King County Executive Girmay Zahilay's Breaking the Cycle shelter and housing target, now backed by a proposed budget package before the County Council.
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay transmitted a $746 million supplemental budget to the County Council on September 24, amending the 2026-2027 budget adopted last November. It carries the $19.5 million package for 612 shelter and affordable-housing units announced September 21, $4.4 million to extend the Salvation Army SODO Shelter lease through 2027 (over 200 beds), and $4.2 million for contract and audit oversight in the Department of Community and Human Services. The release said the General Fund faces a $120 million shortfall in 2028-2029 and that the proposal includes $15.4 million in General Fund savings.
Council Budget Chair Rod Dembowski said the council intends to adopt the budget before Thanksgiving.
King County Executive Girmay Zahilay sent the County Council a proposed $19.5 million shelter and affordable housing package his office said would create 612 units, including $5 million for an 80-unit tiny home village in Seattle's Central District, $2.4 million to keep Mary's Place's 140-unit family shelter open, and $1.8 million for 100 units of veterans housing in Kirkland. He also announced a partnership in which the county and the Schultz Family Foundation would each commit $10 million over three years for 92 units of youth-designated shelter and transitional housing. The county said approximately 1,000 youth and young adults are experiencing homelessness in King County.
Zahilay committed in March 2026 to advancing 500 units of shelter and housing in 500 days under his Breaking the Cycle initiative; the county says its Housing Finance Program pipeline is expected to deliver 3,205 affordable homes between 2026 and 2029.