drug addiction

Repeating Mistakes During Tuesday’s State of the City address, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson will say she is building more affordable housing to address the city’s homeless crisis. But she’s doubling down on the same “Housing First” policies that have failed this region for more than a decade and it won’t work. Not until she figures out how to deal with the “service resistant” class of people living on the streets. These are the men and women who are heavily addicted to drugs and refuse all shelter and treatment services currently available. Just drive down Rainier Ave S and you will find them everywhere. All the encampment sweeps under her watch have forced many people to move to this part of Read More ›

Marsha Michaelis appeared on The Earthvox Podcast with Ryan Keogan. After discussing Michaelis’ journey from the Evergreen Freedom Foundation to homeschooling to her current position at Discovery Institute’s Fix Homelessness initiative, they then discuss her recent article exploring the kinds of solutions society could offer a family in acute distress, homelessness, and drug addiction. The conversation continues with problems with the Housing First approach to homelessness, how the Trump administration is addressing homelessness, the nature of compassion, and more.

Canceled Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson abruptly canceled the first major encampment sweep of the year. It was scheduled for Wednesday morning in Ballard. Neighbors are furious and some in the outreach community are questioning this decision. But Wilson’s risky call could be a long-term blessing in disguise. Other Sweeps Continue Wilson’s spokesperson sent me a statement saying this is a one-off and that the mayor “believes a better resolution is possible at that location.” We are still waiting on those details. Meanwhile other encampment sweeps are still happening across the city. Blessing in Disguise? As for how this could be a blessing in disguise, Mayor Wilson could set a new precedent by personally going to this encampment and meeting the Read More ›

Tackling the Root Causes HUD Secretary Scott Turner takes direct aim at America’s “homeless industrial complex” and says the the days of “warehousing people” are over. The Trump administration is reallocating federal dollars to tackle the root causes of homelessness like drug addiction and mental illness. This plan could cripple so called Housing First programs that do not require people to find jobs or enter drug treatment. Many of these understaffed facilities under Housing First also trigger the most 911 calls in cities, allow drug use behind closed doors, and attract an inordinate amount of crime to neighborhoods. California and WA are ranked in the top three for overall homelessness in the nation. But elected officials in these states are Read More ›

Under Siege Bellevue is under siege. A steady flow of criminals from outside the city are targeting local stores. In many instances homeless drug addicts get around using the bus, ransack businesses, then sell the items for pennies on the dollar in Seattle to purchase fentanyl. This has been going on for years. But community watch members now say it’s getting worse. Here is one of several incidents Monday evening at the QFC grocery store in the Crossroads neighborhood. Good Samaritans stepped in and forced an alleged crook to return stolen items. After being confronted, this Black woman kept saying, “I’m a n*gger. I’m a n*igger.” Some may call this vigilante justice. But there is limited security and not enough Read More ›

Taking Matters into Their Own Hands Bellevue resident Quintin Chi and concerned neighbors have started a community watch at local grocery stores in the city. They say places like Walgreens, Fred Meyer, and QFC supermarkets are being ransacked every night by homeless drug addicts. Chi says the crooks then board a bus to Seattle and sell the stolen items at the notorious 12th Ave & Jackson St. drug den in Chinatown-ID. While store workers commend these good samaritans, Chi says he’s frustrated because Bellevue PD calls them vigilantes and recently advised them not to get involved in criminal apprehensions.

“There’s a Big Drug Dealer Down Here” After dozens of neighbor complaints about homeless drug addicts destroying Seattle’s Dr. Jose Rizal Park, the fencing is back up and major renovations are about to get started. But We Heart Seattle’s Andrea Suarez says the dealers and addicts are now moving further into wooded areas in Beacon Hill and the city is barely enforcing public camping laws in this area. Suarez is also calling out Seattle Parks Superintendent AP Diaz for being MIA.

Drug Addiction Overruns the City Streets Since the weekend, I have now counted more than 100 drug tents in Seattle’s Chinatown-ID and Beacon Hill neighborhoods which are next to each other. This is obviously an undercount since I can’t be everywhere. Drug addicts have also taken over Dr. Jose Rizal Park. Since outgoing Mayor Bruce Harrell has given up on the city, I am keeping a running list of encampments for Mayor-elect Katie Wilson. But it’s unclear if she will do anything about it. Btw, stop enabling these addicts by giving them free tents. The non-profits and virtue signaling Seattle residents are keeping vulnerable people on the streets. Get them into shelters, drive them to treatment, or send them home. Read More ›

Drug Addiction Run Wild Some King County Metro bus drivers say they feel unsafe and would prefer to avoid the Little Saigon stop at 12th Ave & Jackson St in Chinatown-ID. Can you blame them? Many of the passengers boarding here are criminal drug addicts and use these buses to transport stolen merchandise. It’s the worst kept secret. It’s lawless in Seattle.

Buying Fentanyl is “Cheaper than Kool-Aid” The latest drug encampment in Seattle is exploding out of control in Chinatown-ID. The entire area above the former Viet Wah grocery store on Jackson St. has repopulated with more than 20 tents. When I visited Monday afternoon, addicts were doing fentanyl and passed out. Everyone rejected offers for treatment. One guy said buying fetty was “cheaper than Kool-Aid.” The Sweeps Have Stopped I reported on this disaster last August. The city came in and cleared it. But with Mayor Bruce Harrell leaving office at the end of the year, it appears sweeps have slowed down to a halt in some instances. Housing First Has Failed Once again, this is not an affordable housing Read More ›