King County committee acknowledges 2024 Health Through Housing annual report; members press on finances and unit openings

The King County Regional Policy Committee voted to acknowledge the 2024 Health Through Housing annual report on Aug. 20, 2025, advancing the report to the Health, Housing and Human Services Committee for further consideration.

The report is part of the Health Through Housing initiative established by a one‑tenth‑of‑one‑percent sales tax and guided by the implementation plan adopted in December 2021. Olivia Bridal, council policy staff, said the transmitted annual report and online dashboard comply with the reporting requirements in ordinance 19,366.

Sonari Marshall, director of the Housing and Community Development Division at the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS), introduced Jelani Jackson, the initiative’s manager, who presented outcomes and financials. Jackson said the initiative’s portfolio showed high retention and occupancy: “We’re proud to report that 95% of those who are in permanent supportive housing have maintained their housing,” and overall portfolio occupancy was reported at about 96% at the time of the briefing.

Jackson summarized health outcomes from the initiative’s internal analysis: one year after moving into Health Through Housing units, residents showed a 17% decrease in emergency‑department utilization and a 33% decrease in bed days of care. The presentation cautioned the results “require additional study,” while noting those decreases point toward reduced acute care use when people move into stable housing.

DCHS reported unit counts and pipelines: 954 units were open as of the 2024 report, 480 units were in progress, and staff said about 305 of the in‑progress units were expected to open by the end of 2025. Staff said they are undertaking capital work across the portfolio and expect capital costs per unit to rise in 2025 as several projects complete.

Members asked detailed budget and operational questions. Council member Dave Dembowski, serving as budget chair, said the revenue projections in the presentation looked lower than typical county sales‑tax yields for one‑tenth of a penny and asked staff to clarify the difference. Kelly Reiter, director of the county’s Department of Community and Payment Services, explained that some cities adopted the Health Through Housing sales tax locally and retain a portion of collections, so the countywide figure in the presentation was lower than a full countywide tenth‑of‑a‑penny figure.

Mayor Bacchus and other city officials urged continued early collaboration with cities and asked for assurance that operating funding for existing units will be preserved if sales‑tax revenues fall short of earlier estimates. Sonari Marshall said the implementation plan directs the initiative to preserve existing housing: the county will “tread lightly” on further expansion until capital needs are fully documented and operating needs are secured.

Mayor Bacchus moved the motion (Proposed Motion 2025‑0175) to acknowledge receipt of the 2024 annual report. The clerk’s roll call recorded 10 ayes, no noes; the committee approved the motion and will forward the item to the Health, Housing and Human Services Committee.

Committee members requested follow‑up: an exact count of units owned but not expected to be open by the end of 2025, and updated capital cost estimates. Staff agreed to provide precise follow‑up numbers and to return with additional detail on capital needs and timing.