Yesterday, the city council voted to kill a bill intended to allow homeless encampments under a new permitting process that would likely have expanded the number of encampments in the city. (Cue the pearl-clutching.) It was aimed at addressing the facts that (a) thousands of people are already sleeping outside, (b) there is some strength and safety and dignity in organized numbers, and (c) it's weird to leave the churches to do most of your social service work in a certain arena—the encampments allowed now are pretty much just the ones run by religious institutions. This was done in the face of advocates begging for one additional tool in a fight that seems nowhere near over, despite the dwindling grains of sand in the hourglass of our Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness.
Grumble, grumble. I'm frustrated, but even the most optimistic homeless advocates weren't entirely surprised by the outcome. I, however, remain bowled over by the re-framing garbage that came out of council shortly after the vote, penned by Tim Burgess, who voted against the bill. It starts like this:
The City Council voted this afternoon to continue an effective and compassionate approach to homelessness that focuses on funding permanent housing and other essential services rather than allowing additional tent encampments throughout our city.
Oh, thanks, bro! You voted to continue an effective and compassionate approach to homelessness that is clearly failing thousands of people? High five!
It goes on:
When prevention efforts are not sufficient, the best strategy for dealing with homelessness—proven in many cities across the country—is to help people into permanent housing quickly. This is exactly what the Council directed in June when we authorized an additional $500,000 to help those living at the Nickelsville encampment in West Seattle find a place to live. The City now provides more than $30 million each year to provide homes and hope to the homeless.
As of last Friday, July 26th, 87 individuals at Nickelsville have completed a case management assessment, 18 have been placed in housing and are receiving services and 13 have declined services. This hard work and progress will continue.
Oh, thank god you've housed—oh, 18 people? Incredible. Hard work and progress, indeed. How many people were sleeping outside during this year's One Night Count in the dead of winter? Let me check... oh, 1,989. (Let's even subtract the 292 people counted in "structures"—that leaves only 1,697.)
God, I'm so sorry I left my Giant Fucking Humanitarian medal at home, or I would've polished it and dropped it off at City Hall for you. Pats on the back all around.
I'm sorry I'm still so new to following city politics that little things like denying desperately poor people, many of whom have a zillion compounding factors to their homelessness—abuse, addiction, mental illness, physical injury—a little agency and dignity still gets me this worked up. I'm sure I'll have a stone-cold heart soon enough.
