King County Regional Homelessness Authority

Building on the Puget Sound region’s spirit of innovation and vision of shared prosperity, the KCRHA was designed to unify and coordinate policy, funding, and services for people experiencing homelessness across all of King County, including Seattle and 38 suburban cities.

KCRHA was created at the end of 2019 but faced significant delays due to the global coronavirus pandemic. In March 2021, the RHA Governing Committee brought on the first CEO, Marc Dones, and they began work the following month, focusing on hiring staff, reaching out to community members, and tailoring plans for each sub-region of King County.

Our mission is to significantly decrease the incidence of homelessness throughout King County, using equity and social justice principles.

Our theory of change: If we create a homelessness response system that centers customer voice (the voices of those who have lived experience of homelessness), then we will be able to focus on responding to needs and eliminating inequities, in order to end homelessness for all.

Following a thorough review of programs and services, the RHA will coordinate all publicly-funded outreach, diversion, shelter, rapid re-housing, transitional housing and permanent supportive housing services and most of the region’s prevention efforts for Seattle, King County, and other cities who choose to sign on to the ILA.

KCRHA will provide consolidated, aligned services for individuals, youth, and families who are experiencing homelessness or who are at imminent risk of experiencing homelessness in King County. We will coordinate existing services for people experiencing homelessness, and will design, fund, and operate other homelessness and related social servces using equity and social justice principles.