Fix Homelessness | How to rebuild human lives

Obama Admits Housing First was a Losing Strategy

_{Michele Steeb
February 23, 2026
4
Homelessness}

Last weekend, former President Barack Obama acknowledged a blunt political reality: “The average person doesn’t want to have to navigate around a tent city in the middle of downtown … and we’re not going to be able to generate support if we simply say, ‘It’s not their fault, they should be able to do whatever they want,’ because that’s a losing political strategy.” What makes the remark notable is not merely its candor. It is the history behind it. It was the Obama administration that institutionalized the federal government’s one-size-fits-all embrace of Housing First in 2013. They promised the approach would end homelessness within a decade by prioritizing immediate housing placement. The theory was simple: Housing would …

New Federal Direction Frees Cities to Ditch Housing First, Pursue Real Solutions

_{Center on Wealth & Poverty
November 17, 2025
2
What Works}

SEATTLE, WA — “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.” Following a newly-released reformed funding package from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Discovery Institute published an essential policy brief calling on local governments, Continuums of Care (CoCs), and service agencies to leverage these new federal reforms and make treatment and recovery central to local homelessness solutions. The brief outlines how “Housing First” and …

More Spending, More Suffering: The Failure of America’s Homelessness Policy

_{Michele Steeb
February 11, 2026
5
Homelessness}

In a recent ruling that defies both logic and compassion, a federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s effort to reform the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Continuum of Care program — the federal government’s primary funding mechanism for homelessness assistance. The lawsuit — filed by a coalition of 20 mostly Democratic-led states, local governments, and nonprofit organizations and spearheaded by groups such as Democracy Forward — warns of “funding gaps,” winter instability, and the potential displacement of people currently housed. These alarms are sounded even though HUD includes a nearly 12% increase over last year’s funding allocation. At the core of the complaint is a revealing claim: that reform would …

Lawsuits Delay Homeless Reforms and Leave People on the Streets

_{Marsha Michaelis
February 4, 2026
4
Homelessness}

Even as many volunteers are taking to the cold streets to try to find and quantify the number of homeless Americans living there now, two lawsuits filed late last year in a federal District Court are blocking millions of dollars from reaching the neediest people. The first lawsuit was filed by the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH), and the second by a coalition led by Washington State’s Attorney General Nick Brown. The lawsuits seek to stop the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from redirecting a larger share of public dollars to treatment-based homeless programs. Both suits seek to force the continued pretense that permanent subsidized housing projects will end homelessness. These efforts fail the smell test. First, nothing says …

Marsha Michaelis Talks Homelessness on The Earthvox Podcast

_{Center on Wealth & Poverty and Marsha Michaelis
January 28, 2026
1
Homelessness}

Marsha Michaelis appeared on The Earthvox Podcast with Ryan Keogan. After discussing Michaelis’ journey from the Evergreen Freedom Foundation to homeschooling to her current position at Discovery Institute’s Fix Homelessness initiative, they then discuss her recent article exploring the kinds of solutions society could offer a family in acute distress, homelessness, and drug addiction. The conversation continues with problems with the Housing First approach to homelessness, how the Trump administration is addressing homelessness, the nature of compassion, and more. Listen on Apple Podcasts …

Homeless Family’s Outrageous Situation Suggests Unique Remedy

_{Marsha Michaelis
January 15, 2026
5
Homelessness}

A note to readers: This is an uncomfortable story, as are my conclusions about how society might best address the situation it describes. I prize individual freedom and limited government, and recognize that sanctioning government force in the application of law can be a slippery slope. Yet, neglecting justice to avoid the risks of misapplying it is also a harmful slippery slope, and we see the destructive effects of that error in every city with permissive policies toward drug use, prostitution, and disorder. Ultimately, I can’t ignore the fact that children have a natural right to the dutiful care of their parents. With a wise and creative application of law, it may be possible to uphold a child’s rights even as his parents are subject to justice. Many details would …

Don’t Let a Book by Experts Silence Your Common Sense: “Homelessness is [Not] a Housing Problem”

_{Marsha Michaelis
January 13, 2026
6
Housing}

A book written and applauded by experts can tempt you to doubt your common sense and quietly surrender intellectual ground at a crucial moment, especially if it makes a bold claim and you haven’t read it yet. Consider Homelessness is a Housing Problem by authors Gregg Colburn (an assistant professor at the University of Washington) and Clayton Page Aldern (a Seattle-based data scientist and policy analyst). The book’s attractive cover claims the authors have used “accessible statistical analysis” to “test a range of conventional beliefs about what drives the prevalence of homelessness in a given city—including mental illness, drug use, poverty, weather, generosity of public assistance, and low-income mobility—and find that none explain the variation …

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Street Report

from Jonathan Choe

Homeless Woman Reunited with Family After They Spotted Her in Video

_{Jonathan Choe
February 23, 2026
1
Homelessness}

Home Some good news coming out of the crime, chaos, and death ravaging Seattle. Over the weekend, the family of Marissa Flores watched my coverage of We Heart Seattle doing outreach at a drug encampment in the city. After contacting me for a location, Flores’ family immediately jumped in the car, started a search, and miraculously found her in a tent. She’s now in detox and back home with her kids. The politicians, academics, and activists keep saying this is primarily being fueled by an affordable housing crisis. Flores’ family says don’t listen to them. They say it’s time to focus on drug treatment and recovery first if we are going to save lives in this city. NEW: Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is now dealing with a credibility …

Stop The Sweeps Seattle Publishes Demand Letter for Mayor Wilson

_{Jonathan Choe
February 21, 2026
2
Homelessness}

Eating Their Own Stop The Sweeps Seattle is finally speaking out against Mayor Katie Wilson’s drug encampment sweeps. Members of this far-left activist group wrote a demand letter in Real Change News and slammed Wilson for essentially doing the exact same thing as her predecessor Bruce Harrell. But for now, there is no doubt they are going easier on her. NEW: Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is now dealing with a credibility problem. She said homeless outreach and sweeps would be done differently. But in reality, nothing has changed from the prior administration. On Friday, the MLK Jr. Way drug encampment was cleared for the second… https://t.co/oaY9CaPrbX pic.twitter.com/knxFRfb1gT— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) February 22, 2026 Crashing Press Conferences I …

Mayor Wilson Continues Sweeps, Has No Solutions for Service Resistant

_{Jonathan Choe
February 21, 2026
2
Homelessness}

Nothing Has Changed Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is now dealing with a credibility problem. She said homeless outreach and sweeps would be done differently. But in reality, nothing has changed from the prior administration. On Friday, the MLK Jr. Way drug encampment was cleared for the second time in less than a month. The addicts returned immediately and set up tents in the very same spot or simply moved across the street. The so-called “service resistant” people do not believe cops will arrest them for illegal camping. Men and women out here also know for a fact City Attorney Erika Evans won’t prosecute for open-air drug use. That’s why Seattle keeps losing this game of Whack-A-Mole. BTW, anyone see District 2 Councilmember Eddie Lin? This …

Lake City Residents Call on Mayor to Confront Addiction Crisis

_{Jonathan Choe
February 17, 2026
1
Drug Epidemic}

Drug-Fueled Chaos Lake City neighbors are blasting socialist Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson after her first State of the City address. They say she failed to offer solutions to combat the fentanyl epidemic destroying lives on the streets. People living on 33rd Ave NE say their hood is an absolute disaster zone and looks like a scene out of a zombie movie. Addicts are laid out on the road, kids play in a needle infested park, and drug encampments are spreading on to sidewalks. One brave resident shot this video today from his car to prove how bad it is right now. He’s challenging Mayor Wilson to show up and see the drug-fueled chaos and human suffering for herself. This community is demanding immediate solutions and is tired of the Housing First mantra that is clearly not …

New Seattle Mayor Continues to Pursue Failed Homeless Policies

_{Jonathan Choe
February 17, 2026
2
Homelessness}

Making the Problem Worse The homeless drug crisis is out of control in Seattle. And it’s now evident Mayor Katie Wilson is going to make the problem worse. During her first State of the City address, she talked about building more housing and shelter. But no solutions to deal with mental illness or drug addiction ravaging the city. NEW: Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is giving her first State of City address today. Like all mayors, she will say the city is headed in the right direction. What else are they supposed to say? Meanwhile in Green Lake, homeless drug addicts are sprawled out along the running trails.… https://t.co/joluTB2fda pic.twitter.com/6WyYpY9s56— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) February 17, 2026 Sweep, Sweep, Sweep Aside from changing some policy …

Mayor Wilson Repeats Harrell Administration with Endless Encampment Sweeps

_{Jonathan Choe
February 16, 2026
2
Homelessness}

Playing Whack-A-Mole Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson’s homelessness strategy is turning into a game of Whack-A-Mole. The MLK Way encampment cleared last month has already come roaring back. There are at least 20 people living here. Open-air drug use is rampant. During her State of the City address on Tuesday, Wilson will say she’s building more shelters in the city. But anyone in the outreach world will tell you the mayor has ZERO plan for the “service resistant.” In other words, Wilson can build all the shelters she wants. But unless there is a mechanism to force people indoors, the crisis will get worse and the sweeps will continue. So far, we are seeing a repeat of the Bruce Harrell administration. RINSE REPEAT: Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson is …

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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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[not] anything helps

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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