The city of Seattle and King County declared a homeless crisis (now referred to as housing crisis) back in 2015 after failing to meet its goal of ending chronic homelessness in 10 years.
The bureaucrats spend more than $1 BILLION a year to try and solve this crisis.
In my opinion, the issue will never be solved due to the nature of the homeless industrial complex and failure to address the root causes: drug addiction and mental health.
Last November I told you about Christopher Rufo, a candidate for Seattle City Council, who dropped out of the race due to the intolerance and bullying of Seattle progressives. He’s been one of the few voices to publicly state the obvious – and has faced serious harassment for his words.
Rufo stated this past June, “The most compelling evidence that I have, that anyone has, is simply go out into the streets, talk with people, volunteer to work with the homeless and you’ll see very quickly what every service provider knows — that in a majority of cases we’re dealing with folks who have severe addictions, and with about 30 percent of cases, people that are suffering from severe mental illness.”
Seattle City Council candidate Isabelle Kerner
Now we have another Seattle Council candidate, Isabelle Kerner, who proposed that “merit-based solutions involving shipping containers could affect positive change” on the area’s homeless.
From the MyNorthwest.com story: “I call it (the homeless crisis) a camping crisis. Some people have a problem with that but I just feel like it encompasses all of the other issues, from property crime to open drug use to human trafficking, public health and sanitation,” she said. “I don’t think the district is that safe. I don’t think the city of Seattle is very safe.”
Kerner is interested in using shipping containers to create a temporary, safe environment that caters to the individual struggles of homeless people and helps launch them into more permanent housing.
“The idea would be that when individuals are reached by the navigation team, they would take a drug test and fill out a questionnaire and it would be streamlined. It would go straight to a database, and there’d be different sites,” she said. “So if there’s women and children on the streets that are fleeing domestic violence, you wouldn’t put them in the same area as severely mentally ill or severely drug addicted.”
“The individuals would be chosen to fit with a certain cargo container site with people that are struggling with issues that are similar to ones they’re struggling with, and we’d use the apprenticeship program, partner with businesses, and they’d have the opportunity to live there for three to eight months, and get on-site services and treatment.”
While there, residents would have the ability to start building income and skills that could be put toward creating a more productive life.
“They’d even be able to work and earn money and it would be deposited into what I call a restart fund, kind of like a retirement fund, but they just couldn’t take it out until they exited the program. Because the funds would serve as their first month’s rent, last month’s rent, security deposit, and a little bit extra. And then they would exit the program with enough funding to afford the upfront costs for affordable housing, along with a job that would allow them to continue to afford that housing.”
In the above interview, it sounds like Isabelle has good intentions and does understand that drug addiction and mental health are major concerns. But she’s up against a fierce machine.
I applaud her for getting in the race but the girl is going to need some thicker skin. From her Facebook post on July 9:
“To those who did not attend last nights forum at the Horizon House, here’s a quick recap:
1. I did have a public breakdown.
2. I did cry in front of a few hundred people.
3. I did wear my sunglasses for the remainder of the forum.
I don’t exactly recall what it set me off. I recently made the mistake of creating a Twitter account. Naively, I tried to forge a peace treaty via Twitter amongst the group Safe Seattle and the individuals who take offense toward it. It did not go well. I have since left all groups and deactivated Twitter for my own mental health and safety.
I have PTSD and while I see a therapist weekly to manage it, something random can still flip the switch. While I am open and accepting to all criticism, there is one thing I do not wish for the public to comment on—the October 2017 incident. I did not choose to publicize that event for political gain or voter sympathy and I am done responding to accusations of that sort. If you want to get to me, now you know how. I spoke about it publicly in hopes it would not happen to anyone else. That decision was made prior to running for office.
I’ve become increasingly aware of the ways in which violence inflicted by just a handful of individuals can degrade the mental health of an entire City. I’ve heard it from people on the street and I have experienced it first hand myself. Here’s how contagious it can be:
“If you end up here on the streets and you are sane, the things you will see and the things you will experience will make you crazy.”
At least 25% of Seattle Fire Fighters develop PTSD as a result of what they experience while working to keep all of us safe every day. Some don’t seek help or wait too long because we are afraid of how it will effect others perception of us. Not all people fit the PTSD stereotype. Suicide is a very real and tragic outcome of this. It’s a very isolating issue to live with.
To the violent messengers who constantly make threats—please find a new hobby. To those who have called me to share their experiences to let me know I’m not alone—you have probably saved my life and many others. To those who think I’m using this for attention—thank you for your feedback. To those who are struggling with this alone—your not!
Huge thank you to all my opponents who emailed, messaged or texted me after last nights event. Despite the fact that we are running against each other, I admire and respect each and every one of you so much. Thank you for all for the support!
To those at the event… I’m sorry for the breakdown. I know it was awkward. Thank you for understanding.”
Isabelle is facing an uphill battle in Seattle. If the intolerant left don’t like what she’s proposing, she’s going to receive the same treatment as Rufo, with the end result being a swift end to her campaign.
DCG
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