Photo from here. Mayor Nickles was known for his inactivity and counter-productive measures during his 2 terms as Mayor in Seattle.
While in Seattle, I was struck by something my previous-urban existence didn't have to deal with too much; blatant homelessness.
I know it's a weird way to phrase it, but there is a difference between having all the homeless individuals who happen to walk into your area of town shipped off to another (like they did in my "native" Anaheim, CA), and walking past them as they sleep in the corners of my building on a daily basis. Frankly, I was sheltered from the cold hard depression that comes with acknowledging the issue and seeing it daily.
Seattle, like any major city, has a large homeless population. According to this flyer, "A Realistic Look At The Need" (complied by Seattle/King County Coalition on homelessness) On January 28 2011, there were 8,824 homeless people in Seattle outside, in shelters, or in transitional housing.
Seattle is responding, however; Seattle has something called the "Ten Year Plan to End Homelessness." A big goal, to be sure. According to the link,
"The plan, introduced in March 2005, has been approved by the Metropolitan King County Council and endorsed by cities representing 85 percent of the county's population, as well as by dozens of social organizations and faith communities countywide."
The plan is divided into 5 sections, including preventing homelessness (incorporating affordable housing options as well as well as increasing community services access) and securing 9,500 units of housing for homeless individuals.
While an ambitious plan, it was unfortunately formed while the economy was still decent in 2005. Since then, there has been a large outcry regarding not only the success of the program, which is debatable, and concern that the money is being put towards something that isn't as pressing as, say, public education or public transportation.
Unfortunately, from what I gathered from the few homeless people I spoke to in Seattle, things only became harder and harder as the years went on. That's not to say that there isn't still help out there; but it is to say that it's harder to access it, a lot of programs don't take different types of homeless individuals into consideration, and generosity from the general public has shrunk.
There is a specific way that a lot of Seattleites address, treat, and consider the homeless.
So I'd like to take this time to point out the rules in Seattle when a homeless individual is concerned.
Rule #1: Do not belittle the homeless. Seattleites are not the most protective of individuals, but a lot of Seattleites respect that it's difficult to get back into the "normal life" once one has become homeless. If you take the time to tell a homeless person they're scum, or to tell them to "get a job," be prepared to have a small mob of angry citizens chasing you up 1st Ave (I've seen it happen).
Rule #2: Do not tell the homeless to "get a job." First off, there are a ton of Seattleites who are not homeless who cannot find work, even with the benefit of access to hygienic rituals, computers, the Internet, printers, help with resumes, suits, clothing, and a bus pass. It's harder when you're homeless and don't have access to these things. Second, there's almost always a legitimate reason why they're homeless, unfortunately often times a medical issue is involved. Third, unless you're willing to hire them, you have no real authority to tell them this. Finally, if you do, you're just a douche.
Rule #3: Be willing to give out a buck or two on occasion. This is more of a personal decency thing. If you're of a major religion, there are spiritual reasons to this. If you're of a social nature, there are cultural reasons for this. And if you're of a stingy nature, there is a humbling reason for this. On top of that, the more money you give, the more prestigious you'll be in the eyes of the few Seattleites who see you.
Rule #4: Have a conversation with them. I know how scary this can be, but often times a homeless individual knows the best way to a particular location or where a certain building is. They also make for a frighteningly-enlightening portrayal of Seattle and life in general; you'll learn more about life and Seattle in a 2 minute conversation with a homeless individual than with a business man. And in general, its good Karma to help remind someone that they're human and that we recognize that.
Rule #5: if you have take out or a doggie bag that you can spare, spare it. The best way to do this is to drop it off to someone who is sleeping, or to ask someone who is pan handling 1. are you allergic to anything? and 2. would you like this. (BTW, don't give them the food if there is something in there that they're allergic to. Just had to write that out.)
Rule #6: don't take shit from them. I was hit on by more homeless individuals in 1 month in Seattle than I care to mention; one even offered to take me to the local soup kitchen as a first date. And many an individual became aggressive when hitting on me. So don't be afraid, if they don't get the first polite hint, to tell them to "F*** off" or find a way to obviously insult them. This is more of a general rule of thumb in Seattle when dealing with an unwanted pick-up line, but I personally found it applied even more so with the homeless men I had to deal with than the men I met at bars or parks.
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