King County

Seattle and King County have announced significant changes to their homeless service system. The region’s homelessness agency, established in 2019, will now manage only federal funds after gradually losing oversight responsibilities.

King County has implemented a burn ban due to dry weather. This follows a statewide drought emergency declared in April, marking the fourth consecutive year of such a declaration.

A judge denied Seattle Public Schools' request for a new trial after a King County jury awarded $8 million to a former middle-school student who was hit by his teacher.

King County reported a 9% increase in homelessness since 2024. The survey also revealed that 64% of the homeless population resides outside shelters.

Charges against King County Assessor John Wilson have been dismissed, according to court records. The dismissal cites the victim, his ex-fiancée, no longer wishing to cooperate.

King and Pierce counties have opened cooling sites to assist unhoused individuals as temperatures near 90 degrees. The regional homelessness authority activated its severe weather response to address the heat.

New census data reveals King County's least air-conditioned neighborhood is in Seattle, while the most air-conditioned is on the Eastside, according to FYI Guy.

King County Executive Girmay Zahilay is advocating for increased childcare funding, improved bus service, and housing initiatives. He highlighted that the county is undergoing significant change with decisions that could impact future generations.

The Seattle City Council will vote on a one-year moratorium on new data centers, supported by current Amazon employees, amid concerns over water consumption, electricity prices, and noise from companies proposing five large-scale centers in the city.

New HUD rules could jeopardize $26 million of King County's homelessness funding. Advocates argue that homelessness has risen not due to Housing First policies but because these policies have not been sufficiently scaled in Seattle.

Adan Hernandez-Mayoral made racist remarks on a King County bus and repeatedly stabbed a Black woman after she tried to exit. The incident led to his sentencing for the racist attack.

Seattle faces escalating homelessness and open-air drug use under socialist Mayor Katie Wilson's administration, with advocates like Andrea Suarez of We Heart Seattle reporting severe public space contamination and overdose incidents. King County provides harm reduction resources, including free drug paraphernalia and naloxone, while critics highlight rising crime and public health crises.