Title

AN ORDINANCE relating to the best starts for kids youth and family homelessness prevention initiative implementation plan.

Body

STATEMENT OF FACTS:

A.  Ordinance 18088 submitted to the voters of King County a proposition known as the "best starts for kids levy," authorizing a regular property tax levy in excess of the levy limitation for six consecutive years, commencing in 2016, at a rate not to exceed fourteen cents per one thousand dollars of assessed value in the first year and with an increase of up to three percent in the five succeeding years, for the purpose of funding prevention and early intervention strategies to improve the health and well-being of children, youth and their communities.

B.  The levy included nineteen million dollars to plan, provide and administer a youth and family homelessness prevention initiative.

C.  Ordinance 18088 also directed the executive to submit to the metropolitan King County council for review and approval an implementation plan relating to the youth and family homelessness prevention initiative by March 1, 2016, which, to the maximum extent possible, shall be developed in collaboration with the oversight and advisory board.

D.  The oversight and advisory board, referred to in this statement of facts as the children and youth advisory board, under the guidance of the department of community and human services, provided input on the development of the implementation plan, which is Attachment A to this ordinance.  Before that input, the executive convened a planning group of citizens and stakeholders, several of whom are members of the children and youth advisory board, to help shape the plan.

E.  The growing homelessness crisis shows the need for this youth and family homelessness prevention initiative.  During the 2016 annual One Night Count of people who are experiencing homelessness, which was held on January 29, 2016, four thousand five hundred five people were unsheltered. 

F.  Executive Constantine declared a state of emergency for homelessness on November 2, 2015.

G.  The Homeless Management Information System, the database of people accessing homeless services and housing, shows that fifty percent of all people accessing homeless services are homeless for the first time.  For 2014, the most recent year for which detailed data are available, forty-six percent of families accessing homeless services were homeless for the first time and sixty-four percent of homeless youth were homeless for the first time.

H.  The data in the Homeless Management Information System also show that people of color and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and queer ("LGBTQ") youth are also disproportionately represented in the homeless youth population.  Young people of color make up fifty to sixty percent of the homeless youth population, although people of color make up only twenty-nine percent of King County's overall population.  At least twenty percent of the youth accessing homeless services identify as LGBTQ, while only four percent of Washington's general population identify as LGBTQ.

I.  The Homeless Management Information System data showed that for newly homeless families, of those who report their race or ethnicity, thirty-one percent report that they are white and forty-seven percent report that they are black or African American.  The remaining twenty-two percent report another ethnic or racial group, with the largest group reporting multiple races or ethnic groups.

J.  The services outlined in the youth and family homelessness prevention initiative implementation plan will provide services to youth and families before they become homeless through client-centered, outcomes-focused case management and flexible financial assistance.

K.  The services identified in the implementation plan will address the disproportionality in race, ethnicity and LGBTQ orientation in people who are newly homeless by allocating funds to provider organizations and agencies that will easily be able to identify families and individuals who are at imminent risk of homelessness.

L.  In 2010, Ordinance 16948 transformed the county's work on equity and social justice in order to achieve equitable opportunities for all people and communities.  The services identified in the implementation plan are intended to meet the goals of King County's Equity and Social Justice Plan.

                     BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:

                     SECTION 1.  For the purposes of this ordinance, "youth and family homelessness prevention initiative" means an initiative intended to prevent and divert children and youth and their families from becoming homeless.

                     SECTION 2.  The family and youth homelessness prevention initiative implementation plan, Attachment A to this ordinance, is hereby approved.

                     SECTION 3.  One year from the effective date of this ordinance, the executive shall submit to metropolitan King County council a report describing the people served and outcomes of the youth and family homelessness prevention initiative.  Thereafter, the executive shall include reporting for the youth and family homelessness prevention initiative in any annual report for the entire best starts for kids levy ordinance.  Any report required by this section shall be filed in the form of a paper original and an

electronic copy with the clerk of the council, who shall retain the original and provide an electronic copy to all councilmembers.