2023 Seattle City Budget Human Services Wins!


Wage Equity

In addition to a 7.5% inflation adjustment required by city law, the 2024 Proposed Budget Adjustments (Mayor’s budget proposal) included $4.3 million for a two percent increase to human services contracts for purposes of provider pay in the Human Services Department (HSD), the Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) and the Department of Neighborhoods (DON).


Four Council Budget Actions (CBA) bring the total proposed amount for human services provider pay up to $5.1 million. 

  • HSD-809-A provides an additional $324,000 in order to calculate the two percent increase on the higher, inflationary adjusted base. 

  • HSD-001-A provides $360,000 for a two percent increase to contracts funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Continuum of Care (CoC) grants, which are administered by the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA). 

  • HSD-002-A provides $501,000 of funding for 2024 KCRHA contracts to be funded through 2023 KCRHA underspend, with $112,000 of that for a two percent provider pay increase.


Restoring One-Time Funding Cuts

The 2024 Proposed Budget Adjustments (Mayor’s budget proposal) extended funding for some but not all one-time human service funding sources from the 2023 budget. Four Council Budget Actions (CBA) extend a total of $1.24 M in human service funding

  • HSD-005-A-2 adds $300,000 for meal programs.

  • HSD-807-B-1 adds $650,000 for an emergency food fund to support food banks.

  • HSD-014-A-2 adds $250,000 for gender based violence services.

  • HSD-808-A-2 adds $42,000 for senior meal delivery programs.