Mark Harmsworth: A fresh approach to homelessness: Why a private organization offers hope where Spokane and Seattle have faltered

By Mark Harmsworth

Spokane and Seattle serve as stark examples of cities where government programs don’t actually help the homeless. Despite spending billions statewide, the problem persists, damaging communities and those struggling with homelessness and drug addiction whose dignity depends on lasting solutions.

In Spokane, the city’s 2020-2025 Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness aimed to coordinate services and expand housing. Yet, the Point-in-Time Count reported about 1,800 individuals homeless in Spokane County in 2025, a number that reflects limited progress over 2024 which was around 2,000 individuals. The plan’s heavy reliance on emergency shelters and outreach too often fails to address root causes like mental health, addiction and housing affordability.

Programs like the Right-of-Way Encampment Resolution have shown some success, but they are reactive, clearing encampments without sufficient drug treatment or permanent housing for people to transition into. The result is a cycle of displacement and temporary fixes, leaving many of the homeless back on the streets.

Seattle’s approach, managed largely through the King County Regional Homelessness Authority, has been equally disappointing.

With more than 16,500 homeless individuals in King County in 2024, the KCRHA’s $12 billion, five-year plan has drawn criticism for its staggering cost and lack of tangible outcomes. The agency’s resistance to innovative solutions like tiny homes – despite support from then-Governor Jay Inslee and Seattle Councilmember Andrew Lewis – highlights a bureaucratic inertia that prioritizes process over results.

Seattle’s focus on emergency services and permanent housing, while necessary, often overlooks transitional options that could bridge the gap to stability. KCRHA’s reluctance to adopt zoning laws or engage private landowners, such as nonprofits or churches willing to offer low cost or free space for cost-effective solutions further hampers progress.

In both cities, programs tend to prioritize immediate relief over long-term self-sufficiency, leaving individuals dependent on a strained system.

Some recent proposals would make it even more difficult to help the homeless. For example House Bill 1380, which was proposed in the Legislature earlier this year, would have allowed lawsuits against municipalities for restricting encampments. It did not pass, but there are still many legislators and local elected officials who have not come to grips with what is necessary to help those suffering from homelessness and drug addiction.

Enter the Compassionate Public Safety Act, an initiative which will be on the ballot in King County this fall. Rather than relying on bloated government bureaucracy to help solve homelessness, it emphasizes community collaboration, streamlined regulations and innovative housing models.

The initiative proposes expanding tiny home villages with clear criteria, such as drug-free requirements and behavioral standards, to ensure safety and stability. By relaxing zoning restrictions and incentivizing private landowners to donate land, the plan reduces costs and accelerates deployment of transitional housing. This approach aligns with data showing 21% of homeless individuals would choose tiny homes if available, offering a dignified path to independence.

The quality-of-life program also tackles root causes by integrating mental health and addiction services into housing solutions, addressing gaps in current government offered programs. Rather than funneling billions into wasteful bureaucracies, it prioritizes measurable outcomes, like reducing street homelessness and increasing permanent housing placements. By fostering partnerships with nonprofits and businesses, it leverages community resources, avoiding the pitfalls of overreliance on taxpayer funds.

To these carrots, it also adds the stick of enforcement to keep our streets safe and make it clear that allowing people to live on the street is not compassionate or sustainable.

Spokane and Seattle could learn from this model. Spokane’s plan needs more focus on scalable housing options, while Seattle must move beyond its costly, centralized framework. The Compassionate Public Safety Act offers a blueprint: practical, adaptable and grounded in community needs. It’s not a cure-all, but it’s a step toward breaking the cycle of failed policies.

Washington’s leaders must act boldly to adopt these ideas, ensuring our cities become places where everyone has a chance to thrive.

Mark Harmsworth is a former legislator and Center for Small Business Director at Washington Policy Center. He is based in Mill Creek but also is building a new home in Cle Elum.