King County's Homeless Jobs Program Shows Early Signs Of Success

KING COUNTY, WA — A new King County program that provides salary, transit and housing support to people experiencing homelessness is showing promise, and officials are looking to expand their crews to allow for three dozen seasonal positions.

Launched earlier this year, and funded as part of the county's pandemic recovery plan, the temporary positions with the King County Parks Beautification Crews pay between $20 and $25 an hour to do landscaping, trail building, construction and other maintenance at six regional parks:

• Five Mile Lake Park in South King County.
• White Center Heights Park.
• Marymoor Park in Redmond.
• Tolt-MacDonald Park and Campground in Carnation.
• Three Forks Natural Area along the Snoqualmie River in East King County.
• Ravensdale Park near Maple Valley.

King County Executive Dow Constantine toured the White Center location Wednesday and hosted a news briefing, citing early success with the program and outlining plans for the near future.

"Our new Jobs and Housing Program is one example of how we are sparking an equitable recovery throughout King County," Constantine said in a statement. "By connecting our unhoused neighbors with good-paying jobs and case managers who can help them transition to permanent housing, we are helping more people and families thrive."

The county staffed the program's first crews through recruitment events at five shelters around Seattle and King County. Once applicants pass a background check and physical, the county offers them on-the-job training and connects them with career counseling and housing aid, officials said. King County Metro provides transport to worksites through the ORCA Business Passport program.

Moving forward, the county is looking to expand the seasonal jobs beyond parks, including:

• Cleaning and sanitizing vehicles and equipment for King County’s Fleet Services Division.
• Caring for animals and doing customer service at Regional Animal Services of King County.
• Performing litter removal in the road right-of-way at King County Roads Division, and in unincorporated King County organized by the Department of Local Services.