Living in transitional housing: What are my rights?

Transitional housing is a program with rental units, like rooms or apartments, owned or operated by a nonprofit or government agency that provides short-term housing and supportive services to people who are formerly homeless or incarcerated. You might have to qualify to be in the program. 

These programs have their own rules about who can live there. For example, some are only for people below a certain age. Others take veterans only, or only people with disabilities. 

Even if you live in transitional housing, or your landlord calls it transitional housing, you are a tenant like any other tenant protected by Washington state’s landlord-tenant laws. If you get an eviction notice or court papers, try to get legal help right away.

The program may have rules you might not see in a traditional landlord-tenant situation. Some examples: 

• You might have to take part in meetings for people recovering from substance abuse.
• You might have a curfew.
• There might be limits on who can live with you, or who can visit you and when.
• You might have to allow regular inspection of your living space. 

You can be evicted for owing rent.   

You can be evicted for breaking important program or rental agreement rules.

You can be evicted if you no longer qualify to be in the program, or the program has ended, or you’ve completed the training they offer. In this situation, the landlord or program must first give you a 30-Day Notice to Terminate. 

You can also be evicted for other legal reasons.

If you get an eviction notice or court papers, try to get legal help right away.