The King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA), formed jointly by Seattle and King County in 2019, coordinates encampment outreach, sanitation, and resolution. Cleanups follow protocols requiring advance notice, belongings storage, and shelter offers.
KCRHA's encampment resolution protocols require posted notice at least 72 hours in advance, on-site outreach to offer shelter or housing referrals, individualized storage of belongings for at least 60 days, and post-resolution sanitation. Unincorporated King County encampments in parks and rights-of-way fall under county Parks and Roads departments, which contract with KCRHA outreach teams. Seattle Parks and the Unified Care Team handle city-property removals using comparable protocols. Federal Ninth Circuit precedent under Martin v. Boise and Johnson v. Grants Pass limits removal when shelter beds are unavailable; KCRHA tracks bed availability daily to maintain compliance.
Encampment cleanups conducted without 72 hours notice, without an offered shelter referral, or without proper belongings storage may be enjoined by a federal civil rights suit and trigger compensable property loss claims against the responsible jurisdiction.
King County, WA
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King County, WA
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King County, WA
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King County, WA
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King County, WA
Unincorporated King County requires private swimming pools to be enclosed by a barrier at least five feet high under K.C.C. 16.70.020, with self-closing/self...
King County, WA
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See how King County's encampment sanitation rules stack up against other locations.
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