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Right of Way Initiative

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Washington state spends $143 MILLION to get 126 out of homelessness—now Jay Inslee is asking for more

“That’s the equivalent of spending… $1,137,256 per person to exit homelessness.” By Ari Hoffman and Jonathan Choe Despite spending over $1.1 million for each of the only 126 people who transitioned out of homelessness, Washington Democrat Governor Jay Inslee claimed that his initiative for removing encampments from state land and getting people into housing requires more money in order to continue. Inslee has failed to adequately address the state’s homeless crisis, which has grown exponentially during his more than a decade in office. Friday, during a photo op at a tiny home village in Olympia, Inslee touted his Rights of Way Safety Initiative (ROW), a program that since last summer has attempted to remove encampments from state land, including from the sides of freeways, Read More ›

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Inslee Defends Spending $1mil Per Person for Exit From Homelessness

Crunching the Numbers Monday afternoon, Governor Jay Inslee (@GovInslee) took a victory lap, taking credit for clearing the Myers Way encampment in West Seattle. However, some of the elderly neighbors at the Arrowhead Apts across the street say it’s too little too late after months of crime, open air drug use, and other issues spilling into the neighborhood. With that said, I was really there to confront Inslee about the rising cost of his Rights of Way Initiative launched in 2022. By the Gov’s own estimates, they have spent around $135 million to close 30 encampments and place 870 people into temporary housing. Without getting too wonky, one of the most important categories on the WA State Dept of Commerce’s Read More ›

Jay Inslee Presser

Governor Inslee’s Latest Update on WSDOT Homeless Encampments

Everett Mayor Blasting Inslee @MayorCassie writing a scathing letter directed @wsdot and @GovInslee, saying she was never consulted about HOMELESS HOTELS being set up in her city. Calling it “unacceptable burden.” Why does this playbook sound so familiar? Everett Mayor Disagrees Earlier this week, @GovInslee touted his Rights of Way Initiative saying there is “solid progress on this effort,” crediting @wsdot. But it’s becoming more apparent, cities like #Everett and @MayorCassie are not being consulted about HOMELESS HOTELS. Is This Really Progress? Since @GovInslee’s “Rights of Way Initiative” started earlier this year, @WAStateCommerce site appears to show less than a dozen removals so far. The most recent @WSDOT sweep in Northgate last week has not been added. Fuzzy Math @GovInslee Read More ›