Seattle · King County · Snohomish County

Housing stability starts before the crisis

We help low-income tenants, seniors, and fixed-income renters understand their rights — and help housing providers get it right — before problems become evictions.

Get help now See the data
23,965
Eviction filings in WA State in 2025 — all-time record
8,732
King County evictions in 2025 — up 12%
2,579
Snohomish County evictions in 2025 — up 16%
45%
King County renters cost-burdened in 2023

The crisis

The numbers tell the story

Washington State is in a housing emergency. Evictions are at all-time highs. Renters are stretched beyond their limits. And the communities hit hardest are those we serve every day.

Washington State — eviction crisis
23,965
Eviction filings in Washington State courts in 2025 — the highest total since records began. That's up from 10,425 in 2022 and 16,545 in 2023.
9 in 10 eviction cases in 2025 were due to nonpayment of rent, per WA Office of Civil Legal Aid
21 of Washington's 39 counties hit all-time eviction records in 2024 or 2025
State eviction filings nearly doubled from pre-pandemic levels — not due to population growth
Observers now describe this as a lasting structural change, not a post-pandemic anomaly
King County — Seattle area
8,732
Eviction cases filed in King County in 2025 — a 12% increase and an all-time record.
King County filed 1,066 evictions in March 2026 — the highest single-month total ever recorded by any county in Washington State
45% of King County renters were cost-burdened in 2023, paying more than 30% of income on rent
14% of all King County households are severely cost-burdened, spending over 50% of income on housing
Nearly half of Black households and 40% of Hispanic households in King County were cost-burdened — twice the rate of White households
HUD 2026 Fair Market Rent for Seattle-Bellevue: $2,146 for a 1-bedroom, $2,501 for a 2-bedroom
King County population: 2.43 million as of December 2025, with ongoing housing demand outpacing supply
Snohomish County
2,579
Eviction filings in Snohomish County in 2025 — a 16% increase and an all-time record, outpacing even King County's growth rate.
Snohomish County has 25.3 eviction filings per 1,000 renter households — one of the highest rates in the state
Housing Authority of Snohomish County (HASCO) maintains a wait list of over 4,000 households, with estimated waits as long as five years
Median home price in Snohomish County: approximately $735,000 as of late 2025, far out of reach for low-income renters
HUD — housing cost burden defined
HUD defines a household as cost-burdened when they spend more than 30% of gross income on housing costs, and severely cost-burdened above 50%. HUD's Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are calculated annually to determine payment standards for Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers, HOME Investment Partnerships, and Emergency Solutions Grants.
HUD FY2026 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Seattle-Bellevue metro area: $2,501/month
ACS median gross rent in Seattle: approximately $2,030/month
At HUD's 30% threshold, a household would need to earn approximately $83,400/year to afford a 2-bedroom at FMR — well beyond the reach of most low-income and fixed-income households
King County's Consolidated Housing and Community Development Plan (2025-2029) guides investments of Community Development Block Grant, HOME, and Emergency Solutions Grant dollars — programs Restore Dignity Project is aligned with

What we do

Three ways we prevent housing instability

Most tenant services only help after an eviction notice arrives. We work upstream — catching problems early, educating both sides, and restoring the professional standards that keep people housed.

Service 01

Direct tenant advocacy

Evidence-based, document-driven advocacy for low-income tenants facing improper charges, illegal notices, maintenance disputes, and lease violations — before eviction proceedings begin. We review records, identify violations, research applicable Washington State RCW codes, and coach tenants to advocate for themselves in writing. Free to low-income clients.

Service 02

Tenant education workshops

Free community seminars covering the full arc of a tenancy — from lease review and move-in documentation to maintenance rights and deposit protection at move-out. Practical, hands-on, and grounded in Washington State law. Offered at community locations throughout Seattle, King County, and Snohomish County.

Service 03

Resident services: a call to action for landlords, property owners and management companies

The evidence is clear — properties that invest in resident services generate 26% higher Net Operating Income, lower turnover, fewer disputes, and dramatically reduced legal liability. Yet too many housing providers are operating without trained staff, proper procedures, or meaningful connection to their residents. That has to change. Restore Dignity Project works directly with property managers, onsite staff, and shelter operators to restore the professional standards that protect both residents and your bottom line. Services include move-in compliance training, fair housing education, staff onboarding support, audit preparation, and ongoing consulting. Investing in your residents is investing in your portfolio.


Resident services are essential to your bottom line

This isn't just good policy. It's good business. Two landmark 2026 studies from SAHF and Abt Global make the case with hard data.

Abt Global — The Impact of Resident Services on Property Financial Performance (2026)
26% Higher NOI
Service-enriched properties generated 26% higher Net Operating Income — nearly $1,200 more per unit annually — than comparable properties without resident services. Analysis of 248 properties across 19 housing organizations, 2015–2019.
$259
Additional NOI generated for every $100 per unit invested in resident services the following year
$397
Total revenue generated per unit for every $100 invested in resident services the following year
$472
Per-unit increase in NOI associated with each additional FTE hour of resident services staffing
$662
Per-unit increase in NOI associated with every $10,000 increase in resident services spending
24%
Lower rent arrears rates at service-enriched properties compared to properties without services
1.2 vs 7.3
Eviction-related move-outs per 100 households at SAHF service-enriched properties vs. 7.3 eviction filings per 100 renters nationally
Source 1: Abt Global. (2026). The Impact of Resident Services on Property Financial Performance. Commissioned by Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future (SAHF). Published March 12, 2026. sahfnet.org

Source 2: SAHF. (2026). The Case for Resident Services. Data from 13 SAHF member affordable housing developers. Published March 12, 2026. sahfnet.org

Study partners: Housing Partnership Network (HPN), NeighborWorks America, Multifamily Impact Council (MIC), National Leased Housing Association (NLHA). Funded in part by the Capital One Insights Center and National Equity Fund.

"At a time of shrinking subsidies and rising housing costs, we can no longer treat resident services as optional. They are essential infrastructure for strong property performance, building resilient communities and sustainable affordable housing." — Eileen Fitzgerald, SAHF Interim CEO

Real cases. Real outcomes.

All cases are anonymized to protect client privacy. These represent the kind of early intervention work we do every day.

Case study — unlawful utility backbilling

A senior tenant on fixed income was billed over $1,000 in back utility charges after three years of tenancy. The property manager had never conducted a proper move-in, never given the tenant a lease copy, and had not notified the utility provider of the tenant's occupancy for nearly two years.

Upon reviewing all documentation, we identified that the utility account had not been opened in the tenant's name until well into the second year, and that administrative surcharges on the bills exceeded the $5 legal limit under Washington State RCW. Armed with this, the tenant sent a formal written response. The landlord withdrew the entire debt.

Outcome — $1,000+ debt eliminated
Case study — improper maintenance charge

A low-income tenant received a 48-hour entry notice for HVAC maintenance. The notice did not include any instructions for how the tenant was required to prepare the unit. When maintenance arrived and the space was not cleared, the property manager attempted to charge $500 for multiple return visits.

We identified that the original 48-hour notice was procedurally defective under Washington State law — the landlord had failed to meet their own legal obligations. The charges were successfully challenged and dismissed.

Outcome — $500 wrongful charge dismissed

About us

We know this work from both sides

Restore Dignity Project was founded by a housing professional with over 20 years of experience managing affordable and low-income housing — and advocating for the people who live in it. We understand how the system works because we've worked inside it.

Free workshops — coming September 2026

Mountlake Terrace Library and Shoreline Library. Know your rights as a renter — a free 90-minute community workshop.

Get notified of dates

Contact

Get in touch

Whether you're a tenant who needs help, a housing provider looking for training, or a funder who wants to learn more — we'd love to hear from you.

🌐

Website

RestoreDignityProject.org

📍

Service area

Seattle, King County, and Snohomish County, Washington

📋

Tenant advocacy

Free to low-income tenants, seniors, and fixed-income households. Documentation required — we work from evidence.

🏢

Landlord and staff training

Half-day seminars, full-day compliance training, move-in audits, and monthly consulting retainers available.


Citations