The Seattle Times editorial board expresses cautious optimism about the mayor's ambitious supportive housing plan.
The Seattle Times editorial board outlined Mayor Katie Wilson's homelessness plan, expressing some concerns about the feasibility of the mayor's proposals.
According to the editorial, "How these issues play out in the next few months will determine the price Seattle taxpayers pay for expanded shelter services, and whether these efforts noticeably move the needle on a host of urban ills after decades of disappointment."
The mayor has pledged to build 500 shelter units by mid-June, but acknowledged that the goal may be more aspirational than achievable. The board also has questions about new regulations related to tiny home villages, mandatory resident participation in supportive services and tensions with neighbors. And while the mayor expressed concern about "the way that the King County Regional Homelessness Authority has been operating," the agency will be overseeing contracts for the first 500 supportive housing units.
According to the board, "Wilson appears to be addressing these issues thoughtfully and strategically, but Seattleites have every right to be tired of plans and proclamations."
FULL STORY: Mayor Wilson unveils a homelessness plan but big questions remain
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New Jersey’s second-largest city bans standalone data centers
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Amtrak not solely to blame for New Jersey commuter rail's unreliability, report finds
A new study from the Garden State Initiative found that NJ Transit’s budget grew 20% across a 4 year period, but reliability declined significantly over the same period.
EPA erases limits on planet-warming pollution from power plants
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Phoenix announces new on-demand transit service, more frequent RAPID buses
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Harvard University Graduate School of Design
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