of properties around town. Preference categories often include current Everett residents, people experiencing homelessness, and households with a member who has a disability. The exact preferences live in EHA's Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP), which is a public document you can ask for.

Looking at low income senior housing in Everett? Ask EHA about any age-restricted public housing it runs, and separately check HUD's Resource Locator for Section 202 senior projects nearby. Those are different programs with their own waitlists.

For HUD housing beyond EHA, the Snohomish County Housing Authority, private low income housing tax credit properties, and nonprofit landlords all operate in Everett. One waitlist at EHA is rarely your only path in.

What are EHA's income limits and eligibility requirements?

To get a voucher from EHA, your household has to fall under HUD's income limits for the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett HUD metro area. HUD updates these every fiscal year. FY 2024 limits were about:

Household Size	Very Low Income (50% AMI)	Extremely Low (30% AMI)
1 person	$44,350	$26,600
2 people	$50,700	$30,400
3 people	$57,050	$34,150
4 people	$63,350	$37,950
5 people	$68,450	$41,000

Source: HUD FY 2024 Income Limits for Seattle-Bellevue-Everett ^[7]

Federal law requires that at least 75% of the new vouchers EHA issues each year go to extremely low-income households at 30% AMI or below, under 42 U.S.C. 1437f. ^[1]

Other requirements: at least one household member has to be a U.S. citizen or have eligible immigration status. Social Security numbers are required for every family member who has one. Some criminal histories disqualify you, as noted above. And anyone evicted from public housing or an HCV program for drug-related activity faces a three-year federal ban, though EHA can grant exceptions.

EHA also checks for old debt owed to any housing authority. If a past participant left owing money to EHA or another PHA, they usually can't get a new voucher until that debt is cleared.

What happens if EHA denies your application or terminates your voucher?

You get an informal hearing. It's a federal right, under 24 CFR 982.554 for applicant denials and 24 CFR 982.555 for participant terminations. ^[2] You have to request it inside the window EHA names in your denial or termination letter, usually 10 to 30 days. Miss that deadline and your appeal is almost always dead.

At the hearing you can put on evidence, bring a representative or attorney, and challenge EHA's findings. The hearing officer has to be someone who wasn't part of the original decision. EHA then owes you a written decision based on the hearing record.

Think EHA broke HUD rules or your civil rights? File with HUD's Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity (FHEO) at hud.gov/fairhousing. For income verification fights, the local HUD field office is another avenue.

Washington Section 8 participants can also call the Northwest Justice Project for free legal aid on housing matters. Having a representative at an informal hearing changes outcomes, especially when the case turns on criminal history or an income calculation dispute.

How does EHA's program compare to surrounding area housing authorities?

Knowing how EHA stacks up against nearby agencies helps you decide where to apply and where to hunt for a unit.

Agency	Jurisdiction	Waitlist Status (recent)	Approx. HCV Payment Std. (2-BR)
Everett Housing Authority	City of Everett	Often closed	~$2,100-$2,400
Snohomish County Housing Authority	Rest of Snohomish Co.	Varies by program	Similar to EHA
King County Housing Authority	King County	Often closed	~$2,400-$2,800
Seattle Housing Authority	City of Seattle	Long wait; lottery-based	~$2,700+
Housing Authority of Skagit County	Skagit County	Sometimes open	Lower than Everett

Payment standard figures are approximate and change every year with FMR updates. Verify current numbers with each PHA.

If you live in Everett and qualify for the housing section 8 program, apply to several nearby PHAs at once. Nothing stops you from sitting on multiple waitlists, and getting pulled off a SCHA list while you wait on EHA is a good problem to have.

Snohomish County's rental market has tightened hard over the past decade, which pushes payment standards here among the highest outside the big urban cores. Even so, Everett voucher holders often can't find a unit where the landlord takes the voucher and the rent lands under the payment standard. That gap, between the payment standard on paper and what you can actually rent, is the real challenge of using a voucher in this county.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Everett Housing Authority waitlist open in 2025?

As of mid-2025, EHA's HCV waitlist status can change with little notice. Verify it directly at the authority's official website or by calling (425) 303-1100. The list has stayed closed for long stretches historically and reopens only for brief lottery windows. Check EHA's site regularly, and also watch the Snohomish County Housing Authority and other nearby agencies while you wait.

How long is the wait for a Section 8 voucher in Everett, WA?

Nobody publishes a precise current wait for EHA specifically. Nationally, HUD's 2019 Worst Case Housing Needs report found a median wait of 26 months across all PHAs. High-demand, high-cost metros like Everett tend to run two to six years or more from lottery selection to voucher issuance. Your spot in the lottery draw and any preference you qualify for shift that timeline a lot.

What are EHA's payment standards for 2024 and 2025?

EHA's payment standards track HUD's Fair Market Rents for the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett area. The FY 2025 FMR for a two-bedroom in the Seattle metro is $2,278. EHA usually sets payment standards at 100% to 110% of FMR, so a 2-BR standard likely lands in the $2,100 to $2,500 range. EHA posts the current schedule on its website, and that's the authoritative source.

Can landlords in Everett refuse Section 8 vouchers?

No. Washington's RCW 49.60.215 bans source-of-income discrimination in housing, which covers vouchers. A landlord can't refuse a tenant solely because they hold a Section 8 voucher. Everett's municipal code adds more fair housing protection. Landlords can still screen on income, credit, and rental history, as long as the criteria are consistent and applied to every applicant the same way.

How do I apply for public housing through EHA?

The public housing application is separate from the HCV waitlist. Contact EHA directly to ask whether the public housing waitlist is open and to get an application. Eligibility covers income limits, citizenship or eligible immigration status, and a background check. EHA's Admissions and Continued Occupancy Policy (ACOP) sets the preferences, which often include current Everett residents, people experiencing homelessness, and households with a member who has a disability.

Can I use an EHA voucher outside of Everett or Washington State?

Yes. After living in EHA's jurisdiction for at least 12 months (with limited exceptions), you can port your voucher to any other HCV jurisdiction in the country under 24 CFR 982.353. EHA sends your file to the receiving PHA, which processes your voucher under its own payment standards. Processing times at the receiving end vary widely, so check with the destination PHA before you commit to a move.

What does the HQS inspection look for in Everett?

EHA's HQS inspection follows HUD's 24 CFR 982.401 standards and covers thirteen areas: structure, interior air quality, space and security, thermal environment, illumination, plumbing, sanitary facilities, food prep and refuse disposal, electrical, smoke and CO detectors, lead-based paint, site and neighborhood, and sanitary conditions. Common Pacific Northwest failures include missing CO detectors, rotted window glazing, and weak heating. Fix those before the inspection to avoid delays.

What income limits apply for EHA's Section 8 program?

For FY 2024, HUD set the very low-income limit (50% AMI) for a family of four in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett metro at about $63,350. Federal law requires at least 75% of new HCV vouchers go to extremely low-income households (30% AMI), which for a family of four was about $37,950. Income limits scale by household size and are updated every fiscal year by HUD.

What happens if EHA denies my application or terminates my voucher?

You have a federal right to request an informal hearing within the deadline in your denial or termination letter, usually 10 to 30 days. The right sits in 24 CFR 982.554 and 982.555. At the hearing you can present evidence and bring a representative. Miss the request deadline and your appeal is almost always over. Washington residents can contact the Northwest Justice Project for free legal help.

Does EHA have any special vouchers for veterans or people with disabilities?

Yes. EHA runs HUD-VASH vouchers with the VA, reserved for veterans experiencing homelessness. Mainstream vouchers for people with disabilities may also be available when HUD allocates them. These have separate funding streams and eligibility rules. Contact EHA directly or your local VA office to find out whether VASH vouchers are being issued in the Everett area right now.

How do I find Section 8 housing in Everett once I have a voucher?

EHA gives voucher holders a search period, typically 60 to 120 days, to find a unit. Search listings on Go Section 8, Zillow, or Craigslist, or contact landlords directly and explain the program. Because Washington bans source-of-income discrimination, you can apply to any rental you qualify for. Search in neighborhoods where rents sit close to EHA's payment standard for the best odds of a landlord saying yes.

Is EHA the same as the Snohomish County Housing Authority?

No. The Everett Housing Authority serves only the City of Everett. The Snohomish County Housing Authority (SCHA) serves the rest of Snohomish County, including Lynnwood, Marysville, and unincorporated areas. They are separate agencies with separate waitlists, payment standards, and administrative plans. Live outside Everett's city limits and SCHA is almost certainly your agency.

How long does EHA take to process a landlord's RFTA and issue the first payment?

From RFTA to first HAP payment runs three to six weeks, sometimes longer when EHA's inspection schedule backs up or paperwork needs fixing. The steps are RFTA submission, inspection scheduling, the inspection itself, a rent reasonableness review, and HAP contract signing. Landlords with units in good shape and accurate paperwork move through faster.

Sources

1. HUD, Code of Federal Regulations 24 CFR Part 982: The HCV program is governed by 24 CFR Part 982; at least 75% of new vouchers must go to extremely low-income households under 42 U.S.C. 1437f
2. HUD, Housing Choice Vouchers Fact Sheet: Payment standards are set by PHAs between 90-110% of FMR; tenant's initial rent burden cannot exceed 40% of monthly adjusted income at move-in per 24 CFR 982.508; portability rules under 24 CFR 982.353
3. HUD, Picture of Subsidized Households: HUD's Picture of Subsidized Households database provides counts of vouchers in active use by PHA
4. Everett Housing Authority, official website: EHA administers the HCV waitlist and opens it periodically via lottery
5. HUD Office of Policy Development and Research, Worst Case Housing Needs 2019 Report to Congress: National median wait time across all PHAs was approximately 26 months as reported in HUD's 2019 Worst Case Housing Needs report
6. HUD, 24 CFR Part 8 - Nondiscrimination Based on Handicap: 24 CFR 8.6 requires PHAs to provide reasonable accommodations, including paper applications for those who cannot access online systems
7. HUD, FY 2024 Income Limits Documentation System: For FY 2024, the very low-income limit (50% AMI) for a family of four in the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett metro was approximately $63,350; extremely low (30% AMI) was approximately $37,950
8. HUD, FY 2025 Fair Market Rents: HUD FY 2025 FMRs for the Seattle-Bellevue-Everett metro: studio $1,706, 1-BR $1,899, 2-BR $2,278, 3-BR $3,131, 4-BR $3,600
9. HUD, Housing Quality Standards (24 CFR 982.401): HQS inspections cover thirteen categories under 24 CFR 982.401 including structure, plumbing, heating, electrical, and smoke/CO detectors
10. Washington State Legislature, RCW 49.60.215: RCW 49.60.215 prohibits source-of-income discrimination in Washington State housing, making it illegal to refuse to rent to voucher holders as a class
11. Washington State Legislature, RCW 35.82 - Housing Authorities Law: Washington State housing authorities are established and governed under RCW 35.82
12. HUD, 24 CFR 982.554 and 982.555 - Informal Hearings: Federal regulations 24 CFR 982.554 and 982.555 establish the right to informal hearings for applicant denials and participant terminations