Fix Homelessness

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

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September 20, 2023
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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 Partnership for Zero (PfZ) homelessness program Read More ›

Discovery Institute Releases National Report on Homelessness

_{Discovery Institute
October 11, 2022
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The problems linked to homelessness, including substance abuse, mental illness, and crime, are increasing in America despite untold sums of government money spent to address this complex problem.

One Size Does Not Fit All

_{Marvin Olasky
September 22, 2023
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Let’s take a one-week break from my reporting on California homelessness to celebrate this Big News! FR-6700-N-25! Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO)! Maybe that sentence was MEGO to you (mine eyes glaze over) but it’s GOGOGO for government and nonprofit executives looking for federal dollars. The Department of Housing and Urban Affairs is passing out billions “in competitive funding to homeless services organizations across the country for supportive services and housing programs for people experiencing homelessness.” HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge announced, “As our nation faces a worsening housing crisis, it is imperative that we continue to invest in communities’ efforts.” Specifically, HUD is looking for projects that “end homelessness for all persons experiencing homelessness” and “use a Housing First approach.” Read More ›

Washington state spends $143 MILLION to get 126 out of homelessness—now Jay Inslee is asking for more

_{Jonathan Choe
September 16, 2023
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“That’s the equivalent of spending… $1,137,256 per person to exit homelessness.” By Ari Hoffman and Jonathan Choe Despite spending over $1.1 million for each of the only 126 people who transitioned out of homelessness, Washington Democrat Governor Jay Inslee claimed that his initiative for removing encampments from state land and getting people into housing requires more money in order to continue. Inslee has failed to adequately address the state’s homeless crisis, which has grown exponentially during his more than a decade in office. Friday, during a photo op at a tiny home village in Olympia, Inslee touted his Rights of Way Safety Initiative (ROW), a program that since last summer has attempted to remove encampments from state land, including from the sides of freeways, Read More ›

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Street Report

from Jonathan Choe

Greenwood Encampment Spiraling Out of Control

_{Jonathan Choe
September 17, 2023
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Getting Worse? There are so many unresolved homeless encampments in Seattle. But this one in Greenwood behind the Fred Meyer keeps getting worse. I counted close to 30 tents, including one with a door. Neighbors keep flooding my DM’s saying the city along with Councilmember Dan Strauss (@CMDanStrauss) are ignoring the problem. Same issues: open air drug use, more crime, yelling at all hours of the day, trash spilling out into the streets, etc. There’s also concern this place is being used as a CHOP SHOP. One guy told me he was sawing off the metal part of a brand new hose line to sell at a local scrap yard. Perfectly legal, as long as it’s not stolen. On a Read More ›

Inslee Defends Spending $1mil Per Person for Exit From Homelessness

_{Jonathan Choe
September 12, 2023
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Crunching the Numbers Monday afternoon, Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) took a victory lap, taking credit for clearing the Myers Way encampment in West Seattle. However, some of the elderly neighbors at the Arrowhead Apts across the street say it’s too little too late after months of crime, open air drug use, and other issues spilling into the neighborhood. With that said, I was really there to confront Inslee about the rising cost of his Rights of Way Initiative launched in 2022. By the Gov’s own estimates, they have spent around $135 million to close 30 encampments and place 870 people into temporary housing. Without getting too wonky, one of the most important categories on the WA State Dept of Commerce’s Read More ›

Belltown Shooting Near Encampment

_{Jonathan Choe
September 12, 2023
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Another Encampment Shooting Late Monday evening, multiple witnesses in Belltown sent me video showing officers responding to a shooting at 2nd Ave & Blanchard St. My sources on the ground say the victim was targeted and “had it coming to them.” What led up to all this remains unclear. Victim’s condition is unknown and so far no arrests. This is a well known stretch for 911 calls, open air drug use, and tent encampments in the city. Earlier this month, street preacher Matthew Meinecke and I searched for Kaylee Gordon at this location. It’s also right around the corner from REACH, Plymouth housing, and other social service agencies. CM Andrew Lewis’ (@cmandrewjlewis) district remains a war zone.

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

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Tom Shakely
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 the key to solving the crisis. Palmer describes the role government policy plays in creating and perpetuating homelessness, he reveals how addiction and mental health issues culminate with people living in a tent on the street. But all is not lost. There are many reasons for hope. People can return to self-sufficiency and healthy functioning when they voluntarily receive compassionate and loving engagement under “tough love “policies that require people to refrain from using drugs and help themselves in an environment of structured and loving support. Palmer describes the work of rescue missions and offers an optimistic assessment of what can be accomplished — if only regulators would step out of the way. Related The Problem With “Housing First” According to Baum and Burnes Rescue Mission | Providing hope to the homeless in our Communities. Citygate Network

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

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Tom Shakely
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 throw up one’s hands in despair. Thankfully, there are people willing to tackle the seemingly helpless cause. Wesley’s guest on this episode of Humanize, Robert Marbut, Jr., is one such man. Marbut is a renowned expert on homelessness and a senior fellow of Discovery Institute’s Center on Wealth & Poverty. He has a PhD in Political Behavior and American Political Institutions and his career has been marked by bipartisanship having served as Chief of Staff for San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros in the 1980s, as a White House Fellow under George H. W. Bush, and most recently as the Executive Director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness from 2019 to 2021 under both the Trump and Biden administrations. Additionally, he served on the Board of Directors of the United States Olympic Committee from 1992 to 2004. Marbut is a tenured professor of government at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio, TX. Economics | Discovery Institute (wealthandpoverty.center) Most Cities’ Responses To Homelessness Actually Enable Even More Homelessness USICH Expanding the Toolbox Biden Administration’s ‘Free Crack Pipe’ Scheme Hurts the Homeless and Harms Society Jim Palmer of the Orange County Rescue Mission on causes and cures for America’s homelessness crisis

[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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Our Mission

Resources

National Report

Legal Guide

Case Studies

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