‘Clearly an insane thing to keep doing’: Jake and Spike back federal homelessness funding overhaul as King County faces $26M loss

King County could lose $26 million after the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) overhauled how it awards homelessness grants, shifting away from the Housing First model that previously accounted for up to 90% of federal funding. The new rules prioritize treatment, recovery, and self-sufficiency, and give preference to regions that emphasize clearing encampments and discouraging drug use, according to The Seattle Times.

KIRO hosts Jake Skorheim and Spike O’Neill both backed the reform, with Spike saying he had no idea that 90% of federal funding had been dedicated to Housing First, a model that provides housing without requiring sobriety.

“That’s clearly an insane thing to keep doing,” Spike said on “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio. “The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expect a different result. And if we’re putting 90% of federal funding toward no sobriety requirements — sometimes these guys have a great idea.”

Trump admin. bars Los Angeles homelessness agency from federal funding

The Trump administration barred Los Angeles’s main homelessness agency from accessing federal funding while it investigates the agency’s alleged mismanagement of public funds, The Associated Press reported Friday. Nearly $200 million that Los Angeles area services providers use to help California’s homeless population is at risk.

“The feds pulled the plug on funding LA’s Homeless agency. Whoa! This puts everyone else on notice,” nonprofit We Heart Seattle stated on X, tagging the King County Regional Homeless Authority, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, and Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson.

The feds pulled the plug on funding LA’s Homeless agency. Whoa! This puts everyone else on notice. @KingCoRHA @ExecZahilay @MayorofSeattle https://t.co/oX4dZB5deq

— We Heart Seattle (@weheartseattle) June 11, 2026

Washington Representative Adam Smith stated on X that the HUD overhaul could “significantly decrease affordable housing access and services for those who need it most.”

“The people of Washington state need these funds to get people off the streets and in secure housing facilities,” Smith wrote.

King County could lose $26 million in federal homelessness funding because of callous Housing and Urban Development cuts from the Trump administration. This will significantly decrease affordable housing access and services for those who need it most. The people of Washington…

— Rep. Adam Smith (@RepAdamSmith) June 11, 2026

Pierce County Sheriff Keith Swank commented under Smith’s post, stating, “This will significantly decrease fraud and grifting from your friends.”

‘A good idea to re-evaluate’: Jake and Spike agree on HUD funding review

Jake said pulling back funding to reassess how it’s being spent makes sense.

“If there’s $4 billion available nationally for this stuff, and you’re throwing it at places like Los Angeles, Seattle, or King County, where the money just disappears. Then, yeah, I think it’s probably a good idea to re-evaluate if those investments are actually worth the investment,” Jake said.

“And the government’s just saying, ‘Look, before next year’s money is sold out, we have some requirements,'” Spike added.

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3