Ginny Burton | Change Washington

Interview with Ginny Burton on her new book The Gabriel Plan

Ginny Burton has earned a spot in the debate on how we should respond to our region’s worsening homelessness and drug emergencies. She has overcome many tough life experiences and is now seeking to help others who are currently suffering due to failed policies. She first witnessed the problems as a drug addicted teenager who...

A year-in-review through ChangeWA’s top 2025 articles

As 2025 comes to an end, ChangeWA will look back by revisiting some of our most popular articles of the year. ChangeWA has quickly become the leading source of reliable information on the homelessness issue as more of our neighbors continue to suffer in crime- and drug-filled encampments and temporary housing as billions of tax...

The Price of Silence

When is the last time you visited downtown Seattle? Or Portland? Or San Francisco? Are these places the towns you once vacationed to and felt safe site seeing? Nearly thirteen years ago, I prayed for death as I wandered the streets of Tacoma in the middle of the night—no place to go, no belongings, everything...

From Addiction to Accountability: A Path Forward for Washington

The leniency in Washington’s judicial system was recently displayed by the repeat offender (36 arrests and 20 convictions) who killed a 20-year-old woman as he attempted to flee police in Pierce County. Despite serving numerous short sentences in his life, the suspect clearly has never been “rehabilitated.” It appears he views his many brief lockups...

Rethink Criminal Justice and Recovery

By Ginny Burton After nearly 30 years of active drug use, the criminal justice system became the intervention that saved my life. When felony charges finally pulled me off the streets, it wasn’t punishment that made the difference—it was the pause. Incarceration removed me from homelessness, stopped the criminal behavior that fed my addiction, and...

Breaking the Cycle: Why Self-Sufficiency Must Replace Perpetual Care

This article is the second in ChangeWA’s three-part series on the increasing costs of our region’s homeless strategy. We asked treatment advocate and founder of the O-UT Program Ginny Burton to examine the long-term costs associated with current policies addressing homelessness. ChangeWA supports a treatment-based approach to homelessness. Data shows that the expensive “Housing First” method has...

Lack of political courage on Antifa is making police recruitment more difficult

Once again, the domestic terror group Antifa has embarked on acts of political violence in Seattle and liberal politicians are again too afraid to stand up and condemn the Leftist activists’ aggression. This lack of political courage has police department leaders concerned that this will encourage more political violence and lead more officers to leave...

Candidate filings indicate that 2025 will have many important contests

With the conclusion of the candidate filing period on May 9, we are fairly confident that 2025 will be another interesting year in local politics – especially in King County where not only are many important county and city positions on the ballot, but voters will also decide eight special state legislature contests. King...

Seattle residents support the city’s practical approach to public safety

A new survey of Seattle registered voters finds there is more optimism about public safety since extremists no longer control the city government. Residents also believe city hall needs to do more to help struggling employers to return businesses and their workers back downtown. At the end of April, the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce...

A Housing-First Approach Won’t End Homelessness

By Ginny Burton In 2015 I secured my first position with one of Washington state’s largest nonprofits in Seattle. During my interview I was asked if I could explain harm reduction. My answer, which I called a friend ahead of time to inquire, was “meeting the person where they are at.” I didn’t really understand...