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Kirkland expands in‑house administration of Kirkland Cares program after first year; 461 households served
Summary
Council received a status report on Kirkland Cares, the city's low‑income support program. In 2024 the program verified 461 households and delivered over $245,000 in direct financial support; city staff are continuing administration after an initial contractor period and recommended outreach and interagency coordination as the program matures.
Kirkland staff on March 18 briefed the City Council on year‑one outcomes from Kirkland Cares, the city’s low‑income support program, and described the transition from an outside administrator to city operation and a plan for administering the program through the 2025–26 biennium.
Mike Olson, Director of Finance and Administration, and Andrea Peterman, Senior Financial Analyst, reported that 461 households were verified for assistance in 2024 and that the city provided more than $245,000 in support across discounts and rebates. “Four hundred fifty households were verified by Forward [the initial third‑party administrator], and the city verified an additional 11 after we took operations in house,” Olson said.
The program’s largest expenditures were direct utility discounts (treated as reduced city revenue) and rebates for multifamily residents who pay utilities through rent. Staff noted neighborhood concentrations of participation — higher participation in Totem Lake, Juanita and Kingsgate census…
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