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Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance
Please note: this information applies only to tenants who live inside the city limits of Seattle.
Evictions for demolition, change of use, or substantial rehabilitation
On July 1, 1990, the Tenant Relocation Assistance Ordinance (SM22.210) went into effect in Seattle. All tenants being evicted for demolition, change of use, or substantial rehabilitation are entitled to a ninety day notice. In addition, low income tenants (50% area median income) will be eligible for an advance relocation assistance payment of $2000.
Who is covered?
- All tenants, within the city of Seattle, who are physically displaced as a result of substantial rehabilitation, demolition, or change of use.
- Seattle tenants required to vacate their units for more than 72 hours for renovation.
- Seattle tenants required to vacate a special needs facility, such as a congregate care facility or a cluster house, because the structure is being converted to regular rental housing.
- Seattle tenants displaced from a subsidized housing project when the subsidy is discontinued and the rent increased by 20% or more.
Who is not covered?
- Seattle Housing Authority tenants.
- Tenants displaced by condominium conversions (see Condominium Conversion Ordinance SMC 22.903)
- Tenants entitled to relocation assistance pursuant to Federal, State, or other law.
- Tenants in housing operated by and within the boundaries of an educational institution.
Who is eligible for relocation assistance funds?
- Tenants who either lived in the building prior to permit application, or those who moved in after application, but did not receive written notification of ineligibility from the owner.
- Tenant households who earn less than 50% of the King County median income. If there is a dispute over income eligibility, the tenant may appeal to the City’s Hearing Examiner. To find out if your household is financially eligible for relocation assistance, contact the City’s Department of Construction and Land Use.
What notices are required?
The owner must give a ninety (90) day notice to vacate, provided that the owner has first given a relocation packet to the tenants. The relocation packet includes information on eligibility for relocation assistance.
How can a tenant obtain relocation assistance funds?
The owner is responsible for providing tenants with a packet of information on eligibility at the time of permit application. After tenant income has been verified by the Department of Construction and Land Use (DCLU), and the tenant gives an affidavit stating when they will vacate the premises, the tenant can receive $2,000. The city considers direct moving costs, first and last months’ rent, security deposits, utility hook-up fees and deposits, and rent differential for one year to be allowable relocation expenses for reimbursement purposes.
Who pays the relocation money?
The property owner is responsible for paying half of the relocation assistance, $1,000; the City pays the other half.
Last Updated: Thursday, December 9, 2004
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The Tenants Union cannot act as your attorney, and its staff members are not attorneys. The Tenants Union makes no representations, expressed or implied, that the information contained in or linked to its web site can or will be used or interpreted in any particular way by any governmental agency or court. As legal advice must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case, and laws are constantly changing, nothing provided herein should be used as a substitute for the advice of competent counsel.