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The Center Square

King County councilmember calls for audit of county’s homelessness authority

(The Center Square) – As homelessness statistics in King County continue to rise, County Councilmember Reagan Dunn is calling for an audit on the King County Regional Homelessness Authority to begin next year.

Dunn is requesting King County Auditor Kymber Waltmunson and her office to add both financial and performance audits of KCRHA to the auditor’s 2023 Work Program.

“Audits now would ensure that King County and, more importantly, our tax-paying residents are getting the value promised when the Authority was established, while providing information to policy makers as we consider continued funding and allowing the [interlocal agreement] past the initial five-year term,” Dunn said in a statement.

The suggested audit is a result of setbacks of the authority, according to Dunn. This includes delays in finalizing community partner contracts; guiding principles and mission of the interlocal agreement that established the KCRHA not being met; the lack of a five-year plan that was requested in the agreement; a budget request of $227 million by the KCRHA Board of Governors for next year; and the increase in numbers of homeless encampments.

In May, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell pledged around $118 million to the King County Regional Homelessness Authority in next year’s city budget for progress to be made in tackling the homelessness crisis.

Earlier this month, Harrell’s Homelessness Action Plan quarter 2 results showed that the number of verified tents in the city alone increased from 763 in May, to 814 counted in June. The number of verified RV encampments in June had an updated total of 426 sites, with “roughly half of those sites having fewer than five vehicles,” according to the city.

As for KCRHA’s requested budget, the $227 million request is a 75% increase from the authority’s current budget, which is $119 million.

Dunn said he understands the importance of the work KCRHA does to reduce the number of homeless persons in the county, but wants to hold the authority accountable in meeting its initial goals and expectations.

“We owe it to the stakeholders [and] our taxpaying county residents, that current systems in place are effective and that their hard-earned money is being spent wisely,” Dunn said.

KCRHA did not respond to The Center Square’s request for comment.