It was only a few short years ago that homelessness and the chronically homeless were declining in numbers across the country. A good economy, low interest rates for home mortgages, and a booming job market meant opportunity for all in a thriving meritocracy. Unfortunately for the rest of the country, states like Washington and California failed to get the memo. As we fast forward to 2023, you’ll see an alarming increase of homelessness exclusively in these progressive led states, but why?
Additionally, an ever-increasing number of those suffering from mental health disorders and drug addiction is accelerating through these same states much like a Canadian wildfire in the summer months. Once again, why are these issues plaguing certain regions more than others? It’s a more than fair question to ask. As a matter of fact, it’s the only question you should be asking.
In the last decade, Washington state has seen the largest increase in homelessness and now ranks second in the nation, trailing only California in new homelessness cases and the chronically homeless. Outside of Washington and California, the rest of the nation saw a 34% decline in homelessness or unsheltered individuals, during this same timeframe. How can that be? After all, isn’t there a crisis?
I won’t even get into the fact that the southern border is wide open, and almost three million illegals have entered the U.S. in less than three years; only to exasperate the so-called crisis.
Percentagewise, Washington (up 70%) saw a larger increase than California (up 55%), in homelessness over the last decade, which has been augmented by post pandemic pro-drug policies in these progressive led states.
It’s important to remember, the vast majority of homeless individuals are suffering from some form of addiction or mental illness. Understanding all this, Seattle’s city council voted to legalize these dangerous narcotics, (fentanyl, methamphetamine, heroin, cocaine, and designer drugs) and rejected the so-called “Blake Fix” passed by the Washington legislature.
For the record, San Francisco and Los Angeles have passed similar measures, and the results have been equally catastrophic.
With these two glaring examples (Washington and California), it’s worth noting that these increases are 100% self-inflicted and driven by policy. A permissive culture of crime and drug use are the key components to this perilous amalgam. Seattle has gone so far as to vote to allow homeless encampments on school properties, while promoting open air drug use in its urban areas.
Prosecutors and district attorneys in these regions have turned a blind eye and have advocated for a “we will not prosecute” policy for what they call “low level offenders.” Sadly, even if Seattle did a 180-degree turn, it would be impossible to reverse the community killing trend due to police defunding and other radical policies deployed in recent years by the progressive leadership.
In a little over a decade, Seattle has spent nearly a billion in taxpayer dollars to address homelessness, only to see the number of homeless individuals skyrocket. In that time frame, violent crime has spiked to record highs, as drug offenses dropped 60.9% and drug arrests fell 73.6%. Clearly, fruits of the non-prosecutorial labor. The result of this foolhardy endeavor is that Washington now ranks 2nd worst in the country in property crime over the last five years.
Without addressing root causes to the underlying issues of homelessness, these cities and states will continue to decline rapidly and descend further into criminal chaos.
Progressives make the false claim that homelessness is simply due to a lack of affordable housing, racial inequality, economic misfortune or bad luck. The absurd notion that more housing will equal less homelessness is purely a canard. What they omit is that drug addiction and mental illness are the primary factors of continuous homelessness. They are simply ignoring it.
Homelessness is now a multibillion-dollar a year industry. They’ve found a way to monetize the misery of the less fortunate. If that sounds appalling, it is. For example, Seattle spends $80,000 per year, per homeless person and has not reduced the number of homeless on the streets. Where is this money going?
Newly formed non-profit organizations have miraculously popped up to help fill the void, along with land developers, builders, high paid consultants, and of course corrupt elected leaders. Everyone drinking from the same public trough, while siphoning billions of taxpayer dollars to do nothing more than prolongate homelessness.
If the goal is to eliminate homelessness, as it should be, the need to pivot from reckless and costly measures that don’t address causation must come first. The evidence is quite clear, the overwhelming majority of homelessness cases are due to addiction and mental health and should be treated on that basis.
Without seriously addressing these factors, these states will continue to see increased homelessness, increased crime, drug use, increased mental health disorder, and a continued degradation of their communities; all funded by John Q Taxpayer.
- Thanks and God bless, Vincent
