Category Archives: Homelessness

Letter from Rev. Polly Trout to Seattle Mayor Ed Murray

Polly Trout is the director of Patacara Community Services. The The Blog Quixotic makes no assertions regarding the truth of any of the allegations contained in Rev. Trout’s letter. The letter is part of the public record and I am … Continue reading

Posted in Homelessness, Nickelsville, Politics, SHARE | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

More RV Gypsies

This scene is about a mile from my house as the crow flies.* Looks like a scene right outta Sunset Magazine, doesn’t it? How do you like the mountain of trash that’s piling up on the side? That’s a nice … Continue reading

Posted in General, Homelessness, Nickelsville | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

RV Gypsies

A strange new thing is happening in Seattle. All over the city, in every kind of neighborhood, RVs are turning up on the streets – or just off them – and staying there. For months or years at a time. In … Continue reading

Posted in General, Homelessness, Nickelsville, Politics, Squatters | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Reducing Homelessness: Now you’re talking

Seattle Times (Around the Northwest) Friday, December 11, 2015 This story indicates a move in the right direction for Seattle and other large West Coast cities. Hopefully, demographics on homeless people who wind up in these cities now be collected to … Continue reading

Posted in General, Homelessness, Nickelsville | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The Friends of Kshama Sawant: Progressive politics and influence at City Hall

November 13, 2015 ~ Seattle A “People’s Budget Town Hall” Late last month, one week ahead of city council elections, Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant hosted her second “People’s Budget Town Hall” event at City Hall. Cleverly disguised as a public … Continue reading

Posted in General, Homelessness, Nickelsville, Politics, SHARE | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Lisa Bright and Dark

Lisa Herbold is the presumptive new Seattle councilmember for my district. Her campaign platform is that she works for the little people (just like Kshama Sawant) and that she’s not for sale to corporations. She might not be for sale, … Continue reading

Posted in Homelessness, Nickelsville, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Whitewash-Dot-Com: How the Internet sanitizes SHARE

Readers of this blog will recall that I devote some of my time to discussing how journalists are manipulated – sometimes with their own connivance – by non-profit organizations and others who stand to make a buck from good publicity. … Continue reading

Posted in Homelessness, Media, Nickelsville | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Homeless Are Taking Over (Literally)

A recent story from the Seattle Times illustrates the mess a city can get into when it tries to be nice and doesn’t ask too many questions. Take homelessness for example. In spite of all our self-guilting, Seattle has a braggable … Continue reading

Posted in Homelessness, Media, Photos (People), Politics, Squatters | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Homeless Camps: Do they get people off the street?

Do homeless camps really get people off the street? Or do they merely concentrate them in one place? One thing is for certain: The camps do attract homeless people. And not all of those people are actually in the camp. … Continue reading

Posted in General, Homelessness | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Getting High With A Little Help From His Friends: The Scott Morrow Story

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, the name Scott Morrow will be a familiar one. If you’re not a reader, Morrow is the Seattle man who founded and controls two Seattle-area homeless shelter organizations. His Rotund Eminence can regularly … Continue reading

Posted in General, Homelessness, Nickelsville, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

The Ecology of Failure

So one of my hot tippers calls me today and tells me I gotta get down to the bottom of Highland Park Hill, where the state DOT is cutting brush and clearing out some homeless people. So I rush down … Continue reading

Posted in General, Homelessness | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Homeless Camps: My Testimony to the King County Council (Part 2)

Mary Bourguignon Principal Legislative Analyst Lead, Government Accountability & Oversight Committee October 23, 2014 Dear Mary: Here’s another set of comments and information for the Council to review. Note: SHARE is an acronym for the Seattle Housing and Resource Effort, … Continue reading

Posted in General, Homelessness, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Homeless Camps: My Testimony to the King County Council (Part 1)

The testimony below concerns a proposed King County, Washington Ordinance extending (with proposed modifications) county legislation governing homeless encampments, also known as “tent cities.” I have been following the operations of these camps for several years now and, with one … Continue reading

Posted in Homelessness, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Death in a Homeless Camp

Originally published on October 14, 2014 Background: Tent City 4 is a large homeless encampment managed by a group known as the Seattle Housing And Resource Effort (SHARE). SHARE is a registered 501(c)3 charity that solicits funds from government and … Continue reading

Posted in Homelessness, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Grannie Makes Bank Selling Warm Fuzzies

Now I’m not claiming that this lady is typical of panhandlers in terms of her life situation. In fact, most panhandlers I see in Seattle are scruffy, and they DON’T drive nice cars. Most are mentally ill and drug addicted … Continue reading

Posted in Homelessness | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Homelessness: The Rules

March 25, 2013 Below is a list of rules and expectations given to homeless people when they arrive at the Nickelsville homeless encampment in Seattle, Washington. Upon entering the camp for the first time, “Nickelodeons” are asked to read and sign … Continue reading

Posted in Ephemera, General, Homelessness | Tagged , | Leave a comment