Homeless

648 Stories

Why is liberal Seattle appealing to the conservative U.S. Supreme Court over homeless camp sweeps?

The city of Seattle, the liberal paradise of legal weed and autonomous zones, is asking for help from the most conservative U.S. Supreme Court in almost a century. Seattle joined a dozen other cities, including Tacoma and Spokane, to ask the justices to overturn two Ninth Circuit Court rulings that restrict when they can sweep homeless encampments, known as Grants Pass v. Johnson and Martin v. Boise.
Libby Denkmann

Hans Anderson
Week in Review: Amazon, crime, and homelessness

Bill Radke discusses the week’s news with political analyst and contributing columnist Joni Balter, PubliCola’s Erica Barnett, and KUOW’s David Hyde.
Bill Radke

Kevin Kniestedt
Politics

Seattle mayor proposes 'doubling down' on homelessness and safety in 2024

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell proposed changes to the city's 2024 budget Tuesday that would increase funding to fight homelessness, pump hundreds of millions of dollars toward affordable housing, and beef up a program to increase civilian response to certain 911 calls.
David Hyde
Government

Burien passes public camping ban despite outcry from homeless advocates

After months of debate and multiple, contentious meetings, the Burien City Council on Monday night voted to ban people from sleeping in public places like parks. The new ordinance has raised controversy as there are no homeless shelters in the city for unhoused people to go to.
Casey Martin
King County's hotel shelters help address one crisis while potentially hiding another

Seattle and King County have been experimenting with using hotel rooms to house people rather than directing them to crowded homeless shelters. But some service providers fear the hotel rooms could be hiding another crisis: drug overdoses.
Kevin Kniestedt

Katie Campbell
Government

No, pickleball is not displacing unhoused people: Seattle RV lot provider

A 20 court pickleball facility is not pushing out a planned RV safe lot for unhoused people. In fact, getting displaced is the provider’s business model.
Joshua McNichols
Burien considers camping ban and first homeless shelter

This month the Burien City Council is set to vote on an ordinance that would make sleeping on public property a misdemeanor. If passed, the law would make life even more difficult for homeless people in a city that doesn't offer any shelters.
Casey Martin
Tiny house villagers get internet in Seattle

People living in tiny house villages in King County are getting an upgrade this summer: fast, reliable internet service. The Seattle Public Library and county are donating Wi-Fi hotspots to help villagers get online without having to leave their tiny houses.
Casey Martin
'Challenge and opportunity,' Washington officials get first-hand view of youth homelessness

Washington Senator Patty Murray says she’ll introduce a bill this fall to create new grant programs for homeless shelters that serve teens and young adults. Housing advocates in Seattle say the money is needed to prevent service cuts.
Casey Martin
Constantly on the move in SoDo, trying not to get swept

People living in tents and vehicles in Seattle’s SoDo neighborhood were shuffled around during major league baseball's All Star week earlier this month. Some say it isn’t just big sporting events that force them to keep moving.
Casey Martin

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