This data biography includes information about who created this data, and how, where, when, and why it was collected. We (the Assessment, Policy Development, and Evaluation Unit at Public Health – Seattle & King County) created it to help you understand where the data comes from and its strengths and limitations. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at data.request@kingcounty.gov!  

Who collects the data? 

A representative from Seattle Housing Authority (SHA) or King County Housing Authority (KCHA) collects data using the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 50058 MTW (Moving to Work) Family Report form. Public housing authorities may collect initial data at different stages of a resident’s engagement with federally subsidized housing. SHA’s Housing Choice Voucher department staff collect initial information during the application process. SHA’s Housing Operations department staff collect information during the leasing appointment. The data may be updated during rent recertification processes. Information on the form is all self-reported, and staff are instructed to fill out the form exactly as the tenant has self-reported. Those receiving housing assistance may experience may feel a power difference from the housing authority representative in the context of that interaction. 

Who owns the data? 

Data are owned by SHA and KCHA for use in administering housing assistance programs. 

How is the data collected?  

Data are collected via the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 50058 MTW Family Report form upon move-in and every time there is a change in the household. This captures information about the members of the household, type of assistance, and housing costs (such as rent and utilities). Additional annual information including changes in income and household composition and program exit information are also collected, when applicable, on separate forms. Landlords will report changes in rent via email. These forms are entered into databases managed by King County and Seattle Housing Authorities as point-in-time information. Public Health – Seattle & King County receives information on the federally funded programs and converts the point-in-time data into our best estimates of longitudinal data – that is, what happens to a household over time, rather than separate data points that are not connected. 

Who is included and excluded from the data?  

Almost anyone receiving assistance from King County or Seattle housing authorities in federal programs will be included, as the forms used to gather information are necessary to obtain housing assistance both initially and on an ongoing basis. Data from 2004-2008 tend to be less complete. Sometimes, households may drop out of assistance without the exit forms being filled out, which can lead to incomplete timelines. Those who may have trouble affording housing, but are not eligible for or otherwise do not receive support from the Seattle or King County housing authorities, are not included in the data.  

Where is the data collected? 

The 50058 form is administered in households receiving assistance throughout Seattle and King County. Renton, which has its own housing authority, is not included in the linked dataset used by Public Health – Seattle & King County. 

Why is the data collected? 

Data are collected primarily for the administration of housing assistance to ensure that households are receiving the correct assistance for their situations according to housing authority policies. 

How often is this data collected? 

Data are collected when families enter housing assistance and every 1-3 years afterwards, since 2004. While the housing authorities receive data on an ongoing basis, Public Health – Seattle & King County receives data on an annual basis. 

What else is important to know about this data?  

Seattle Housing Authority and King County Housing Authority have given approval for Public Health – Seattle & King County to use this data for public health surveillance, program evaluation, performance measurement, and research. We are allowed to link individual records with other data sources, such as Medicaid data, in order to more holistically understand individual and community health. Data quality and completeness is best from 2016-onward, when new databases and systems were put into place. There are five race codes used, from which recipients can select as many as they want, along with an ethnicity field for Hispanic identification, but these may not always align with self-identity. There are also only 2 options for gender, which must match the resident’s Social Security record, leading to data that may not be inclusive or accurate for transgender and nonbinary residents. 

Where can I learn more about this data?  

Public Health – Seattle & King County Health and Housing Data Dashboard  

King County Housing Authority  

US Department of Housing and Urban Development MTW Family Report  

About data privacy and security 

The Assessment, Policy Development, and Evaluation Unit takes data security and the privacy of all individuals represented in our data very seriously. Data are stored in a secure environment.  For data sets that are not publicly available, only authorized staff are able to access them. Each data set has privacy guidelines to prevent sharing any information that may be identifiable – for example, not sharing (sometimes called suppressing) numbers when they are very small.