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

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

A recent KOMO News poll indicates an overwhelming consensus in our community: our region’s approach to homelessness and drug addiction is not working. For those of us who have raised concerns about these policies for years, the findings come as little surprise.

A KOMO poll indicates that (at the time this image was taken) 94% of respondents do not think a housing-first approach to drug addiction is working in Washington state.

When the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) was first proposed in 2019, I raised serious concerns that, despite its good intentions, the regional governance model was fundamentally flawed. And in 2023, I publicly called for King County to end its participation in the agency. The recent revelation of a nearly $17 million financial shortfall at KCRHA only reinforces my longstanding concerns about the agency's effectiveness, fiscal management, and accountability to taxpayers.

As I wrote in my recent Seattle Times op-ed, “If we truly want to reduce homelessness, local leaders must recognize that the region’s failed policies must also change. If we do one without the other, we are simply rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.”

King County and Seattle must move beyond the false choice between compassion and accountability. We need both. A successful system should invest in a diversity of solutions but not shy away from holding people accountable and intervening when people are too sick to help themselves.

Other jurisdictions are proving that these strategies work. Local leaders should implement them here and reverse the failed policy experiments of the last decade.

All my best,  

Reagan Dunn
King County Councilmember
District 9

Protecting Unincorporated King County Communities from the Impacts of Seattle's RV Policies

This week, I introduced legislation in response to the Seattle City Council's recent approval of new restrictions on RV parking. Under Seattle's new rules, most RVs without a special permit would be limited to two hours of street parking, with overnight parking prohibited. I'm concerned these changes could push RV encampments into neighboring communities in unincorporated King County, where access to homelessness services is often much more limited.

Watch my interview with KING 5 about this legislation here.

Click on the picture to watch the interview.

My legislation calls on the King County Executive to identify areas where long-term vehicle parking creates public safety concerns, install appropriate parking restrictions, and develop enforceable regulations and penalties. Having seen firsthand the impacts of the Green River Road encampment, I know how important it is to address these concerns before they become more serious problems.

“We must ensure that one jurisdiction's enforcement strategy does not become another community's problem. Unincorporated King County residents deserve safe roads, and people struggling deserve real solutions — not simply endless rounds of displacement.”

— Councilmember Reagan Dunn

I appreciate attempts in Seattle to reverse course on failed policies, but homelessness doesn’t recognize jurisdictional boundaries. We must ensure families in unincorporated King County are not forced to shoulder the consequences of Seattle’s failed policies.

Celebrating National Disability Employment Awareness Month

Councilmember Dunn joins colleagues in proclaiming October 2026 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month.

This week, I was pleased to join my colleagues on the King County Council in proclaiming October 2026 as National Disability Employment Awareness Month!

This month is an opportunity to recognize the many contributions of people with disabilities to our workplaces and communities, while reaffirming our commitment to removing barriers to employment and creating opportunities for all.

King County's Disability Services and Supported Employment programs help people with disabilities achieve their career goals and reach their full potential. I hope you'll join me in celebrating the talents, accomplishments, and valuable contributions of workers with disabilities throughout King County!

Don't forget to turn in your ballot by November 3!

Election day is less than two week away! If you haven't already, make sure to turn in your ballot before 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3rd.

Returning your ballot

You can vote and return your ballot as soon as you receive it. There are three ways to return your ballot, by mail, at a ballot drop box, or in-person at a vote center.

Visit the returning my ballot page for more information

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Replacing my ballot or envelope

You can request or download a replacement if you have lost or damaged your ballot or envelope.

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In the News

• King 5: King County councilmember proposes parking restrictions amid concerns over Seattle RV crackdown
• VOICE of the Valley: Dunn issues statement following report identifying nearly $17 million unrecoverable balance at KCRHA : VOICE of the Valley
• KIRO Radio: King County Raised Taxes 5 Times Last Year?!