Summary

The six-year Veterans, Seniors & Human Services levy renewal builds on previous funding and ensures a wide range of programming and resources for veterans, military service members, and their families, as well as individuals and families in need.

Story

King County Executive Dow Constantine today announced his proposal to renew the six-year Veterans, Seniors, and Human Services levy (VSHSL) that builds on the investments made over the past 18 years and ensures a wide range of programming.  Programming that helps people and families transition to affordable housing, get job training, find employment, access emergency financial assistance, obtain domestic violence advocacy, receive behavioral health treatment, and other resources and services. The proposed levy maintains the existing tax rate.

The first Veterans and Human Services Levy passed in 2005, and since renewed in 2017 with the addition of senior services,  has successfully served more than 27,000 veterans, servicemembers, and their families with fewer eligibility barriers than many federal programs. The funding reached more than 100,000 seniors through expanded senior programming, funded 675 bonuses focused on employee retention at 55 human services agencies, and launched DVHopeline, a countywide, 24-hour multi-lingual and multimodal domestic violence hotline that received 16,000 calls or texts and referred nearly 7,000 of those to additional support.

“For those who served our nation in the armed forces, and those that built our community into what it is today, this levy is the opportunity to ensure that no person is left behind in King County,” said Executive Constantine. “Together we can continue our investment into the 300 programs led by more than 150 community-based organizations – organizations that help ensure seniors have connection to community and veterans have a place to call home. This levy has helped more than 185,000 people in the last six years and I’m excited to see what it can do in the future.”

The Executive’s proposal, if approved by the King County Council, will appear on the August ballot. It maintains and expands current VSHSL programs that support veterans, seniors, and resilient communities.

Key programming includes:

• Build the nation’s strongest local veterans program: The levy sustains and expands innovative partnerships and programming, comprehensive case management, and behavioral health counseling for veterans and their families and caregivers. The levy has contributed to a reduction of 40 percent in veteran homelessness in the region and strives to further reduce veteran homelessness.
• Expand accessibility for seniors: The levy reinforces senior services that made a difference in the pandemic, strengthens and sustains senior center programming to provide social connection, and invests in green energy improvements like heat pumps, solar panels, and air filtration that help senior centers reduce their carbon footprint, cut utility bills, and provide refuge in extreme weather.
• Strengthen communities and build resiliency: The levy will help stabilize the human services workforce and invest in the people who help communities thrive. It will also double investments in prevention efforts and responses to survivors of gender-based violence.

“I can think of no one more deserving of our collective support than our veterans and our seniors. The VSHSL has provided critical services to veterans and seniors in my district including housing, mental health services, and employment training. I hope the public renews this vital resource so that those who have given so much to our country and region can continue to thrive,” said King County Councilmember Girmay Zahilay.

A proven track record of success

Since 2018, the levy has made major impacts for the people and communities it aims to serve:

Veterans

• Served more than 27,000 veterans, servicemembers, and their families with fewer eligibility barriers than many federal programs
• Contributed to a 40 percent reduction in veteran homelessness
• Provided more than 260 veterans, servicemembers, and family members with over 15,000 mental health counseling sessions
• Built 234 units of affordable housing for veterans and their families

Seniors

• Funded 39 senior centers across the county
• Served more than 100,000 seniors through expanded senior programming

Build Resiliency

• Launched DVHopeline, a countywide, 24-hour multi-lingual and multimodal domestic violence hotline, that received 16,000 calls or texts and referred nearly 7,000 of those callers to additional support
• Funded mobile advocacy services for more than 1,200 survivors of gender-based violence
• Helped build more than 1,000 units of affordable housing and 198 new shelter beds
• Funded 55 agencies with 675 bonuses to support workforce retention

Next Steps

The King County Council will review and deliberate on the Executive’s proposal and vote by May. If the ballot measure is approved for placement on the August ballot, detailed budget and implementation planning for the next VSHSL will follow. 

Relevant links

• VSHSL Overview
• VSHSL Visual Guide
• 2017 Renewal News Release
• VSHSL Assessment Report

Quotes

For those who served our nation in the armed forces, and those that built our community into what it is today, this levy is the opportunity to ensure that no person is left behind in King County. Together we can continue our investment into the 300 programs led by more than 150 community-based organizations – organizations that help ensure seniors have connection to community and veterans have a place to call home. This levy has helped more than 185,000 people in the last six years and I’m excited to see what it can do in the future.

I can think of no one more deserving of our collective support than our veterans and our seniors. The VSHSL has provided critical services to veterans and seniors in my district including housing, mental health services, and employment training. I hope the public renews this vital resource so that those who have given so much to our country and region can continue to thrive.

The partnership between King County Veterans Program (KCVP) and The Headstrong Project has provided access to trauma focused mental health care for local service members, veterans, and their families who have barriers to using traditional resources. The coordination by the team at KCVP and the integration of Headstrong's therapists with other community-level resources ensures that all service men and women in King County have equitable access to the mental health care they deserve.

Renewal of the VSHSL will allow our community to continue making good progress in supporting our military members and their families who are in need to long-term affordable and supportive housing. Many of these veterans have disabilities and low fixed incomes making it difficult to navigate King County's expensive and highly competitive rental market. The existing levy is a critical element with our community being able to house hundreds of King County veterans so they are able to move into stable housing.

We can celebrate and serve all seniors, and especially those of African American and African immigrant backgrounds that live in King County. King County funding and the partnership with the City of Seattle and an assortment of communities has allowed us to bloom in our Purpose and Mission to Infuses Warm Friendships, Healthy Activities, and Joyful Experiences into the Lives of Mature Adults.

The levy is a key source of funding for life-saving services for survivors of sexual and domestic violence. Demand for services has skyrocketed and the response network is stretched to the breaking point. If we want to be a community where help is available for the teen forced into prostitution, the child who has been sexually abused, the young queer person beaten for living their truth, or the mother and baby living in a car to escape a violent partner, we must invest more robustly in the people and organizations tasked with supporting them. We enthusiastically support the Veterans, Seniors & Human Services Levy.

For more information, contact:

Chase Gallagher, Executive Office, 206-263-8537