Summary

King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn issued a statement Thursday in response to the King County Regional Homelessness Authority’s new $11.8 billion price quote to end homelessness in King County, outlined in its draft Five-Year Plan.

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King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn issued the following statement Thursday in response to the King County Regional Homelessness Authority’s new $11.8 billion price quote to end homelessness in King County, outlined in its draft Five-Year Plan:

“Homelessness is a very serious problem, so it breaks my heart to see the KCRHA double down on Seattle’s failed policies on homelessness,” Dunn said. “We know from King County’s 2019 Point-in-Time Count that 45% of the homeless come here from outside our area to take advantage of our generous services. Until we come to terms with this, King County will be a dead-end street for the nation’s homelessness.”

“KCRHA’s jaw-dropping price tag will still fall short until we take seriously the need to instead prioritize funding from behavioral health facilities like Western State Hospital, more inpatient and outpatient drug rehabilitation programs, and behavioral health crisis care centers being considered by King County right now.”

The new KCRHA 5-Year Plan requires $8.4 billion in new one-time capital costs over five years and between $1.7 billion and $3.4 billion in additional annual operating costs, for a total of up to $11.8 billion. According to the federally-mandated Point in Time Count, there were 13,368 individuals experiencing homelessness in King County in 2022—making the KCRHA cost a shocking $882,705 per homeless individual in King County.  

Dunn is available for interviews.