Mayor Bruce Harrell Answers Questions About Homelessness Amid Re-Election Campaign

What Does Harrell Plan To Do?

Nearly four years ago, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell campaigned on the promise of making a serious dent in the city’s homeless drug crisis.

But under his watch, there are more people living on the streets, the fentanyl epidemic remains out of control, and many encampments that were cleared are now repopulating.

So this evening, I asked him what he plans to do about this ongoing issue that could become a political liability for his re-election campaign.

Using the Wrong Measuring Stick

Mayor Harrell is touting these accomplishments on his campaign website. But critics say citing a decrease in RV’s and tent encampments as a metric for success is the wrong barometer.

Homelessness on the Rise

The reality is, homelessness in Seattle and King County is on the rise, with the latest Point-in-Time (PIT) count showing a 23% increase since 2022. That’s more than 16,000 individual in King County, which is the highest number ever recorded.

Some Follow Up Questions for the Mayor

In case you are wondering, I was only able to squeeze in two questions because I caught the Mayor at a fish fry where he was shaking hands and kissing babies Wednesday evening. I appreciate him for taking the time.

But as we get closer to the primary, I’m sure other journalists will be asking about the homeless drug crisis ravaging the city. Some follow up questions:

1. Will he stick with the failed Housing First strategy that only benefits the “homeless industrial complex?”
2. How much money will Harrell pledge to treatment and detox in the next budget cycle?