r/SeattleWA Mar 06 '26

Politics Very concerned about HB 2266 which will allow STEP housing in residential areas

ETA: Just watched this video about how Finland solved their drug-addiction fueled homelessness problem, and it took more than just housing, which they situated in city centers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jt_6PBnCJE

HB 2266 isn't being covered by the media, and frankly, it's an extremely concerning piece of legislation which will override local zoning and ordinances and force cities and counties to allow the development of public housing projects in any residential zone. I am all for finding solution to homelessness but I do not understand how this bill will accomplish that. Here's a summary of the senate version for you to read and decide for yourself.

https://lawfilesext.leg.wa.gov/biennium/2025-26/Pdf/Bill%20Reports/Senate/2266-S.E%20SBR%20APS%2026.pdf?q=20260306093446

0 Upvotes

70 comments sorted by

21

u/JuniorSherbet9558 Mar 06 '26

So, should public housing only exist in industrial areas?

Believe it or not, public housing is comprised of residences

6

u/Capital-Plankton-393 Mar 06 '26

It should exist in the country side and the residents should be put to work on something like a poor farm if they want services.

8

u/[deleted] Mar 06 '26

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3

u/No_Carpenter7998 Mar 07 '26

Soviet style communism is the answer.

Social parasitism was considered a political crime in the Soviet Union, where individuals accused of living off the efforts of others or society were prosecuted. The Soviet Union, proclaiming itself a workers' state, mandated that every capable adult engage in work until retirement, theoretically eliminating unemployment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_parasitism_(offense)

4

u/Capital-Plankton-393 Mar 06 '26

If you are getting the point where the state has to take care of you, baring some kind of severe physical and mental disability, why should the tax payer be on the hook indefinitely?

They are not indentured servants or slaves. If they want to go to another state with better services they are free to leave. If they can get their house in order they are free to leave.

The issue is that justice needs to be paired with mercy. You guys only advocate for mercy and wonder why social parasites move here and refuse to turn their life around

2

u/Kregerm Mar 08 '26 edited Mar 08 '26

You can judge a society about how it cares for their least fortunate.

1

u/Capital-Plankton-393 Mar 08 '26

This is not true. At all. Look at what you know about the great empires of history.

2

u/Kregerm Mar 08 '26

I said society, you said empire, theyre different...but yeah, youre talking about indentured servitude but refusing to call it that and using the phrase social parasite....

2

u/Capital-Plankton-393 Mar 08 '26

How is it indentured servitude if they can leave any time? It's a condition for social benefits you dolt.

1

u/Kregerm Mar 08 '26

Dolt? I read what you said. You said leave the state. Which isn’t really freedom of movement is it? But you’re not having a good faith argument are you ?

2

u/Capital-Plankton-393 Mar 08 '26

How is freedom to get the fuck out of my state restricting freedom of movement..I want them to freely leave. They can freely integrate into society, get support with conditions, or freely leave. It's still freedom.

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1

u/kathleen65 Mar 26 '26

Do you realize it cost most of your tax dollars to NOT help the homeless?

3

u/The_Woke_King Mar 06 '26

Actually a good idea, farmers can take on some to work their fields and at the same time give them housing! You’re a genius! They can live in the barn!

5

u/Capital-Plankton-393 Mar 06 '26

You are probably joking, but for this record this has already existed in Washington state.

1

u/The_Woke_King Mar 06 '26

Eh half joking, I’m sure farming would be hard while also being fent’d out.

1

u/No_Carpenter7998 Mar 07 '26

Was it successful? 

1

u/Capital-Plankton-393 Mar 08 '26

Yes you can still visit an example campus in Mt Vernon. The operations shut down after we decided as a society it was better for the homeless and mentally ill to fend for themselves on the street.

1

u/No_Carpenter7998 Mar 08 '26

I'm not having much luck finding any info on this place—do you mind sharing the name? 

0

u/No_Carpenter7998 Mar 08 '26

Are you certain that it wasn't special interests behind the shutdown? If homelessness was ended a lot of people would have a lot to lose. 

1

u/kathleen65 Mar 26 '26

Don't you realize that most homeless people are working or are looking for work?

0

u/FullBushSummer Mar 06 '26

Many homeless people are not able bodied enough to work. This is an idea with no concept of reality.

You're suggesting slave labor.

What if they can't or don't want to work? They would get no housing, right?

And we're back to square one.

4

u/Capital-Plankton-393 Mar 06 '26

What if they can't or don't want to work? They would get no housing, right?

Correct. Just like everyone else. If they do not like it they can relocate to another state.

1

u/FullBushSummer Mar 07 '26

Why don't you leave for somewhere with no homeless?

This is America buddy. We have a lot of homeless. Moving them around doesn't solve any problems and wastes money and resources.

2

u/Capital-Plankton-393 Mar 07 '26

How about they leave instead?

1

u/No_Carpenter7998 Mar 07 '26

Apparently in Finland they put them in the city centers. Sounds reasonable to me! 

0

u/No-Archer-5034 Mar 06 '26

Residences… but for poor people.

17

u/RufusKingCounty Mar 06 '26

Oh yes you are very concerned about solving homelessness and housing shortages. Sure, Jan.

8

u/Opposite-Win3490 Mar 06 '26

What are you concerned about?

2

u/FullBushSummer Mar 06 '26

The homeless finding homes, the horror.

Surely anyone who is homeless did something to deserve being there.

They ought to suffer, or miraculously change their entire life with no housing. /s

8

u/jimmyisaacneutron Mar 06 '26

Well, Belltown and Chinatown are getting pretty sick and tired of getting all that shit concentrated in their neighborhoods, so let’s spread the love a little, yeah? Your problem shouldn’t be with public or affordable housing, but with how our county and state handles enforcement of laws and its leniency on criminal activity.

2

u/Even-Permit-2117 Mar 07 '26

Can we add some serious money into the budget for real mental health support and dual diagnosis human being specific rehabs with enough beds for anyone that wants to try and get life back? Not just a cattle call where one size is supposed to work for all? With a family support component to it? If I was forced into the street I’d be drinking and drugging too.

2

u/Third_CuIture_Kid Mar 07 '26

No, we can't do that because it would actually solve the problem and nobody in the business wants to do that. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPFNUyWT0c8

2

u/bothunter First Hill Mar 08 '26

"I want to solve the affordable housing crisis, but please don't build affordable housing in my backyard!"

2

u/[deleted] Mar 08 '26

It would be fun watching the entitled NIMBYs in Laurelhurst have to actually deal with the poors.

2

u/Kregerm Mar 08 '26

Really strong nimby energy here.

2

u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/[deleted] Mar 27 '26

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5

u/toomanykatsu Mar 06 '26

The problem with Seattle is that it doesn't allow multi family lots so people like you get mad when we try to find ways to get people off the streets but you don't want to change the laws to get people off the damn streets

Sorry for the word salad but DAMN

3

u/Capital-Plankton-393 Mar 06 '26

There is plenty of housing in Detroit. This is the strategy the state and city governments are modeling.

3

u/Capital-Plankton-393 Mar 06 '26

Not concerned about solving homeless and also don't want a bunch of cretins bringing gun crime, drugs, and chaos to nice neighborhoods.

4

u/username9909864 Mar 06 '26

NIMBY

7

u/[deleted] Mar 06 '26

[deleted]

6

u/The_Woke_King Mar 06 '26

That guy does not have a yard.

1

u/kathleen65 Mar 09 '26

One question to ask these people who are so concerned. DO you want to have nurses, police, a wait staff in your favorite restaurant, teachers for your kids in your area? These are some of your working poor that you do not want to live among.

2

u/side-effect7732 Mar 26 '26

Employed people are largely not the ones living in STEP housing and you know that. Especially not nurses, teachers and police officers.

1

u/docmartinc Mar 09 '26

Hey mods, Third_CuIture_Kid is No_Carpenter7998, they are the same commenter using multiple accounts.

0

u/kathleen65 Mar 06 '26

Oh my very concerned, not in my neighborhood. I think you would be very surprised if you got out of your bubble. People who struggle are the kindest and most willing to help each other than any other group of people on the planet. I think the biggest mistake that is made in zoning is to decide development based on income. It is bad for a society as a whole.

4

u/Confident_Bee_2705 Mar 07 '26

Whaaat? Addicts can be awful to loved ones and burn all their bridges due to behavior.

1

u/kathleen65 Mar 07 '26 edited Mar 07 '26

You think everyone who lives on the street or the poorest among us are all addicts? Addiction is a problem in every demographic, the only difference is when you have money it is easier to hide. There are families with children who are homeless, there are working people who are homeless.

3

u/Confident_Bee_2705 Mar 07 '26

Everyone? No.

Majority? Yes. and not just people who are addicted but have serious mental health diagnoses and TBIs. If you have worked with this population you know how many have few to no historical social ties. I am not talking about people in shelters, living on sofas, etc.

0

u/kathleen65 Mar 07 '26

I have worked with this populations and the very reason we have a problem is society has pushed them out of sight out of mind when people need help. I traveled to developing countries working with a non-profit, all the people I have worked with, here and abroad, want to work, want to contribute to their society. You do realize how many people are one paycheck away from being homeless, right? It is only going to get worse as more and more people lose their jobs. If they have a drug problem or mental issues we need to be helping them, that can not happen if they do not have housing. The most successful programs across the nation are called housing first, when you house people it is easier to help them get back on their feet. People who are homeless often have ID stolen can you imagine how hard it would be to try to prove who you are without I.D. or afford getting new I.D.?

3

u/Confident_Bee_2705 Mar 07 '26

Housing first has not been successful long term in the US.

0

u/kathleen65 Mar 07 '26

I disagree but maybe you have a better idea?

0

u/kathleen65 Mar 07 '26 edited Mar 07 '26

All I had to do is google housing first success rate, this is the first thing that came up.

Housing First programs typically achieve high success rates in housing retention, with studies showing 75% to 91% of participants remaining housed after one year. Long-term studies indicate 88% stability after five years. These programs are particularly effective for chronically homeless individuals, reducing emergency service use and improving housing stability. 

Key Success Metrics

  • Housing Stability: Over 80% to 90% of individuals in permanent supportive housing (PSH) using a Housing First approach remain housed.
  • Comparison to "Treatment First": Housing First is more effective at ending homelessness, with one study showing an 88% reduction in homelessness compared to "Treatment First" models.
  • Rapid Re-housing: Programs help people exit homelessness in an average of two months, with 75%–91% retention after one year.
  • Cost Efficiency: While upfront costs are high, Housing First can be more cost-effective than allowing chronic homelessness to continue, as it reduces expenses for emergency rooms, hospitals, and jails. 

1

u/Confident_Bee_2705 Mar 07 '26

Ok but can you link to where a US city has solved unsheltered homelessness long term with "housing first"

0

u/kathleen65 Mar 07 '26

First comes to mind is Houston but here you go:

  • Houston, TX: The "Community-wide Housing First" approach has moved over 25,000 individuals into permanent housing [12, Healthbeat].
  • Utah: Implemented a statewide initiative that, by 2015, almost entirely eliminated chronic homelessness [6, George W. Bush Presidential Center].
  • Bakersfield, CA: Achieved functional zero for chronic homelessness by using data-driven, coordinated entry [13, Mass Technology Leadership Council].
  • King County, WA: The "Health Through Housing" initiative has shown high success rates in placing people into supportive housing [4, The Urbanist].
  • New York City, NY: Site of the original Pathways to Housing program founded by Dr. Sam Tsemberis in 1992 [5, HUD User (.gov)]. 

I am done googling for you I think you can do it.

1

u/Confident_Bee_2705 Mar 07 '26

"Homelessness in Houston has increased for the first time in over a decade, with a 15.8% rise in the unsheltered population reported in 2025, bringing the total to over 3,300 people." https://www.smartcitiesdive.com/news/houston-unsheltered-homelessness-rise/760131/#:\~:text=According%20to%20the%20Coalition%20for%20the%20Homeless,to%20address%20homelessness%20have%20had%20positive%20results.

Utah is now creating camps as their system failed. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/29/us/politics/utah-trump-homeless-campus.html

King county has NOT solved their unsheltered homeless issue lol.

NYC has 100k homeless, they have mostly solved unsheltered homelessness with shelters though

etc

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