In the latest condemnation of “Housing First” homeless policies, an overwhelming 80% of Washington State voters believe current homeless strategies have failed and that the region’s political leadership has made the crisis even worse.

This is one of many public opinions learned in a new 800-voter survey conducted by Napolitan News Services . The wide-ranging survey was taken January 3 – 7, 2025.

Among the survey’s responses:

• 80% of WA residents believe homelessness is a serious problem in their community.
• Another 80% believe the homeless crisis has worsened in the past year.
• 60% believe Representative Mia Gregerson’s (D-SeaTac) proposal to prevent cities from banning encampments, will make the homeless crisis worse (only 29% believe it will improve conditions).
• Only 31% believe the Housing First advocates’ claim that housing supply is a root cause of homelessness.
• 68% believe that local governments should have the flexibility to determine their own strategy to combat homelessness, while just 22% believe state government should have this power.
• 78% of respondents believe taxes in Washington are too high.

These numbers reflect a growing frustration that despite numerous tax hikes and the creation of multiple permanent housing bureaucracies (at local, state, and federal levels), the homeless figures continue to worsen.

• A 77.7% increase in statewide homelessness during Governor Jay Inslee’s three terms in office.
• A 63.3% increase in King County homelessness since King County Executive Dow Constantine and then Seattle Mayor Ed Murray declared homelessness an emergency in 2015.
• Despite President Barrack Obama stating in the early 2010’s that Housing First policies would eradicate homelessness by 2023, a new federal report revealed a record number of homeless (more than 700,000) in America, with progressive states Washington, Oregon, California, and New York responsible for the largest figures.
• The same federal report found that Washington state has the highest number of people categorized as “chronic homeless.” Nearly 4,300 individuals, most suffering from disabilities such as mental illness and addiction, have failed to respond to multiple Housing First efforts, and have remained on the streets. (Remember 65% of homeless individuals self-report they have mental health/addiction issue.)

As Gov. Inslee, legislative leaders, and local governments have dramatically failed to end the suffering, there is growing evidence that government actions are actually causing homelessness to increase.

In a new video, the owners of Seattle’s historic Addison Apartments (that is priced for low-income tenants) explain that many well-intentioned housing measures have led to dangerous conditions and destroyed investor confidence, resulting in fewer rental units available and higher rents for tenants. In a lawsuit filed by the owners against the City of Seattle, they contend these laws have caused a building that was full and profitable in 2018 to one that currently has a 40% vacancy rate and has lost $8 million.

Because of the financial risk these laws impose on landlords whenever they accept a new tenant, the Addison’s owners have determined they lose less money by keeping 100 of the building’s 254 units empty.

Among the many recent Seattle laws which the Addison owners argue actually increase homelessness are:

• 2018 – Fair Chance, which restricts landlords from checking the criminal record of applicants.)
• 2020 – Three Eviction Moratoriums
  • Covid pandemic related ran for two years to February 2022,
  • Cold weather (every year December through February)
  • School year for those with children (Every year during school calendar).
• 2022 – 180-day notice for rent increase. This is actually causing higher rents since landlords protect themselves by raising the amount higher than they would if the law didn’t exist.
• 2023 – Landlord forced to pay all relocation costs for tenants for any proposed rent increase larger 10%.

As the result of these housing laws, the Addison faced numerous episodes of undesirable renters (criminals, addicts, destructive/violent) who threatened the stability of the building, causing the desirable residents to move out. Often these same troublesome tenants also took advantage of the eviction moratorium to not pay rent, then living for free (with taxpayer-funded legal services) during the subsequent 18-month long eviction process.

Currently landlords risk the loss of tens of thousands of dollars with every tenant they accept. This doesn’t exactly create a healthy environment to encourage investment into lower- income housing.

This already dysfunctional environment now faces the threatening disaster of a state-imposed rent control which is currently being discussed in the Washington State Legislature (HB 1217).

If progressives truly believe that housing supply is the only reason (and addiction/mental health issues play little or no role) for our state’s dismal record on homelessness, then why impose rent control which will certainly scare away more housing investors?

ChangeWA will be posting more on the state rent control measure very soon. Many fear it is just another well-intended measure which will certainly reduce the state’s already alarmingly low housing supply figure and thus increase the cost of housing.

Unfortunately, a majority of survey respondents, from across the political spectrum, will likely have their frustration grow over homeless issues if the rent control bill passes in Olympia. It will be a state-mandated law which will constrain how cities can respond to the homeless crisis, reduce the state’s housing supply, and fails to address the addiction and mental health issue which impacts more than 65% of those who are homeless.