Drug Epidemic

Independent journalist and Discovery Institute Senior Fellow Jonathan Choe appeared on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, September 15, to testify before the Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency (DOGE) at the invitation of Chairman Tim Burchett (R-Tenn.). The hearing was titled, “Fixing Fraud and Failure in Federally Funded Homelessness Services.” Several clips and excerpts of Choe’s videos covering the homelessness and drug addiction crisis were also presented to the subcommittee. Choe provided testimony based on his experience reporting on the homelessness crisis in West coast cities like Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. He addressed the problems inherent in low-barrier housing facilities such as high rates of assaults, theft, sexual violence, drug use, and other criminal activity that result in Read More ›

Dying City Do not come to Seattle this Labor Day weekend. Unless you want to see mentally ill people running through the streets, homeless drug addicts destroying neighborhoods, and a black market of stolen goods being fueled by violent criminals. Sunday afternoon, I visited three hots spots in Chinatown-ID, SODO, and downtown. It’s worse than ever. Now you know why socialist Mayor Katie Wilson’s approval ratings are hitting new lows. She has lost this city.

Progressive Policies in Action It’s been more than two months since socialist Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson promised to enforce the law and cleanup Chinatown-ID’s open air drug market. It’s now worse than ever and the mayor is running from all my questions. Saturday afternoon, I bumped into an old school street cat who goes by “Antoine.” Not sure if that’s even his real name. He has government subsidized housing but is deeply addicted to fentanyl. Last time I saw him he was walking near 12th Ave & Jackson St in Chinatown-ID. Today, I found him smoking drugs with his feet amputated. Instead of arresting this young man for public drug use and getting him into treatment, the city’s LEAD diversion Read More ›

Jonathan Choe recently teamed up with YouTuber and independent journalist Tyler Oliveira to report on the drug addiction crisis on Seattle’s streets. The pair visited Chinatown, Ballard, and Beacon Hill — neighborhoods that have all been afflicted by open-air drug addiction, chronic homelessness, and unfettered crime. Along the way, they spoke with local residents and business owners about how city leaders continue to ignore these deteriorating conditions.

Mayor Wilson Plays Whack-A-Mole Mega drug encampment sweep is underway in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood. More than 30 tents are being eviscerated in front of the Fred Meyer. Watch as this man simply drags all his belongings and sets up shop on the other side of the parking lot. The game of Whack-A-Mole continues under socialist Mayor Katie Wilson. YouTube journalist Tyler Oliveira, We Heart Seattle, and I recently spotlighted this crime-ridden hell hole that’s been blamed for sex trafficking, violence, and fentanyl dealing on the regular.

In partnership with the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced the new “Best Practices Toolkit: Addressing Homelessness and Addiction Through Treatment First.” From the press release: This first-of-its-kind resource provides communities with practical and proven strategies to help Americans transition from homelessness and addiction to recovery and self-sufficiency. This toolkit advances a “Treatment First” model that prioritizes coordinated and accountability-driven engagement in evidence-based treatment and recovery support services to ensure access to effective, comprehensive, and evidence-based care necessary for homeless individuals. “It’s a policy change many of us who have spent time on the frontlines serving the homeless have been arguing for,” Senior Read More ›

Senior Fellow Michele Steeb appeared on NTD Newsroom to discuss the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s new Treatment First Toolkit. On August 12, HUD released “Best Practices Toolkit: Addressing Homelessness and Addiction through ‘Treatment First.’” The Toolkit addresses the insufficiencies of Housing First to address the problems faced by a large population of the homeless who suffer from an addiction: A “Treatment First” model prioritizes coordinated and accountability-driven engagement in evidence-based treatment and recovery support services, to ensure access to the comprehensive and coordinated care necessary for homeless individuals with addiction to achieve and sustain self-sufficiency. “It’s a policy change many of us who have spent time on the frontlines serving the homeless have been arguing for,” Steeb Read More ›

Developing As I first reported last month, the notorious Lewis Park drug den in Seattle is finally being shut down. This morning, city crews and cops booted everyone off the premises. Socialist Mayor Katie Wilson has allowed this hell hole to fester for months. Honduran fentanyl dealers used the deep woods and cover of darkness to prey on addicts. Multiple women were sexually assaulted. Fires raged out of control. The question now, where is everyone headed? We Heart Seattle is on the ground doing outreach. This is a developing story.

Kevin Dahlgren appeared on Newsmax on July 22, 2026, alongside Harrison Baum to discuss the suffering and exploitation of the homeless in Skid Row. Dahlgren described Skid Row as one of the worst and most corrupt places he has ever been. It’s “the embodiment of radicalized policies run amok,” he explained.

San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie signed legislation on July 29 to expand drug-free permanent supportive housing in the city. From The Voice of San Francisco, reporting back in April: The legislation would require all city-funded permanent supportive housing to be drug-free, adopting the same lease rules governing evictions for illicit drug use that apply to every standard residential lease in San Francisco. Of San Francisco’s roughly 9,000 site-based permanent supportive housing units, only 42 are designated as drug-free. Mayor Lurie said of the legislation: Our administration is transforming how the city confronts the homelessness and behavioral health crisis. We are not just getting people off the streets; we are helping them achieve long-term stability and recovery by standing up the Read More ›