Last week we took aim at claims made by sources in a Seattle Times story that the removal of drug camps was driving homelessness deaths. We’re now going to look at one of the actual problems. Drug overdoses. The homelessness problem in Seattle is primarily a substance addiction problem. Of the 195 homeless that died...
It’s no secret to any of you that Seattle is in bad shape, but you may not be aware of just how dysfunctional the situation is – and it may only get worse if there isn’t a change in course. The level of dysfunction was revealed in a recent Seattle Times story that we’ll be...
Earlier this year we wrote about how King County’s previous efforts to eliminate homelessness failed because those involved incorrectly diagnosed the root problem, warning that any future attempts to address the crisis needed to attack the real causes – substance abuse and mental illness. Unfortunately, Mayor Bruce Harrell appears to be making many of...
As you all well know, Washington state is currently dealing with a homelessness crisis along with increased crime. The last thing the state should do is decriminalize drug possession (and use), which would ensure that more people become homeless and commit more petty crime, while drug addicts will come here from other parts of the...
“Homeless camps cause crime.” To you, it’s likely this is merely stating the obvious, but to others it’s a revelation as profound as discovering electricity. Unfortunately, much of the solution to Seattle’s problems is going to involve us stating the obvious again and again. In this case, it’s with homelessness. Acting on his State of...
It’s easy at times to feel we’re alone in how we feel about the poor state of Seattle. But a new survey by the Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce reveals the complete opposite. We’re not alone. In fact, we’re the vast majority. The survey of 700 registered voters in Seattle show what Chamber CEO Rachel...
The 2022 legislative session ended on March 10 with a mixed bag that included some menial public safety reforms, unsustainable state spending, and homelessness policies that at best scratch the surface of the problem. Public Safety We began the session imploring lawmakers to fix a “police reform” law that effectively defanged police responses to actual...
In his recent State of the City address Mayor Bruce Harrell promised to clear public spaces of homeless encampments. We implored him to use this historic opportunity to make Seattle safe again, and this week his actions indicate he will make good on that pledge but we hope he will continue using good judgment with...
For years the city of Seattle and other regional entities have tried – and failed – to reduce homelessness in their communities. We’ve argued that the reason for this is that they ignored or downplayed the primary causes – substance abuse and mental health issues – under the belief that housing availability or affordability is...
Last month the King County Regional Housing Authority announced it was forgoing its homelessness count for the second year in a row. Instead, they plan to “conduct qualitative engagement with people living unsheltered to learn more about their experiences and how we can better meet their needs.” This dysfunctional approach to a regional crisis aptly...