Summary

King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn on Wednesday introduced a motion to create outreach teams to address homelessness in unincorporated neighborhoods and connect unsheltered people with housing and services.

Story

King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn on Wednesday introduced a motion to create outreach teams to address homelessness in unincorporated neighborhoods and connect unsheltered people with housing and services. The legislation would only apply to unincorporated areas of King County, which includes rural and some suburban areas of the County.

“Homelessness has been a growing concern in rural and suburban areas of the county, and it sometimes takes a proactive approach to get folks who are living outside the help they need,” Dunn said. “These outreach teams would meet people where they're at, connect them to housing and services, and put them on a path toward a more stable life.”

Outreach teams can provide connections to a variety of services aimed at helping them address the causes of their homelessness, including case management, addiction treatment, mental health treatment, employment assistance, and housing.

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. A report of the study’s conclusions would be due to the King County Council by October 30, 2021.The motion will be referred to the Community, Health, and Housing Services Committee at next the meeting of the King County Council on Tuesday, July 6.