Fix Homelessness | How to rebuild human lives

HUD Announces Treatment First Toolkit, Putting Harm Reduction on Notice

_{Center on Wealth & Poverty
August 19, 2026
2
Drug Epidemic}

In partnership with the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the new “Best Practices Toolkit: Addressing Homelessness and Addiction Through Treatment First.” From the press release: This first-of-its-kind resource provides communities with practical and proven strategies to help Americans transition from homelessness and addiction to recovery and self-sufficiency. This toolkit advances a “Treatment First” model that prioritizes coordinated and accountability-driven engagement in evidence-based treatment and recovery support services to ensure access to effective, comprehensive, and evidence-based care necessary for homeless …

HUD Re-Issues New Homeless Grant Criteria, Freeing Cities to Ditch Housing First, Pursue Real Solutions

_{Center on Wealth & Poverty
June 16, 2026
2
Homelessness}

SEATTLE, WA — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently released its 2026 grant criteria for $4 billion in homelessness funding, with a major shift toward treatment, recovery, and renewed self-sufficiency for all who are able. “Federal reforms have finally created space for local leaders to put treatment and recovery back at the center of homelessness policy,” says Discovery Institute President Steve Buri. “Real compassion means helping people reclaim stability and dignity, not leaving them trapped in addiction and illness without a path to restoration.” Discovery Institute has updated its essential policy brief, calling on local governments, Continuums of Care (CoCs), and service agencies to leverage these new federal reforms and …

Las Vegas Mole People: Jonathan Choe and Kevin Dahlgren Talk with Podcaster Sean Kelly

_{Editor, Jonathan Choe and Kevin Dahlgren
August 24, 2026
1
Homelessness}

Underneath Las Vegas lies a network of tunnels intended to channel floodwaters. But they are also filled with hundreds of homeless people who have made the tunnels their home. Earlier this year, independent journalists Jonathan Choe and Kevin Dahlgren explored these tunnels. Now, they sit down with podcaster Sean Kelly on the Digital Social Hour Podcast to discuss what they found. Choe and Dahlgren also discuss broader topics around homelessness, such as why Housing First has failed to solve the homelessness crisis, how fentanyl has changed the crisis, the multi-billion-dollar industry homelessness services have become, and more. Watch “The Tragic Tale of the Las Vegas Mole People” …

Michele Steeb Talks HUD’s Treatment First Toolkit on NTD Newsroom

_{Editor and Michele Steeb
August 19, 2026
1
Drug Epidemic}

Senior Fellow Michele Steeb appeared on NTD Newsroom to discuss the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s new Treatment First Toolkit. On August 12, HUD released “Best Practices Toolkit: Addressing Homelessness and Addiction through ‘Treatment First.’” The Toolkit addresses the insufficiencies of Housing First to address the problems faced by a large population of the homeless who suffer from an addiction: A “Treatment First” model prioritizes coordinated and accountability-driven engagement in evidence-based treatment and recovery support services, to ensure access to the comprehensive and coordinated care necessary for homeless individuals with addiction to achieve and sustain self-sufficiency. “It’s a policy …

Kevin Dahlgren Discusses Skid Row on Newsmax

_{Center on Wealth & Poverty
August 3, 2026
1
Homelessness}

Kevin Dahlgren appeared on Newsmax on July 22, 2026, alongside Harrison Baum to discuss the suffering and exploitation of the homeless in Skid Row. Dahlgren described Skid Row as one of the worst and most corrupt places he has ever been. It’s “the embodiment of radicalized policies run amok,” he explained. …

JD Vance Is Right: American Homelessness Is “Third World”

_{Caitlin Cory
July 30, 2026
4
Homelessness}

This month on “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Vice President JD Vance discussed Israel, Jeffrey Epstein, and aliens, topics that have lit up public conversation. Largely overlooked, however, were his thought-provoking remarks about America’s homelessness crisis, which highlight the harmful results of present policies in some of our largest cities and the need to enact new policies that prioritize restoring lives. Vance recalled attending an office Christmas party near Skid Row, the notorious 50-block area in downtown Los Angeles overcome by homelessness, illicit drug use, and crime. He described armed security and “gigantic walls” protecting the party. He told Joe Rogan that it reminded him of visiting the U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. “Crazy …

Breaking: San Francisco Passes Legislation Expanding Drug-Free Housing for Homeless

_{Center on Wealth & Poverty
July 30, 2026
2
Homelessness}

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie signed legislation on July 29 to expand drug-free permanent supportive housing in the city. From The Voice of San Francisco, reporting back in April: The legislation would require all city-funded permanent supportive housing to be drug-free, adopting the same lease rules governing evictions for illicit drug use that apply to every standard residential lease in San Francisco. Of San Francisco’s roughly 9,000 site-based permanent supportive housing units, only 42 are designated as drug-free. Mayor Lurie said of the legislation: Our administration is transforming how the city confronts the homelessness and behavioral health crisis. We are not just getting people off the streets; we are helping them achieve long-term stability and recovery by …

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Street Report

from Jonathan Choe

What You Will See in Seattle on Labor Day Weekend

_{Jonathan Choe
September 6, 2026
1
Homelessness}

Dying City Do not come to Seattle this Labor Day weekend. Unless you want to see mentally ill people running through the streets, homeless drug addicts destroying neighborhoods, and a black market of stolen goods being fueled by violent criminals. Sunday afternoon, I visited three hots spots in Chinatown-ID, SODO, and downtown. It’s worse than ever. Now you know why socialist Mayor Katie Wilson’s approval ratings are hitting new lows. She has lost this city. NEW: That high energy rally for socialist Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson turned into an epic fail. Sunday afternoon, only five supporters showed up to City Hall. Of course they defended Wilson's policies and ignored her plummeting approval ratings as the mayor deals with record… …

Victory for Independent Journalism! Washington Capitol Correspondents Association Settles Press Pass Dispute

_{Jonathan Choe
September 3, 2026
1
Governance}

Freedom of the Press WA’s Capitol Correspondents Association capitulated and will no longer try to block me, Ari Hoffman, and Brandi Kruse from obtaining a press pass to cover the Legislature in Olympia. But through the discovery process, we learned some of the CCA gatekeepers had a personal vendetta against us. And those individuals work for the Seattle Times and WA State Standard. No one should be surprised. BTW, no one from legacy media showed up to cover Thursday’s press conference. The first major victory in our free press fight against the state of Washington. Congressional Democrat faces backlash from her party for not falling in line. Washington AG mad Trump doesn’t want to mutilate kids. Seattle mayor still can’t get her story straight on the …

Pallet Shelter CEO Says “Wait and See” to Questions About Low Barrier Concerns

_{Jonathan Choe
September 3, 2026
1
Homelessness}

What Happens Next? Pallet Shelter CEO Amy King says she is now exiting the homeless housing space. So what happens if these unique tiny houses start breaking down like an old dish washer? Will there be replacement parts? Who’s doing the repairs? Still tons of unanswered questions after King’s abrupt announcement that she’s shutting down Pallet. I spoke to King during the company’s grand opening in Seattle’s Inter Bay neighborhood in June. Aside from being a builder, she also led a successful workforce development program called Weld. So I asked King point blank why she would risk her reputation by aligning herself with some of the most notorious homeless housing providers in the region. She told me this time it would be …

Seattle Low Barrier Homeless Services Provider Closes Up Shop

_{Jonathan Choe
September 2, 2026
1
Homelessness}

Defunded Holy crap! Seattle’s homeless industrial complex is taking a massive hit. Pallet Shelter is going out of business. CEO Amy King announced that she is ejecting from this space saying “funding and political environments have shifted, and our customers have pivoted in how they approach this work.” In other words, low barrier “Housing First” projects that allow drug use are being defunded by the Trump administration. The homeless housing grift is starting to implode. This comes just a few months after socialist Mayor Katie Wilson went all in on these tiny house projects. NEW: Sunday afternoon, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson joined a press conference to announce the grand opening of the Bayside Enhanced Shelter community in Interbay. …

Seattle Mayor Says Chinatown’s 12th & Jackson Condition “Improving,” Video Evidence Shows Otherwise

_{Jonathan Choe
September 2, 2026
1
Crime, Law, and Order}

Is She Lying or Delusional? I can now confidently say socialist Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is either a liar, delusional, or a little bit of both. Wilson went up on stage at Epic Life Church Wednesday evening and proclaimed the notorious 12th Ave & Jackson St drug den in Chinatown-ID is improving. That assessment is total B.S. Good thing I report on this intersection every week and keep video receipts. Wilson also touts the LEAD program for helping. But this diversion program is one of the main reasons why criminals remain on the streets. The reality is Wilson has allowed this Asian American neighborhood to devolve into a human dumping ground. Wilson admits the CID is even worse on weekends because there aren’t enough cops to patrol the streets. Epic …

Seattle Mayor Evades Questions Ahead of Community Forum

_{Jonathan Choe
September 2, 2026
1
Governance}

Expect Angry Neighbors The North Precinct Advisory Council will be hosting socialist Mayor Katie Wilson for a community forum at 7pm. Expect angry neighbors to blast Wilson for failing to get rid of homeless drug addicts, prostitutes, and gang bangers ravaging the community. SEATTLE MAYOR BLASTED: Mayor Katie Wilson was MIA at Saturday night's anti-violence march in North Seattle. Neighbors eviscerated mayor Wilson, calling her a coward and accusing her of being unprepared to address the staggering amount of human trafficking and ongoing pimp wars… https://t.co/q3VtyuoGrJ pic.twitter.com/gNQrrPUQMB— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) June 7, 2026 Event at Epic Life Church Doors open at 6:30pm, Epic Life Church. 10510 Stone Ave N, Seattle, WA …

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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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Discovery Institute’s Fix Homelessness Initiative pairs journalism with research on homelessness, addiction, and mental illness. Our mission is to help city leaders, service organizations, and business owners meaningfully reduce homelessness and improve lives.

Resources

National Report

“Housing First” — and often only — has demonstrably failed. Congress and the Executive Branch must shift the focus onto 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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