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International District Business Owners Welcome Encampment Clearing After Crime and Violence

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Breaking

Washington State Dept. of Transportation finally SWEEPING two notorious #Chinatown-ID encampments on Tuesday. One at King St. and the other on Jackson St. All on @WSDOT property.

These camps have been linked to drug deals, fires, a meth lab explosion, shootings, overdose deaths and other crimes. Residents and biz owners have heavily criticized @KC_RHA CEO Marc Dones for slow outreach due to his “housing first” ideology, disappointed in Mayor Bruce Harrell (@MayorofSeattle) for not taking control from the state sooner, and say Gov. Jay Inslee( @GovInslee) should not be taking a victory lap since he allowed situation to flourish for so long.

Summit Sierra High School students also walked through this insanity for nearly a year. This Asian American community now needs to heal once they get through this ordeal. But everyone is worried the state will allow this to happen again unless crews fence off and Washington State Patrol (@wastatepatrol) consistently monitors this area. #Seattle @DiscoveryCWP

Never Forget

I launched this EXCLUSIVE story last month. Summit Sierra High School is caught in the middle of open air drug deals, homeless encampment infernos, and a black market that’s thriving in #Chinatown-ID. This is just the latest crisis threatening the safety of students in #Seattle. City, county, and state leaders remain paralyzed as near term solutions fail. I’ve been documenting this unfolding disaster for months.

Meth Lab Inferno

Last month, authorities say a meth lab exploded at the Jackson St. encampment on @WSDOT property. Once again @CMTammyMorales MIA. Auto body shop owner nearby is shocked @KC_RHA‘s Marc Dones says homeless will only be moved if “permanent housing solution” is available. #Seattle @MayorofSeattle @GovInslee @kcexec @WAStateCommerce @seattlecouncil @KCCouncil

Super Bowl Sunday

More tents up in flames on this @WSDOT property, victimizing #Chinatown-ID again. No sign of @CMTammyMorales coming out to support her dist. after recent string of homeless related fires. Where is @KC_RHA+Marc Dones? Will he show up for Tuesday’s sweep?

Massive Inferno

Feb 3 another fire at King St. encampment in #Chinatown-ID on @WSDOT property. Notice a theme here? State ignores problems in this minority community. @CMTammyMorales MIA. Where is the equity lens for Asian Americans?

Tone Deaf

Last month, parents RAGED on @KC_RHA CEO Marc Dones earlier about lingering homeless encampments, especially the Ship Canal Bridge encampment near John Stanford Int. School. Dones went on to say WA state law makers put in a funding requirement that says homeless can only be moved if there is a “permanent housing solution.” Dones was rebuked and corrected by multiple law makers including the Governor. Yet his misinterpretation/mistake led to all kinds of unintended consequences. #Seattle

Mini Camps

Tents+ structures remain in #Chinatown-ID on @wsdot property. Some have been here for more than year. Others popped up after massive 10th & Dearborn sweep few months ago.

November 2022

@WSDOT Secretary of Transportation Roger Millar said, “When we see something starting, we get in and stop it.” Three months later, structure he was referring to in #Chinatown-ID is still there. BTW, watch @GovInslee throw Roger under the bus.

Jonathan Choe

Journalist and Senior Fellow, Center on Wealth and Poverty
Jonathan Choe is a journalist and Senior Fellow with Discovery Institute's Center on Wealth and Poverty, covering homelessness issues for its Fix Homelessness initiative. Prior to joining Discovery, Choe spent several years as one of the lead reporters at KOMO-TV, consistently the top rated television station in Seattle. His in depth stories on crime and deep dive investigations into the homeless crisis led to measurable results in the community, including changes in public policy. Choe has more than two decades of experience in television news behind the scenes and in front of the camera for ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, and Tribune. He has also been nominated and honored with multiple industry awards including an Emmy. Choe spent several years teaching classes on emerging media and entrepreneurship to under privileged youth in inner city Chicago. As an independent journalist, Choe also contributes regularly to the Mill Creek View and Lynnwood Times and has reported on exclusive stories in the past year for Daily Wire and The Postmillennial.