Redmond accepts $6,000 King County Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy award for homeless flex funding

The Committee of the Whole on Sept. 2 heard that Redmond’s Human Services department was awarded a one‑time $6,000 allocation from the King County Veterans, Seniors and Human Services Levy (VSHL) for 2025 to support case management and expand flexible assistance for people experiencing homelessness and housing insecurity.

Tiza Rutherford and Brooke Buckingham explained the funding will expand the homeless outreach program’s flex fund to help low‑income clients with expenses not typically covered by local charities, citing car repairs and move‑in assistance as primary uses. Buckingham said the city’s existing flex fund is budgeted at about $10,000 per year and that staff try to conserve those funds by exploring all other options before disbursing them.

Council member Fields asked whether the award could be recurring; staff said they do not believe the VSHL award can be granted more than once and that the program tends to prioritize new applicants. The committee recorded no objections to placing the grant acceptance on the Sept. 16 consent agenda.