Summary

The King County Regional Homelessness Authority on Thursday approved the appointment of John Chelminiak, former Bellevue Mayor, to serve on its Implementation Board.

Story

The King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) on Thursday approved the nomination of John Chelminiak, former Mayor of Bellevue, to serve on the KCRHA Implementation Board.

“John has a well-deserved reputation of being a local champion of human services, and I am grateful that he has once again agreed to continue that work at the King County Regional Homelessness Authority,” said King County Vice Chair and KCRHA Governing Board Member Reagan Dunn. “There is an urgent need to address homelessness in King County in a meaningful way, and with his decades of experience and heart for public service, John will be an invaluable addition to the board.”

John Chelminiak served on the Bellevue City Council for 16 years, including two terms as Deputy Mayor and one term as Mayor. During this time, he was known for his work on human services, including his work on the board of All Home King County, King County’s MIDD (Mental Illness and Dependency) Advisory Committee, and on the Governing Board of the Committee to End Homelessness. The Alliance of Eastside Agencies named him Elected Official of the Year in 2011 for his work to preserve human services during the Great Recession — a time when King County and many cities were cutting human services funding.

“This new regional agency must be a success for everyone in King County,” Chelminiak said. “The goals must be getting people off the street, getting them the services they need, and doing it in ways that are culturally relevant to the individual. We can make homelessness rare, brief and one-time and I appreciate the opportunity to serve on the Implementation Board.”

King County Council Chair Claudia Balducci applauded the selection of Chelminiak to the Implementation Board.

“John Chelminiak brings to this work not only a wealth of experience, but also a big heart for people and a history of championing human services for those in need,” Balducci said. “He was the first, and most consistent advocate to provide basic shelter services in Bellevue. Our regional effort to transform how we address homelessness will benefit immensely from his participation.”

The King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) was formed by an Interlocal Agreement in December 2019 to oversee policy, funding, and services for people experiencing homelessness countywide. Following a thorough review of the programs and services provided by both the City of Seattle and King County, the scope of the KCRHA will include coordination of all outreach, diversion, shelter, rapid re-housing, transitional housing and permanent supportive housing services and most of the region’s prevention efforts.

Once finalized, the Implementation Board will be made up of 13 members, including John Chelminiak, who will make policy and budget recommendations to the Governing Committee of the KCRHA. The Implementation Board will consist of three appointed individuals with lived experience of homelessness and ten appointed experts from criminal justice, fiscal oversight, physical and behavioral health, affordable housing, research or evaluation, equity, business, homelessness services, labor unions/workforce, youth services, and child welfare services.