SUMMARY  

King County Executive Constantine announced the launch of a $1 million grant funding opportunity to rapidly serve unsheltered asylum-seekers currently residing in or near Tukwila. The one-time funding is open to one or more nonprofits located in south King County to aid in providing temporary housing, food, support, and legal services.   

STORY 

King County Executive Dow Constantine announced the launch of a $1 million grant opportunity to provide additional support for asylum-seeking families and individuals in Tukwila. King County will contract with one or more local non-profits to offer one-time funding that will help provide additional, safe, emergency shelter and services for these families or individuals as they work to find long-term, stable housing. The funding will be invested as part of the $5 million funding opportunity for cities in south King County to assist in local homelessness response efforts. 

“Last year, King County stepped up to provide urgent assistance to Tukwila that would support people facing the winter months outside. While this additional $1 million in funding will help in the near term, the full-scale response and infrastructure needed for this ongoing situation requires additional federal leadership and partnership with the state,” said Executive Constantine. “The number of migrants who cross the border is only increasing, and this puts a significant strain on local resources. King County’s efforts are ultimately unsustainable, but we are committed to interim support through June when the state can step in.”  

“This funding will make progress towards ensuring the long-term health of both our newly arrived neighbors and our region as a whole. I am grateful to Executive Constantine, his team, and DCHS staff for their quick work to get this significant investment out to community,” said King County Councilmember Jorge Barón. “We know, however, that this investment does not fully meet the need, and we look forward to continued work with state and federal partners to build on these efforts.”  

“The community request for immediate and more flexible funding for trusted and community-based organizations is in part being responded to with the $1 million RFP announced today. This is just one resource that is needed to support refugees and asylum seekers, as we strive to make good on our commitment to be a welcoming region,” said King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda. “I want to thank the Executive for partnering with Councilmembers to quickly secure this emergency funding, which is in addition to the over $3 million included in the County's budget last year, and the $200,000 from in the 2024 Seattle budget I added as Budget Chair after hearing the interfaith and refugee testimony last year. We recognize this alone is still not enough, and we will continue to work on securing additional support for this uniquely vulnerable community."   

Interested nonprofit organizations must apply for grant funding with a proposal that provides new or expanded housing and related services that will lessen the negative impact on asylum-seekers living unsheltered, such as day centers, hygiene services, and emergency shelters. An information session will be hosted on Monday, March 4, at 1 p.m. Additional details can be found here.  

This new funding is the latest investment that King County has made since last November to support the City of Tukwila and the Riverton Park United Methodist Church in particular in their work to support those arriving and seeking asylum. Initially, the King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) coordinated with the pastor at the church to relocate 24 people seeking asylum from an encampment into eight rooms at a hotel in the area, with priority given to pregnant people and families with young children.  

In December, the King County Council, in partnership with Governor Inslee, approved $3 million for initial support, the first government-designated housing resource to assist people at this site. King County contracted with Thrive International to move more people into hotel rooms. As of February 1, all 100 rooms are occupied and more than 350 people have a temporary place to stay through June.  

In his recent budget proposal, Governor Jay Inslee included $5 million for the Office of Refugee and Immigrant Assistance (ORIA) and $3 million for a grant program to help counties support asylees and refugees. The legislative chambers introduced their proposals last week. The Senate mirrored the Governor’s $5 million proposal for ORIA and provided $5 million for housing support for the Tukwila encampment. Meanwhile, the House included $25.3 million for ORIA and grants $5 million to King County and $2.5 million to Tukwila for transitional and long-term housing for unsheltered, recently arrived people. The Legislature is anticipated to pass a final budget next week, and any funding would be available no later than July 1, 2024.  

King County staff are in close conversation with state legislative members in support of Representative Mia Gregerson’s House Bill 2368 to help address this issue. King County has provided information to key members, testified on proposed legislation, and identified key needs for a sustainable solution. 

Since last year, Public Health – Seattle & King County's Health Care for the Homeless (HCHN) Mobile Medical Van assisted the asylees at the church, including assessments of the conditions and needs by the HCHN and Environmental Health teams. The Mobile Medical Van conducted numerous visits to the church, providing medical assistance to families and children in need and disseminating information on hygiene best practices. Public Health has also organized a vaccine clinic for children at the site and helped explore acquiring a hygiene trailer. 

DCHS provided language and vocational training for the more than 100 people enrolled in the employment training and education program. In addition, it offered interpretation services in various languages and referred more than 80 percent of families to social service supports. DCHS also collaborated with nearby schools to increase access to education. More than 30 youth are enrolled in or transferred to Tukwila and Highline school districts.  

The grant funding Request for Proposals is open now, and accepting applications until March 12, 2024, with recipients anticipated to be notified by the end of March.