On Monday of this week Seattle declared itself a “Welcoming City” in the face of President Trump’s actions on immigration. I don’t exactly understand what this declaration means. And local politicians are almost dizzy with excitement as they run around from place to place making statements denouncing the President’s latest moves. It’s almost as if they liked it. But Seattle isn’t welcoming, especially when it comes to new people moving into our community. City government has made every effort to block and stymie new housing production in the face of rising demand. That means higher prices and for people with less money that means suffering and added difficulty.

Many people may not agree with my approach to homeless encampments or people who are living in their cars. I think the City should build off the fact that people are coming up with their own solutions to homelessness. If a person has figured out how to gather together a group of people with tents and form a community, that’s better than sleeping in a doorway. A couple sleeping in a car on the street may not be a pleasant sight, but it sure beats the alternative of sleeping outside. Shelters don’t work for everyone and these solutions are solutions even if we many not like them. 

I’m about fed up with Seattle’s meltdown over Trump. I’m even more fed up with the self congratulatory actions of the Mayor and Council. I wrote this e-mail Monday because I hoped they might get that supporting refugees from far away while turning away and sweeping people here right now is hypocritical. Of course I don’t think my e-mail earned even a shrug. But I sent it anyway. Seattle can pass all the resolutions it wants, but until it stops taxing housing and limiting it’s production it might as well be building a big beautiful wall.

Councilmembers,

I understand you are considering a resolution regarding refugees and making Seattle a “welcoming city.” I’m not sure what that means when you and the Mayor continue to make it more and more difficult to accommodate new people in our community by throwing up more barriers to building new housing of all types throughout the city for all levels of income.

You’ll likely disagree with that characterization.

But is it welcoming to sweep people who are what I call domestic refugees? What would the national press or President Trump think about ongoing sweeps of homeless people?

What message does it send to pass your resolution while just down the road people’s homes are being towed away, their tents destroyed, and many of their possessions lost. You can do better than this.

And, as a matter of principle, passing statements about being welcoming while making it hard for people who already live here, whether in a tent or in an apartment or for a family trying to buy their first home, is at least ironic if not hypocritical.

Please include language ending the sweeps. Take it off the table. Stop towing vehicles that are people’s homes. And find ways to increase housing supply and subsidies for families that need help that don’t increase overall housing prices. Now is the time to be bold, right?

Roger–