Additionally, many housing cost-burdened tenants make just above the income limits to qualify for public housing. Households in Seattle must earn 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) or less to be eligible for low-income public housing assistance or rent-restricted units. For a single adult, that is $48,550; for a family of four, requiring a net take home monthly pay of about $3,347. According to HUD and U.S. Census Data,50 in 2016, the average cost of rent in Seattle for a two-bedroom rental unit is $1,523. For someone living just above the limit to qualify for public housing, a rent of $1,523 is 45 percent of a month’s income, an unreasonably burdensome proportion of a household’s income. STRATEGIES TENANTS USE TO ADAPT TO UNAFFORDABLE HOUSING Since the cost of housing in Seattle is far outside the range of affordability for most low-income tenants, residents of the city adapt to high costs of rent by living with people other than family. The normative American Dream of a married couple living alone with their two children is no longer a reality in this city. Many respondents said they had to move in with their parents, live with friends, or find roommates through online searches in order to afford the cost of housing. Living with non-family members is a common practice not just among young adults and students. The average age of survey respondents was 34 years old, yet, 38 percent of respondents reported living with someone other than their parents, partners, or children. People described housing arrangements with multiple couples and more than seven unrelated roommates. Living in community in a house or apartment with people other than immediate family is certainly a desirable arrangement for some people. However, the concern expressed by many respondents is the lack of choice they feel they have in the matter. Many people said they would prefer to live alone or with their families, but have been forced to find roommates because of the cost of housing. Several respondents said they live in uncomfortable or abusive roommate arrangements, but feel unable to change their circumstances because moving is unaffordable. Cohabiting with non-relatives is a strategy that is disproportionately used by economically disadvantaged groups. Asian / Pacific Islander, Black, and Latino tenants were more likely than white tenants to live with extended family or roommates. Women, transgender and genderqueer tenants were also more likely to live in households with many adults. This is consistent with the data indicating that people of color, women, transgender, and genderqueer people perceive housing as less affordable.
50 Yentel, Diane, Andrew Aurand, Dan Emmanuel, Ellen Errico, Gar Meng Leong, and Kate Rodrigues. Out of Reach 2016: No Refuge for Low Income Renters. National Low Income Housing Coalition. 2016. <http://nlihc.org/sites/default/files/oor/OOR_2016.pdf>
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