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Community Activists Organize Press Conference Outside Controversial Seattle Homeless Shelter

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Community Impact
Drug Epidemic
Homelessness
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Chinatown-ID is fighting back and demanding more support and security from Seattle leaders.

Monday morning, community activists will be holding a press conference at 10:00 am in front of DESC’s Navigation Center. This controversial “low barrier” homeless shelter is being blamed for attracting crime, chaos, and death to this neighborhood. That’s because drug use is allowed and supplies are freely given out without any requirements for treatment. This past weekend a hoard of addicts overwhelmed the sidewalk right outside this facility, corroborating neighbor concerns.

It was supposed to finally close by the end of January. But Mayor Bruce Harrell delayed the move until March, enraging neighbors and biz owners who have already sacrificed so much.

Press Release

Leading the charge is former Seattle Councilmember and Tanya Woo. Here is the press release:

In an important development for the Little Saigon community, the Navigation Center, will remain open until March, extending its operation beyond the originally planned January closure. There is an urgent need to address the escalating challenges in the surrounding neighborhood, particularly near 12th and Weller, King, and Jackson.

In the past month, the community has witnessed a troubling rise in incidents, including stabbings, shootings, the closure of a vital bus stop, and an alarming number of overdoses. These are not just statistics; they represent real lives impacted and demand immediate and sustained action.

We invite you to join us for a Press Conference:

When: Monday, January 13th, at 10 a.m.
Where: Directly across the street from the Navigation Center – sidewalk outside 611 12th Ave S, Seattle, WA 98144
Who:  Business Owners, Residents, Community members
What:  We will hear from business owners and community leaders who will outline our calls to action and present a letter advocating for critical measures.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Moving to the Star Center

DESC says all residents from Nav Center will be moved to the Star Center at 3rd Ave and Cherry St, one of the most crime and drug ridden parts of the city. Btw, this is one block from City Hall and where I was chased by an axe wielding teen.

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.