For weeks, King County homelessness service providers have been staring down a majorly disruptive change to how they currently operate. 

The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development said in November that it intended to redirect billions of dollars in grants that house homeless people. This was in line with President Trump’s rejection of “housing first,” the practice that aims to get people stabilized in long-term housing before addressing mental health issues or addiction. It's guided policy in this region and across the United States for decades. 

The Trump Administration’s announcement put $65 million in federal grant money for King County in doubt. 

And it left local leaders scrambling. The county called providers together last week to discuss the change. Washington state and roughly 20 states sued, and later, so did King County and local homeless service providers.

But yesterday, 90 minutes before a court hearing, HUD withdrew the new requirements around grants.

Sounds like a rollercoaster, right? Providers in the area are breathing a sigh of relief. Though, the last-minute shift signifies the complicated task of planning homelessness response, one that relies on federal dollars, when massive changes are taking place in Washington, D.C. 

GUEST:

Kelly Kinnison, CEO of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority

RELATED LINKS

• KCRHA: Changes to Federal Funding will Increase Unsheltered Homelessness in King County

• Seattle Times: King County has 3 plans for Trump’s homelessness funding changes

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