AFFORDABLE HOUSING GUIDE
If you are searching for affordable apartments in Seattle, you have probably run into the phrase “income restricted” and wondered what it means for your rent, your paperwork, and whether you qualify. The short version: income-restricted apartments are regular homes in regular buildings, offered at a capped rent to households under a set income, because the building received a tax benefit in exchange.
This guide explains Seattle’s two main renter programs, MFTE and the newer office-to-residential tax deferral, what area median income means, how 80 percent AMI works, who tends to qualify, and the steps to apply. It is written for people looking in Lower Queen Anne and Uptown, where office-to-residential conversions have added a fresh batch of these homes near Seattle Center.
The short version
- Income-restricted apartments are privately owned homes rented at a capped rate to households under an income limit. They are not government housing.
- Seattle’s two main renter programs are MFTE (Multifamily Tax Exemption) and the office-to-residential sales and use tax deferral, sometimes shortened to WSST.
- Income limits are set as a percentage of area median income (AMI); many restricted homes target households at or below 80 percent AMI.
- You apply through the building’s leasing office, not the City, and your income is verified when a unit is offered.
- In Uptown, some office-to-residential conversions reserve a share of units as income restricted; the building’s affordable housing page lists what is set aside.
What does income restricted actually mean?
An income-restricted apartment is an ordinary home in a privately owned building that the landlord agrees to rent at a limited price to a household earning under a set income. In Seattle, the discount exists because the building received a tax benefit, so the savings are built into the rent rather than paid to you as a subsidy.
That is the part most people miss. You are not applying for government housing, and no agency pays part of your rent. You sign a normal lease, pay the capped rent yourself, and live alongside neighbors in market-rate units in the same building. The main differences are an income check before you move in and a rent held below the open market rate.
Because the rent is already reduced, these homes tend to lease quickly, and buildings often keep a short interest list. It helps to have your paperwork ready before a unit opens.
What is AMI, and how does 80 percent AMI work?
AMI stands for area median income, the midpoint household income for the Seattle metro area. It is calculated each year by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development and adjusted for household size. An income limit of 80 percent AMI means your household can earn up to 80 percent of that midpoint and still qualify.
Seattle’s Office of Housing turns those percentages into exact dollar income and rent limits, published in tables that are updated as the federal figures change. The limits differ by household size and by program, so a one-person limit is lower than a four-person limit, and an MFTE limit can differ from a conversion-program limit.
Because the exact numbers change and vary by program, we do not list a single dollar figure here. The current limit for a specific home is the one the building confirms against the City’s published tables. You can see what a given home targets on our affordable housing page, then check the City’s current limits before you apply.
Where the official numbers live
Seattle’s Office of Housing publishes the current income and rent limit tables and an interactive map of restricted apartments across the city. Those tables are the authoritative source for any dollar figure, and they are updated regularly, so always confirm the number that applies to the specific home and your household size.
Seattle's two main programs for renters: MFTE and WSST
Most income-restricted apartments advertised in Seattle come from one of two programs: the Multifamily Tax Exemption, known as MFTE, and the newer sales and use tax deferral for office-to-residential conversions, sometimes called WSST. Both give the building a tax break in exchange for setting aside a share of homes at capped rents.
MFTE is the long-running program. Since 1998 it has produced more than 7,000 income- and rent-restricted apartments across roughly 300 buildings. A participating building sets aside 20 to 25 percent of its units as income and rent restricted, with income limits that range from about 40 percent to 90 percent of AMI depending on the unit type. The exemption on the owner’s side typically runs 12 years and can be extended.
The office-to-residential deferral is newer. Washington passed the enabling law in 2024, and Seattle adopted its version in early 2025 to encourage turning underused commercial buildings into housing. A qualifying conversion defers the sales and use tax on construction costs, and if the owner keeps the required homes affordable for at least 10 years, that tax is permanently waived.
Under the conversion program, the building must offer at least 10 percent of its units to households at or below 80 percent AMI, and the housing cost for those homes, including utilities other than telephone, is held at no more than 30 percent of the household’s monthly income. Those homes also follow the City’s published income and rent limits.
MFTE (Multifamily Tax Exemption)
- Running since 1998, with 7,000+ restricted homes citywide
- Building sets aside 20% to 25% of its units
- Income limits range from about 40% to 90% AMI by unit type
- Property tax exemption for the owner, typically 12 years, extendable
Office-to-residential deferral (WSST)
- Enabled by a 2024 state law, adopted by Seattle in 2025
- At least 10% of units at or below 80% AMI
- Housing cost capped at 30% of monthly income for those units
- Encourages converting commercial buildings into homes
You sign a normal lease, pay the capped rent yourself, and live in the same building as market-rate neighbors. The discount is built into the rent.
How is this different from Section 8 and public housing?
Income-restricted MFTE and conversion apartments are not Section 8 and not public housing. With these programs you rent a privately managed apartment at a capped price and pay that rent yourself. With Section 8 and public housing, run by the Seattle Housing Authority, a household receives an ongoing subsidy or lives in agency-owned housing, usually after a waitlist.
The practical differences matter when you plan. Income-restricted units have an income ceiling checked once, when you are offered a home, and you apply directly through the building. Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers are tenant-based subsidies for lower-income households, awarded through a waitlist drawing, where the renter pays a portion of income toward rent and the agency pays the rest.
| Feature | Income-restricted (MFTE / WSST) | Section 8 / public housing |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | City programs, privately owned buildings | Seattle Housing Authority |
| How you apply | Directly with the building’s leasing office | Agency waitlist, often by random drawing |
| Who pays the rent | You pay the capped rent yourself | A subsidy covers part; you pay a share of income |
| Main eligibility test | Household income under the unit’s AMI limit | Income well below AMI, priority for lowest incomes |
| Where you can live | The specific building offering the unit | Many private rentals (voucher) or agency sites |
You can look at both
These programs are not mutually exclusive across your search. You can apply for an income-restricted apartment at a building while you remain on a Housing Authority waitlist. Just remember that the income-restricted home is rented and paid by you directly, so plan your budget around the capped rent, not a subsidy.
Who generally qualifies?
Eligibility comes down to one main test: your household's total expected income for the year after you move in must fall at or below the income limit for that specific unit and household size. There is no requirement about your job, your background, or your stage of life. The program looks at income and household size only.
Most programs count everyone who will live in the home and all sources of income, including wages, self-employment, and benefits. Many buildings also apply the property’s standard rental screening, the same credit and rental-history check any applicant would go through.
Because limits are tied to household size, a studio or one-bedroom is measured against a smaller household assumption than a larger home. If your income is close to a limit, it is worth asking the leasing office which tier a given unit falls under before you apply.
Watch the income ceiling
Income-restricted programs set a maximum income, not a minimum subsidy. If your income is above the unit’s limit you will not qualify, and if it rises well above the limit later, some agreements require you to recertify your income. Ask each building how it handles annual recertification before you sign.
How to apply, step by step
To rent an income-restricted apartment in Seattle, you find a participating building, confirm the unit's income limit for your household size, gather proof of income, and apply directly through that building's leasing office. The City does not take applications. The building does.
- Find a participating buildingUse the City's interactive map of restricted apartments, or ask buildings in the neighborhood you want. Each listing shows income restrictions and a leasing contact.
- Confirm the limit for your householdCheck the unit's AMI tier and the current income limit for your household size against the City's published tables, or ask the leasing office to confirm it for you.
- Gather your documentsBuildings commonly ask for recent pay stubs or other proof of income, and sometimes bank statements and identification. Having the last few months ready speeds things up.
- Complete the eligibility applicationYou fill out an income certification for the program, in addition to the building's normal rental application.
- Pass screening and signYour income is verified when a unit is offered, and you also go through the property's usual credit and rental-history screening before signing a standard lease.
Looking in Lower Queen Anne or Uptown
Office-to-residential conversions near Seattle Center have added income-restricted homes to this part of the city. For a feel of the area, see our neighborhood guide, and ask any leasing office which units carry an income restriction before you apply.
How income-restricted homes work at Rejuvenate Apartments
Rejuvenate Apartments, an office-to-residential conversion at 201 Queen Anne Ave N in Lower Queen Anne, reserves 9 of its 74 homes as income restricted at or below 80 percent AMI under the conversion tax-deferral program. The other homes are market rate, and all share the same building, finishes, and location at the base of Queen Anne hill near Seattle Center.
Because the set-aside homes follow the City’s income and rent limits, the current income limit and rent for a given unit are the figures the leasing office confirms against the official tables. Rather than quote a number that changes, we keep the details on the affordable housing page, and the leasing team can tell you which homes are restricted and whether any are open.
The building is a conversion with high ceilings, large windows, and a loft feel, with studio and one-bedroom style homes, including north-facing studios. If you want to see the spaces, book a tour or browse the availability page for what is currently open.
Frequently asked questions
What does income restricted mean for an apartment in Seattle?
It means the home is rented at a capped price to a household earning at or below a set income limit, because the building received a tax benefit. You pay the rent yourself and sign a standard lease. It is not Section 8 and not government-owned housing, just a privately owned building with a share of price-limited homes.
What is 80 percent AMI in Seattle?
AMI is area median income, the midpoint household income for the Seattle metro area, set each year by the federal government and adjusted for household size. Eighty percent AMI means your household earns up to 80 percent of that midpoint. The City's Office of Housing publishes the exact dollar limits, which change over time and vary by program.
Do I need to be low income to qualify?
Not necessarily. These programs set a maximum income, not a poverty requirement, and many homes target households up to 80 percent of area median income. If your household's expected income is at or below the limit for the unit and your household size, you can apply. The leasing office confirms the exact limit for each home.
How do I apply for an income-restricted apartment?
You apply directly through the building's leasing office, not through the City. Find a participating building, confirm the income limit for your household size, gather recent proof of income, and complete both an income certification and the property's normal rental application. Your income is verified when a unit is offered to you.
What documents will I need?
Expect to show proof of income, commonly recent pay stubs or equivalent documentation if you are not on payroll, and often identification. Some buildings also request bank statements. Requirements vary by property and program, so ask the leasing office for its exact checklist and have the last few months of paperwork ready before a home opens.
Is an income-restricted unit the same as Section 8?
No. With an income-restricted unit you rent a privately managed home at a capped price and pay that rent yourself. Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, run by the Seattle Housing Authority, are a subsidy awarded through a waitlist where the renter pays a share of income and the agency pays the rest. They are separate programs.
Are there income-restricted homes in Lower Queen Anne?
Yes. Office-to-residential conversions near Seattle Center have added income-restricted homes to the Uptown and Lower Queen Anne area. One conversion at 201 Queen Anne Ave N sets aside 9 of 74 homes at or below 80 percent AMI. Check the building's affordable housing page and availability page for what is currently open.
Find your home in Lower Queen Anne
See what is open now, including income-restricted homes, and ask about current move-in offers. Select north-facing studios have no rent until January 2027, and other select homes have 4 weeks free. Eligibility and lease terms apply, and offers are subject to change. Email the leasing team at info@rejuvenateapartments.com, or start with the links below.
Sources
- Seattle Office of Housing: Find Affordable Rental Housing
- Seattle Office of Housing: Renters
- Seattle Office of Housing: Income and rent limits (2026-2027 MILU table)
- Seattle Office of Housing: Incentive Programs Renter's Guide (MFTE, IZ, MHA)
- City of Seattle: Sales tax exemption for office-to-residential conversions (Feb 2025)
- Seattle OPCD: Office to Residential Sales and Use Tax Deferral Director's Rule
- Seattle Housing Authority: Income levels for low-income public housing
This guide is general information for renters, published October 2026, and is not legal or financial advice. Program rules and income limits change; confirm current figures with the building's leasing office and the Seattle Office of Housing before you apply. Rejuvenate Apartments is managed by Pacific Crest Real Estate.