King County Homelessness Authority CEO steps down amid $16.7M budget deficit
An independent review found budget miscalculations, underspending and overdraft fees drove the deficit, while Seattle and King County plan a major contraction.
- On Friday, King County Regional Homelessness Authority CEO Kelly Kinnison submitted her resignation, effective Nov. 16, 2026, following an independent review revealing an unrecoverable $16.7 million funding deficit.
- An independent forensic review identified "chronic financial mismanagement," citing severe accounting deficiencies, unrecoverable funding, and overspending that undermined agency operations.
- The agency remains responsible for federal grant requests typically totaling roughly $65 million annually, though officials warn potential funding rejections from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development could endanger 4,500 units of supportive housing.
- Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson and King County Executive Girmay Zahilay announced the city and county will reclaim local homelessness service contracts starting in 2027, cutting the agency's budget by more than two-thirds.
- King County Councilmember Reagan Dunn renewed calls to dissolve the KCRHA, characterizing it as a "failed experiment" and arguing the agency's structure prevents accountability.
12 Articles
12 Articles
Search begins for new leader for downsized King County Regional Homelessness Authority
Already on the shakiest of ground as Seattle and surrounding cities pull back funding plans, the King County Regional Homelessness Authority needs a new leader to oversee its downsized future. The authority has announced CEO Kelly Kinnison submitted her resignation. Hired in 2024 as the authority’s fifth leader, in the KCRHA announcement, Kinnison said that she was brought on to “assess and rebuild a young organization that had significant chall…
Everett Post
KCRHA head resigns weeks after external review found $16.7M unrecoverable funding
(The Center Square) - The leader of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority resigned Friday after an audit found $16.7 million in unrecoverable funding due to "chronic financial mismanagement." KCHRA CEO Kelly Kinnison submitted her letter of resignation Friday morning, which the governing board accepted [...]
King County Regional Homelessness Authority CEO Resigns
King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) CEO Dr. Kelly Kinnison submitted her resignation today after only two years on the job. The announcement comes as the beleaguered agency is in the process of being partially dismantled. In a press release, the KCRHA governing board said Kinnison’s departure reflects the organization’s changes in “mission, purpose, and […]
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