AFH Property Score

It is a free screening tool, three to five minutes long, that estimates how well a house could work physically as a Washington adult family home. It scores the real estate only, on a 100-point scale weighted by how expensive each shortfall is to fix, and separately lists feasibility items to investigate. It is not an inspection, an appraisal, or a licensing decision.

No. A high score means the property shows characteristics that are 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. Always review the items to investigate alongside the score.

Yes, but stairs limit who can live in a room. Under Washington rules, 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. State law (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. HOA rules that restrict adult family homes are also unenforceable under RCW 64.38.060, though an HOA can still apply ordinary rules that cover every home. Septic capacity, unpermitted additions, and fire access are the more common site questions.

Bring a tape measure. Resident bedrooms need at least 80 square feet of usable floor for one resident or 120 for two. The required exit door needs 32 inches of clear width, and in a home licensed after September 20, 2026 every interior door residents use must be at least 27 inches wide (a continuously licensed home that changes owners is exempt; a lapsed former AFH is not). Bedroom escape windows need a sill no higher than 44 inches and a clear opening at least 24 inches high and 20 inches wide. Ramps can be no steeper than 1 inch of rise per foot, and a shower used for resident bathing must be at least 30 by 48 inches. The tool builds a checklist for the specific house.