HomeMy WebLinkAbout03/04/2025 06.A. Resolution expressing City of Yakima's concerns regarding the performance and accountability of the Yakima County Homeless Coalition `y � ljlt
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BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No. 6.A.
For Meeting of: March 4, 2025
ITEM TITLE: Resolution expressing City of Yakima's concerns regarding the
performance and accountability of the Yakima County Homeless
Coalition
SUBMITTED BY: Matt Brown, Assistant Mayor
SUMMARY EXPLANATION:
Assistant Mayor Brown drafted a resolution for discussion by the City Council relating to the concerns
about the performance and accountability of the Yakima County Homeless Coalition.
ITEM BUDGETED: N/A
STRATEGIC PRIORITY 24-25: A Safe and Healthy Yakima
RECOMMENDATION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Resolution no confidence vote Yak Co Homeless Coalition
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RESOLUTION NO. R-2025-
A RESOLUTION expressing the City of Yakima's profound concerns regarding the
performance and accountability of the Yakima County Homeless Coalition
and stating the City's intent to explore alternative strategies if meaningful
reform is not implemented.
WHEREAS, the Yakima County Homeless Coalition (YHC) was established to
coordinate funding and resources to address homelessness in Yakima County, with a mandate
to implement effective and measurable solutions; and
WHEREAS, the City of Yakima has participated in the coalition in good faith, contributing
resources, leadership, and funding with the expectation that the coalition would effectively
manage homelessness initiatives; and
WHEREAS, despite the Yakima County Homeless Coalition receiving an estimated [XX]
in annual funding, with only [XX] coming from local 2163 funds, homelessness in Yakima
County has continued to increase, demonstrating a failure to produce meaningful results despite
substantial financial investment; and
WHEREAS, the coalition's 2019-2024 Five-Year Homelessness Housing Strategic Plan
has been a total failure, as it has lacked clear, measurable outcomes from the start and has not
led to a reduction in homelessness, improved coordination of services, or better financial
accountability; and
WHEREAS, the coalition's annual budget has increased, yet there has been no
corresponding decrease in homelessness, raising serious concerns about the effectiveness of
current policies and spending priorities; and
WHEREAS, the City of Yakima and other participating cities have been
underrepresented in decision-making within the coalition, despite being the primary jurisdictions
affected by homelessness and contributing significant local resources to addressing the crisis;
and
WHEREAS, the City of Yakima, along with other participating cities, has no faith in the
current staff within the Yakima County Health and Human Services (HHS) Department to
successfully administer the Homeless Response System, given their track record of inefficiency
and lack of meaningful results; and
WHEREAS, the City of Yakima urges the Yakima County Commissioners to remove the
administration of the Yakima County Homeless Coalition and Homeless Response System from
the Health and Human Services Department and seek a different project manager and
department to facilitate these programs, ensuring leadership that is competent, accountable,
and responsive to the needs of the cities most impacted by homelessness; and
WHEREAS, the City of Yakima expects its concerns to be heard and resolved through
meaningful action that includes better governance, oversight, and measurable improvements in
homelessness response efforts; and
WHEREAS, it is the duty of the City of Yakima to ensure that public funds are used
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effectively and that programs intended to assist the most vulnerable populations achieve
tangible, measurable results; and
WHEREAS, the City of Yakima is prepared to explore alternative models of addressing
homelessness, including localizing homelessness services, reallocating funds to more effective
programs, and advocating for state intervention if the coalition fails to reform; and
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF YAKIMA:
Expression of No Confidence: The City of Yakima formally expresses no confidence in the
Yakima County Homeless Coalition's ability to effectively manage homelessness programs
without significant structural and leadership reforms.
Demand for Immediate Reforms: The City of Yakima calls upon the coalition to:
• Conduct a full independent audit of its finances and expenditures.
• Implement clear performance benchmarks for funded programs.
• Establish greater transparency in decision-making and fund allocation.
• Prioritize direct input from member cities that are most affected by homelessness,
ensuring that local jurisdictions—not external service providers—have a stronger
voice in funding and policy decisions.
• Produce and share performance outcomes from the past three years to evaluate
the effectiveness of current programs and strategies.
Call for Removal of the Homeless Response System from HHS and Selection of a New
Project Manager: The City of Yakima urges the Yakima County Commissioners to remove
oversight of the Yakima County Homeless Coalition and Homeless Response System from the
Health and Human Services Department and appoint a different project manager and
department to administer these programs effectively. Cities must have confidence in the
leadership overseeing homelessness initiatives, and the current administration within HHS has
failed to demonstrate the necessary competence and accountability to continue managing these
efforts.
Exploration of Withdrawal and Reallocation of 2163 Funds: If meaningful reforms are not
implemented within 90 days, the City of Yakima will begin formal discussions on withdrawing
from the coalition, reclaiming its allocated 2163 funds, and pursuing alternative funding and
service strategies to address homelessness more effectively.
Commitment to Real Solutions: The City of Yakima reaffirms its commitment to addressing
homelessness in a way that is fiscally responsible, transparent, and results-driven, ensuring that
resources reach those most in need and produce measurable improvements in community well-
being.
ADOPTED BY THE CITY COUNCIL this 4th day of March, 2025.
ATTEST: Patricia Byers, Mayor
Rosalinda Ibarra, City Clerk
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