Residents Ready to Protest After Closure of Controversial Seattle Homeless Shelter Delayed
View at XBreaking
Chinatown-ID residents are furious and ready to protest after Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell delays closure of controversial DESC shelter for homeless drug addicts in Little Saigon. Community advocates say this “low barrier” facility is a magnet for crime, chaos, and death.
Look at this hoard of addicts smoking and dealing fentanyl.
“There is about 30 to 40 to 50 people — I can’t tell, they’re all massed together — standing right outside on the corner,” describes former City Councilmember Tanya Woo.
Others are starting fires to stay warm on the corner of 12th Avenue and Weller Street.
“They’re not really homeless people, they’re just people who are selling goods, buying stolen stuff, and then using drugs,” says community activist Gary Lee.
This is pretty much the scene each day outside the Navigation Center in Seattle’s Little Saigon neighborhood.
“It’s so unfair,” says Lee.
Community activist Gary Lee and former City Councilmember Tanya Woo say this is the primary source of all the crime and chaos destroying their Asian American community.
“This was the place to go if you want to use and buy drugs,” says Woo.
And for the most part, city leaders agree.
“We’ll see if moving the Navigation Center has any impact,” said Deputy Mayor of Seattle Greg Wong in March 2024.
Last year, Deputy Mayor Greg Wong assured residents the facility would be moved out by the end of January and into another part of the city.
But now it’s been delayed until the end of March.
“The city had almost a year to figure this out, yet they don’t have a plan to move the Navigation Center it seems like,” I commented to Woo.
“Well, if they have a plan, they’re not telling us what the plan is,” responded Woo. “We want to be a part of that plan. This is our neighborhood. We want to have a direction and we want to be able to have input on how this place will look.”
“At the end of the day, we have to keep you safe,” Mayor Bruce Harrell has said.
Mayor Bruce Harrell’s office would not give a reason why, but sources say they’re struggling to find space and another shelter willing to take drug addicts. It’s also unclear when or where it will re-open.
“It’s a drug issue,” says Woo, “and fentanyl was a total game-changer.”
Despite massive community opposition, — Lee says “there’s bureaucratic problems” — back in 2017, the Navigation Center was introduced as a low barrier alternative by the Downtown Emergency Service Center. That means drug use is allowed and free supplies are given out, no questions asked.
“What did the Mayor’s office say every time you asked about the status of the Navigation Center?” I asked Woo.
“Well, they say they’re working on it,” says Woo.
But critics say instead of getting proper treatment and support, clients were enabled to fuel their addictions. And drug overdoses were still happening behind closed doors.
Then the shootings, fights, and drug dealing followed the clientele and infected the rest of the neighborhood.
“Do you feel like being back in the neighborhood, still have temptations?” I asked formerly homeless Chris Andreasen.
“Of course, yeah, absolutely,” Andreasen says.
However, for all the problems associated with this shelter, Chris Andreasen says it made a difference in his life.
“If the Navigation Center leaves, you don’t believe that all this drug use is going to go away?” I asked Andreasen.
“No,” he responded, “because it’s been here before.”
Andreasen says the Navigation Center staff helped him get stabilized and he’s now headed into an apartment.
“There are a lot of people who are really concerned about this area on the City Council as well as the Mayor’s office,” says Woo.
But Lee and Woo say for every success story, the negative impact to their community has just not been fair.
“It can’t continue. This has ruined Little Saigon,” says Lee.
And it’s now time for other neighborhoods to take on this burden.
“What are you guys going to do if the Navigation Center is still here after March?” I asked Lee.
“We’re going to protest,” he told me.
“Protest?”
“Yeah, we’re going to protest. We’re going to be there.”
Where Will the Shelter Go?
Closure of the Navigation Center is now expected by the end of March 2025. However, a reason for this delay was not given. It’s also unclear where this 75-bed shelter space will be moved. But sources say Belltown or Pioneer Square have been discussed as possible new locations.
A Multitude of Problems
A simple Google search will show dozens of problems associated with this homeless shelter and other DESC facilities.
Fueling Criminal Activity
Police say the shelter fuels the black market of stolen goods and drug trade in Little Saigon. It’s turned into a revolving door for homeless people from across the city. But criminals also take advantage of this fluid situation by blending in.
Harm Reduction is a Bad Idea
This failed social experiment started in 2017. City leaders were warned about this low barrier model and its impact on neighborhoods. Giving out free meth pipes and needles to homeless drug addicts without requirements to get better is always a bad idea.
Vacant Properties Become Tent Encampments
Some of the homeless drug addicts have been setting up on vacant private properties in Chinatown-ID because they know enforcement is nonexistent unless the landlord steps in. This empty Spic n’ Span Cleaners location along Dearborn Ave is a favorite.
Navigation Center Residents Moving to Star Center
UPDATE: 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.
How You Can Help
If you believe our original storytelling is making an impact in the community and holding politicians accountable, please consider joining our team with a donation.