Seattle Rooming Houses

How many unrelated people can live in a single family house in the city of Seattle?


The City of Seattle limits the number of unrelated adults in a house to eight, but the number is unlimited if all of the residents are related to each other. The City also sets the legal number of bedroom occupants to two.

Seattle's Housing and Building Maintenance Code, Chapter 22.206, Minimum Space and Occupancy Standards, states:

Floor area.
A. Every dwelling unit shall have at least one habitable room which shall have not less than one hundred twenty (120) square feet of floor area.

B. No habitable room except a kitchen may be less than seven feet in any floor dimension.

C. Every room used for sleeping purposes, including an SRO unit, shall have not less than seventy (70) square feet of floor area. Every room, except an SRO unit, which is used for both cooking and living or both living and sleeping quarters shall have a floor area of not less than one hundred thirty (130) square feet if used or intended to be used by only one occupant, or of not less than one hundred fifty (150) square feet if used or intended to be used by two occupants. Where more than two persons occupy a room used for sleeping purposes, the required floor area shall be increased at the rate of fifty (50) square feet for each occupant in excess of two.

D. In a dormitory, minimum floor area shall be sixty (60) square feet per single or double bunk, and aisles not less than three feet in width shall be provided between the sides of bunks and from every bunk to an exit. The requirements of this subparagraph shall not apply to SRO units.

E. The required floor area square footage of all dwelling units, dormitories, and SRO units shall not include built-in equipment which extends from the floor to thirty inches (30") above the floor, including but not limited to wardrobes, cabinets, and kitchen sinks or appliances.

King County Ordinance 12560, as amended, states that dwelling units must have not less than 120 square feet of floor area, sleeping areas must have a minimum of 70 square feet, with an additional 50 square feet for each occupant in excess of two. Efficiency apartments must have a living room that is at least 220 square feet, and an additional 100 square feet for each occupant in excess of two. This code is enforced by the King Department of Development and Environmental Services and applies to housing in unincorporated King County.

 Removing certain restrictions on room rentals, bed rentals, and shared housing could be the fastest, least-expensive, and most sustainable way to make Seattle housing more affordable. Read this great article about micro-apartment and congregate housing development in Seattle here.

In micro-housing there are groupings of up to 8 residents within a household who share a common kitchen. Each resident has a bedroom with a private bathroom. Micro-housing can be in different types of buildings including townhouses, rowhouses, or even apartment like structures.

Congregate residences are group housing arrangements with more than 8 sleeping rooms such as dormitories and some types of senior housing. They have some similarities to micro-housing and are addressed in the new rules. Congregate residences are in one building and are apartment-like structures. In a congregate residence there are usually a few larger lounges, lobbies or common areas that serve the whole building.

Attached and detached Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) are legal in Seattle, but they require owner occupancy in at least one of the dwelling units. And occupancy in both is limited to a total of eight unrelated persons.

Occupancy limits vary widely from city to city; so be sure to check your local regulations. A very informative article on this topic is addressed here.

Happy Investing!

n Seattle, one household in a single-family zone can consist of up to eight unrelated people or any number of related people. A business can be run from the home as long as it's clear that the principal use of the dwelling is residential. The business can't impact on the appearance of the house; deliveries and signage are restricted.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/info_8624798_rules-singlefamily-housing-seattle-washington.html

In Seattle, one household in a single-family zone can consist of up to eight unrelated people or any number of related people. A business can be run from the home as long as it's clear that the principal use of the dwelling is residential. The business can't impact on the appearance of the house; deliveries and signage are restricted.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/info_8624798_rules-singlefamily-housing-seattle-washington.html

In Seattle, one household in a single-family zone can consist of up to eight unrelated people or any number of related people. A business can be run from the home as long as it's clear that the principal use of the dwelling is residential. The business can't impact on the appearance of the house; deliveries and signage are restricted.

Read more : http://www.ehow.com/info_8624798_rules-singlefamily-housing-seattle-washington.html