Both city and county council members called for the dissolution of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority on Thursday after shocking audit results.
SEATTLE — What comes next for homelessness efforts in Seattle is uncertain after an audit of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority revealed roughly $13 million in unaccounted for funds, prompting a Seattle councilmember and a King County councilmember on Thursday to call for the agency’s dismantling and raising questions about who should oversee services moving forward.
The findings have put the future of the authority in doubt, as city leaders weigh whether to continue working with the organization or shift responsibilities back to Seattle.
“I am calling for Mayor Wilson to provide a plan for the dismantling of KCRHA as soon as possible, and a commitment to work with City Council to determine how Seattle will move forward in meeting its shelter and housing needs,” Seattle Councilmember Maritza Rivera said in a statement.
The audit also identified recurring negative cash positions, reaching nearly $45 million as of last July. At a press conference, Councilmember Rivera said, “This started out with the best of intentions,” as concerns mounted over financial management.
“We’ll continue to allocate funds for homelessness,” Rivera added in a press conference Thursday morning. “The question is whether we do it in house, at the city and the county, or we continue this regional approach.”
In a letter, the authority’s CEO Kelly Kinnison said gaps in reimbursements contributed to numbers that appeared worse than they are, adding that much of the “unaccounted for” funds are due to budget reclassification rather than unapproved or inappropriate spending.
Advocates on the ground say the damage may already be done. In Ballard, Bruce Drager, chairman of a volunteer group called Greenlake Homeless Advocates, works closely with people living unsheltered, helping connect them to resources like tiny homes. “I’m gonna put your name, like, at the top of the list,” he told one person Thursday. “Please,” the man responded.
Drager says solutions must center the voices of those experiencing homelessness. “We cannot pretend to know how to solve the problems,” he said.
Still, the audit results left him discouraged. “It does break my heart,” Drager said, adding, “I think the city should take their money back.”
Sharon Lee, who runs a nonprofit operating tiny home villages called the Low Income Housing Institute, echoed concerns about oversight and funding. “Usually, when you dig far enough, you can account for, you know… where did your money go, right?” she said. Lee noted that before the regional authority was created, her organization worked directly with the city. “We were much better off contracting with the city,” she said, suggesting a return to that model may be more effective.
Despite uncertainty around the authority’s future, both advocates expressed support for Mayor Katie Wilson’s plan to expand tiny home villages. “I think Katie is that kind of a leader,” Drager said. Lee added, “We’re supportive of the mayor’s plan.”
As leaders debate next steps, Drager emphasized the need to keep people at the center of the conversation.
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