Accessibility Accommodations
Exceptions to voucher payment standards and portability requirements may also be requested in some cases as a reasonable accommodation due to a disability, with documentation.
If a participating household includes a person with disabilities, the household may request a current list of potentially available accessible units known to Seattle Housing Authority.
In addition, Seattle Housing Authority will, upon request, provide reasonable accommodation to help ensure that no otherwise qualified individual with a disability is excluded from participating in, or denied the benefit of, any agency program.
Residents may request an accommodation or physical modification of their unit, building, or surrounding grounds. The request can be made orally or in writing to your building's Senior Property Manager. The Senior Property Manager will provide request forms for you to use, although no request will be refused because of failure to use a form.
Accommodations may include, but are not limited to:
General facility improvements
- Site access: Parking, loading zones, paths, ramps, exterior signage
- Building Access: Entrances, exits, signage, elevators, alarms, lighting
- Public restrooms
- Other services: Mailboxes, management offices
Unit accessibility features
- Assigned accessible parking
- Wheelchair access to specific unit: Path, ramp, unit entry, peephole
- Accessible bathroom : Accessible sink and controls, grab bars, roll-in shower, hand-held shower head
- Accessible kitchen: Adjustable counters and cabinets; accessible sink, range/oven, refrigerator
- Other hardware: Doors, windows, lights, faucets and appliance controls
Assistive devices and auxiliary aides
- TTY/TDD: Wiring (resident will provide hardware and maintain)
- Flashing devices: Audio and/or visual for smoke alarms, intercoms, and doorbells
- Additional lighting
Medical services and assistive care
- Live-in aide
- Yard care (may be provided by Seattle Housing Authority’s Impact Property Services division)
- Service animals: Seeing eye dogs and hearing assistance dogs are permitted in facilities that otherwise do not allow animals
- Assistance animals: Animals that work, provide assistance, or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability, or animals that provide emotional support to help with the symptoms or effects a person’s disability
- Kidney dialysis and other medical equipment: Housing of a size and configuration to accommodate such equipment
Communication accommodations
Seattle Housing Authority will provide American Sign Language interpretation, documents in Braille, and other similar accommodations upon request to help people with sensory disabilities.
Other accommodations
Other accommodations could include location accommodation as identified by the resident or general operating improvements as identified by the resident.
Seattle Housing Authority is committed to making its housing and other resources readily accessible to disabled individuals. However, the agency will not approve an accommodation request if the request will result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a program or activity, or will create undue financial or administrative burden. In such cases, Seattle Housing Authority will do whatever is feasible to provide people with needs the benefits and services of the program or activity.
These policies and procedures apply to all programs and units administered by Seattle Housing Authority, unless specifically noted otherwise.
