Kennewick Housing Authority (KHA) and the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and have partnered to provide affordable housing for individuals and families. HUD provides rental subsidies for Public Housing units owned and managed by KHA.

These two properties in Kennewick fall under this program.

  • Keewaydin Plaza is a 7-story hi-rise building composed of 1-bedroom units for elderly and disabled households.
  • Sunnyslope Homes are composed of 1,2,3, 4-bedroom multifamily duplex units.

In most cases, tenants pay no more than 30% of their household’s monthly income for rent and utilities.

How to Apply for the Public Housing Program

  • You can obtain a housing program application at KHA’s main administration office or apply online  and submit at KHA’s main administration office only.
  • Applying to this program has steps containing submitting a “full” application
  • Applications will be assessed for eligibility to be approved or denied. All applicants will be notified in writing, if they have been approved or denied. KHA will not accept incomplete applications.
  • Currently the estimated waiting period for this program could be from 6 months to 2 years after submitting a completed application.

Wait List – Closed.

The Waitlist is currently closed.

You may only apply for KHA properties when the Waitlist is open. You must meet qualifications for the housing unit, including income limits. See the FAQ below for more details.

Check Your Placement on the Wait List

To find your placement on the Waitlist please login to the Online Application website. You will see your place on the Wait List at the bottom of your Account Information listed on the right side of the page. If you have already applied for a housing program, please make sure that we always have your current mailing address. Mail returned by the Post Office will cause your name to be removed from the waitlist.

When your name is chosen, you will receive an Intake Packet to complete so we can confirm that you qualify for the apartment. KHA has the right to screen tenants. We will check records including past landlord references and criminal records.

Preferences

Some people may be given a preference or priority over other applicants. For example, a person in a wheelchair may go ahead of someone else, if a wheelchair accessible unit is available. Housing Authorities are permitted to establish local preferences to give priority to applicants that meet the preference criteria. HUD specifically authorizes and places restrictions on certain types of local preferences. Any local preferences established must be consistent with the annual plan and the consolidated plan, and must be based on local housing needs and priorities that can be documented by generally accepted data sources [24 CFR 960.206(a)].

Residents

Once you are living in KHA public housing, staff will conduct a review each year to determine how much your rent will be for the next year. Your rent is based on your income and certain deductions. If you report a change in your income or deductions during the year, your rent may be adjusted so that you pay the same percentage of your income for rent.

The only reason you can be evicted from KHA owned and managed subsidized housing is if you violate the lease or program rules. As long as you follow the terms of the lease, you can stay in your housing. If you are evicted from VHA owned and managed subsidized housing, you lose your subsidy.

Maintenance and Inspections

This information is for tenants in properties owned and managed by KHA ONLY. Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) participants should contact their landlord or property manager for maintenance issues.

Tenants in Sunnyslope and Keewaydin Plaza shall promptly report any breakage, damage, infestation, mold or needed repairs and any unsafe or unsanitary conditions in the premises, common areas and grounds which may lead to damage or injury. To report, call KHA’s Maintenance Office at (509) 586-8576 Ext 113 during regular business hours – Monday-Thursday from 9:00 a.m.–5:30 p.m.  If any such issues occur outside of regular business hours or on KHA holidays, please call (509) 521-1027.

Examples of an after-hours emergency:

  • Plugged toilet (if there is only one toilet in the unit)
  • Water heater leak
  • Ceiling leak
  • Broken window (with broken glass present)
  • No heat (during cold outdoor temperatures)
  • Electrical hazard
  • Inoperable smoke detectors
  • Tenant locked out of unit
  • Inoperable lock and/or broken entry door

Maintenance charges are made in cases of tenant-caused damage only. Tenant will not be charged for repairs due to normal wear-and-tear. Tenants shall not build on, or make changes to, the interior or exterior of the unit. Changes include, but are not limited to: paint, wallpaper, locks, shelves, satellite dishes, fences, etc. If a tenant has questions about this requirement, they should contact their Housing Specialist.

Frequently Asked Questions

Eligibility:

  • Households must meet the areas income limits based on household size (must be at or below 80% of the areas income limits)
  • Meet requirements for citizenship or immigration status (at least one household member must have U.S. Citizenship or eligible Immigration status)
  • Pass a criminal background check on all household members 18 years and older
  • Meet rental history requirements
  • Based on previous participation in the program or other federally assisted housing programs
  • Meet other established HUD and Kennewick Housing Authority (KHA) administrative policies and requirements
  • Eligibility requirements and application procedures for the Public Housing Program vary from other subsidized housing programs.
  • Debt owed to KHA or other housing provider

KHA will deny the application of an individual/family who owes money to KHA, another housing authority, landlord, or other housing provider. This denial will remain in place until the applicant can prove that the debt has been paid in full.

Applicants are not required to be citizens of the United States but their application will not be accepted unless at least one family member included on the application is a citizen, or has eligible immigration status.

When an application nears the top of a wait list, KHA runs a criminal history check for each Public Housing applicant and every household member over the age of 18. If the criminal history check indicates that the applicant, or any member(s) of the household, may not be a suitable resident, the application may be denied. Applicants are automatically denied for certain crimes including, but not limited to:

  • Current use or recent convictions involving illegal drugs;
  • Methamphetamine production on or off housing authority property;
  • Sexual offenses requiring sex offender registration;
  • A pattern of alcohol abuse with disruptive and/or criminal behavior;
  • Any crimes that indicate habitual criminal behavior.

While a criminal record will not automatically exclude an applicant from  consideration, it is an important criteria. In determining eligibility, KHA will consider an applicant’s arrest record, but place greater emphasis on actual convictions.

Housing Authorities are permitted to establish local preferences to give priority to applicants that meet the preference criteria. HUD specifically authorizes and places restrictions on certain types of local preferences. Any local preferences established must be consistent with the annual plan and the consolidated plan, and must be based on local housing needs and priorities that can be documented by generally accepted data sources [24 CFR 960.206(a)].

KHA will use the following local preferences:

Elderly or Disabled

Elderly family. A family whose head, cohead, spouse, or sole member is a  person who is at least 62 years of age; two or more persons who are at least 62  years of age living together; or one or more persons who are at least 62 years of  age living with one or more live-in aides.
Disabled family. A family whose head, cohead, spouse, or sole member is a person with disabilities; two or more persons with disabilities living together; or one or more persons with disabilities living with one or more live-in aides.

Working Families

In order to bring higher income families into Public Housing, KHA has established a preference for working families, where the head, spouse, cohead, or sole member is employed at least 20 hours per week for at least ninety (90) days.  HUD requires that families where the head and spouse, or sole member is a person age 62 or older, or is a person with disabilities, will also be given the benefit of the working preference [24 CFR 960.206(b)(2)].

Veteran Status

KHA also employs an admission preference for applicants who are veterans of United States military service who have been discharged or released, other than dishonorably, or are the unmarried spouse of a service person killed while in the active service military of the United States.

Domestic Violence Victims

Households who are victims of domestic violence. Certification/documentation of victimization status are required.

Policies of the Housing Authority of the City of Kennewick are reviewed and adopted by its Board of Commissioners.

The policies shown can be downloaded from our Forms page. These are ones most frequently requested:

• Public Housing Admissions and Occupancy Policy
• Smoke-Free Policy
• Pet Policy and Agreement | ACOP Pet Policy