Introduction to the King County Regional Homelessness Authority & Efforts in East King County

Sep 11, 2023 6:40 PM

Mallory Van Abbema of King County Homeless Author.

Established in 2019 and moving into administrative start-up just as the COVID-19 pandemic set-in, King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA) has been charged with unifying King County’s response to the homelessness crisis. With the development of new data tools, implementation of innovative approaches, full leveraging of resources, and commitment to centering the voices of those who hold lived/living experiences of homelessness, KCRHA seeks to transform the homelessness response system to ensure all who seek support are connected with the services that best suit their needs and provide a path to housing stability.

Partnership in this effort is essential: Working alongside people with lived experience, service providers, advocates, government partners, faith-based organizations, and the community at large, KCRHA is focused on delivering tangible solutions to address the current state of homelessness in King County. Rotarians may wish to view several elements of background information in advance of the program presentation: About KCRHA; Five Year Strategic Plan; Regional Services Database; Severe Weather Landing Page; and Data Dashboards.

Mallory Van Abbema, MSW, has served as the East King County Subregional Planning Specialist at KCRHA since January of 2022. In this role, she is responsible for shepherding the development and implementation of a tailored action plan to bolster the strengths and address the challenges within the East King County Homelessness Response network. A social worker by training, Mallory has spent nearly ten years working on systems change to address poverty, affordable housing, and homelessness at the local, state, and federal levels.