Housing

I’ve spent years working directly with Seattle’s homeless population, not studying them from university offices, or analyzing data sets from a comfortable distance, but on the streets, in the encampments, doing street-level engagement and intervention. When I read yet another opinion piece (“Homelessness in Seattle: We can’t unsee it.” Dec. 28, 2025) attributing our homelessness crisis primarily to housing costs, I have to ask: Are we really going to continue trusting consultants and researchers over what our own eyes tell us?

The December piece by Walter Hatch follows a familiar pattern in academia: Start with a conclusion, in this case, that “it’s a housing problem,” then find data to support it. However, those of us working on the ground are aware of a critical fact that these analyses consistently overlook: There’s a fundamental distinction between the “crisis population” living in visible squalor on our streets and individuals who are the working poor — couch-surfing, living with family or struggling with roommates to afford rent.

We cannot conflate these populations. They are not the same.

Enabling Chaos Representatives with the homeless industrial complex are in Olympia this week, begging lawmakers for more money and support. They know funding cuts are on the way to the disastrous permanent supportive housing models that enable crime, chaos, and death in WA communities. Meanwhile, the Plymouth Housing/PorchLight campus has already triggered multiple 911 calls in this new year. Listen to this bizarre incident on January 16. A bystander reported this vicious beatdown outside the facility in the Eastgate neighborhood. But once the fellas involved realized they were being watched by witnesses, they pretended like it was just an “act” and quickly walked back into Plymouth.

The Bellevue City Council is raising massive safety concerns about the Plymouth Housing/PorchLight homeless campus. Led by CM Jared Nieuwenhuis, the councilmembers are now telling city staff to come up with a better plan to keep neighbors and businesses safe. And they are demanding a baseline standard to measure success. Regardless, it appears this problematic facility isn’t going anywhere as it continues to trigger the most 911 calls in the city. Jare Neiuwenhuis CM Jared Nieuwenhuis on Plymouth Housing/PorchLight. Naren Briar CM Naren Briar on Plymouth Housing/PorchLight. Vishal Bhargava CM Vishal Bhargava on Plymouth Housing/PorchLight. Claire Sumadiwirya CM Claire Sumadiwirya on Plymouth Housing/PorchLight. Mo Malakoutian Mayor Mo Malakoutian on Plymouth Housing/PorchLight. Deputy Mayor Hamilton Deputy Mayor Dave Hamilton on Plymouth Read More ›

A book written and applauded by experts can tempt you to doubt your common sense and quietly surrender intellectual ground at a crucial moment, especially if it makes a bold claim and you haven’t read it yet. Consider Homelessness is a Housing Problem by authors Gregg Colburn (an assistant professor at the University of Washington) and Clayton Page Aldern (a Seattle-based data scientist and policy analyst). The book’s attractive cover claims the authors have used “accessible statistical analysis” to “test a range of conventional beliefs about what drives the prevalence of homelessness in a given city—including mental illness, drug use, poverty, weather, generosity of public assistance, and low-income mobility—and find that none explain the variation observed across the country.” (A Read More ›

“I Will Never Talk to You” Bellevue Mayor Lynne Robinson has failed to address the crime, chaos, and death associated with the Plymouth Housing/PorchLight campus in the Eastgate Neighborhood. Robinson helped bring in this permanent supportive housing nightmare even though residents and business owners opposed the plan. Nearly two years later, this campus triggers the most 911 calls in the city for fights, thefts, open-air drug use, and other problems. It’s also stressing resources at Bellevue PD and is a massive drain on taxpayer dollars. So I simply asked Robinson for her thoughts on this cancer in the community. Here’s her response. Not Running for Re-Election Tuesday evening, Robinson told the city council that she will not run for Mayor Read More ›

Bellevue repeat offender Merrell James Gorham-Craig just went on another rampage through the city. The Plymouth Housing/PorchLight campus resident is accused of ransacking a Walgreens and QFC late Monday evening. But even more disturbing, cops let him go back to his apartment without booking him into jail and are now refusing to answer my questions. A.K.A. “Manny” Gorham-Craig is also known as “Manny” by Plymouth workers and residents. He has a lengthy rap sheet and is well known to Bellevue cops. The @FactoriaLLS team and I have been watching his name pop up on numerous police reports this year. A Menace Inside the Facility Gorham-Craig is also accused of being a menace to Plymouth Housing workers and neighbors.

Harm Reduction In Action Plymouth Housing continues to be a blight on the downtown Seattle community. Look at all the drug action in front of the Stewart Street location. This is “Housing First” and “Harm Reduction” in action. Staff give out free drug supplies and no one is required to go into detox or find jobs. So they hang out all day in their apartments and do fentanyl. In some cases, dealers actually live in the units. It’s one stop shopping and a death trap. If any of these so called “permanent supportive” apartments are pitched for your community, fight like heck to keep it out. Unless you like to live next to crime, chaos, and death everyday. 911 calls Read More ›

Chaos Continues at Plymouth Housing The cancer continues to spread in Bellevue’s Eastgate community. The @FactoriaLLS team and I have gone through dozens of 911 calls to uncover another horrific incident at the Plymouth Housing/PorchLight campus. On October 30, a PorchLight worker called cops to trespass a homeless man who threatened to kill employees and police. The unhinged individual claimed to be infected with HIV after a tussle with the worker. When will City Manager Diane Carlson and Mayor Lynne Robinson finally admit this permanent supportive housing project and homeless shelter are destroying the community with crime, chaos, and death? Some neighbors believe these elected officials are running cover for the homeless industrial complex. What an epic failure. Anthony Williams Read More ›

Booted Jennifer Friedenbach is the queen of San Francisco’s homeless industrial complex. Looks like she’s getting booted from the “Our City Our Home Oversight Committee.” This collective is responsible for looking after a billion dollars in homeless and housing services. I spoke to Friedenbach earlier this year. She took shots at recovery advocates like @Twolfrecovery and defended the failed Housing First and “harm reduction” policies that have led to record drug overdose deaths in the city. Final Vote Nov. 11 The Board of Supervisors will take a final vote on Friedenbach’s future with the committee on November 11. At Odds with New Mayor Friedenbach’s approach to fixing the city’s homeless drug crisis did not align with Mayor Daniel Lurie’s game Read More ›

Exclusive Witnesses say two teens were offered alcohol, sexually propositioned, and nearly assaulted at the Eastgate Park & Ride in Bellevue late Sunday evening. The 15-year-old victim managed to protect her younger cousin by pepper spraying her alleged attacker. A good samaritan also jumped out of his car to help. Cops say two homeless men staying at the Plymouth Housing/PorchLight campus were involved in this incident. One Arrested Only Jose Morales Juan was arrested. He’s facing several charges. Plymouth 911 Calls The 911 calls keep stacking up at the Plymouth Housing/PorchLight campus in Bellevue. Violent repeat offender “Manny” the wheelchair bound maniac is terrorizing residents again. This latest incident happened on October 26. Problematic Clientele These so called permanent supportive Read More ›