$13M missing: Seattle leaders consider next steps after shocking homelessness audit

Key Points:

• A forensic evaluation of the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) revealed significant financial mismanagement, including millions of dollars in unaccounted public funds and operational failures since its inception through mid-2025.
• Seattle Councilmember Maritza Rivera called for dismantling the agency, citing egregious mismanagement and a history of dysfunction, and urged Mayor Katie Wilson to develop a plan for moving forward on homelessness.
• The audit found KCRHA unable to account for about $13 million, with a separate report noting a negative cash position of $44.7 million and approximately $8 million unaccounted for as of July 2025.
• King County and Seattle officials, including Mayor Wilson and County Executive Girmay Zahilay, expressed serious concerns and emphasized the need for swift corrective actions, increased oversight, and improved transparency to protect public funds.
• Councilmember Bob Kettle highlighted systemic leadership failures at KCRHA and called for renewed financial oversight and operational transparency while maintaining a unified regional approach to address homelessness effectively.