Frequently Asked Questions

You received a postcard or email notice because you have been identified as a person whose information may have been accessed and/or acquired during the Data Breach. Some individuals who allege their personal information was accessed and/or acquired during the Data Breach brought a proposed class action lawsuit against SHA. SHA denied the allegations and denied that it would be found liable should the case proceed to trial. The parties have now reached a proposed Settlement of the lawsuit.

The Court directed that Notice be provided because you have a right to know about a proposed settlement that has been reached in this class action lawsuit and about all your options before the Court decides whether to grant final approval of the Settlement. If the Court approves the Settlement, and after objections or appeals, if any, are resolved, the Settlement Administrator appointed by the Court will distribute the Settlement Benefits to Settlement Class Members who submitted a Valid Claim and the pending legal claims against SHA will be released and dismissed.

This Notice explains the lawsuit, the Settlement, your legal rights, what benefits are available, who is eligible for them, and how to get them. The case is Lewis et al. v. Seattle Housing Authority, Case No. 24- 2-16171-6 SEA, currently pending in the Superior Court of the State of Washington, County of King.

The Plaintiffs claim that SHA is liable for the Data Breach and have asserted numerous legal claims against SHA. SHA denies each and all of the claims and contentions alleged against it in the Action.

In a class action, one or more people called “Class Representatives” sue on behalf of themselves and other people who they allege have similar claims. This group of people is called the “class,” and the people in the class are called “Settlement Class Members” or the “Settlement Class.” One Court resolves the issues for all Settlement Class Members, except for those who exclude themselves from the Settlement Class. The persons who sued here—Lakisha Lewis and Czarina Slape—are called the Plaintiffs. The entity they sued—SHA—is called the Defendant.

The Court did not decide in favor of the Plaintiffs or Defendant. Instead, both sides agreed to a Settlement. That way, they avoid the costs and risks of a trial, and Settlement Class Members can get benefits or compensation. The Class Representatives and Class Counsel think the Settlement is in the best interest of the Settlement Class.

The Settlement Class is defined as: “All U.S. residents whose Personal Information was accessed and/or acquired in the Data Breach.” There are approximately 72,000 Class Members.

Yes. The Settlement Class specifically excludes: (1) the judges presiding over this Action, and members of their direct families; (2) Defendant, its subsidiaries, parent companies, successors, predecessors, and any entity in which Defendant or its parents have a controlling interest and its current or former officers and directors; and (3) Settlement Class Members who submit a valid Request for Exclusion prior to the Opt-Out Deadline.

Under the Settlement, SHA will establish a non-reversionary settlement fund in the amount of $486,000.00. These funds will be used to pay for all valid claims made by Settlement Class Members, notice and administration costs, service awards, and attorneys’ fees and costs. In no event shall SHA pay more than $486,000.00.

Settlement Class Members may file a claim for one or more of the following Cash Benefits:

Reimbursement for Out-of-Pocket Losses: All Settlement Class Members may submit a claim for documented Out-of-Pocket Losses, up to a maximum of Five Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($5,000.00). Out-of-Pocket Losses are unreimbursed costs or expenditures incurred by a Participating Settlement Class Member that are fairly traceable to the Data Breach including, without limitation, the following: (i) unreimbursed losses relating to fraud or identity theft; (ii) professional fees including attorneys’ fees, accountants’ fees, and fees for credit repair services;
(iii) costs associated with freezing or unfreezing credit with any credit reporting agency after August 9, 2023; (iv) credit monitoring costs that were incurred on or after August 9, 2023 through the date of claim submission; and (v) miscellaneous expenses such as notary, fax, postage, copying, mileage, and long-distance telephone charges. Participating Settlement Class Members with Out-of-Pocket Losses must provide to the Settlement Administrator the information required to evaluate the claim, including: (1) the Participating Settlement Class Member’s name and current address; (2) documentation supporting their claim; (3) a brief description of the documentation describing the nature of the loss, if the nature of the loss is not apparent from the documentation alone; and (4) a statement certifying that the Participating Settlement Class Member has not been reimbursed for the loss by another source. Documentation supporting the claim can include receipts or other documentation not “self-prepared” by the claimant that document the costs incurred. “Self- prepared” documents such as handwritten receipts are, by themselves, insufficient to receive reimbursement, but can be considered to add clarity or support other submitted documentation.

Reimbursement for Attested Time: Participating Settlement Class Members may submit claims for reimbursement for Attested Time up to four (4) hours of time compensated at the rate of Twenty- Five Dollars and Zero Cents ($25.00) per hour. Participating Settlement Class Members can receive reimbursement of Attested Time with a brief description of the actions taken in response to the Data Breach and the time associated with each action. Claims for Attested Time are capped at One Hundred Dollars and Zero Cents ($100.00) per individual.

Alternative Cash Payment: Instead of filing a Claim for Reimbursement of Out-of-Pocket Losses or Reimbursement for Attested Time, Participating Settlement Class Members may submit a Claim for an Alternative Cash Payment. A Participating Settlement Class Member shall not be required to submit any documentation or additional information in support of their claim for an Alternative Cash Payment. However, the Claim Form must clearly indicate that the Participating Settlement Class Member is electing to claim the Alternative Cash Payment instead of any other benefits made available under this Settlement Agreement. The amount of the cash award will be increased or decreased on a pro rata basis, depending upon the number of valid claims filed and the amount of funds available for these payments.

If you are a Settlement Class Member and you do not exclude yourself from the Settlement, you will give up your right to sue, continue to sue, or be part of any other lawsuit against SHA or other released parties concerning the claims released by this Settlement. The Settlement Agreement describes the legal claims that you give up if you remain in the Settlement Class. The entire Settlement Agreement can be viewed at here.

In order to receive any benefits from this Settlement, you must complete and submit a Claim Form. Claim Forms may be submitted online or mailed to the address on the Claim Form. Be sure to read the Claim Form instructions carefully, include all required information, and add your signature.

The Settlement Administrator will review your claim to determine the validity and amount of your payment.

This is a closed class. The benefits are available only to Settlement Class Members with a unique ID. All claims submitted by non-Settlement Class Members, or individuals who do not have a unique ID, will be rejected. If you believe you are a Settlement Class Member but do not have a unique ID, you can call the Settlement Administrator at 1-844-405-6502 to verify that you are a Settlement Class Member and obtain your unique ID.

The amount of your payment will depend on the approved amount of your claim and the total value of all approved claims. The Settlement Administrator will decide whether the information provided on the Claim Form is complete and valid. The Settlement Administrator may require additional information from any claimant. If the Settlement Administrator requires additional information from you and you do not provide it in a timely manner, your claim may not be paid at the Settlement Administrator’s discretion.

The Court will hold a Final Fairness Hearing at 9:00 a.m. PT on December 5, 2025 at the King County Superior Courthouse, 516 3rd Ave, Room C-203, Seattle, WA 98104, to decide whether to approve the Settlement. Payments will be made after the Settlement is approved and becomes final (meaning there is no appeal from the order approving the Settlement). Updates regarding the Settlement will be posted here. If you have further questions regarding payment timing, you may contact the Settlement Administrator by emailing info@SeattleHADataIncident.com.

Yes. The law firm of Tousley Brain Stephens PLLC represents the Settlement Class. They are called Class Counsel. You will not be charged for their services.

If you want your own lawyer, you may hire one, but you will be responsible for any payment for that lawyer’s services. For example, you can ask your own lawyer to appear in court for you if you want someone other than Class Counsel to speak for you. You may also appear for yourself without a lawyer.

The attorneys representing the Class have not yet received any payment for their legal services or any reimbursement of the costs or out-of-pocket expenses they have incurred. Class Counsel plans to ask the Court to award attorneys’ fees from the Settlement Fund, not to exceed thirty (30%) of the Settlement Fund or $145,800. Class Counsel will also seek service awards in the amount of four thousand dollars and no cents ($4,000.00) to each of the two (2) Representative Plaintiffs.

The Court will determine whether to approve the amount of fees and costs and expenses requested by Class Counsel and the proposed Service Awards to the Class Representatives. Class Counsel will file an application for fees, expenses, and Service Awards no later than October 6, 2025. The application will be available here, or you can request a copy by contacting the Settlement Administrator.

If you are a Settlement Class Member and you do not want any benefits from this Settlement, and you want to keep the right to sue Seattle Housing Authority on your own about issues in this Litigation, then you must take steps to get out of the Settlement Class. This is called excluding yourself from–or “opting out” of–the Settlement Class.

You may opt out of the Settlement Class by October 20, 2025. To opt out, you must send a letter or postcard by U.S. mail to the address below. You should include in your letter or postcard:

• The name of the Litigation, Lewis et al. v. Seattle Housing Authority, Case No. 24-2-16171-6-SEA (Superior Court of the State of Washington, County of King), or something that similarly approximates the case name;
• Your full name, current address, and personal signature;
• The words “Request for Exclusion” at the top of the document or a clear statement that you want to opt out of the Settlement.

You must mail your exclusion request, postmarked no later than October 20, 2025, to:

Seattle Housing Authority Data Settlement
P. O. Box 1068
Baton Rouge, LA 70821

If you fail to include the required information, your request will be deemed invalid and you will remain a Settlement Class Member and be bound by the Settlement, including all releases.

No. Unless you exclude yourself from the Settlement, you give up any right to sue Defendant for the claims that this Settlement resolves.

If you opt out of the Settlement, you will not have any rights as a member of the Settlement Class. You will not receive a payment or any benefits as part of the Settlement. You will not be bound by the Settlement, releases, or by any further orders or judgments in this case. You will keep the right, if any, to sue on the claims alleged in the Litigation at your own expense.

In addition, if you opt out of the Settlement, you cannot object to this Settlement because the Settlement no longer affects you. If you object to the Settlement and request to exclude yourself, your objection will be voided and you will be deemed to have excluded yourself.

If you are a Settlement Class Member and you do not opt out of the Settlement, you can object to the Settlement if you do not like or agree with the Settlement or some part of it. You can give reasons to the Court why you think the Court should not approve the Settlement. The Court will consider your views before deciding.

Objections must include: (i) the name of the proceedings, Lewis et al. v. Seattle Housing Authority, Case No. 24-2-16171-6-SEA (Superior Court of the State of Washington, County of King); (ii) the Settlement Class Member’s full name, current mailing address, telephone number, and email address; (iii) a written statement of the specific grounds for the objection, as well as any legal basis and documents supporting the objection; (iv) a written statement as to whether the objection applies only to the objector, to a specific subset of the class, or to the entire class; (v) the identity of any and all attorneys representing the objector; (vi) a statement regarding whether the Settlement Class Member (or his/her attorney) intends to appear at the Final Approval Hearing; and (vii) the signature of the Settlement Class Member.

To be timely, written notice of an objection in the appropriate form must be mailed with a postmark date no later than October 20, 2025, to the Settlement Administrator at the address below.

Seattle Housing Authority Data Settlement
P. O. Box 1068
Baton Rouge, LA 70821

Any Settlement Class Member who fails to comply with the requirements for objecting shall waive and forfeit any and all rights he or she may have to appear separately and/or to object to the Settlement Agreement and shall be bound by all the terms of the Settlement Agreement and by all proceedings, orders and judgments in the Action. The exclusive means for any challenge to the Settlement Agreement shall be through the provisions set forth herein.

Objecting is telling the Court that you do not like something about the Settlement. You can object to the Settlement only if you are a Settlement Class Member and do not opt out of the Settlement. Excluding yourself is telling the Court that you do not want to be part of the Class in this Settlement. If you exclude yourself from the Settlement, you have no basis to object or submit a Claim Form because the Settlement no longer affects you.

The Court will hold a Final Fairness Hearing at 9:00 a.m. PT on December 5, 2025 at the King County Superior Courthouse, 516 3rd Ave, Room C-203, Seattle, WA 98104. At the hearing, the Court will consider whether the proposed Settlement is fair, reasonable, and adequate. The Court may also consider Class Counsel’s request for an award of attorneys’ fees, costs, and expenses; and whether to approve Service Awards to the Class Representatives. If there are objections, the Court will consider them. The Court may choose to hear from people who have asked to speak at the hearing. At or after the hearing, the Court will decide whether to approve the Settlement. There is no deadline by which the Court must make its decision.

No. Class Counsel will answer any questions the Court may have. However, you are welcome to attend the Final Fairness Hearing at your own expense. If you file an objection, you do not have to come to Court to talk about it. You may also hire your own lawyer to attend, at your own expense, but you are not required to do so.

You may ask the Court for permission to speak at the Final Fairness Hearing. To do so, you must follow the instructions provided in Question 19 above. You cannot speak at the hearing if you exclude yourself from the Settlement.

If you do nothing, you will not receive or be eligible to receive a payment from this Settlement. If the Court approves the Settlement, and you do nothing, you will be bound by the Settlement Agreement. This means you will not be able to start a lawsuit, continue with a lawsuit, or be part of any other lawsuit against Seattle Housing Authority or Released Persons about the issues involved in this lawsuit, resolved by this Settlement, and released by the Settlement Agreement.

Yes. This Notice summarizes the proposed Settlement. More details are in the Settlement Agreement and other case documents available here.

Visit the Court Document page, here, where you will find more information, including the Claim Form, a copy of the Settlement Agreement, and other information to help you determine whether you are eligible for a payment.

Contact the Settlement Administrator toll-free at 1-844-405-6502 or by writing to:

Seattle Housing Authority Data Settlement
P.O. Box 1068
Baton Rouge, LA 70821