King County audit flags $261K in potential double-billing by nonprofit Urban Family

King County’s new Inspector General’s Office has uncovered additional potential financial misconduct involving a nonprofit that received county funding for gun-violence prevention work, including nearly $261,000 in potentially duplicative salary and rent billing.

The audit found that Urban Family, a nonprofit working under King County’s Regional Office of Gun Violence Prevention, may have billed the county for the same expenses more than once between 2024 and 2025.

Auditors also identified a possible conflict of interest, inadequate documentation for cash transfers and disbursements, and transfers to accounts the auditors could not identify.

The audit also found Urban Family lost its nonprofit status in May and had not provided financial records required under its contract, prompting King County to suspend its Regional Peacekeepers Collective (RPKC) contract effective Oct. 5 and halt payments on invoices submitted for July, August, and September until the organization met the agreement’s requirements.

“During the period of this suspension, Urban Family must suspend provision of all RPKC services and immediately coordinate with King County to ensure continuity of services,” King County Public Health wrote in a letter sent to Urban Family co-founder Shantel Patu. “As required by Section 5 of the Agreement, Urban Family must fully cooperate with King County and its subcontracted audit firm to perform an audit of compliance records related to this contract. Public Health will follow up at a later date on the timing and detail of the audit.”

Urban Family serves marginalized families of color in low‑income apartment communities in King County through various programs. Pantel created the non-profit with her husband, Paul Pantel, in 2007.

According to Pantel’s LinkedIn page, Urban Family’s “leadership is focused on strengthening communities by supporting youth, empowering families, and advancing community safety. With more than 30 years of service in the Pacific Northwest, this work centers on creating opportunities for young people while addressing the deeper challenges that contribute to youth violence and family instability.”

KIRO Newsradio reached out to Urban Family and has not heard back yet.

Other findings

The alleged audit findings related to Urban Family come as King County continues to overhaul its oversight of taxpayer-funded nonprofits and contractors.

Earlier this year, the county adopted ethics reforms after audits identified nearly $700,000 in questionable costs involving 16 other partner organizations. In a separate case, a county employee was accused of directing more than $800,000 in grant money to relatives.

Another audit found nearly $13 million unaccounted for or overspent at the King County Regional Homelessness Authority (KCRHA). County leaders said new financial controls are now helping recover some of that money.

Councilmember Reagan Dunn, who has pushed for stronger oversight, told “The Gee and Ursula Show” that the creation of the office is not enough.

“A couple of people have been fired, and that’s good,” Dunn said. “But really, there hasn’t been any accountability, and there needs to be. And so, you know, one of the problems here — it really comes down to public trust.”

New Inspector General

The push for an Inspector General came after audits uncovered potential fraud and serious gaps in King County’s oversight of taxpayer-funded contracts. The office is specifically designed to investigate potential fraud, waste, and abuse involving county money and has broad authority to also review county contracts, grants, financial programs, issue subpoenas, seek the recovery of misspent money, and operate a centralized hotline where employees, contractors, and the public can report suspected wrongdoing.

“They can subpoena records, they can refer to criminal prosecution, and part of that is to hold people that have done wrong things accountable,” Dunn said. “But also, the threat that there is an inspector general out there. I think he’s going to make these grant recipients really pay attention to the rules and not play fast and loose.”

Future of KCRHA

Since auditors discovered KCRHA’s missing money, it’s been a mixed bag from politicians on whether the organization should be dissolved or continue to be maintained by King County and the City of Seattle. Dunn told “The Gee and Ursula Show” he’s in favor of reorganizing who manages the more than $40 million.

“Let’s bring it all back in-house. It’s a failed experiment; that’s the way it goes. Sometimes you get it wrong,” Dunn said. “Let’s go back to what we have, which is the county government, which is your regional homeless, which is your regional services provider doing the work that we need to be doing in that space.”

Best Starts for Kids Levy

The latest fraud allegations and suspension of Urban Family’s contract are also impacting the future Best Starts for Kids Levy, Dunn said. The levy, which is a nearly $1 billion property-tax levy that sends money to hundreds of community organizations providing services to children, families and young people, goes to voters next year. Dunn said he worries past issues uncovered by county audits could push voters to vote “no” this time around.

“If the county keeps performing the way it is, which is, you know, somewhere between a D minus and a failing grade, the voters aren’t going to pass it, and that will leave gaping holes in the county’s budget,” Dunn said. “So, if we don’t build back trust and accountability right quick, the voters are ultimately going to be the ones that make sure the chopping block comes down and that there is accountability.”

However, Dunn fell short of supporting a new levy proposal.

“Like a good politician, I’m going to hedge here,” Dunn said. “But honestly, if we don’t get our house in order, there’s no way I can support it, right? If I see that we get our house in order and we’ve got the checks and balances in place and we’ve got measurable outcomes, where these programs are actually reducing homelessness, providing shelter, helping young kids in various, then maybe I’ll support it, but boy, I don’t think I’ve ever seen King County as bad as it is right now, and we’ve got a long way to go before we’ve earned the public’s trust and, in my opinion, their support for this new tax levy next year.”

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