'Arrest me': Seattle man critiques city’s homelessness response

SEATTLE, Wash. - As Seattle leaders rush to expand shelter capacity ahead of the World Cup, some members of the homeless community are calling for a shift from "housing first" initiatives to stricter legal accountability.

Concerns in Little Saigon

What they're saying:

The intersection of 12th Avenue and South Jackson Street in the Little Saigon neighborhood has become a focal point for the city's struggle with public safety. Residents and local leaders describe it as an environment defined by open-air drug use and a thriving market for stolen goods.

"It's a drug crisis fueled by stolen goods markets, and it's also a housing crisis," said Tanya Woo, president-elect for the International District Rotary. "We can't address one without addressing the other."

Sharon Lee, director of the Low Income Housing Institute, noted that individuals are frequently shoplifting and selling items in the neighborhood to fund drug addictions.

Calling out the committee

Mayor Katie Wilson has pledged to add 500 new shelter beds before the World Cup begins. However, Cory Ratliff, a man experiencing homelessness and addiction in Seattle, told city officials that current services often enable substance abuse rather than solving the underlying crisis.

"Tiny home villages, housing projects, everything there is comfortable to be homeless and a drug addict," Ratliff said. "I was being enabled from the city with free pipes, free foil, free housing, places that police can't really come in and do anything about."

Ratliff credited a 45-day jail sentence with helping him "get his mind right" and maintain accountability, a sharp contrast to the "housing first" model the city is currently doubling down on.

"If we're out in the streets and we're selling dope or we're pimping or we're doing anything that's against the law, hold me accountable," Ratliff said. "Arrest me. Don't give me a slap on the wrist."

The Response:

The Mayor’s Office defended the use of tiny home villages, issuing a statement to FOX 13 Seattle in response to Ratliff's claims, saying in part, "Different people need different types of support; what works for one person might not work for another…" and, "That said, the data is quite clear that in general, Tiny House Villages are particularly successful in putting people on a path to stability and permanent housing."

What's next:

On Wednesday, the Seattle City Council is scheduled to vote on an emergency ordinance. If passed, the measure would bypass certain zoning laws to increase occupancy limits at tiny home sites, raising the cap from 100 residents to as many as 250 in some locations.

With 36 days remaining until the World Cup, the city has identified 214 of the promised 500 units, reaching roughly 43% of the mayor's goal. Expansion efforts are currently focused on neighborhoods including Interbay, Capitol Hill, and West Seattle.

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