COVID-19 response and recovery funding

About the funding

King County received more than $2 billion in federal funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including $437 million in Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery (CLFR) funds through the American Rescue Plan. 

CLFR investment highlights

Homelessness response - $97 million

To date, King County has allocated $97 million in CLFR funding toward homelessness interventions through programs including hotel/motel leases, COVID-19 shelter de-intensification, permanent supportive housing, behavioral health services, homeless outreach and shelter procurement, enhanced shelter, and sanitation.

Public health response - $68 million

King County’s public health response to COVID-19 continues to be robust and equitable, providing a local distinction as the “most vaccinated county” in Washington. In fact, King County has among the lowest rate of any county for case counts and deaths from COVID-19.

Equitable economic recovery - $60 million

King County structured its economic recovery funding to provide support to businesses, the creative economy, and the tourism sector, as well as workforce development programs.

Community resiliency - $56 million

The COVID-19 pandemic impacted every community in King County. While the full measure of the pandemic’s consequences on our communities is still emerging, there are clear deficits in community resources that need to be addressed, especially for communities of color, LGBTQ+ communities, people experiencing homelessness, and refugee/immigrant communities. The programs in the community resiliency portfolio are designed to address a range of impacts and provide additional funding for needed interventions in the community.

Jobs and Housing - $33 million

The Jobs and Housing program is designed to stabilize people’s lives by providing a steady place to live, an interim job, and access to support services and career navigation for up to one year, with the ultimate goal of transitioning each person to permanent housing and a permanent job. The aim of the program is to help people exit the homelessness system, particularly those communities who have been disproportionately impacted by homelessness.

County operations - $154 million

King County has utilized CLFR funding to make substantial modifications to operations to maintain services to the best extent possible. Addressing the legal system case backlog, refining hybrid work technology, and improving access to health and public information through language and disability access are focuses for pandemic recovery to improve service delivery for King County residents.

Federal funding spending timeline

King County received its first emergency federal funding in response to the COVID-19 outbreak in March 2020 through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the CARES Act's Coronavirus Relief Funding (CFR). In March 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act authorized CLFR funds to support local response to and recovery from the COVID-19 public health emergency. King County anticipates spending the majority of CLFR funding by December 31, 2024. Learn more about King County's use of federal funding in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.