We Are In

Taking Action on Homelessness, Together

Rodgrigo Gouveia

We Are In Coalition Praises Regional Homelessness Authority CEO Announcement

We Are In Coalition Praises Regional Homelessness Authority CEO Announcement

We Are In, the campaign to solve homelessness in King County, celebrated today the hiring announcement of Regina Cannon as the inaugural CEO of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA).

We Are In and its numerous partners strongly supported the creation of the KCRHA in late 2019, and intend to work closely with the new agency, King County, the City of Seattle, and the Sound Cities Association on the long- and short-term plans to solve homelessness and build more affordable homes.

Founded around the same time as the KCRHA, We Are In is a coalition of nonprofits, philanthropies, businesses, the faith community, and people with personal experience of homelessness that will serve as an external advocate and partner to the KCRHA and other levels of government.

Statement from We Are In:

“Regina Cannon is a nationally respected leader in the fight to end homelessness, and her experience will be a significant benefit to the effort here in King County. Regina’s deep expertise on anti-poverty initiatives and the racial disproportionality of homelessness and housing instability will center equity as we seek to create communities where everyone can have safe and stable housing. We stand ready to collaborate with Regina Cannon and the King County Regional Homelessness Authority on the most important long-term issue facing our region.”

In 2020, many of We Are In’s partners released the Regional Action Framework, a roadmap forward for solving homelessness in our region. Read the Regional Action Framework here.

King County Budget Priorities: Homelessness and Policing

King County Budget Priorities: Homelessness and Policing

As Seattle Council continues to explore long-term and sustainable changes to Seattle Police Department’s funding in ways that make sense for local communities, here’s a look at how policing budgets in King County can be better spent.

We ask the police to take on too much.

911 calls commonly involve responding to homelessness – often from someone in crisis or in need of mental health support.

Across the country, people experiencing homelessness average more than 20 interactions with police over a 6 month period. The problem? Police aren’t equipped to help people who are in a behavioral health crisis.

Instead, once they arrive, the police call mental health professionals who are trained in de-escalation and crisis management. The end result? A wasteful and inefficient process that doesn’t work for anyone.

The good news is, we don’t have to look far for real solutions – they’re already in our own backyard. Seattle Police Department often calls DESC’s Mobile Crisis Team, which travels to the individual & provides the specific services they need.

Providing these kinds of services shouldn’t require a police referral. By reallocating some of our police budget to these outreach agencies, we can empower them to reach more people with the services they need. We all stand to benefit when homelessness response and outreach is put in the hands of trained professionals. This means:

👮Police are able to focus on crime
🙍People in crisis are met with help and compassion
💰Costs are lower for everyone

A better system for all is possible, but we can only get there if our budgets and priorities reflect our values.