Fix Homelessness | How to rebuild human lives

A New Approach for Seattle’s Homelessness Crisis

_{Robert Marbut
November 13, 2024
1}

In this episode, Caitlyn McKenney is joined by Discovery Senior Fellow and former Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness to discuss a new policy report we coauthored to address homelessness in Seattle. Read the …

One Doctor’s Prescription to Solve Homelessness Would Continue the Catastrophe

_{Wesley J. Smith
November 19, 2024
5
Homelessness}

A doctor named Katherine A. Koh — who treats homeless people with Harvard Medical School’s Boston Health Care for the Homeless Program — cares deeply about her patients. But her policy prescriptions to help them become the formerly homeless will just keep the ongoing catastrophe rolling along. In the New England Journal of Medicine, she tells of the tragic death of one of her patients and the indifference of society to the tragedy. From “Invisible Deaths: Mortality Among People Experiencing Homelessness“: Jack died on a street corner. A larger-than-life figure, he stood more than 6 ft, 4 in. tall, exuded charismatic energy, and embraced the role of “king of the streets.” Then, at 49, he died without warning on a busy sidewalk in Boston, not far …

The War on Homelessness 150 Years Ago

_{Marvin Olasky
November 15, 2024
4
Homelessness}

The advent of Thanksgiving brings more stories about homelessness and more debate about its causes. Some advocates emphasize housing costs, as New York’s Charles Brace did during the Civil War era (see my May 3, 2024 column.) Others emphasize substance abuse and mental illness. That also is nothing new: New York City suffered not only through draft and racist riots in 1863 but homelessness in the 1870s, often among Civil War veterans suffering from what today we call PTSD, post-traumatic stress disorder. The debate, even then, was not new. Starting early in the century, the street-level analysis was that some poor people became paupers — not just poor, but distraught and defeated — by getting drunk and staying drunk. What percent of paupers were alcoholics? The verdict from …

Tenant Violence Threatens Region’s Housing Providers

_{Caitlyn McKenney
November 13, 2024
5
Housing}

Just last week, a 19-year-old tenant allegedly stabbed her 73-year-old landlord to death. The murder took place in an apartment in White Center, a neighborhood south of Seattle. According to a news report, the landlord asked the tenant about unpaid rent before being stabbed twice. The suspect told authorities that her landlord struck her in the face and admitted to the stabbing one the phone with a 911-operator. Incidents like this are not representative of the vast majority of tenants, but they are not anomalies either. At an apartment community in Tacoma, an angry resident attempted to grab a hammer from a grounds-maintenance cart in an act of aggression towards a maintenance technician. According to an incident report, the resident became agitated upon discovering the cart parked …

The Winding Path of Homeless Youth

_{Marvin Olasky
November 8, 2024
4
Homelessness}

Last week I wrote about Rebecca Gomez’s criticism of foster care. She accurately notes that “a large proportion of foster children will find themselves homeless upon exiting care. The majority do not attend college; do not have stable housing; do not obtain employment that provides a living wage; do not own a car; have never managed money.” Even if they’re not yanked from house to house, Gomez writes that foster children are “surrounded by treatment professionals including foster parents, case managers, therapists, psychologists, psychiatrists, and special education departments. . . . They must gain the approval . . . to drive a car; take a trip out of state with their foster family; visit a sibling; participate in a contact sport; obtain medical care; be …

Discovery Releases New Data and Policy Approach for Seattle’s Homelessness Crisis

_{Discovery Institute
November 7, 2024
2
Homelessness}

Download the Report. Discovery Institute Releases New Homelessness Data and Policy Approach for Seattle Seattle, WA- If the growth rate of unsheltered homelessness in King County remains unchanged, the population experiencing unsheltered homelessness will double from nearly 10,000 to a staggering 20,000 in less than three years. A new report from Discovery Institute’s Fix Homelessness Initiative offers policy recommendations and new data to address the crisis. A study performed by Discovery Institute found that 49.7% of people experiencing homelessness and enrolled in Seattle programs first began experiencing homelessness outside of King County. Data also reveals a dramatic redistribution of funding away from emergency and transitional beds towards permanent …

Report: Homelessness Data Reveal Reasons for Collapse of King County Outreach Program

_{Discovery Institute
September 20, 2023
3
Governance}

Download the report here. Shoddy Data Hid Failed State of Homelessness Program, Study Shows Seattle, WA – A study from the Fix Homelessness Initiative of Discovery Institute reveals the expensive failure of the government to run a now-defunct downtown outreach program in Seattle funded by the region’s leading foundations and corporations. It also reveals a lack of transparency from non-profits receiving millions in contracts from King County to address homelessness. “Information about the downtown program is hard to come by,” said Caitlyn Axe of Discovery Institute “But the data we have reveals ineffective use of millions in funding while private nonprofits are accomplishing far more with far less.” Axe’s research examined the multi-million dollar …

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Street Report

from Jonathan Choe

Dog Beaten in Homeless Housing Complex Rescued

_{Jonathan Choe
November 11, 2024
1
Crime, Law, and Order}

Update Monday morning, Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth and Seattle cops took swift action and rescued this beautiful dog from an abusive situation inside a Capitol Hill apartment complex for homeless drug addicts. The resident who allegedly beat this dog is now in custody. EXCLUSIVE: Disturbing video emerging showing a man inside a homeless housing complex in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood pummeling a dog. Witnesses say the incident happened this past weekend inside an apartment unit funded by the King County Regional Homelessness… pic.twitter.com/wWzFjXLpb4— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) November 11, 2024 Who Will Be Held Accountable? The dog appears to be in good health but is now being examined by a veterinarian. Despite this happy ending, there …

Seattle Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth on the Scene to Rescue Beaten Dog

_{Jonathan Choe
November 11, 2024
1
Crime, Law, and Order}

Breaking After community outrage, Seattle Councilmember Joy Hollingsworth is on the scene right now trying to rescue a dog that was severely beaten inside a Capitol Hill homeless housing complex. Meanwhile, no one with King County Executive Dow Constantine’s office, the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, or Seattle Animal Control is responding to this emergency because it’s Veterans Day. EXCLUSIVE: Disturbing video emerging showing a man inside a homeless housing complex in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood pummeling a dog. Witnesses say the incident happened this past weekend inside an apartment unit funded by the King County Regional Homelessness… pic.twitter.com/wWzFjXLpb4— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) November 11, …

Man In Homeless Housing Complex Seen Beating Dog

_{Jonathan Choe
November 11, 2024
2
Homelessness}

Exclusive Disturbing video emerging showing a man inside a homeless housing complex in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood pummeling a dog. Witnesses say the incident happened this past weekend inside an apartment unit funded by the King County Regional Homelessness Authority near 10th Ave E & E John St. You can hear the neighbor desperately trying to get the man’s attention with a flashlight but the beatdown continues. Police Response This Capitol Hill neighbor says Seattle Police officers were called, but nothing was done to address this problematic situation. I’m reaching out to Seattle Police Department, King County Regional Homelessness Authority, and Dow Constantine for comment. If they respond, I will update here. King County Continues to …

Ten People Injured in Stabbing Rampage in Seattle’s Chinatown International District

_{Jonathan Choe
November 9, 2024
2
Crime, Law, and Order}

Worsening Crime & Open-Air Drug Use Horrific stabbing rampage in Seattle’s Chinatown-ID leaves 10 people injured just in the past 48 hours. Cops have arrested one man near 10th Ave & Jackson St. Investigators believe the suspect is responsible for all the attacks. The motive appears to be random. CID neighbors have been sounding the alarm about worsening crime and open-air drug use just in the past few weeks. Most of the addicts and dealers cleared from 3rd Ave & Pike St have now set up shop in this hood. Councilmember Tammy Morales remains MIA and there is now even more pressure on Mayor Bruce Harrell to clean up this area for good. Bail Set A King County Judge set bail at $2M for Seattle Chinatown-ID stabbing suspect Roland Lee. He’s facing …

Seattle Councilmember Tanya Woo Calls for Action on Crisis in Chinatown

_{Jonathan Choe
November 8, 2024
1
Crime, Law, and Order}

Notice how 3rd Ave & Pike St in downtown Seattle is relatively clear of drug addicts and crime? Well, this proves once again change is possible if the city wants to get things done. Problem is, most of the problems have been pushed into Chinatown-ID. I recently caught up with Councilmember Tanya Woo who’s been sounding the alarm about this unfair game of Whack-A-Mole destroying her Asian American community. And with this week’s stabbing rampage in the CID, it proves once again she was …

Seattle’s Chinatown International District Abandoned to Drug Use and Crime

_{Jonathan Choe
November 8, 2024
1
Crime, Law, and Order}

For the past few weeks, I’ve been watching parts of Seattle’s Chinatown-ID disintegrate before my eyes. Drug dealers, addicts, and criminals now own Hoa Mai Park on King St. That’s why this week’s stabbing rampage should not be a surprise to anyone. City leaders like socialist CM Tammy Morales have allowed this culture of lawlessness to flourish. Morales has totally abandoned her …

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Restorations Podcast

A New Approach for Seattle’s Homelessness Crisis

_{6
Robert Marbut
November 13, 2024}

The ‘Sex Work’ Movement is a Lie

_{5
Kristine Moreland and SarahAnn Hamilton
July 25, 2024}

In this episode, Caitlyn McKenney talks with Kristine Moreland and SarahAnn Hamilton who are helping bring women out of sex trafficking and exploitation on the streets of Seattle.

Middle America Has a Lot to Teach us About Homelessness

_{4
Marvin Olasky
June 26, 2024}

In this episode, I’m joined by Discovery Institute Senior Fellow Marvin Olasky who is the author of 29 books, the former editor of WORLD Magazine, and has spent the last year living in homeless programs across the U.S. to learn from the people living in them. We discuss the bias of West Coast journalism, what makes programs successful, and the stories of people Marvin has lived …

Our Mission

Discovery Institute’s Fix Homelessness initiative offers innovative research and compassionate solutions to the growing crisis of homelessness, addiction, and mental illness facing many American cities. Our mission is to serve as a resource for policy leaders, business owners, and neighborhood organizations trying to meaningfully reduce homelessness and to help those suffering realize their full human potential.

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Jim Palmer of the Orange County Rescue Mission on causes and cures for America’s homelessness crisis

_{8
Jim Palmer
November 1, 2021}

In this episode of Humanize, Wesley J. Smith speaks with Jim Palmer, the president of the Orange County Rescue Mission about the many causes and potential cures of America’s seemingly intractable homeless crisis. It is a crucial, if disturbing, conversation that touches upon the most existential needs of people and our mutual responsibilities to each other. Homelessness has reached crisis proportions in which even our most prosperous cities — such as San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle — witness thousands of people living in squalid tent encampments lining streets that provide scant shelter for people that many of us would rather ignore. It’s all such a mess, it is tempting to throw up one’s hands in despair. But understanding the causes of homelessness is …

Robert Marbut on America’s Homelessness Crisis, Strategies for Uplifting the Homeless, and Effective Government Policies

_{29
Robert Marbut
May 23, 2022}

Homelessness has reached crisis proportions. Few issues of human dignity are as heart wrenching as the wretched scenes in our most prosperous cities — San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland, and Seattle — where one can drive down main thoroughfares and be confronted with tent encampments lining streets that provide scant shelter for thousands of destitute people. The crisis is as multifaceted as it is seemingly intractable. What is the role of mental illness in the crisis? What about drug addiction? Is the rising cost of housing part of the problem, and if so, what can be done about it? What protections does society owe these vulnerable people based simply on their humanity and what responsibilities, if any, do they owe to greater society? It’s all such a mess, it is tempting to …

[not] anything helps

Discovery Institute’s Center on Wealth & Poverty is leading a research project on homelessness, addiction, and mental illness. Our mission is to help city leaders, business owners, and neighborhood organizations meaningfully reduce homelessness and improve lives.

Resources

National Report

“Housing First” — and often only — has demonstrably failed. Congress and the Executive Branch need to focus more on untreated mental illness and substance abuse to reduce homelessness, drug overdoses, jail overcrowding, and misuse of emergency rooms. Herein we make policy recommendations to Congress to truly help rebuild human lives.

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Legal Guide

We have created a legal guide for cities to maintain compliance with the Martin v Boise decision. The guide outlines best practices for compliance and provides models for successful ordinances that balance enforcement, housing, and legal requirements. The guide is written by Joseph Tartakovsky, attorney for the City of Boise in the Martin v Boise case.

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Case Studies

We have created case studies of cities that have delivered cost-effective and rapid results on homelessness. We’ll show you how San Diego built an emergency shelter and moved 700 people off the streets, how Burien eliminated camping in public parks, and how Modesto reduced quality-of-life crimes associated with homelessness by 83 percent — all within 60 days.

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Resources

National Report

Legal Guide

Case Studies

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