Fair Housing Complaint Against Seattle Housing Authority Dismissed on Appeal

A domestic violence victim suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. As a result, she was unable to sleep in studio apartments because she would become afraid if she heard footsteps or saw lights from the hallway under the studio apartment door.

Under Section 8 rules, a single person qualifies for a studio apartment voucher, not a one-bedroom voucher. When she was called from the waiting list and allowed to apply for Section 8, she requested a one-bedroom voucher as a reasonable accommodation. She supported her request with a statement from her primary care physician. The Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) denied the request.

The tenant filed a complaint against SHA that was heard by the Seattle Human Rights Commission. The hearing examiner found that SHA violated Seattle ordinances that require landlords to provide reasonable accommodations.  SHA appealed first to the King County Superior Court, then to the Court of Appeals.

The Court of Appeals reversed, ruling that SHA was acting as the Section 8 program administrator, not as a landlord.[1]

Fair housing and civil rights complaints are serious legal matters with formal legal procedures and processes, and can lead to large fines and penalties.  If you have received a civil rights complaint you should consult with a lawyer

[1] Seattle Housing Authority v. City of Seattle, ____ Wn.App. ____ (No. 75455-6-I March 5, 2018).