Property owners
To build the Everett Link Extension, Sound Transit will need to purchase private property. In some cases, this means relocating people from their homes and/or businesses.
Sound Transit mailed letters to property owners close to the project corridor on July 21, 2026, ahead of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) comment period. The letter was intended to notify property owners that their property is listed as a potential acquisition in the Draft EIS. Receiving a letter does not mean a decision has been made regarding your property. Decisions regarding potential property impacts will not be finalized until after the Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is published, currently expected in late 2027. Receiving a letter does mean that your property is close to one or more of the options being studied, and we want you to be aware of the project so you can provide feedback and ask questions.
We understand that receiving information about a potential project impact can be concerning. If you have questions at any point, our team is here to talk with you, provide information, and offer support throughout the process. Sound Transit has a dedicated team of experienced acquisition and relocation specialists on our staff. We provide comprehensive assistance to property owners and tenants affected by property acquisition or relocation, with emphasis on:
- Treating affected property owners and tenants fairly.
- Minimizing hardships.
- Maintaining communications with everyone involved.
To see if your property is listed in the Draft EIS, see Appendix G.2. You can find your property by searching for the address or parcel number using Ctrl+F. If your property is listed, it does not mean we have decided to buy your property; it just means your property is close to one or more of the options being studied.
Sound Transit has specific policies and procedures that describe how the agency will work with property owners and tenants throughout the acquisition process. We follow federal, state, and local laws in our property acquisition process, specifically the Uniform Relocation Assistance and Real Property Acquisition Policies Act and state law.
The acquisition/relocation process generally begins during the design phase of the project, which for Everett Link is expected to start in 2028.
As the project moves forward and designs progress, the list of potentially affected properties may change.
Property acquisition milestones
- The Draft EIS is available for public review and comments. (WE ARE HERE)
- Sound Transit Board identifies, confirms, or modifies the preferred alternative based on comments from the public, agency partners, and Tribes.
- Sound Transit identifies property rights needed (full or partial acquisitions, temporary or permanent) for the project.
- Sound Transit Board authorizes property purchases.
- Sound Transit prepares appraisals to determine the fair market value of property needed for the project.
- Sound Transit provides relocation assistance to people and businesses displaced by the project, including referrals to comparable properties and payment of moving costs.
- Sound Transit staff supports property owners and tenants through the process.
Resources for property owners
If you are a resident, business, or property owner near a potential Everett Link route, station, or Operations and Maintenance Facility (OMF) North location, we encourage you to sign up for project email updates to ensure you have the most recent information. For more information about property acquisition and relocation, please refer to the following resources:
If you have questions, or if you received a letter and need the link to sign up for a webinar, please contact everettlink@soundtransit.org or leave a message at 425-449-5086 and our team will reply as soon as possible.
Informational webinars for property owners
Sound Transit is hosting informational webinars for property owners. These webinars provide a general project overview and allow participants to ask questions. The letters mailed to potentially affected property owners include a sign-up link to register for the webinars.
Please note that specific property impacts will not be discussed at these webinars. Sound Transit will communicate specific property owner impacts directly with property owners once the need for the property is confirmed (after a Record of Decision is issued).
Sound Transit project team members and property acquisition specialists are staffing these informational webinars. On select dates, environmental impact specialists will also attend. The team will explain the overall process, share information about next steps, and answer general questions about property acquisition and environmental review.
Frequently asked questions for property owners
Potentially affected property owners were notified by mail on July 21, 2026, prior to the release of the Draft EIS. Being a potentially affected property owner means that your property is close to one or more alternatives we are currently studying. This notification of potential impact does not mean a decision has been made to purchase your property. Note that this is based on current design and analysis. As the project moves forward and designs become clearer, the list of potentially affected properties may change.
Notification that your property is potentially affected does not mean a decision has been made to purchase your property. But it does mean there is a possibility Sound Transit may need to acquire all or a portion of your property at a later project phase. As we refine project design, we will continue updating our list of potentially affected properties. We will not make final determinations on which properties to purchase until after a decision has been made about the final locations of the stations, routes, and Operations and Maintenance Facility North and we move into the design phase.
Not necessarily. There are different types of acquisitions. Full acquisitions would require the entire property, but partial acquisitions would not. There will be properties where we need a piece of a property, but it may not affect the existing use. Acquisitions can also be permanent or temporary. We will not know exactly how a property could be affected until we are further along in design and the final locations of the stations, routes, and Operation and Maintenance Facility North have been identified.
Residential relocation
For residential property owners and tenants, Sound Transit provides three primary types of relocation assistance: advisory assistance, moving expenses, and replacement housing payments. A qualified relocation specialist will work with displaced residents to determine needs, explain benefits, and provide referrals to current housing inventories as well as assistance and advice with filing claims.
Business relocation
Sound Transit provides three primary types of relocation assistance: advisory assistance, moving expenses, and business re-establishment expenses. The level of benefits and advisory services may be different for each displaced business depending on complexity of the business operation.
The property acquisition process can begin after the final locations of the stations, routes, and Operation and Maintenance Facility North have been identified. The Sound Transit Board must authorize property purchases before acquisition can begin. Sound Transit goes through several steps leading up to this, including:
- Preparing property information to inform the Sound Transit Board’s authorization.
- Identifying the type of acquisition needed (i.e., full or partial acquisition, temporary or permanent easement).
- Providing official notice to property owners that their property is being considered for acquisition. The notice will let property owners know the Sound Transit Board meeting date when property acquisition will be discussed. The meeting will include time for public comments on this topic.
After authorization by the Sound Transit Board, Sound Transit will begin the property acquisition process, which follows these steps:
- An appraisal is conducted by an independent appraiser to determine the fair market value.
- The appraisal is reviewed by a second appraiser for compliance with proper methodology and appropriative value conclusions.
- Sound Transit prepares an offer package and delivers it to the property owner to review and negotiate. Property owners are also given a copy of the appraisal.
- Sound Transit and the property owner negotiate the sale of the property.
- Sound Transit may also reimburse for some or all the following:
- Owner’s own appraisal.
- Legal review of offer.
- Accounting review for tax purposes.
- For people and businesses displaced by the projects, a relocation agent will meet with the property owner to explain relocation assistance, eligibility, and entitlements.
What is the average timeframe from the offer to closure of sale?
While each acquisition is unique, most processes can take anywhere between 12—18 months to complete.
Does Sound Transit pay closing costs?
Yes, Sound Transit pays closing costs. Sound Transit will pay for all normal sale expenses including escrow fees, title insurance, pre-payment penalties, mortgage release fees, recording fees, and all typical costs related to conveying title. The sale will be exempt from real estate excise tax.
If my house does have to be acquired and I have to relocate, am I able to stay in the same school district or buy a similar home?
Sound Transit will make every effort to find comparable properties within the desired market.
Is there a geographical boundary limit for relocation?
No, there is no geographical limit on where you can move. Sound Transit will pay moving expenses within a 50-mile range.
If there is a long delay between acquisition and when construction starts, will there be empty houses in neighborhoods for several years?
While acquisitions are tied to the project schedule, it is possible that homes could be vacated prior to construction starting. If that occurs, Sound Transit will take appropriate measures to secure the properties until demolition can take place.
