Funding Announcements & Application
At least once per year the Office of Housing publishes a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Rental Housing Program. The notice describes specific funding priorities and requirements for each available fund source, of which the Seattle Housing Levy is traditionally the largest. OH's funding announcements are often part of a larger combined announcement of funds for homeless housing and services across King County.
For homeownership projects, a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) is published twice per year.
Preparing Projects for Application
The Office of Housing's Rental Housing Program funds the development of affordable rental housing in Seattle using the Housing Levy Rental Preservation and Production Program funds, federal funds, and other fund sources. The steps below describe basic steps prior to application for Rental Housing Program funds.
Priority Review and Contact List (Updated August 2020).
Pre-Application Meeting
Project sponsors must schedule a pre-application meeting with Office of Housing lending staff to determine eligibility prior to application. OH encourages pre-application meetings in the early stages of project development to allow for meaningful feedback and guidance in relation to OH funding requirements and priorities.
Certification of Consistency with Consolidated Plan and Siting Determination
Consistency Letter
To apply for funding from the Office of Housing (OH) or certain other non-City of Seattle funding sources, your project must receive a ”Consistency Letter” from the Office of Housing. A Consistency Letter certifies that your project aligns with the City of Seattle’s Consolidated Plan for Housing and Community Development.
Siting Determination
To apply for OH funding, your project proposal must comply with the Development Siting Policy described in Chapter X.1 of the Housing Funding Policies. If your proposal complies, you will receive an email with a ”Siting Determination.” You must include the email with your project’s Siting Determination in your funding application to OH.
Request Form
To request a Consistency Letter, a Siting Determination, or both, you must submit a complete request form. Every field on the form must be filled out. One form is used for both requests, so please clearly indicate which type of document(s) you need.
If you are applying for a funding opportunity under an OH Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA), you must submit your application for a Consistency Letter and Siting Determination before your pre-application meeting. For all other funding applications, submit your request at least 30 days before you need the certification or determination. Be sure to plan ahead to meet these deadlines.
Consistency Letters and Siting Determinations are valid for one year from the issue date unless you withdraw them before the expiration date. If the documents expire, it is up to the project sponsor to request new ones. OH staff do not send reminders about expiring Siting Determinations. If you receive a Siting Determination but choose not to move forward with the project before it expires, please inform OH.
To get started, download the Consistency-Siting Application and follow the instructions in the form.
Development Site Information Requests
Affordable housing developers can request details about the current status of potential development sites under the Development Siting Policy. This service is for exploratory purposes only and does not replace an official Siting Determination.
To request this information, send an email with the full site address in the subject line as “Development Siting Check” to OFH_Lending@seattle.gov. This is provided as a courtesy to help you explore site options.
Neighborhood Notification & Community Relations Guidelines
Required application elements for most funding applications to OH will include proof of Neighborhood Notification and a draft Community Relations Plan. The exact requirements are summarized in the Neighborhood Notification and Community Relations Guidelines. Before submitting an application to OH, neighbors within 500-feet of the project location must be notified of the proposed project. To create a list, please visit the King County Parcel Viewer.