Blog | Page 23

How could 6,000 shelter beds be unoccupied in Los Angeles County? It’s a number, reported in LAist in July, that makes no sense given the miles of homeless encampments that occupy area streets and sidewalks. Looking for an answer, I talked to Dave — a formerly homeless man who asked me not to reveal his last name. Dave told me how he ended up unhoused in the 1990s and then worked his way into a good job and a steady roof over this head. He believes that homeless individuals who live on the street choose to do so, because when he didn’t have a roof, he chose to spend the night in missions with rules, not on streets without them. Read More ›

As city and county officials remain paralyzed trying to manage Burien’s out of control homeless encampment crisis, Kristine Moreland of “The More We Love” is building trust and relationships. “There are predators coming in from the community and preying on the people in here,” Moreland says as we walk past an encampment. She and her outreach partner, Chri Wee, are helping move men and women out of tents in the heart of downtown Burien into the services they need. They’ve been hired by local businesses to do the work politicians and the King County Regional Homelessness Authority have neglected. Together, they’ve moved more than two dozen men and women into housing or programs in just one month. “We celebrate because Read More ›

I’m used to hopeless stories about the growth of homelessness, particularly in Los Angeles and San Francisco. Last December LA Mayor Karen Bass declared her city to be in a “state of emergency” that demanded “a sea change in how the city tackles homelessness.” Fine, but six months later, on June 29, a Los Angeles Times headline blared about the change Angelenos has seen: “Homelessness grows 10 percent in the city.” Two weeks ago I headed to California to see for myself. I had already walked LA’s Skid Row, where 11,000 homeless people crowd into 2/5 of a square mile and create what locals call “a man-made Hell.” Didn’t need another look at that, and the hope of seeing a Read More ›

Lost Cause Day or night, this part of downtown Seattle near DESC’s (@DESCSeattle) Morrison and Lyon Building continues to be a blight on the city. Multiple 911 calls to this location each day. Zero accountability and city leaders like Councilmember Andrew Lewis (@CMAndrewJLewis) cannot keep up with the insanity. Drug addicts, tents, and mentally ill people flood 3rd Ave & Cherry St at all hours of the day. Even after more than a year of sweeps, the so called “trap tents” keep coming back. People are doing drugs under umbrellas and carry all sorts of weapons out here. As long as a DESC property is in your hood, city leaders must continue with the sweeps and have extra security on Read More ›

Join the Club King County Metro (@KingCountyMetro) just removed another problematic bus shelter in downtown Seattle. This time at the corner of 3rd Ave & Pike St in front of the Ross store. Drug addicts were using it as an open air fentanyl den. Otherwise, no more cover from the elements. It’s a bummer for senior citizens who have to wait in the scorching sun or pouring rain. Unclear if it’s a temporary move. Otherwise, this stretch of downtown looked good Tuesday compared to other days. Multiple law enforcement officers up and down the block. But dudes were still passing out on the street. Just another routine day in #Seattle. Councilmember Andrew Lewis (@cmandrewjlewis) should be out here every single Read More ›

Final Countdown August 1 primary is on Tuesday. There is still plenty of time to vote. So many tight races in Seattle, especially in District 7. Councilmember Andrew Lewis (@CMAndrewJLewis ,@LewisforSeattle) remains one of the most vulnerable incumbents in the city. I reached out to him for an interview on this election story but he never got back to me. Candidate Bob Kettle (@Kettle4Seattle) dissed me as well. Instead I spoke to Olga Sagan (@OlgaSaganWA) and Aaron Marshall(@MarshallFor7) about top priority issues on my beat like homelessness, public safety, and the fentanyl addiction crisis. More importantly, they walked with me through some of the most notorious crime hot spots and open air drug dens in the downtown core. Clearly, they Read More ›

Game Over Ballard A few more days to go until the August 1 primary in Seattle. Sunday afternoon, I went to check in on the homeless crisis exploding in Councilmember Dan Strauss’ (@CMDanStrauss) hood. Strauss remains vulnerable in District 6 and is fighting for his political life. I assumed he would have figured out a way to clear some of the tents for the sake of optics. Instead, Leary Ave NW is a wreck. I have never seen so many tents lined on this street. The side streets are pretty bad as well. You can walk to all 38 tents in a matter of minutes. I’m not even counting the dozens of RV’s and structures. Just the tents! Based on Read More ›

Exclusive Another terrifying incident along a Washington State Dept. of Transportation (@wsdot) right of way in Seattle. Friday evening, WSP (@wastatepatrol) confirms someone hurled a brick/rock through the windshield of a moving car traveling on 90E. This is near the ramp to the highway off Rainier Ave S. It’s an area that continues to deal with homeless encampments and mentally ill people roaming the streets. Authorities say somehow, the driver did not suffer serious injuries and is handling all of this through insurance. So far no suspects or arrests. This is just a few minutes away from the former homeless encampment known as “Tammy Town,” named after Councilmember Tammy Morales (@CMTammyMorales.) Morales recently doubled down and said she opposed encampment Read More ›

Arguably Worst Month for Governor Jay Inslee July was a total disaster when it comes to the homeless crisis exploding on Washington State Dept. of Transportation (@wsdot) right of ways. National media picked up on the insanity being built on WSDOT properties like the notorious West Seattle swimming pool, homeless cave/underground tunnel system, and EWOK Village in the trees. Making matters worse, this week a DRUG WAR involving homemade BOMBS caused one of the largest explosions in downtown Seattle along I-5. The Mayor of Seattle had to go in and clear the encampment since it was taking the state way too long to address this emergency. And there are still more than 2K encampments on state right of ways with Read More ›