Seattle Creates Another Committee On Homelessness

SEATTLE, WA - City Council President Bruce Harrell will convene a select committee to "change our approach to coordinating and communicating to the public about the city’s homelessness response." The new committee comes on the heels of the One Table group, which ended in July without a clear approach to fixing homelessness.

Harrell's committee appears to be less about fixing homeless, more about communicating with the public about the city's response to the crisis. The committee will include all nine members of Council, but Council members Teresa Mosqueda, Kshama Sawant, and Sally Bagshaw will serve as Harrell's co-chairs.

Here's how Harrell described the committee's purpose in a press release:

“There are clearly different views on how to address Seattle’s homelessness crisis. While there are differences of opinions on homelessness enforcement and taxation to generate additional resources, I think we will continue spinning our wheels if we label those differences as simply opposing sides. My expectation of the Select Committee is to have a transparent working committee that develops strong policy and investment decisions, as well as enforcement strategies.”

The select committee has not yet set a meeting schedule. The city' budget process typically takes place in November. Read more about Harrell's select committee here.

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