Your Weekly Update on What's Happening at the King County Council  

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

Five years ago, when the controversial King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) was initially formed, I wrote an Op-Ed in the Seattle Times urging that elected officials shouldn’t pass the task of fighting homelessness to an unelected body that has no accountability to taxpayers. Since then, I have continued to argue that the KCRHA’s very structure has doomed it to fail and that elected leaders need to be in charge of making decisions about homelessness policy.

I am pleased that this week, Executive Constantine and Seattle Mayor Harrell proposed re-structuring the KCRHA so that elected officials hold more power than unelected homelessness activists on its Governing Board. (You can read more about their proposal at the Seattle Times.) Though this in no way guarantees that the KCRHA will bring new successes to reducing the amount of homelessness in our region, it is an absolutely necessary step to bring accountability to the government agency, which has been rife with controversy and ineffective in reducing homelessness. I am cautiously hopeful that a new governing structure could empower elected officials to efficiently implement policies that address homelessness and earn the confidence of regional partners and taxpayers alike.

The Seattle City Council and King County Council are expected to consider and vote on the proposed changes to the KCRHA in September. I will keep you updated as the proposal moves through Council.

All my best,

Reagan Dunn
King County Councilmember
District 9

Dunn's Fairwood traffic safety proposal to be considered in Council

Last May, following a tragic fatal car crash that rocked the Fairwood community, I introduced legislation to study options for improving road safety on 140th Ave SE in Fairwood. This legislation would take a comprehensive look at ideas from the community for improving road safety—such as roundabouts, cameras, and increased traffic enforcement—so that together we can act to protect our community from dangerous driving.

This proposal will be considered at Council on Tuesday, August 20th, at 1:30 PM. To provide public comment, you can either:

• Attend the meeting in-person at the King County Courthouse (516 3rd Avenue, Room 1001, Seattle, WA)
• Provide comment remotely via Zoom by computer, using the Zoom application at https://zoom.us/join and the webinar ID: 890 5838 1493
• Provide comment via phone by calling 1-253-215-8782 and using the webinar ID: 875 1751 7363.

If you wish to attend the meeting without providing public comment, you can either attend in person. livestream the meeting www.kingcounty.gov/kctv, or watch Comcast channel 22 and 322 (HD) and Astound Broadband channels 22 and 711 (HD).

Learn more about the Greater Maple Valley/Cedar River Subarea Plan

King County Local Services planners are starting work on their next unincorporated area subarea plan, which will cover the Greater Maple Valley/Cedar River area. The plan will include local policies designed to improve quality of life in the area for the next 20 years and once adopted will become part of the King County Comprehensive Plan.

Local Services plans to host a kickoff open house this fall. In the meantime, you can learn more and sign up for updates here.

Doors Open grants

Doors Open Facilities grants and Doors Open Sustained Support grants are now available to King County arts, heritage, preservation, and science and technology nonprofit organizations. 

Doors Open Facilities grants provide funding for building, remodeling, and buying specialized space that houses and facilitates cultural work in King County.  

Doors Open Sustained Support grants provide one-year unrestricted funding to meet non-profit organizations' day-to-day needs.

Applications are due September 4, 2024 at 5 PM. If you have questions about either of these funding opportunities, please contact Councilmember Dunn's District Director Carson Coates at carson.coates@kingcounty.gov or 206-477-0773.

Attend a Doors Open Facilities Grant Workshop: Saturday, August 17, 12-1PM at Covington City Hall. 

VSHSL Short-Term Engagement Projects

This program awards small grants for community-building events and activities that increase social engagement and connection for seniors and members of resilient communities in King County.

Applications are due August 28, 2024 by 2 PM. Find more information and apply online.

VSHSL Caregiver Connections and Support Funding Opportunity

VSHSL seeks to decrease family caregivers’ isolation, burden, and stress by increasing access to services, improving their skills and understanding, and promoting community connections and wellbeing. This investment intends to support caregivers so they can sustain their caregiver roles and support Seniors and Adults with Disabilities to live healthy and independent lives.

Applications are due September 24, 2024 by 2 PM. Find more information and apply online.