Homelessness

Oh Boy WSDOT (@wsdot) and Gov. Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) are now dealing w/another out of control fire at a homeless encampment entrenched on a state right of way. There have already been multiple infernos at this downtown #Seattle location. @MayorofSeattle (video from Jeremy Harris) WSDOT Was Warned Look at this inferno back in March near the same spot. According state data, there are more than 2000 homeless encampments on state right of ways, many still in #Seattle. At what point does @MayorofSeattle step in. Questionnable Pace These encampment situations are out of control, even after millions of dollars poured into clearings and housing. That’s why I keep asking Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) about the timelines for removals. But right now, Read More ›

Pundits who write about homelessness should recognize that America in this decade does not have 20-20 vision on the subject. My column last week analyzed a celebrated short story in which a homeless Native American and his friends haven’t changed at all, but the city of Seattle celebrates. If you’ve been watching Jonathan Choe’s videos on this Fix Homelessness website, Seattle’s homelessness crisis is not something to cheer. But in a New Yorker short story, the Noble Savage and his alcoholic crew can live happily ever after.  Some writers cheer on homelessness, seeing it as a way to live off the land, hunting for sustenance. There are parallels between the way European Americans dealt with Native Americans two centuries ago Read More ›

Breaking Trespass notices are now up at a notorious West Seattle homeless encampment with the infamous SWIMMING POOL. It appears The Washington State Dept. of Transportation (@wsdot) is finally getting ready to take action. But some of the homeless say they’ve read the fine print and are not worried…at least for now. Meanwhile, neighbors at the Arrowhead Gardens Senior Living Apartments are putting elected officials on BLAST before tonight’s community meeting. They’re demanding a timeline on removal. And look at the disaster in the deep woods behind the pool! What a mess. On Notice The homeless pointing out there is ZERO language about tents and structures being removed this round. It’s Going National Diane Radischat is the president of the Read More ›

In 1993 Native American writer Sherman Joseph Alexie Jr. published a short story collection titled The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven. In 2003 he publisherd in The New Yorker an Alexie short story, “What You Pawn I Will Redeem,” that was one of the top three stories of the year, according to the prestigious O.Henry Awards. It has been anthologized and assigned to thousands of high school students. Although all the action is within one small area of Seattle, it’s a culturally important meld of the Noble Savage and Happy Hobo traditions I wrote about last week.   The story begins, “One day you have a home and the next you don’t,” and then quickly identifies the narrator/hero Read More ›

It’s hard to develop a consensus on public policy concerning homelessness. One reason: Many Americans have decried homelessness but envy the supposedly care-free lives of those who don’t have to deal with mortgages, car payments, and health insurance.   Eight decades ago Frank Capra’s Meet John Doe, starring Gary Cooper as the hobo hero, was a popular movie with positive things to say about the wandering life. Six decades ago country singer Roger Miller’s “King of the Road” glorified day-to-day hobo life and reached #1 on both the U.S. Country chart and Easy Listening surveys. Miller sang, “I’m a man of means by no means/ King of the road.” He summarized disadvantages and advantages: “Old, worn out suit and shoes/ Read More ›

Olympia’s Crisis in the Woods Outsiders think Washington state’s capital would be pristine and well maintained. But for the locals, the homeless and drug crisis has exploded over the past few years. And it’s become more visible and evident than ever, especially along Wheeler Ave. There are dozens of tents still on WSDOT (@wsdot) property. Unfortunately, tons of trash and drug paraphernalia’s starting to pile up as well. This is also turning into an environmental disaster. Look at all the rubbish in waterways. Some of the homeless are also chopping down fresh trees to make shelters. I’m sure there are some campers in this part of Olympia who would go into the new Lacey homeless hotel. But bottom line, most Read More ›

This year is the 500th anniversary of the death of Hermann Zierenberg. The wealthy man’s will in 1523 revealed he had set aside money so that each year on the anniversary of his death homeless people would pray for his salvation and purportedly save him years in purgatory. As Zierenberg was dying, though, the tradition of buying prayers to reduce purgatory time was dying out in much of Europe. One agent of change was Martin Luther, who said purgatory does not exist, so prayers for beloved ones to escape it are a waste of effort. Another was the enormous cost of grand cathedrals. I visited several years back the Seville Cathedral, known as the third-largest church in the world. It Read More ›

Encampment Needs to Close Wednesday’s fire took out multiple tents in the Hobby Lobby (@HobbyLobby) homeless encampment near Sleater-Kinney Road in #Olympia on @wsdot property. No reports of any serious injuries. I’ve been tracking this place for months and visited just a few days. Before this most recent fire, dozens of homeless people started moving in just in the past few weeks, hoping to get “tagged” and in line for one of the rooms at the former #Lacey Days Inn. It’s being converted into a homeless hotel for more than 100 people. But there were delays with this project after crews found meth in the walls. Either way, city and state leaders hope this is a solution to one of Read More ›

Saturday Stroll It remains a tale of two cities in downtown #Seattle. The fentanyl addicts are still doing their thing near hot spots like 3rd Ave and Pike St. It’s just a foil party everywhere and people are literally passed out in the middle of the sidewalk. People were a little bit more aggressive than usual towards me today. But the rest of downtown is packed with tourists and looking spectacular. So much upside to this city. No doubt preparations for the Seattle Pride Parade (@OurSeattlePride) on Sunday are helping. But if elected officials can get the drug crisis under control, this is a preview of good things to come. I just hope co-existing with the open air drug use Read More ›

Today, nonprofit organizations designed to help the homeless compete to be beneficiaries listed in wills. Some offer public relations after death: “Make your generosity live on after you! You can assist the homeless by supporting the work of ___ in your will.” Or, “How Will You Be Remembered? You can help… overcome homelessness, poverty, addiction and mental health issues — even after you’re gone.” Other requests for bequests emphasize helping ourselves as well as helping others: “Your charitable trusts can be established to help homeless families with children, and offer you a tax advantage,” or “Your bequests can leave a lasting legacy, secure tax advantages for your family, and help us to prevent and end homelessness for years to come.” Is partly self-interested altruism new? The late Read More ›