Notable Quotes

The new regional authority to house and serve our unsheltered community supports the urgent action that the homelessness crisis demands. Given this is only the one step in the needed regional response, I look forward to diving into the details and working with my colleagues, our city employees, contractors and the vulnerable populations we serve to adopt the regional governance structure as quickly as possible – to eliminate duplication, better coordinate service, and more holistically care for our residents.

September 4, 2019

I believe this is a positive first step in ensuring that our homelessness response system is coordinated, equity-driven, and informed by the people most directly impacted. As we move forward, it imperative that we avoid recreating the wheel or reinforcing previous inefficiencies. Our homelessness response system must reject a one-size-fits- all model, incorporate providers’ input, and be responsive to the unique developmental needs of those served, including those of youth and young adults experiencing homelessness. By doing so, we can collectively make a dent in ending the crisis of homelessness in our community.

September 4, 2019

There are solutions to homelessness, and everyone needs to be working together on a single, comprehensive plan. The creation of the new entity is an important step in that process, by aligning policies and current resources of King County and Seattle more effectively, and providing a framework for the additional strategies and resources that will be needed to eliminate the suffering we see on the streets today.

September 4, 2019

The Charter and ILA for the new Regional Authority is important progress to having a unified homeless emergency response system that is aligned with and responsive to the needs of those struggling with homeless and housing instability. The new system is designed to implement strategies and services on a regional basis that have been validated by both those most impacted by our homeless and housing crisis. The Charter, ILA and Regional Authority is aligned with our federally funded Continuum of Care that enables local human service providers and governments to invest over $42M each year in homeless prevention and response funds. This important work and milestone should be supported as we work to have a regional homeless emergency response system that is aligned, effective and rooted in racial equity.

September 4, 2019

I believe every city in King County shares the goal of a coordinated, seamless system that successfully transitions every individual and family experiencing homelessness into secure housing. I strongly support the Authority’s prioritization is sub-regional planning – allowing community-driven plans and responses that will recognize that Auburn is not Seattle, Seattle is not Kirkland, and so on. I look forward to continuing conversations with Executive Constantine, Mayor Durkan, and the councils as this legislation is finalized.

September 4, 2019

Today marks the start of a new era in the fight against homelessness for our entire region. Over the last 22 months, we’ve seen more alignment in our region than ever before, and we’ve also seen the first decline in homelessness in Seattle and King County since 2012. We need to keep that progress going, and that’s why the new King County Regional Homelessness Authority is so important. The historic step we are taking today will help do more to prevent homelessness, to serve people experiencing homelessness, and to center race and social justice in everything we do. It will take all of us working together as we stand up this new entity and come together to truly unify our work to build a better future for our entire region.

September 4, 2019

The new regional authority represents a concerted effort to increase coordination and collaboration of our planning, resources and service delivery countywide to achieve a more efficient and effective response to the needs in our community. We are determined to create a service system that seeks solutions to the disproportionality of homelessness among communities of color and listens to the voices of those with lived experience of homelessness as some of our most insightful consultants. Our vision is a homeless response system that is fair and just for all.

September 4, 2019

While we have not had opportunity to vet this plan with our membership, we are committed to working collaboratively with King County, Seattle, and the business and philanthropic communities to address this regional homelessness crisis. We appreciate that the report recognizes that there are different needs in our communities, and we look forward to working with our partners to craft a governance structure that will give voice to our communities.

December 2018

With a worsening crisis, our region needs one unified system that has the governance, authority, and resources to deliver to people experiencing homelessness. Working as quickly as possible, the City of Seattle is committed to implementing a more coordinated, effective, regional response under a new entity, so we can continue to move neighbors who are experiencing homelessness off the streets and into permanent housing.

December 2018

The homelessness and housing affordability crisis is our most pressing regional challenge. We have brought extra resources and deployed new innovations to the fight, but we must go even further, and build a system that is equal to the tasks before us. Our goal is to make sure every person has a safe and secure place to call home. It is our moral duty to cast aside the inertia of past practices and embrace a truly regional partnership that will have far more impact than ever before.

December 2018