KING COUNTY -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released its revised income limits for 2017. The report shows if you make $72,000 or less for a family of four in King and Snohomish County, you are considered low income.



The median household income in King and Snohomish counties is $96,000. That's up from $90,300 in 2016.



For a single person in those counties -- $50,400 is considered low income.



In Pierce County, a low income for a family of four makes $59,000, the median income is $74,500 and low income for one person is $41,750.



These revised income limits help determine who qualifies for affordable and subsidized housing like Section 8.









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You must make 50% of the median income to qualify for Section 8 housing. In Snohomish and King County, that would mean you couldn't bring home more than $48,000 to get help with housing. In Pierce, that number is $37,250.



Both the Snohomish and King County Housing Authorities told Q13 News that so many people fall under that income of $48,000 or under that they take that number even lower, and target families with an income of 30% of the median income. That means the majority of Section 8 housing then goes to families bringing in $28,800 or less. And even then, they have a long wait list.



So what's being done for all of those people who are considered low income, yet don't fall under Section 8? Seattle Mayor Ed Murray says he has a plan. Murray told Q13 News he understands the anger and frustrations some people have about the housing market in Seattle, but he says his solutions to fix the problem are happening right now.



The Seattle Office of Housing does have commitments through the Multifamily Tax Exemption that gives developers incentive to build affordable housing-- aimed to help anyone that falls in that gap between $48,000 and $72,000.