Quick Answer
The hardest things to change matter most: enough main-level bedrooms of at least 80 square feet, living that works on one level, a step-free or rampable entry, enough main-level toilets (one for every five people living in the home, counting household members, and half baths count), and more than one way out at ground level. Each resident bedroom needs an escape window with a sill no higher than 44 inches and a clear opening at least 24 by 20 inches. Residents who need help evacuating must have an exit path with no stairs, so basement and upstairs bedrooms suit only residents who can get out on their own. Zoning is rarely the obstacle, because state law makes an adult family home a permitted residential use, and HOA rules that restrict adult family homes are unenforceable under RCW 64.38.060. Septic capacity, unpermitted additions, and fire access are the more common problems.
The AFH Property Score is a free screening tool for people evaluating a house for adult family home use. It asks about twenty questions that can be answered from a listing and its photos, scores the building out of 100 using cost to cure, and keeps feasibility issues separate from the score so a serious problem is never hidden inside a good number. It then lists the conversion projects the house is likely to need and builds a checklist of what to measure at the showing. It scores the real estate only. For a home that is already licensed, it adds an unscored review of what a buyer is actually acquiring, because a license never transfers with a house.
No. It means the property shows characteristics favorable for further evaluation. The home must still pass the local building official's adult family home inspection and meet DSHS licensing requirements, and the provider must qualify separately.
Yes, but stairs limit who can live in a room. Residents who need help evacuating must have an exit path with no stairs, and an elevator, chairlift, or platform lift does not count. A bedroom reached by stairs can be used only by residents who can get out on their own.
Generally not. RCW 70.128.140 says an adult family home must be treated as a residential use and is a permitted use in all areas zoned residential or commercial, including single-family zones. RCW 64.38.060 says HOA governing documents may not limit the operation of a licensed adult family home, and makes conflicting provisions unenforceable; an HOA may still apply reasonable rules that cover every home, such as sign and landscaping standards.
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