Dear We Are In community,

Today, We Are In partner Marc Dones announced their resignation from their position as the inaugural CEO of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCHRA). We are deeply grateful to Marc for the energy, vision, and heart that they brought to the movement to prevent and end homelessness in our region.

Under Marc’s leadership, the KCRHA moved from a concept established by King County and the City of Seattle, with strong support from We Are In, in the Regional Action Framework on Homelessness to a tremendously impactful organization leading coordinating, funding, and policy for homeless response services in King County. The KCRHA was formed to end decades of fragmentation in the homeless response system, with the ultimate goal of ending homelessness for all. In the two years Marc has led the KCRHA, we’ve seen tremendous progress in these efforts. Dones’ leadership has made a lasting impact on KCRHA and the homeless services community in King County by:

– Successfully moving more than 5,600 individuals, couples, youth, and families experiencing homelessness into permanent housing.

– Distributing President Biden’s Emergency Housing Vouchers at twice the rate of the national average.

– Launching Partnership for Zero and establishing the Housing Command Center to streamline the critical services needed to move people into emergency shelter and housing in Downtown Seattle.

– Giving folks with lived experience of homelessness a seat at every decision-making table, improving our outreach and data collection, and unifying what was a previously fragmented response system.

– Diligently reframing narratives about homelessness to focus on root causes and decades of systemic policy choices, while promoting hope that we can make different policy choices to get different outcomes.

This work is far from done, but Marc leaves KCRHA in a strong position to continue its critical work. We look forward to working with interim CEO Helen Howell as KCRHA moves to hire a new permanent CEO worthy of the community the KCRHA serves. Helen Howell has served as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of KCRHA since September 2021. Prior to that position, she held senior leadership positions at the City of Seattle’s Human Services Department, King County Housing Authority, Building Changes, and the Pierce County Human Services Department.

We wish Marc the absolute best in all of their future plans and endeavors, and are excited for the path ahead for KCRHA.

Onward,
Felicia Salcedo

VOTE YES ON PROP 1

By: Erik Houser, Managing Director of External Affairs

Too many in our community are in need of better mental health and addiction care than our current behavioral health system provides. This is a county-wide challenge that impacts us all, especially the most vulnerable among us, which includes our neighbors experiencing homelessness. 

On April 25th, we have the opportunity to vote YES on King County’s Proposition 1, known as the Crisis Care Centers Levy, which will vastly improve and increase our system’s capacities to meet the needs of our neighbors in crisis. 

It’s clear that the time is now for bold and decisive action to ensure a thriving, safe, and healthy community for all. We Are In is excited to join a broad coalition of labor unions, health care providers, businesses, and community organizers in support of  Prop 1. The proposed behavioral health package will create five new regional crisis care centers, preserve and restore the loss of residential treatment beds, and grow our behavioral health workforce pipeline.

Right now, there aren’t enough treatment facilities to help our neighbors in need of mental and behavioral health as well as substance use service. Our region has no walk-in behavioral health urgent care facilities and only one limited-capacity behavioral health crisis facility. With only one crisis center throughout the entire region — which requires a referral to access — the most vulnerable in our communities have been lacking support for far too long.

Improving our behavioral health services is also an essential component of preventing and ending homelessness in our region. In King County, 31% of the population experiencing homelessness has a mental health disorder, but when services aren’t accessible, the cycle of homelessness is only perpetuated. We know that tackling the crisis of homelessness requires not only more affordable places to live, but also greater investment in the services that will keep individuals healthy and stable, and support them as they reintegrate into the community. Expanding access to behavioral health care in our region will help people exit homelessness AND prevent people from falling into homelessness in the first place.

Later this month, we all have the opportunity to stand up for our most vulnerable neighbors and push for an effective, accessible, and equitable behavioral health system — and our whole community stands to benefit. On April 25th, vote to invest in our community’s health and wellbeing. Vote YES on Prop 1. 

How can I vote in the April 2023 Special Election?

Ballot Drop Box (No stamp required.)

Ballot drop boxes are available 24/7 until 8 PM on Election Day, April 25. 

Learn more and find the closest ballot drop box near you HERE.  

By Mail (No stamp required.)

You may return your ballot through the U.S. Postal Service as well! 

Make sure your ballot is postmarked by Election Day, April 25. 

Need assistance registering to vote, updating your records or completing your ballot? Find a voting center near you HERE. 

How can I volunteer to support Proposition 1?

If you’re interested in phone- or text banking or even some door knocking, please fill out THIS FORM, and we will be in touch with you about how you can help!

We Are In is a community coalition of King County unhoused and housed neighbors, local advocacy organizations and philanthropies, service providers, and businesses who are uniting to end homelessness and create more affordable homes in King County. This is the first in a series of posts that will introduce you to some of our partners and members. First up: Symetra Financial. 

Symetra, a key partner of We Are In, is an insurance company headquartered in Bellevue with a strong commitment to social impact. Read our Q&A with Beth Osborne, Symetra’s Director of Local Public Affairs, below. 

Q&A with Symetra Financial

In February 2022, Symetra and other private partners announced their commitment to support Partnership for Zero, a public-private collaboration to dramatically reduce unsheltered homelessness in targeted areas of King County, starting with Downtown Seattle and the Chinatown/International District. Partnership for Zero is showing us what is possible when private capital aligns with a new model of government strategy, allowing us to catalyze much-needed infrastructure and systems change.

What led Symetra to join Partnership for Zero? What felt different about this initiative? 

Addressing housing affordability and homelessness is a core focus of Symetra Empowers Communities, a program that specifically works to reduce barriers and improve outcomes for underserved women, youth and BIPOC communities. That is what led us to join We Are In, a community coalition of local advocacy organizations, service providers, businesses and philanthropies working to end homelessness and build more affordable homes in King County. Partnership for Zero stands out because it prioritizes the needs of people with lived experience and unites a broad group of stakeholders – from community, government, philanthropy, advocates and businesses – on a common goal to house individuals experiencing chronic homelessness in downtown Seattle.

Can you speak more about the role that you believe Symetra and other private sector actors play in our region’s efforts to create more affordable housing? Why is private sector involvement key?

As a company committed to our people and our communities, Symetra believes that we can influence and drive meaningful, positive social change. We combine our support through nonprofit giving, advocacy, employee engagement, and partnerships. On a broad and challenging issue like affordable housing, we believe our efforts are most impactful when we work together with aligned community members, nonprofit partners and businesses. 

What would you say to peer companies who are looking to make a difference in this area? Why should they act and what should they do? 

All companies – small, medium and big – have a role to play, especially when it comes to working together. This issue is essential to the health and vitality of our region, not just from a community perspective, but also from a business perspective.  Businesses thrive in healthy communities that feel welcoming and safe to employees, visitors and all community members. The quality of life in Washington state helps attract and retain the best talent in our small businesses and companies. Through funding, advocacy or both, companies can make a difference by joining coalitions or supporting nonprofits that align with their values.

Why is Symetra committed to ending homelessness and the affordable housing crisis in our region?

Our vision is to create a world where more people have access to financial freedom. Historically, it has been systems that have created barriers that ultimately lead to homelessness. We believe a concerted effort to increase affordable housing and end our homelessness crisis will drive the long-term change needed to improve outcomes for women, youth, and students from underserved BIPOC communities.

Solving homelessness is consistently the most important issue for people in King County. This sense of urgency and concern can drive much-needed change –– and the path forward is clear: more affordable, permanent housing and genuine care for people experiencing homelessness. The people most impacted by homelessness are our most critical partners in this work, yet they are often shamed and scapegoated for the very existence of homelessness in our communities. The fight to end homelessness can’t be just about home values, or election victories, or cleaning up our streets –– it has to be about supporting the most vulnerable among us and ensuring a better future for us all by rooting out the structural conditions that allow people to become homeless in King County.

As an op-ed in the Washington Post aptly put it: “smart policy on homelessness requires empathy.”

Often, we talk about homelessness –– and the urgent need to act –– not because our neighbors’ lives and dignity depend on it, but because voters are fed up. Many find it easier to blame individuals experiencing homelessness, acting as though it is a choice, rather than being honest about the fact that the causes are structural (e.g. structural racism, housing market conditions). And media coverage of the issue often focuses more on political infighting among those with the power to make a difference, instead of staying focused on the people and issues for which they’re fighting.

None of that will truly move the needle on this issue. What we need is radical empathy and love for our neighbors –– that is what will fuel the bold change we need to see.

As I was reading that op-ed, I was reflecting on the meaning and purpose of our organization, We Are In. “We” are a community coalition of King County’s unhoused and housed neighbors, advocates, philanthropies, service providers, and businesses, all united in the fight to create more affordable homes and end homelessness in our region. We believe in our shared responsibility and opportunity to support our neighbors and build a stronger, safer community for everyone. 

We Are In’s work consists of advocacy, education, and sourcing capital for effective solutions –– we’re also cultivating the empathy and compassion that will continue to drive this movement forward by:  

• Uplifting the voices, stories, and leadership of folks with the lived experience of homelessness. Empathy is about learning and understanding the experiences of others. We need to listen to those most impacted and challenge ourselves to think about homelessness from their perspective, not ours. 
• Changing the narrative around homelessness and housing so that we’re centering the people most impacted, amplifying progress, and remaining focused on the why: getting everyone in our community into safe, stable, and dignified housing. 
• Encouraging folks to get involved in the community and connecting them to opportunities to support our neighbors. We Are In is about taking action, together. We all have a role to play in ending homelessness in our region, and it starts with simple acts of kindness and service. We always share ways to get involved in our newsletter (sign up here) –– if you’re looking to give, check out this article detailing what homeless service providers could use in King County or you can volunteer your time. 

Importantly, our collective sense of urgency and care is already driving real progress. Over the past two years, our region centralized the funds and strategy for addressing homelessness through an innovative, independent agency: The King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA). 

The KCRHA, with support from We Are In’s coalition of business and philanthropic partners, launched Partnership for Zero (PFZ), a public-private collaboration to dramatically reduce unsheltered homelessness in targeted areas of King County, starting with Downtown Seattle and the Chinatown/International District. As part of PFZ’s approach, formerly homeless outreach workers, known as System Advocates, are currently helping to secure long-term, stable housing for every person living outside in these areas. 

And in June, King County’s Health Through Housing Initiative opened its fifth site in Northgate. With this new site, the initiative has now created nearly 500 available units, bringing us one step closer to getting all of our region’s unhoused residents inside and connected to the services they need to thrive. 

We will continue to build on this progress, not only by increasing our stock of available, affordable housing, but also by inspiring others to act with empathy –– we can all be part of the solution.

GOVERNMENT LEADERS

King County Executive Dow Constantine: “King County is excited to join leaders from across the public and private sectors to work together to tackle the homelessness crisis, help those who are suffering, and put our region back together,” said King County Executive Constantine. “I am looking forward to seeing this initiative take hold, and to working with the Regional Authority and our partners to meet and ultimately end this crisis. Unsheltered homelessness in inhumane, unacceptable, and must be solved, here in Downtown Seattle, and across our region.”

Mayor of Seattle Bruce Harrell: “By uniting government and philanthropic, business, and civic organizations and leaders – not just to marshal resources – but to substantively act on our shared values and commitment to change, Partnership for Zero represents real collaboration and a vital step in addressing the homelessness crisis. The work ahead is by no means easy, but this is the kind of cooperation envisioned in the creation of the Regional Homelessness Authority and in my calls for public-private-philanthropic teamwork. Helping people experiencing homelessness get off the streets of downtown Seattle and into housing with services is an essential priority for my administration; Partnership for Zero is a bold plan of action to make progress possible – and permanent.”

Marc Dones, CEO of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority: “Solving homelessness, especially chronic homelessness, is not an easy task; the problems we are trying to solve reached this level because of years of inattention and underfunding. It requires time and focus to do it right — peoples’ lives depend on it — and this partnership is designed to work in a different way than what has been done before. Our “public-private partnership” is more than just an infusion of private dollars –– it’s about recognizing that homelessness is a whole of community issue that requires a whole of community response. This is about bringing our entire community together, centering the voices of people with lived experience, and moving away from analysis and towards action.”

Seattle City Councilmember Andrew Lewis: “This innovative new initiative from the King County Regional Homelessness Authority centralizes the leadership of lived experience and partnership with the public and private sectors to make long overdue progress on homelessness Downtown.”

Seattle City Councilmember Sara Nelson: “We’ve heard clearly that our neighbors, both housed and unhoused, have been frustrated with previous efforts and are ready to do what it takes to make a difference that is clear, caring, and effective. Together with KCRHA, we will use best practices and take the time to do this right.”

Former Governor Christine Gregoire, CEO of Challenge Seattle: “Public-private partnerships are how we led the nation during COVID-19, and together, we must embark upon a new partnership to address chronic homelessness. With a plan based on proven strategies by the Regional Homelessness Authority paired with new investments for emergency housing and services at the state level, we can make progress on this complex crisis.”

PHILANTHROPY AND NONPROFIT LEADERS

Connie Ballmer, Co-Founder of Ballmer Group Philanthropy, lead funder of Partnership for Zero: “The King County Regional Homelessness Authority is an incredible asset to our region, helping to design a stronger, more coordinated county-wide response to a humanitarian crisis. We and the philanthropic community are pleased to be able to provide bridge funding to support the Authority to quickly launch Partnership for Zero, a proven approach to substantially reduce homelessness.”

LaMont Green, Chair of the Washington State Lived Experience Coalition: “With Partnership for Zero, we are building a homeless response system that is co-architected by those most impacted. This human-centered approach to homelessness treats people experiencing homelessness as people, meets them where they are, and gets them the resources they need. By coming together to build a more empathetic approach to homelessness, we can make a transformative difference for our communities that leans into our vision for a racially and socially just King County.”

Derrick Belgarde, Executive Director of Chief Seattle Club: “We Are In and KCRHA are taking an important step forward, one that many providers like Chief Seattle Club have been advocating for since this crisis began. Paying individuals with lived experiences a living wage in our region has been difficult with the stigmatization of currently and formerly homeless individuals. We are excited that this partnership is modeling a new industry standard, and we hope that this step influences all funders and policy makers to follow-suit.”

Sonya Campion, President of the Campion Foundation: “As a region, we must apply what makes us a dynamic community – our innovation, big visions, hunger for equity, and an all-hands-on deck approach – to solving the unacceptable crisis of homelessness. We can and will do this. Partnership for Zero is an unprecedented collaboration between government, philanthropy, business, nonprofits, and people with lived experience of homelessness. Together, we will create a response system that works. I encourage everyone to join us.” 

Sheri Schultz, Co-Founder of the Schultz Family Foundation: “Chronic homelessness is a crisis in our community that can only be solved if we all come together. Government, businesses, philanthropy, service providers and every day citizens must adopt an emergency mindset to address the urgent needs of our unhoused neighbors. Everyone deserves access to critical services. No one should have to sleep outside. If we want our city to change, it’s time to take action.”

Jane Broom, Senior Director of Microsoft Philanthropies: “Partnership for Zero is a critical step for our region to address the homelessness crisis as the emergency that it is.  Microsoft has been working alongside the King County Regional Homelessness Authority and We Are In to support this collective effort. This is our region’s opportunity to ensure that everyone in our community has not just a roof over their head, but a place they can call home.”

Amy Carter, Community Engagement Director of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: “Every person deserves a place to call home and build their life. This new Partnership offers the people, resources, and solutions needed to make this a reality for the people of King County. We join this effort with optimism about what’s possible when we take action against homelessness together.” 

Dennis Quirin, Executive Director of the Raikes Foundation: “Partnership for Zero is about seeing the humanity—the pain, the suffering, but also the spirit and potential—of our unhoused neighbors. This unprecedented coalition, led by the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, We Are In, and, most importantly, people with lived experience with homelessness, represents a different path forward for our community and an opportunity for real change. We’re taking brave steps together to make our community one where everyone has a safe place to call home.” 

Gordon McHenry, Jr., President & CEO of United Way of King County: “Housing is a basic human need and right. We can’t have an equitable recovery from the pandemic without helping our most vulnerable neighbors access the housing resources they need.  United Way is excited to see this collaboration from the public and private sector and eager to bring our neighbors inside.” 

BUSINESS LEADERS

Michelle Seitz, Chairman and CEO of Russell Investments and Co-Chair of Challenge Seattle: “The past two years have provided unprecedented opportunities to build bridges between businesses, government, and the communities we serve. Washington has been Russell Investments’ home for 85 years. We live here, we work here, we raise our families here, and we want a healthy community for all. Working side-by-side with the Partnership for Zero coalition, I believe we can create a better future for everyone and help lift up those who so desperately need our help.”

Camille Hymes, Vice President of Community Impact, Starbucks: “For 50 years, Starbucks has worked with our neighbors and partners (employees) in Seattle to strengthen and uplift our hometown community. Chronic homelessness is the most pressing issue facing our community today, and we’re proud to be a part of Partnership for Zero through the We Are In coalition to advance solutions that address this major issue and help eliminate chronic homelessness in King County.”

Alice Shobe, Global Director of Amazon in the Community: “Amazon is pleased to support Partnership for Zero as it works to bring together local government, non-profit organizations, and businesses to continue to address the homeless crisis with urgency and compassion.”

Erik Nordstrom, Chief Executive Officer of Nordstrom: “It has long been our aim to support the communities where we serve. We have been proud to call Seattle our home for more than 120 years and believe that all residents deserve a safe and stable place to reside.”

Margaret Meister, CEO, Symetra Financial: “Homelessness and a lack of affordable housing are a crisis in nearly every major city in America. As an organization and We Are In member, Symetra wholeheartedly supports policies and initiatives that help provide individuals and families with safe, affordable places to live while addressing the variety of root cause barriers that contribute to chronic homelessness. The Partnership for Zero offers all of us, working together, a meaningful opportunity to take a critical step forward on defining issue for our region.”

Rachel Smith, President & CEO of the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce: “The Seattle Metro Chamber welcomes this important turning point in our region’s approach to helping people experiencing homelessness come inside. Led by the King County Regional Homelessness Authority and We Are In, Partnership for Zero demonstrates how our region can listen to the experts, focus and coordinate resources, and develop infrastructure that urgently addresses unsheltered homelessness. It is a demonstration of something we have known for a long time –– when we work in coalition and in common purpose, we can make real change. I’m proud to see the historic investment from business and philanthropy that has made it possible for our region to take this innovative, unified approach today.”

Jon Scholes, President & CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association: “In Seattle, we get the best results when the private and public sectors work together. There’s no bigger issue in our city today than the crisis of homelessness, and the greatest concentration of people experiencing homelessness is downtown,” said Downtown Seattle Association President & CEO Jon Scholes. “This partnership will ensure the King County Regional Homelessness Authority has the resources needed to bring 800 individuals living un-housed in downtown off the streets and connect them to critical services. Not every community can come together like this and we’re grateful the Seattle business and philanthropic community is rising to the challenge in partnership with the city and county. This plan and strategy can be a game changer in how we address homelessness in the heart of Seattle.”

Our Partners

• Alaska Airlines
• Amazon
• Ballmer Group
• Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Boeing Commercial Airplanes
• Campion Foundation
• Costco
• Expedia Group
• Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center
• JP Morgan Chase, Pacific Northwest
• Kaiser Permanente Washington
• Madrona Venture Group
• Microsoft Philanthropies
• Nordstrom
• PATH
• Puget Sound Energy
• Raikes Foundation
• REI
• Russell Investments
• Schultz Family Foundation
• Seattle Foundation
• Starbucks
• Ste. Michelle Wine Estates
• Symetra
• T-Mobile
• Weyerhaeuser
• Zillow Group