Press Release
For Immediate Release
Contact Information
Kamaria Hightower, Director of Legislative & External Affairs, HSD
Phone: 206-561-4497
Email: kamaria.hightower@seattle.gov
Sage Wilson, Office of the Mayor
Phone: 206-889-0277
Email: sage.wilson@seattle.gov
Mayor Wilson Announces Rental Assistance Funding to Support 1,000 Households Annually
New funding opportunity advances Mayor Wilson's affordability agenda by making rental assistance easier to access
Seattle, WA (June 17, 2026) - As part of Mayor Katie Wilson's affordability agenda, the Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) today announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) for homelessness prevention services. This RFP makes rental assistance easier to access, increasing the likelihood that more of our neighbors can stay housed.
The RFP will provide approximately $8 million in 2027 funding to help residents stay housed before they fall into homelessness. Funding will support rental assistance, eviction prevention, legal services, case management, and a new centralized application process to make it easier for residents to ask for and be connected to help.
"When residents are able to remain in their homes and communities, we reduce the risk of homelessness before it occurs," says Mayor Katie B. Wilson. "This investment will promote housing stability and help Seattle residents remain in the neighborhoods they call home."
More residents need help before they lose their housing. Eviction filings have continued to rise sharply since the pandemic, reaching record-high levels in each of the past two years. Homelessness also increased 26% in King County from 2022 to 2024 according to the Point in Time Count. Research shows that rental assistance is a proven and cost-effective way to prevent homelessness and reduce the need for intensive crisis services later.
"Rental assistance programs are one of the most effective tools we have to prevent homelessness before it starts. When families have an unexpected hardship, this short term support can mean the entire difference between staying housed and entering a cycle of instability and trauma," said Councilmember Alexis Mercedes Rinck, who chairs the City Council's Committee on Human Services, Labor & Economic Development.
The RFP will fund services for people at immediate risk of losing their housing or who are already facing eviction. One agency will be selected to manage client applications as the City prepares to launch an online portal next year. Together, these strategies will help create a more coordinated and easier to access homelessness prevention system that is expected to serve approximately 1,000 households each year.
"Rental assistance is vital for residents across our city to help people with stable housing," said Tanya Kim, Director of the Seattle Human Services Department. "These resources from Seattle's Human Services Department are a lifeline for families and individuals. Through partnerships with community-based pathways, information on how to access support will reach more people and help families to thrive."
The RFP will fund three strategies:
- Helping households at immediate risk of homelessness: rental assistance and case management ($6.5 million)
- Helping households already facing eviction: legal services and rental assistance ($627,000)
- Managing the centralized application process: one agency will manage applications, coordinate with providers, and connect residents to rental assistance (about $900,000)
HSD will hold two virtual information sessions for agencies interested in applying:
- June 23, 2026 from 1:00 - 3:00 pm
- June 25, 2026 from 9:00 - 11:00 am
Access to these information sessions is available on HSD's Funding Opportunities page. HSD encourages interested agencies to attend. The sessions will be recorded and posted on the RFP webpage. For technical assistance, accommodations, or accessibility information, please email Asma.Ahmed@Seattle.gov.
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