As part of the Department of Finance and Administrative Services, we provide centralized real estate services to City decision-makers and departments, as well as the general public. This includes buying, selling or transferring property (formally known as, respectively, "acquisition," "disposition" and "reuse") and maintaining listings and maps of City-owned properties. 

What do you want to do?

Visit the City Property Finder and Resources page for links to online resources to help you determine which City department has jurisdiction over a specific piece of property.

The City of Seattle owns property used for various municipal purposes such as fire stations, police stations, office buildings, parks, libraries and streets. Requests to use City property should be directed to the managing department. Departments managing their own property include Department of Parks and Recreation, Seattle City Light, Seattle Public Utilities, Seattle Public Library, Office of Housing and Department of Neighborhoods. The Department of Finance and Administrative Services (FAS) manages general government facilities as well as real property for other City departments, including the Seattle Department of Transportation.

FAS manages City-owned general-use property, including fire and police stations, maintenance shops, City Hall, the Justice Center and various vacant properties. The following are the types of agreements that authorize the use City-owned property.

Revocable use permit (RUP)

A RUP is a general permit that will allow a nonexclusive and temporary use or access to City-owned property for a limited time period. The variety of activities in a RUP could include parking, tree trimming or vegetation management. A RUP can also be used to allow a use on a temporary basis while a more permanent agreement such as a long-term lease or other legislative action is approved.

Limited access license (LAL)

A limited access permit allows a nonexclusive access for a short time period for a specific purpose. A LAL is generally used for environmental testing, surveying or other temporary access purposes. 

Leases

The City may lease space in City-owned property that is not currently used by the City. Leases are granted through ordinances passed by City Council, although the FAS director has the authority to negotiate and execute some leases with terms under five years.

Property held by the City of Seattle serves the municipal needs of City departments. In specific instances, property that is no longer needed for a municipal purpose may be approved by City Council for surplus and sale by FAS or another City department. FAS Real Estate Services maintains a list of surplus properties throughout the City.

To find a listing of surplus properties and City contacts, see the surplus properties tool.

Surplus Properties - Power BI (powerbigov.us)

Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) has identified the 10,000 SF property located at 8817 Seward Park Ave S, Seattle WA to be excess to their needs. Please read the excess property notice and the Final Report with recommendations for disposition for more information.

SPU Excess Property Notice at Rainier Beach High School

SPU Excess Property Final Report

City of Seattle Proposed Property Sale Public Notice:

The Seattle City Council will be considering legislation to authorize the sale of an Excess property from Seattle Public Utilities (SPU) to Seattle Public Schools (SPS). The legislation will be considered by the Transportation and Utilities Committee on Tuesday, July 18, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.

Members of the public are invited to watch the Council Committee live here, and participate in public comment.

SPS approached SPU in December 2021 to purchase an SPU-owned property at 8817 Seward Park Ave S, as part of a multi-year project to rebuild Rainier Beach High School. The SPU property is located on the City block parcel where Rainier Beach High School is located.

The 10,000 SF property was originally acquired by a predecessor to SPU in 1919 to construct the Henderson Street Pump Station. The Henderson Street Pump Station has since been removed, and the only remaining SPU infrastructure on the site is a maintenance hole. The real property is no longer needed, and SPU has declared the property to be excess to their needs. 

 As part of the disposition procedures, the Department of Finance and Administrative Services has performed internal and external notice of the Excess Property (in accordance with Resolution 31837) and recommends sale to SPS as described in the Final Report.

Real Estate Services

Address: 700 Fifth Ave., Seattle, WA, 98104
Mailing Address: P.O. Box 94689, Seattle, WA, 98124-4726
realestate@seattle.gov
Contact Us

Real Estate Services (RES) is a division in the Department of Facilities and Administrative Services. RES provides professional and technical real estate services.