Fix Homelessness | How to rebuild human lives

Newsom Tries to Shift Blame on Homelessness to Local Government

_{Michele Steeb
March 31, 2026
4
Homelessness}

Gavin Newsom stood before the cameras in early March and once again blamed local governments for the state’s spiraling homelessness crisis. “No more excuses,” he thundered, threatening to strip funding from counties he claims are underperforming while promising to redirect “every damn penny” to those “getting things done.” Newsom is once again attempting to shift blame for California’s homelessness crisis — the very crisis he has repeatedly pledged to solve, including his 2021 vow to end family homelessness within five years. Since 2017, homelessness in California has surged by more than 40 percent — from roughly 134,000 people to nearly 187,000 in 2024 — despite an estimated $30 billion in spending he authorized. His …

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 …

Kevin Dahlgren and Jonathan Choe Talk Cash-for-Ballots Scheme on Newsmax

_{Center on Wealth & Poverty, Kevin Dahlgren and Jonathan Choe
March 27, 2026
1
Crime, Law, and Order}

Kevin Dahlgren and Jonathan Choe recently appeared on Newsmax’s Finnerty, hosted by Rob Finnerty, to discuss their joint investigation with Frontlines TPUSA and other independent journalists into a cash-for-ballots scheme in Skid Row. Dahlgren and Choe explain how ballot initiative workers are paying the homeless to fraudulently sign petitions in Los Angeles’ notoriously drug-infested and crime-ridden Skid Row. Dahlgren called the scheme “irresponsible, exploitative, cruel, illegal.” "This is literally third world." @kevinvdahlgren and @choeshow are making the rounds, exposing the exploitative and illegal behavior of ballot initiative workers in Skid Row. WATCH ⤵️@NEWSMAX @RobFinnertyUSA pic.twitter.com/gRFjRZL3W6— Center on Wealth & …

Addiction Is a Disease — Policy May Finally Catch Up

_{Michele Steeb
March 23, 2026
4
Drug Epidemic}

More than 48 million Americans are battling substance use disorder. Many are deteriorating in plain sight — on sidewalks, in encampments, and in emergency rooms. Others decline behind closed doors. Overdoses are shattering families, especially within the homeless population where the death rate among people living on the streets has surged by 77 percent. Yet in a media landscape quick to amplify controversy but slow to recognize consequential reform, President Donald Trump’s executive order to overhaul America’s addiction response passed with remarkably little national attention. It shouldn’t have. At its core, the order affirms a truth long understood by those who have worked on the front lines: no man or woman living with addiction ever dreamed of …

House Bill 2266: Stupid Greed or False Philanthropy?

_{Marsha Michaelis
March 5, 2026
4
Homelessness}

Every legislative session in Washington state, a few infamous bills absorb all the time and attention that ordinary citizens can reasonably devote to restraining their government — while still minding the important business of their own lives. This year, it’s a “millionaires’ tax” (also known as an unconstitutional state income tax), and a “modernization” of law enforcement that would ensure county-elected sheriffs serve at the behest of an unelected state board. Rightfully, the people are fiercely fighting these bad ideas. Meanwhile, about 350 other bills are quietly passing into law, many of them just as bad. Most of us won’t even know about these laws until we cut ourselves on their sharp edges while minding the important business …

Housing Doesn’t Solve Homelessness

_{Marvin Olasky
March 3, 2026
6
Homelessness}

California Governor Gavin Newsom regularly repeats his mantra: “Shelter solves sleep; housing solves homelessness.” Hmm. From 2022 to 2025, I wrote weekly columns about homelessness and gained insight by living for three weeks in shelters. Based on that I can say: In general, it is not true that housing solves homelessness. Maybe it solves homelessness for people who are not addicts, alcoholics, mentally ill, or victims of abusive childhoods, but most homeless people are in one or more of those four categories. Maybe housing solves homelessness if the rest of us don’t like to see homeless people: Get them out of sight and they can be out of mind. Invisibility benefits those who have homes. Unseen homeless folks don’t ask us for money, so we are free from …

HB 2266: Call Your Legislator Today

_{Center on Wealth & Poverty and Marsha Michaelis
March 2, 2026
2
Homelessness}

Update 3/5: The State Senate passed HB 2266, with amendments. The bill will now go back to the House to be reconsidered. A vote is expected the week of 3/9. Please call your local Representative today! Update 3/9: The House passed HB 2266. The bill will go to the Governor’s desk for signature. More than 20,000 people are living on the streets in Washington state, most of them suffering from an untreated mental illness and/or drug addiction. HB 2266 is currently moving through the Washington State legislature to make it easier to develop subsidized housing and emergency shelters in the style of the failed Housing First policy. This bill would override local ordinances and zoning laws, put residents in real danger of increased crime and lawlessness, and leave the homeless …

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Street Report

from Jonathan Choe

Seattle Sweeps Encampment in Front of City-Funded Homeless Service Provider

_{Jonathan Choe
April 5, 2026
2
Homelessness}

The Sweeps Continue Aggressive drug encampment sweeps in Seattle are happening on Easter weekend under Mayor Katie Wilson. On Saturday, city crews removed the so called “service resistant” from the corner of 3rd Ave and Blanchard St. But they all came roaring back after cops left the area. The game of Whack-A-Mole is out of control. This is near REACH HQ, the homeless outreach division of Evergreen Treatment Services. This non-profit has received millions of dollars in taxpayer funding from the city to address the street crisis. Yet they can’t even handle the problem right in front of their building. If one of the primary agencies tasked with getting men and women into housing can’t figure this out, how are they going to address the crisis across …

Nominated for an Emmy Award While First Amendment Battle Rages On

_{Jonathan Choe
April 3, 2026
2
News}

Media Industry Acknowledges What WA Lawmakers Deny So much going on here. First of all, congrats to all the 2025 Northwest Regional Emmy Award Nominees. For the third year in a row, my news industry peers have recognized the incredible journalism coming out of Discovery Institute Media in Seattle. This is also the first time Frontlines Turning Point USA has been nominated for a local Emmy award in this highly competitive market. Our joint collaboration was about WA Democrats denying press credentials to independent journalists covering the State Legislature. We thought the issue was settled last year. But during the most recent session, House Democrats blocked me again. Other highly influential media members like Brandi Kruse and Ari Hoffman were also added to this banned …

Skid Row’s Cash-for-Ballots Scheme

_{Jonathan Choe and Kevin Dahlgren
March 26, 2026
4
Homelessness}

Discovery Institute has joined up with Frontlines Turning Point USA, O’Keefe Media Group, and other independent journalists in a multi-part investigation into a cash-for-ballots scheme in Los Angeles’ Skid Row. Jonathan Choe and Kevin Dahlgren help expose the exploitation of the homeless, the theft of the identities of innocent Americans, and the violation of state law in some of America’s most crime-ridden streets. Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles is one of the most dangerous neighborhoods in America, a human dumping ground infested with crime, open-air drug use, and unimaginable suffering on virtually every block. “This is hell on Earth,” I commented at one point. This chaos is also what allows alleged fraudsters to blend in and prey on the …

Tiny Home Village Director Dodges Question About Smoking Shacks on Premises

_{Jonathan Choe
March 25, 2026
1
Homelessness}

Exposed We Heart Seattle just exposed fentanyl smoking shacks inside taxpayer funded Low Income Housing Institute’s tiny house villages. But I was chasing this tip as well. Recently, I point-blank asked LIHI Executive Director Sharon Lee about these controversial “safe consumption” sites on her properties. Instead of giving me a yes or no answer, listen to what she had to say. Don’t hate the player, hate the game. Funding requires low barrier (drugs allowed), and “harm reduction” practices like this dedicated volunteer built tiny home to smoke illegal and lethal Fentanyl. Do the voters know they are paying for this and to be installed in their… pic.twitter.com/nPuMPS72Wm— We Heart Seattle (@weheartseattle) March 24, 2026 …

Elderly Homeless Man Hit by Car, Killed

_{Jonathan Choe
March 19, 2026
1
Homelessness}

Developing An elderly homeless man is dead after being hit by a car near the Fred Meyer in Bellevue. It happened late Thursday evening along 148th Ave NE in a busy shopping corridor. Unclear if the rain and slick conditions played a role in what appears to be an accident. The driver stopped and is at the scene talking to cops. This is a developing story. …

Citizens Step Up to Stop Shoplifting in Bellevue

_{Jonathan Choe
March 17, 2026
1
Crime, Law, and Order}

They’re Back! The Bellevue community watch is back! Monday evening, these brave volunteers stopped two homeless drug addicts from ransacking the QFC grocery store in the Crossroads neighborhood. Witnesses say a WHITE male and female with a dog tried to take off with packs of ground beef. No cops showed. Stopping the Black Market of Stolen Goods The community watch fellas suspect this duo passed through the Plymouth Housing/PorchLight homeless campus and were headed to Seattle in order to sell the stolen goods in Chinatown-ID. …

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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.

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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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