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

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

A forensic evaluation report of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) released last week found significant financial and operational failures within the agency, including an inability to account for more than $13 million in public funds.

While these findings are extraordinarily concerning, they are unfortunately not the least bit surprising. I have consistently raised concerns about the structure, accountability, and effectiveness of the KCRHA since its creation. In a 2023 Seattle Times op-ed, I warned that the regional model was not delivering results, and for years have called for King County to withdraw from the KCRHA. Even before that, in 2019,  I wrote in an Op-Ed that elected officials shouldn’t pass the task of fighting homelessness to an unelected body that has no accountability to taxpayers. 

Read my 2023 Seattle Times Op-Ed here: End King County’s commitment to ineffective Regional Homelessness Authority

I greatly appreciate my colleague Councilmember Rod Dembowski’s leadership on this issue as he works to introduce legislation to dissolve the agency and end this failed experiment, and I look forward to co-sponsoring his legislation when it is introduced. Addressing homelessness requires more than good intentions. It requires clear leadership, measurable outcomes, workable policy decisions, and responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars.

Watch my Interview with KOMO news below.

We all want to see progress on homelessness, but ignoring the clear warning signs of this agency’s failures has been an enormous policy mistake. Worse still, according to data taken during the Biden Administration, Washington state recently experienced the highest increase in homelessness in the United States, despite the millions given to the KCRHA.

Taxpayers and individuals experiencing homelessness deserve a system that spends public dollars effectively and can be held accountable. The taxpayer dollars King County gives to the KCRHA would be better spent in-house by the county.

Enough is enough. My statement in 2023 is just as true today as it was then—it’s time to part ways with the KCRHA.

All my best,

Reagan Dunn
King County Councilmember
District 9

Thank you to the Coal Creek Family YMCA

CM Dunn presents a check to the Coal Creek Family YMCA. From left to right: Steve Russell, CM Dunn, Jon Gadsden, Mayor Ariana Sherlcok, Libby Hart, and Nicole Lowe.

I recently had the chance to visit the Coal Creek Family YMCA!

It was an honor to join Newcastle Mayor Ariana Sherlock in presenting team members with a $50,000 Food Security Capital Grant and a $10,000 Youth Amateur Sports Grant in recognition of their important work supporting families across our community.

The Coal Creek YMCA serves residents from Newcastle, Renton, Bellevue, Factoria, and Issaquah, providing programs that help families learn, stay healthy, and connect with our region’s natural surroundings. If you have not had a chance to visit, I encourage you to stop by.

Thank you to all the staff and volunteers for hosting me and for the important work you do every day in our community!

Continuing my efforts to bring King County Employees back-to-work

I was grateful to join KIRO Newsradio this week to discuss my work to King County Employees return to in-person work for at least three days a week. For years, residents have been let down by a local government that has not consistently delivered on its commitment to in-person constituent service.

I greatly appreciate Executive Zahilay taking the necessary and courageous steps earlier this year to enforce King County’s in-person work requirements. Executive Zahilay’s decisive leadership in this area will greatly improve service to King County taxpayers and help restore public confidence.

I continue to believe that ensuring King County residents are able to access a government that works (for at the very least a few days a week) in-person will bring forward a renewed culture of presence, accountability, and public service to King County government.

Watch the full interview below.

In the News

• The Seattle Times: Seattle, county officials demand reform to homeless authority, file for dissolution
• The Seattle Times: Fare inspectors are back on King County buses, but tickets aren’t
• KOMO: City, county councilmembers move to dissolve KCRHA after audit flags $13M unaccounted for
• KOMO: King County Metro faces scrutiny after only 8 citations despite 78K fare checks
• The Courier-Herald: Enumclaw plans new flagpole for U.S.’ 250th birthday