Section 8 apartments in South Lake Union, Seattle
South Lake Union is in the Lake Union area, primarily within ZIP code 98109. Compare HUD rent benchmarks below, then confirm the housing authority’s adopted standard and utility allowance for the actual unit.
Voucher discrimination is illegal here
Washington HB 2578 (2018) bans SOI discrimination. Reasonable "screening" restrictions apply only to your share of rent.
General information, not legal advice. For help with a specific case, use HUD’s fair-housing resources.
Rental listings in South Lake Union, Seattle
Active standalone listings recorded in Seattle, WA with the neighborhood label South Lake Union. Units nested inside building cards are excluded. Missing program tags do not establish refusal; confirm the address, availability, voucher paperwork and utilities with the owner.
No active listings are currently recorded for this search on VoucherMatch. This does not mean there are no rentals in South Lake Union, Seattle. Compare the broader search below, consult the agency contacts, or get listing alerts.
Inventory checked . Counts cover this site, not the whole rental market, and may change before the next page refresh.
Check before you pay
Applying for housing assistance or joining an agency waitlist is free. An agency will not ask you to pay by app, wire or gift card to get a spot. Use HUD’s contact page to find your housing agency, then call to check an offer.
Do not pay to view a home or hold a waitlist spot. Before sending rent or a deposit, confirm the home and the person’s right to rent it. See FTC advice on checking a rental.
Sources checked October 16, 2026: HUD OIG’s August 2024 waitlist fraud bulletin and FTC rental-scam guidance (June 2026).
Rental terms used on this page
- Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8)
- Rental help run by a housing authority. You find a home, and the agency checks the unit, rent and your household before it approves payment.
- Payment standard
- An amount the agency uses to work out housing assistance for a unit size and area. It does not mean that any home at that rent will be approved.
- FMR and SAFMR
- HUD rent estimates for an area (Fair Market Rent) or ZIP code (Small Area Fair Market Rent). They include rent and most tenant-paid utilities. Your agency may use a different payment standard.
- Utility allowance
- The agency’s estimate of the cost of utilities you must pay. It is not a promise to pay your actual bills.
- Gross rent and tenant share
- Gross rent combines the lease rent and the agency’s utility allowance. Your tenant share is the part you must pay after the agency works out your help.
- Portability
- Moving with a voucher to an area served by another housing agency. Ask your current worker what to do before you move.
- Request for tenancy approval
- The unit and owner paperwork your agency needs to start its rent and housing-quality review. Ask the agency for its form and deadline.
Definitions: HUD’s tenant voucher guide, checked October 16, 2026. Confirm the rules and forms with your own agency.
Planning a voucher search in South Lake Union
Compare South Lake Union rentals by the building entrance, unit layout and all required fees. Check both directions of the streetcar or bus trip; northbound and southbound boarding points can differ. Confirm whether package rooms, bike storage and amenity access carry additional charges.
Check Westlake versus Terry boarding points
The South Lake Union Streetcar lists southbound stops on Westlake at Mercer and Thomas, and northbound stops on Terry at Mercer and Thomas. Use the correct side of the route when comparing a unit’s everyday access.
South Lake Union Line - Transportation | seattle.govCompare the C Line’s longer connection
Metro’s C Line schedule links South Lake Union and Downtown with Alaska Junction, Fauntleroy and Westwood Village. It identifies Fairview/Valley boarding points by direction. Check the complete trip and current notices for the time you travel.
King County Metro: RapidRide C Line schedule and mapQuestions about your South Lake Union search
- Can I use the same streetcar stop in both directions?
- Check the stop list: the Mercer and Thomas stops use Westlake southbound and Terry northbound.
- Should optional amenity charges be included in my rental budget?
- Record required and optional charges separately. Ask SHA how the proposed terms affect approval and decide which optional costs you can afford.
Compare other Seattle searches
- Compare Eastlake rentals
Compare Route 70 and the streetcar endpoint connection.
- Compare Belltown rentals
Compare Westlake trips and parking arrangements.
Seattle rental checklist and official agency documents
Guidance by VoucherMatch Editorial Team. Sources reviewed October 14, 2026. Listing availability is checked separately. Confirm changing services with the linked provider. Report a correction and include this page’s address.
Compare two rental offers in South Lake Union
Copy or print this sheet for a viewing. Record the owner’s written terms for each unit, then take the completed comparison to your housing worker. Blank entries mean information to collect, not zero cost.
| Information to collect | Offer A | Offer B |
|---|---|---|
| Address, unit and owner contact | To collect | To collect |
| Bedrooms, entrance and access needs | To collect | To collect |
| Proposed monthly rent | To collect | To collect |
| Utilities paid by renter; heating system | To collect | To collect |
| Required fees and optional charges | To collect | To collect |
| Deposit and other move-in costs | To collect | To collect |
| Trip to work, services and viewings | To collect | To collect |
| Agency, voucher deadline and next step | To collect | To collect |
The advertised rent and utility bills are not your final tenant share. Ask your administering agency to review its payment standard, utility allowance, rent reasonableness and inspection requirements for the actual unit.
Worksheet: VoucherMatch, October 16, 2026. Based on HUD’s tenant search and tenancy-approval guidance. Use your agency’s official forms to submit a unit; this sheet is a preparation aid.
Suggested citation: VoucherMatch Editorial Team. Rental offer comparison worksheet. October 16, 2026. vouchermatch.com/section-8-apartments.
HUD rent benchmarks — ZIP 98109
Small-Area FMR · FY2027| Bedrooms | HUD benchmark / mo |
|---|---|
| Studio | $2,850 |
| 1 bedroom | $2,970 |
| 2 bedrooms | $3,470 |
| 3 bedrooms | $4,520 |
| 4 bedrooms | $5,380 |
These are HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, not an adopted housing authority payment standard or a guaranteed rent approval. Your authority determines assistance using its schedule, household income, voucher size and utility allowance. Rent reasonableness and inspection requirements also apply. How HUD vouchers work.
Compare HUD rent benchmarks for these ZIP codes; confirm the rental address separately: 98109
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