Seattle pushes Olympia for funding on housing, public safety and immigrant aid
[The Center Square]—Seattle is pushing for a state-level backstop to help fund immigrant services and other top priorities as the Trump administration escalates federal immigration enforcement nationwide. The Seattle Office of Intergovernmental Relations briefed the city council on a proposed state legislative agenda for next year’s session during a council briefing on Monday. Priorities ranged from public […]
SCOUT Program: How embedded social workers and law enforcement are tackling homelessness
Homelessness affects every community, from large urban metros to small rural towns and everything in between. Many factors can lead to individuals living on the streets, including but not limited to mental health challenges and substance abuse. What we’ve learned over years of working on this issue is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to […]
John Braun commentary: The continuing insanity of the homelessness ‘emergency’
The line about “insanity” being defined as doing the same things over and over, and expecting a different result, is sometimes attributed to Albert Einstein. An online search indicates the saying more likely originated in a Narcotics Anonymous publication many years ago about the difficulty of overcoming a drug addiction. If so, insanity is an […]
Housing Hope Nightmare: Move-in process, crime, and alleged misappropriation of funds
EDMONDS — A tenant at Housing Hope’s Madrona Highlands property has filed formal complaints with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and Human Rights Commission, citing unsafe citing unsafe living conditions, misuse of federal grants, and disability discrimination. The tenant – who we’ll refer to as “AB” to grant her request to […]
How one man’s spiritual journey uncovered the holes in how the region addresses homelessness
LYNNWOOD—In the last two years, Lynnwood man Joe Wankelman has conducted nearly 600 interviews with homeless individuals throughout King and Snohomish counties, compiling evidence, and evaluating treatment and service center’s approaches. The purpose of his work is to get to the bottom of why, despite Washington State allocating $5.3 billion into the homelessness issue over […]
The Hidden Economy of Homelessness: A Year Inside Washington State’s Homeless Complex
At hour 30 in the emergency room, Daniel, Navy veteran, former submarine engineer, asks through his psychosis, “Am I a good person?” When crisis responders finally call his name, I already know what happens next. Thirty-day stay. Insurance runs out. Discharge to street. No plan. I know because I’ve spent a year conducting 598 interviews […]
Everett Mayor Cassie Franklin addresses political attacks with proven results
EVERETT—As Everett’s political season gains momentum, Mayor Cassie Franklin addresses criticisms about public safety and homelessness, emphasizing her administration’s achievements and partnerships. “It is disappointing to see a political opponent dismiss the incredibly hard work of our city teams and the strong partnerships we’ve built with organizations like Everett Gospel Mission, Compass Health, Cocoon House […]
Slight Decline in Homelessness According to 2025 Point-in-Time Count
SNOHOMISH COUNTY—Snohomish County conducted its annual Point-in-Time (PIT) count on January 22, 2025, documenting 1,140 individuals experiencing homelessness, marking a 1.8% decrease from the previous year—21 fewer people. “The Point in Time Count is important to help us better understand homelessness in our county and the impact of local programs working to reduce homelessness. While […]
Washington named among states with the largest homeless communities
A new study has revealed the states with the largest homeless communities, with Vermont taking the top spot, Washington is sixth. Online casino review site Lucky Gambler analyzed data from the Office of Policy Development and Research to find the number of homeless people in each state in 2023. This figure was weighed against the […]
The economic eviction crisis in manufactured home communities
The Baby Boomer generation (those born between 1946 and 1964) has been the driving force for consumption in America’s economy. Gerber’s baby food, Saturday cartoons filled with ads for sugary cereals, hula hoops, teaching the world to sing with Coca Cola are all part of the economic engine fed by the Baby Boomers. But this […]
