Serving Queen Anne & Magnolia Since 1919 www.QueenAnneNews.com
MAY 13, 2026
KCRHA Faces Scrutiny
VOL. 107, NO. 20
Local Teen Helps Fill Gap as Discovery Park Visitor Center Remains Closed
W
Staff Report
A
growing financial scandal at the King County Regional Homelessness Authority is raising new questions about who is responsible for overseeing shelters and homelessness services in Seattle neighborhoods. King County councilmembers are now weighing the future of the agency after a forensic evaluation found significant financial and operational failures, including an inability to account for more than $13 million in public funds. Councilmember Reagan Dunn has urged quick action on legislation to pull King County’s participation from KCRHA, calling the regional model ineffective and arguing that taxpayer dollars would be better managed directly by the county. The debate has moved beyond accounting. For residents living near shelters, tiny house villages, and encampment-heavy corridors, the central question is whether the agency charged with coordinating the region’s homelessness response is providing meaningful oversight of the programs it funds and administers. KCRHA states that it does not provide direct services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness, but says it does oversee the homelessness crisis response system and can direct people toward access points. That distinction has become increasingly important as elected officials question whether the authority has enough control, transparency, or accountability to continue managing the system.
FINANCIAL FAILURES PROMPT CALLS FOR DISSOLUTION
The current controversy follows a forensic evaluation of KCRHA’s finances and operations. According to King County Council materials, the report identified significant failures, including the inability to account for more than $13 million in public funds. Dunn and Councilmember Rod Dembowski have supported legislation to dissolve the agency’s current role.
“the report identified significant failures, including the inability to account for more than $13 million in public funds” Other councilmembers have taken a more measured approach, calling for a structured review before any final decision is made. A motion before the council would require additional reporting this summer on corrective actions, administrative funding gaps, and a decision framework for whether King County should continue, amend, or terminate its participation in the interlocal agreement governing KCRHA. Councilmembers Jorge Barón, Steffanie Fain, and Rod Dembowski have said the county must assess both the risks and impacts of any structural changes, including how contracts, federal funding, provider payments, and core homelessness system functions would be handled if KCRHA is dissolved or replaced.
SCANDAL, 5
ith Discovery Park entering its busiest season and the park’s visitor center still closed, a local high school student has stepped in to help visitors navigate Seattle’s largest park. Magnolia teen Jack Cheever began setting up a volunteer information table outside the shuttered Discovery Park Visitor Center on weekends after noticing that visitors had few resources available for directions, trail information, or basic questions about the park. What started as a small personal project has since grown into a broader volunteer effort involving Friends of Discovery Park members and students from local high schools. The Discovery Park Visitor Center has remained closed due to significant flooding caused by a broken water main in early 2025. The flooding damaged the building’s basement, including all mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) systems, which now require full replacement. Some interior restoration and drainage improvements are also needed. A feasibility study on the restoration strategies was conducted in summer 2025, and Seattle Parks and Recreation has decided to incorporate it into Decarbonization Package One, which is a bundled project. This will not only restore the facility but also fully decarbonize the building, supporting the City’s long-term sustainability and climate goals. According to Seattle Parks and Recreation repairs and decarbonization package could be completed by Summer of 2027. The closure has left many first-time visitors without an on-site source for maps, hiking recommendations, restroom information, or guidance about park rules during one of the busiest times of year. Discovery Park receives more than one million visitors annually. Cheever’s volunteer table now serves as an informal welcome station, helping visitors find trails, learn about the park, and navigate temporary changes caused by the closure.
BART CHEEVER
Staff Report
Jack Cheever orienting visitors to Discovery Park, with support from Friends of Discovery Park and Kuma Coffee. Among the most common questions are directions to the Loop Trail and the South Beach Trail leading to the West Point Lighthouse, two of the park’s most popular hikes. Volunteers also explain that lighthouse parking passes are currently unavailable because they were previously issued through the visitor center. However, parking at the beach level without a permit or ADA placard is not allowed and may result in citation or towing. According to organizers, the table has attracted visitors from across the country and around the world, reinforcing Discovery Park’s role as both a neighborhood resource and an international destination. The volunteer FAQ notes that Discovery Park has recorded more than 300 bird species over time, making it one of Seattle’s
best-known birdwatching locations. The project has also become an example of community-led support filling a temporary gap in public services. Seattle Parks and Recreation is reportedly working to restore some level of staffed visitor services this summer, potentially through a temporary outdoor tent operation while the building remains closed. In the meantime, organizers are continuing to recruit additional volunteers to help staff the information table on weekends. A volunteer sign-up sheet and FAQ guide have been created to make participation accessible even for people with limited familiarity with the park. For now, visitors arriving at Discovery Park may still find a friendly face waiting outside the closed visitor center - this time from the neighborhood itself.
Seattle Seeks Residents for New Transportation Funding Task Force
S
eattle residents have a new opportunity to weigh in on how the city pays for transportation infrastructure, including bridges, sidewalks, and street paving. The Seattle Department of Transportation is accepting applications for a new Transportation Funding Task Force, a public advisory group that will review transportation funding needs and recommend options for future city decisions. Applications are open through Sunday, May 31, at 11:59 p.m. The task force is intended to help the city identify funding strategies that are both sustainable and equitable, particularly for major infrastructure needs that residents identified during outreach for the Seattle Transportation Levy.
According to SDOT, community members raised concerns about the condition of Seattle’s bridges, the need for more and better sidewalks, and the ongoing cost of maintaining and paving busy streets. The new task force will build on that feedback by studying available funding tools, weighing tradeoffs, and considering how different options could affect neighborhoods across the city. The group’s recommendations will help inform future decisions by the mayor and Seattle City Council.
WHAT THE TASK FORCE WILL DO
Members of the Transportation Funding Task Force will review information about Seattle’s transportation
funding needs and explore policy options available to the city in the near term. The work will focus on practical questions: how Seattle can pay for streets, sidewalks, bridges, and other core infrastructure, and what funding approaches can move forward without requiring major changes at the state or federal level. Task force members will be asked to consider how different funding strategies could affect residents, businesses, and communities across Seattle. The group will ultimately develop recommendations for city leaders.
WHO SHOULD APPLY
SDOT says the city is looking for a task force with a broad range of viewpoints and experience.
Applicants do not need to be transportation experts. The city is encouraging people with lived experience, professional knowledge, neighborhood concerns, or interest in transportation funding to apply. That may include residents who use sidewalks and transit daily, people who live in areas with transportation challenges, nonprofit representatives, workers with construction or transportation experience, and those with backgrounds in finance, public policy, or community advocacy. The city is also looking for people who can work with others who may have different opinions and help develop shared recommendations.
TASK FORCE, 5