Summary

In the King County Council Local Services Committee on Tuesday, Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn and community members from across the County advocated for Dunn’s legislation that would establish rules for homeless encampment removal in unincorporated parts of the County.

Story

In the King County Council Local Services Committee on Tuesday, Council Vice Chair Reagan Dunn and community members from across the County advocated for Dunn’s legislation that would establish rules for homeless encampment removal in unincorporated parts of the County.

“It is far from compassionate to leave people to live outside without the services and shelter that they desperately need,” Dunn said. “It also isn’t fair for our local community to have public spaces taken over by encampments that pose health and safety risks. This legislation is the balanced, yet assertive, approach that protects the safety of our neighborhoods and provides a path to help those suffering in our County.”

This legislation comes in the wake of newly announced emergency shelters in Kent, Auburn, Redmond, and Renton. These shelters, sited and created in partnership with local elected officials, will provide safe and stable recovery resources and services for those living out on the streets.

“In all, King County has spent nearly $1 billion on services for those experiencing homelessness since 2015, and it is not unreasonable to begin moving this population into County shelters and housing options that taxpayers have funded,” Dunn said.

Recently, Dunn proposed legislation that, if passed, will create outreach teams to address homelessness in unincorporated neighborhoods and connect unsheltered people with housing and services. The legislation also requests a study of current housing and homelessness services, an analysis of the number and size of outreach teams needed, and skills and expertise needed by outreach team members, and the funding required to establish the outreach teams.

The legislation that was heard today will be up for a vote in the Local Services Committee meeting later this year.