State · LIHTC 2026

LIHTC in Washington: 2026 allocations, QAP and data

Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC) allocates Washington's housing tax credits. The population-based part of Washington's 2026 9% credit ceiling, before carryforwards and returned credits, is $27,331,484. That is $3.416 times 8,001,020 residents. Its 2026 private activity bond cap, which 4% deals compete for, is $1,080,137,700 ($135 per person).

$27.33 million2026 9% ceiling (population amount)
$1.08 billion2026 bond volume cap
2072027 qualified census tracts
1,284monitored LIHTC properties in HUD's database

Agency and qualified allocation plan

Allocating agencyWashington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC)
Tax credit program pageWSHFC LIHTC page
Current QAP9% Competitive Housing Tax Credit Policies (with WAC 262-01)
QAP statusWashington's QAP is rule WAC 262-01 (app.leg.wa.gov link) plus board-approved 9% policies, in effect until changed. Current policies approved July 23, 2026 with 2027 changes; round year not stated.

Agency and QAP links checked 2026-10-30.

2026 credit ceiling and bond cap

Item2026Per resident
Population (IRS Notice 2026-22)8,001,02013th of 52
9% ceiling, population amount$27,331,484$3.42
Formulagreater of $3.416 × pop or $3,953,600per-capita applies
Private activity bond cap$1,080,137,700$135.00
Formulagreater of $135 × pop or $397,625,000per-capita applies

Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32 secs. 4.08 and 4.19 (the 9% amounts already include the 12% increase from Pub. L. 119-21 sec. 70422); IRS Notice 2026-22 (2026-15 I.R.B.). Computed by us and rounded to the dollar; agencies may round differently.

Only the population amount is shown. The full 2026 ceiling adds credits unused from 2025, credits returned by projects and any share of the national pool, which the agency reports in its allocation materials. See every state side by side on the 2026 ceilings and bond caps table.

Basis boost areas: 2027 QCTs and DDAs

HUD's 2027 lists, which apply from January 1, 2027, put 207 Washington census tracts in qualified census tracts, spread across 25 counties. 4 nonmetropolitan counties are difficult development areas. In metro areas, 38 ZIP code areas (ZCTAs) are Small Area DDAs. A building in either can take 130% of eligible basis. Check an address with the QCT and DDA lookup.

Nonmetro DDA counties: Island County, Kittitas County, Klickitat County, San Juan County.

Metro areas with Small Area DDAs: Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA MSA; Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA; Longview-Kelso, WA MSA; Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA; Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area; Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area; Tacoma, WA HUD Metro FMR Area.

Every Washington qualified census tract, with its population, poverty rate and median income, is on the Washington QCT list by county.

Source: HUD 2027 QCT and DDA designations, FR Doc. 2026-20390 (91 FR 63573, Oct. 6, 2026).

Tax credit properties in Washington

HUD's database lists 1,284 Washington properties financed with housing tax credits that the allocating agency still monitors, with 113,432 income-restricted units. The largest city totals are below; see all cities on the Washington apartments page.

CityPropertiesRestricted units
Seattle28527,529
Everett486,525
Tacoma575,375
Spokane585,227
Vancouver565,215
Lynnwood223,956
Federal Way213,037
Kent203,027
Auburn162,741
Bellingham392,513
CountyPropertiesRestricted units
King County46949,866
Snohomish County11015,138
Pierce County828,747
Spokane County887,356
Clark County645,494
Whatcom County512,992
Yakima County612,930
Thurston County302,926
Benton County212,684
Kitsap County352,464

For buyers and lenders: the Washington Year 15 and Year 30 list shows which of these properties reach the end of the compliance period or the 30-year extended use minimum from 2022 to 2034, by county.

Source: HUD's national LIHTC database (LIHTCPUB, revised May 28, 2026; projects placed in service through 2024). City pages cover cities with at least five properties; county links go to that county's 2026 income and rent limits.

Financing a LIHTC deal in Washington

A 9% deal in Washington competes for WSHFC's 2026 ceiling of $27,331,484 (population amount) under the 9% Competitive Housing Tax Credit Policies (with WAC 262-01). A 4% deal needs an award from the state's $1,080,137,700 private activity bond cap: tax-exempt bonds must finance 50% of the aggregate basis of the building and land, or at least 25% if one or more of those bonds, from an issue dated after December 31, 2025, together finance at least 5% of that basis (the 25% bond test, for buildings placed in service in taxable years beginning after December 31, 2025). Sites in Washington's 207 qualified census tracts for 2027 can take the 130% basis boost.

On HUD's records for the 1,060 Washington properties on this site's city pages, 23% of those reporting the field were financed with tax-exempt bonds and 54% took 9% (70% present value) credits; 340 received allocations in 2015 or later.

Sources: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32; HUD 2027 QCT list; HUD's national LIHTC database (LIHTCPUB, revised May 28, 2026; projects placed in service through 2024), bond and credit-type fields. What to read in a QAP: state LIHTC programs. Sizing a Washington deal: get a financing quote.

State housing tax credit

No state LIHTC found. Washington has no state income tax and WSHFC lists no state housing tax credit program.

More Washington data

Questions people ask

How much 9% LIHTC does Washington get in 2026?

The population part of Washington's 2026 housing credit ceiling is $27,331,484: the greater of $3.416 per resident or $3,953,600, applied to the 8,001,020 population in IRS Notice 2026-22. The agency's actual 2026 authority also adds unused and returned credits and any national pool share, so its own published figure can be higher.

Who allocates housing tax credits in Washington?

Washington State Housing Finance Commission (WSHFC). It awards 9% credits under its qualified allocation plan and sets the rules 4% bond deals must meet to receive credits.

Does Washington have a state low-income housing tax credit?

Not a state LIHTC as of October 2026. Washington has no state income tax and WSHFC lists no state housing tax credit program.

Financing a Washington tax credit deal?

Construction, bond, bridge-to-equity and permanent debt for Washington 4% and 9% deals.

Get a financing quote