New Seattle Mayor Continues to Pursue Failed Homeless Policies
View at Jonathan Choe's XMaking the Problem Worse
The homeless drug crisis is out of control in Seattle. And it’s now evident Mayor Katie Wilson is going to make the problem worse.
During her first State of the City address, she talked about building more housing and shelter. But no solutions to deal with mental illness or drug addiction ravaging the city.
Sweep, Sweep, Sweep
Aside from changing some policy language, she is pretty much doing the same thing as the last mayor of Seattle. Sweep, sweep, sweep. And the game of Whack-A-Mole continues.
Same Old Same Old
Wilson’s spokesperson recently told the Seattle Times that, “the mayor isn’t pursuing a significant shift in encampment clearing strategies from the previous administration.”
Ignoring the Service Resistant
As I predicted, Mayor Wilson did not address the “service resistant” which makes up the vast majority of chronically homeless drug addicts on the streets who refuse shelter. These are the men and women causing the most harm to the city and to themselves.
Open-Air Drug Use
Wilson also says she will make sure city sidewalks are clear of encampments. But what about drug addicts in Belltown that smoke fentanyl in vestibules of small biz owners? Where is the relief for them?
Doubling Down on Failed Policies
The beneficiaries of Wilson’s policies will be the homeless industrial complex.
She’s doubling down on the failed Housing First strategy that warehouses homeless drug addicts.
Case in point, the Downtown Emergency Service Center also known as DESC.
Plymouth Housing
Then there’s Plymouth Housing, another permanent supportive housing facility that triggers an inordinate amount of 911 calls in the city. I spent a year investigating “low barrier” homeless housing providers and the lack of accountability is stunning.
Tiny House Villages
And Wilson keeps talking about “tiny house villages” run by Sharon Lee’s Low Income Housing Institute. The taxpayer dollars will be flowing into LIHI.
Failing to Deliver
Wilson also missed an opportunity to say she would audit homeless outreach agencies like REACH that get millions of dollars in city contracts, but fail to deliver meaningful results.
Look what’s happening in front of REACH’s HQ.