Beginning in mid-November, a team of King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) volunteers, led by Leon Richardson, Adult Services Division Director, coordinated with the pastor at Riverton Park United Methodist Church in Tukwila to relocate 24 people seeking asylum from an encampment into eight rooms at a hotel in the area, with priority given to pregnant people and families with young children. Since that initial move, King County contracted with Thrive International to move more people into hotel rooms.
As of today, all rooms are occupied and more than 350 people have a temporary place to stay. Thrive International is overseeing any transitions and future moves through June.
King County’s actions are important but unsustainable. In December, the King County Council, in partnership with Governor Inslee, approved $3 million for the project, the first government designated housing resource to assist people at this site. King County moved forward with providing shelter for these asylees to address the significant health, safety, and other risks to these individuals. As part of this investment, King County made clear that a State-led, State-funded, longer-term response is needed in partnership with the federal government.
King County is committed to interim support through June when the State can step in. Governor Inslee’s supplemental budget includes increased investments for programs that support refugees and asylum seekers, and King County supports those efforts. At this time, King County has allocated the full $3 million available for this purpose.
Just as we have seen in jurisdictions across the country, more investments are needed to respond to the growing needs of asylees coming to the United States. King County urges State and Federal lawmakers to increase resources to support asylum seekers and others with greater access to safe, stable shelter, and housing options.