Podcasts about Housing First

Fala-se muito sobre a falta de casas e a sobrelotação, mas menos do cenário de subocupação que já perfaz 64% do parque habitacional em Portugal - casas com divisões a mais e moradores a menos.Neste último episódio dedicado à habitação, Hugo van der Ding e a demógrafa Alda Azevedo analisam este e outros desequilíbrios que estão a afetar o mercado imobiliário, propondo estratégias concretas para enfrentar o que muitos consideram ser um problema sem solução.Um estudo sobre Lisboa ilustra bem o descompasso estrutural: o fluxo de entrada de jovens adultos supera em quase o dobro o ritmo natural de renovação do parque de habitação existente.Numa altura em que a ineficiência energética dos edifícios continua a ser uma realidade, exploram-se soluções como a requalificação de grandes apartamentos em unidades menores e a partilha intergeracional.A conversa estende-se ainda ao papel estratégico das universidades e empresas como catalisadores de desenvolvimento regional e à revitalização das cidades médias como alternativa à concentração urbana - já que metade da população vive em apenas 31 dos 308 municípios portugueses.Este é um episódio que nos convida refletir: não se trata apenas de construir mais, mas de distribuir e aproveitar melhor o que já temos.REFERÊNCIAS E LINKS ÚTEISDEMOGRAPHIC RESEARCH, «Low fertility in Europe: Is the pension system the solution?» (2006, Demographic Research)MDPI, «Housing as a Determinant of Mental Health Equity: A Systematic Review» (2021, MDPI) SCIENCE DIRECT, «Breaking down the Housing First model: Examining program implementation challenges from a European perspective» (2024, Cities)BIOSALDA AZEVEDODoutorada em Demografia pela Universidade Autónoma de Barcelona. É investigadora auxiliar no Instituto de Ciências Sociais (ICS) da Universidade de Lisboa e professora auxiliar convidada no Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas. É coordenadora do doutoramento em Population Sciences (ULisboa) pelo ICS e membro da Comissão Científica. A sua investigação centra-se no estudo da demografia da habitação, do envelhecimento demográfico e, mais recentemente, no estudo da emigração portuguesa nos EUA.HUGO VAN DER DINGLocutor, criativo e desenhador acidental. Uma espécie de cartunista de sucesso instantâneo a quem bastou uma caneta Bic, uma boa ideia e uma folha em branco. Criador de personagens digitais de sucesso como a Criada Malcriada e Cavaca a Presidenta, autor de um dos podcasts mais ouvidos em Portugal, Vamos Todos Morrer, também escreve para teatro e, atualmente, apresenta o programa Duas Pessoas a Fazer Televisão na RTP, com Martim Sousa Tavares. 

As Matt Haney introduces a bill to allow for recovery housing funded by the state, is it time to admit that laws we passed 10 years ago have only made the homeless problem worse?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hosts: Chris Masters, Amber Henning Guest: Brian Donaldson Air date: Apr 30, 2025

Housing First is an approach to addressing homelessness that prioritizes housing without requiring supportive services for unhoused people. Reset learns more about how these changes could impact homelessness efforts in the city and the state with local leaders on the frontlines of the issue: Christine Haley, Chief Homelessness Officer of Illinois; Sendy Soto, Chicago's Chief Homelessness Officer; and Mark Ishaug, CEO of Thresholds. For a full archive of Reset interviews, head over to wbez.org/reset.

Hosts: Chris Masters, Amber Henning Guest: Marshe Washington Air date: Mar 26. 2025

Until the trade war began, one of the most pressing issues in the country was the housing crisis. Ontario alone identified the need to build upwards of 1.5 million new homes by 2031. The federal government put billions on the table in several previous budgets, as have the provinces. But, affordability and homelessness so far haven't shown much improvement. Steve Paikin sits down with Nate Erskine-Smith, the federal Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities and the Liberal MP for Beaches-East York, to find out what the federal government intends to do about the housing crisis during uncertain economic and political times.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Vom Computerspiel zum Mythos des guten Königs; In einem unendlichen Spiel, wo gute Menschen schlechte Dinge tun.  Chris ist zu Alexs Leidwesen diesmal vorbereitet – er hat etwas gelesen, was ihn beschäftigt. Er braucht Alex als seinen „Diamond Dog“: Warum werden Menschen in Machtpositionen gewählt, die für Chris offensichtlich fragwürdige Eigenschaften haben?Warum scheint einer der reichsten Männer der Welt (völlig unnötigerweise) bei einem Computerspiel so tun, als wäre er ein Top-Profi. Obwohl jeder echte Gamer erkennt, dass er maximal mittelmäßig ist. Das will Chris einfach nicht in den Kopf.Alex versucht, ein positives Weltbild zu bewahren, aber Chris zweifelt: Warum werden politische Entscheidungen getroffen, die nicht dem Wohl der Menschen dienen? Warum ist Housing First keine Selbstverständlichkeit? „And it all meant this:  that there are hardly any excesses of the most crazed psychopath that cannot easily be duplicated by a normal, kindly family man who just comes in to work every day and has a job to do.“
aus Small Gods, Terry Pratchett Unser Gespräch dreht sich um Macht wie Moral. Und die Frage, ob die binare Einteilung in „gute“ und „schlechte“ Menschen uns nicht daran hindert, wahre Gründe zu erkennen für das Leid, was es gibt. Ein Folterer kann gleichzeitig ein „guter“ Vater sein. Vielleicht ist manchmal nicht der einzelne Mensch das Problem, sondern die Strukturen.Sind wir in einem „zero-sum game“, in dem es nur Gewinner und Verlierer gibt? Oder doch in einem „infinite game“, in dem es darum geht, gemeinsam eine bessere Zukunft zu gestalten?Es ist wieder eine Episode mit mehr Fragen als Antworten. Evtl. ist auch das einfach Teil der Reise. In der Folge erwähnt:Artikel von Rebecca Shaw by the Guardian: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jan/16/i-knew-one-day-id-have-to-watch-powerful-men-burn-the-world-down-i-just-didnt-expect-them-to-be-such-losersZero sum game: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-sum_gameSmall God / Einfach göttlich: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Einfach_g%C3%B6ttlichSoziopathie: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/SoziopathieTed Lasso: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Lasso  --------Noch ein Podcast:Perspektiven auf Software & Design von Chris & Alex.www.bessermit.design --------

Thirty years ago, housing activists began an unusual experiment to help people struggling with homelessness and chronic addiction. They decided to get people into housing first and then try to help their clients with their addictions. This idea, called "Housing First," is now the central strategy guiding homeless services in America. But the concept is facing new scrutiny and growing criticism from conservative lawmakers. Today on The Sunday Story, we look at the controversy around Housing First and consider if the strategy is working as it was designed.You can listen to Will James's full documentary on KUOW's Soundside podcast.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Finland has achieved what many countries still deem impossible: significantly reducing long-term homelessness through a Housing First model. Finland's model, which has reduced homelessness by 80% since 2008, doesn't just provide housing – it prevents homelessness through strategic urban planning, integrated support services, and proactive intervention.Join Fredrik and Leilani as they speak with Juha Kahila, Head of International Affairs at Y-Säätiö (Y-Foundation), about Finland's comprehensive approach to ending homelessness. The three discuss how homelessness isn't inevitable, but rather a result of policy choices – and how this pragmatic model could offer a blueprint for ending homelessness worldwide.Support the show

Nick Erickson, senior director of housing policy at Housing First Minnesota, talks to F&C reporter Brian Johnson. Erickson talks about Housing First Minnesota's legislative agenda and how he got into the homebuilder advocacy business.

Sam Tsemberis (he/him) is a community psychology practitioner, the Founder/CEO of the Pathways Housing First Institute and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Tsemberis shares how Housing First got started and why it's a person-centered program. They talk about the decimation of our public housing system, the questions to ask if you're entering a housing program and steps for advocates to encourage more housing first models. For more information on Pathways Housing First: https://www.pathwayshousingfirst.org/ The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Today, we're talking with Jay Johnson, Tulsa Housing Case Manager for Mental Health Association Oklahoma.  Jay's relation with us began a couple of years ago when he, himself, was living on the streets and battling addiction. He is a shining example of why Housing First is so important and effective.   Since his time as a participant, Jay has been steadily working his way up in the agency. Once he stabilized, he was hired as part-time on-call staff, and since been promoted twice and earned three different certifications through Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Use Services, which he puts to great use serving Tulsans in need.  It was a treat to have this conversation with Jay, as he shared his experience with homelessness, what guided him through recovery and the goals he's set for himself. His drive is strong and his positivity is contagious.  After this recording, Jay emailed a follow-up thought: He wants anyone who may be struggling right now to know that if they connect with us and utilizes the services offered at MHAOK, they will be supported as they work to achieve their goals. He signed off with “you can achieve as much as you believe!” If you ARE needing assistance or if you see someone who does, please reach out to us at 405.943.3700 or 918.585.1213, or you can contact us through our website at www.mhaok.org. 

The Governments Housing First Tenancies Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This month, we are joined again by Ken Mueller, Operations Liaison for Business Intelligence in the VA Homeless Programs Office to talk about the 2024 Point-in-Time Count results.Mr. Mueller talks about recent trends in Veteran homelessness, how Veterans compare to other Americans experiencing homelessness, and the causes for the 7.6% decrease in Veteran homelessness since 2023.Veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness are strongly encouraged to contact the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at (877) 4AID-VET (877-424-3838) for assistance.Closed Caption Transcript is available at:  https://www.sharedfedtraining.org/Podcasts/EVH_S1EP33.pdf    ===============================Find your nearest VA: https://www.va.gov/find-locationsLearn more about VA resources to help homeless Veterans: https://www.va.gov/homelessRead the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's press release on the 2024 Point-in-Time Count: https://www.hud.gov/press/press_releases_media_advisories/hud_no_24_327Read the 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report: Part 1: Point-in-Time Estimates: https://www.huduser.gov/portal/sites/default/files/pdf/2024-AHAR-Part-1.pdfListen to our first episode with guest Ken Mueller: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/news-update-data-reveal-that-veteran-homelessness-decreased-by-11--51740464View our graphic “The Reduction in Veteran Homelessness from 2010 to 2024”: https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/docs/PITReduction2010-2024.pdfRead All In: The Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness: https://www.usich.gov/federal-strategic-plan/overviewDownload our One Team Approach Implementation Toolkit: https://www.va.gov/homeless/oneteam-toolkit.aspListen to our episode on our One Team Approach: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/s1ep28-ending-veteran-homelessness-as-one-team--60665818Read our article on VA Homeless Programs' Fiscal Year 2025 Budget: https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/featuredarticles/Where-Does-the-Money-Go.aspRead our article on VA's implementation of Housing First: https://www.va.gov/HOMELESS/featuredarticles/VAs-Implementation-of-Housing-First.aspRead our article on our 2023 Homelessness Goals results: https://news.va.gov/128260/va-exceeds-goal-to-house-homeless-veterans/

As is customary, HUD released its annual report on homelessness at the end of 2024. It revealed a startling year-over-year increase in homelessness among individuals and families in the United States. Among the devastating data, there were bright spots such as a decrease in homeless veterans. But the reporting and punditry surrounding the report was less than stellar, and the news was buried in a matter of days. Crucially, some of the worst reporting on HUD’s findings came from left wing media sources who pointed to immigration as one of the drivers of the increase, conveniently and uncritically parroting conservative talking points while ignoring the more pertinent narratives. Chapters Intro: 00:00:37 Chapter One: A Point in Time. 00:03:12 Chapter Two: Whether Building a Home or a Narrative, Framing Matters. 00:07:39 Chapter Three: Housing First: When Evidence Meets Ideology. 00:17:03 Bring it Home, Max. 00:26:20 Post Show Musings: 00:30:55 Outro: 00:58:21 Resources HUD: The 2024 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR) to Congress Tsemberis, S., & Eisenberg, R. F. (2000). Pathways to Housing: Supported Housing for Street-Dwelling Homeless Individuals with Psychiatric Disabilities National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2000). A Plan, Not a Dream: How to End Homelessness in Ten Years. Washington, DC U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. (2010). *Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness. Washington, DC Department of Housing and Urban Development. (2014). Housing First in Permanent Supportive Housing Brief Gillespie, S., et al. (2021). Denver Supportive Housing Social Impact Bond Initiative: Final Outcome Report. Urban Institute Los Angeles County Department of Health Services. (2019). Housing for Health Year Four Evaluation Report Wright, B. J., et al. (2016). Health in Housing: Exploring the Intersection between Housing and Health Care. Center for Outcomes Research and Education National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. (2018). Permanent Supportive Housing: Evaluating the Evidence for Improving Health Outcomes Among People Experiencing Chronic Homelessness Gubits, D., et al. (2016). Family Options Study: 3-Year Impacts of Housing and Services Interventions for Homeless Families. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Y-Foundation. (2020). A Home of Your Own: Housing First and Ending Homelessness in Finland National Alliance to End Homelessness. (2020). Rapid Re-Housing Works: What the Evidence Says Padgett, D. K., et al. (2016). Housing First: Ending Homelessness, Transforming Systems, and Changing Lives. Oxford University Press UNFTR Episode Resources Over The Borderline Series: Introduction. Part One. Part Two. Part Three. -- If you like #UNFTR, please leave us a rating and review on Apple Podcasts and Spotify: unftr.com/rate and follow us on Facebook, Bluesky, TikTok and Instagram at @UNFTRpod. Visit us online at unftr.com. Buy yourself some Unf*cking Coffee at shop.unftr.com. Check out the UNFTR Pod Love playlist on Spotify: spoti.fi/3yzIlUP. Visit our bookshop.org page at bookshop.org/shop/UNFTRpod to find the full UNFTR book list, and find book recommendations from our Unf*ckers at bookshop.org/lists/unf-cker-book-recommendations. Access the UNFTR Musicless feed by following the instructions at unftr.com/accessibility. Unf*cking the Republic is produced by 99 and engineered by Manny Faces Media (mannyfacesmedia.com). Original music is by Tom McGovern (tommcgovern.com). The show is hosted by Max and distributed by 99. Podcast art description: Image of the US Constitution ripped in the middle revealing white text on a blue background that says, "Unf*cking the Republic."Support the show: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/unftrSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today Seattle Now is sharing a documentary from the KUOW newsroom. In today's episode, KUOW's Will James went deep on Seattle's embrace of Housing First. We can only make Seattle Now because listeners support us. Tap here to make a gift and keep Seattle Now in your feed. Got questions about local news or story ideas to share? We want to hear from you! Email us at seattlenow@kuow.org, leave us a voicemail at (206) 616-6746 or leave us feedback online.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

As the Trump administration prepares to take office, a fight is brewing over the future of homelessness in America. For about a decade now, the federal government has pushed a strategy called Housing First. It's designed to get people off the streets and into permanent homes... even when they have serious problems with mental illness or substance use. Seattle was one of the earliest adopters of this approach, back in the nineties. But, over the past few years, a growing chorus of critics — mostly on the political right — has questioned Housing First. They want to go back to a time when efforts to fight homelessness focused more on getting people into treatment and having them "earn" access to subsidized housing by changing their behaviors. Now some of those critics are about to come to power in the White House, like Vice President elect JD Vance. You've probably heard of Project 2025. It's the conservative Heritage Foundation's plan for Trump's second term. It calls for an end to Housing First — a move that would upend the nation's homelessness strategy. KUOW's Will James has covered homelessness for years. He wanted to know: What is at the heart of this backlash against Housing First? And, with homelessness reaching record levels, do the critics have a point? Is it time to change course? If so, where do we go from here? Will spent months digging into these questions and brings us this original, freshly-reported documentary, which we're sharing with you for the first time today. The story starts right here in Seattle... because this city is intertwined with the history of Housing First and now, the movement against it. Thank you to the supporters of KUOW, you help make this show possible! If you want to help out, go to kuow.org/donate/soundsidenotes Soundside is a production of KUOW in Seattle, a proud member of the NPR Network. Guests:Will James, KUOW Audio Documentary Producer Related Links: KUOW - Lost PatientsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Veľmi ma prekvapilo, aké rôzne sú ich príbytky. Nie sú to len lavičky v parku či miesta pod mostom. Môže to byť stará kotolňa v lese, vlastnoručne postavená chatka, garáž. Pred stanom majú záhradku, v ktorej pestujú plodiny. opisujú prácu v teréne s ľuďmi bez domova pracovníčky občianskeho združenia Vagus. Upozorňujú, že zdražovanie a rast cien energií môže priviesť na ulicu ďalších ľudí.Občianske združenie Vagus denne pomáha stovkám ľudí bez domova v Bratislave. Ich denné centrum Domec navštívi každý deň 120 ľudí - medzi nimi osamelí seniori či seniorky, týrané ženy alebo ľudia so zdravotným znevýhodnením. Vagus takmer každý deň, ráno aj večer, vysiela do terénu terénnych pracovníkov, ktorí vyhľadávajú ľudí bez domova na miestach, kde žijú. „Veľmi ma prekvapilo, aké rôzne sú ich príbytky. Nie sú to len lavičky v parku či miesta pod mostom. Môže to byť stará kotolňa v lese, vlastnoručne postavená chatka, garáž," opisuje terénna pracovníčka Alena Pitlová. „Pred stanom majú záhradku, v ktorej pestujú plodiny. Máme ľudí, ktorí si postavia plot, dajú si na naň hrnčeky a chcú to mať pekne vyčačkané so všetkým, čo k tomu patrí. Z toho čo majú, chcú vyťažiť maximum," dopĺňa programová riaditeľka Petra Červená, ktorá tiež v minulosti pracovala v teréne.Pri tejto práci si uvedomujú význam podporného zázemia. „Uvedomujem, že v niektorých životných situáciách, keby som možno nemala také okolie, nemala takú podporu, tak by mi môj život mohol vyzerať úplne inak,” opisuje červená," hovorí Červená.„Je to uvedomenie si, že v niečom mám privilégium. Že som mala tú štartovaciu čiaru, akú som mala,”dopĺňa ju Alena Pitlová.Chýbajú nám systémové riešeniaNa Slovensku je približne 71-tisíc ľudí bez domova, z toho v Bratislave okolo 6800. Systémové riešenie chýba, opisujú pracovníčky Vagus. Napríklad program Housing First sa ukazuje ako najefektívnejší spôsob pomoci, no jeho implementácia zaostáva za severskými krajinam.„Ten dialóg je veľmi frustrujúci v tom, že veľa vecí sa nedá urobiť - napríklad už len definovať, kto je človek bez domova,” vysvetľuje programová riaditeľka.Situáciu ďalej zhoršuje zdražovanie a rast cien energií, ktoré môžu priviesť na ulicu ďalších ľudí. „Nevidím nič, čo by to nejakým spôsobom menilo a zlepšovalo. Prognóza je, že sa to bude zhoršovať a nemáme týchto ľudí ako zachytávať a naše služby ako ďalej nafukovať. Obávam sa, že sa to bude diať.”Moderuje Denisa Hopková.

Veľmi ma prekvapilo, aké rôzne sú ich príbytky. Nie sú to len lavičky v parku či miesta pod mostom. Môže to byť stará kotolňa v lese, vlastnoručne postavená chatka, garáž. Pred stanom majú záhradku, v ktorej pestujú plodiny. opisujú prácu v teréne s ľuďmi bez domova pracovníčky občianskeho združenia Vagus. Upozorňujú, že zdražovanie a rast cien energií môže priviesť na ulicu ďalších ľudí.Občianske združenie Vagus denne pomáha stovkám ľudí bez domova v Bratislave. Ich denné centrum Domec navštívi každý deň 120 ľudí - medzi nimi osamelí seniori či seniorky, týrané ženy alebo ľudia so zdravotným znevýhodnením. Vagus takmer každý deň, ráno aj večer, vysiela do terénu terénnych pracovníkov, ktorí vyhľadávajú ľudí bez domova na miestach, kde žijú. „Veľmi ma prekvapilo, aké rôzne sú ich príbytky. Nie sú to len lavičky v parku či miesta pod mostom. Môže to byť stará kotolňa v lese, vlastnoručne postavená chatka, garáž," opisuje terénna pracovníčka Alena Pitlová. „Pred stanom majú záhradku, v ktorej pestujú plodiny. Máme ľudí, ktorí si postavia plot, dajú si na naň hrnčeky a chcú to mať pekne vyčačkané so všetkým, čo k tomu patrí. Z toho čo majú, chcú vyťažiť maximum," dopĺňa programová riaditeľka Petra Červená, ktorá tiež v minulosti pracovala v teréne.Pri tejto práci si uvedomujú význam podporného zázemia. „Uvedomujem, že v niektorých životných situáciách, keby som možno nemala také okolie, nemala takú podporu, tak by mi môj život mohol vyzerať úplne inak,” opisuje červená," hovorí Červená.„Je to uvedomenie si, že v niečom mám privilégium. Že som mala tú štartovaciu čiaru, akú som mala,”dopĺňa ju Alena Pitlová.Chýbajú nám systémové riešeniaNa Slovensku je približne 71-tisíc ľudí bez domova, z toho v Bratislave okolo 6800. Systémové riešenie chýba, opisujú pracovníčky Vagus. Napríklad program Housing First sa ukazuje ako najefektívnejší spôsob pomoci, no jeho implementácia zaostáva za severskými krajinam.„Ten dialóg je veľmi frustrujúci v tom, že veľa vecí sa nedá urobiť - napríklad už len definovať, kto je človek bez domova,” vysvetľuje programová riaditeľka.Situáciu ďalej zhoršuje zdražovanie a rast cien energií, ktoré môžu priviesť na ulicu ďalších ľudí. „Nevidím nič, čo by to nejakým spôsobom menilo a zlepšovalo. Prognóza je, že sa to bude zhoršovať a nemáme týchto ľudí ako zachytávať a naše služby ako ďalej nafukovať. Obávam sa, že sa to bude diať.”Moderuje Denisa Hopková.

(The Center Square) – Exiting King County Executive Dow Constantine is doubling down on a housing-first approach to addressing the homelessness crisis in a recent interview with ChangeWA. ChangeWA, a non-partisan organization, released an interview it had with Constantine on Wednesday. In the interview, Constantine showed continued support for the region's continued housing-first approach, despite statistics showing no signs of improvements to the crisis. In 2015 Constantine and then-Seattle Mayor Ed Murray declared homelessness an emergency facing the region. That year, the county's federally mandated Point-in-Time Count tallied 10,047 homeless people across the county. That has increased 63% to an all-time high of 16,385 unhoused people this year.

"Housing First" bietet obdachlosen Menschen eine eigene Wohnung. Dadurch sollen sie Notsituationen überwinden können. Der Kanton hat das Projekt zusammen mit der Heilsarmee vier Jahre lang getestet und zieht nun eine positive Bilanz. "Housing First" wird jetzt definitiv eingeführt. Ausserdem: "Wählbarkeits-Initiative": Auch Ausländerinnen und Ausländer mit C-Bewilligung sollen im Baselbiet in gewisse Ämter gewählt werden können.

Send us a textCan Portland, Oregon truly be called “America's Mumbai”? Join me, Chad Law, as I recount my journey writing a book that explores the once-vibrant city now grappling with urban decay, homelessness, and drug addiction. Portland's struggles offer a glaring example of how political supermajorities can lead to urban decline, and how the migration of blue voters from cities like Portland is reshaping the political landscape across America. This episode isn't just about critiquing the chaos; it's a call for balanced governance to prevent such downfalls.Ever wondered how much celebrity influence really matters in politics? We're talking about the likes of Meghan McCain and Tim McGraw, questioning their authenticity and impact. From allegations against John McCain to McGraw's subtle liberal messaging, this episode scrutinizes those who seem to use their platforms for political leverage. Let's break down the perceived betrayals and call for genuine contributions to political discourse, steering clear of the hypocrisy that seems all too common.Taxes, wealth, and the controversial approaches to homelessness take center stage as I dissect proposals like Kamala Harris's wealth tax and contrast Denver's Housing First initiative with Douglas County's "Handouts Don't Help" campaign. Are traditional aid methods truly effective, or do they hinder progress? Explore these pressing issues with me, and stick around for some spirited college football banter and a Reagan-inspired call to action. Brace yourself for a lively and thought-provoking discussion that challenges conventional perspectives.

Leue, Vivien www.deutschlandfunkkultur.de, Studio 9

On this episode, we look at Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley's innovative approach to tackling homelessness, budget challenges and systemic inequality. Crowley is among those recognized by Governing's returning Public Officials of the Year award series. Created three decades ago to spotlight solutions, not scandals, the Public Officials of the Year (POY) awards are back. Governing magazine, the sister publication of Government Technology*, is again recognizing a select group of people who make government work. For its part, The Future In Context podcast is dedicating October to deep dives on POY's Class of 2024. You'll hear from public officials themselves and the writers who profiled them in the fall issue of Governing. In this episode, we examine Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley and his work to reduce homelessness, reshape public health, lead collaboratively and think strategically about the community's next chapter. Governing Editor Alan Greenblatt joins the podcast to put Milwaukee's future in context. SHOW NOTES Here are the top five takeaways from this episode: The Revival of Public Officials of the Year: Greenblatt discusses the return of Governing magazine's Public Officials of the Year awards after its print edition was discontinued in 2019. The awards celebrate individuals who have made significant contributions to state and local government. The focus is on recognizing solutions rather than highlighting conflicts or scandals. Collaborative Leadership in Milwaukee: David Crowley, Milwaukee County executive, and Mayor Cavalier Johnson are highlighted as prime examples of close political collaboration. Their longstanding relationship and cooperative work have led to legislative successes, like allowing Milwaukee County to raise local sales taxes, which has helped address long-standing budget issues. The two were together so often that they joked they should have carpooled. Systemic and Long-Term Vision: Crowley is praised for taking a long-term, systems-based approach to governance. His focus on integrating various government initiatives (housing, health, etc.) under a strategic vision contrasts with the short-term crisis management that often dominates government action. His approach is aimed at improving health outcomes, housing and other critical public services in Milwaukee. Success in Reducing Homelessness With Housing First: Milwaukee County's successful implementation of the Housing First model has resulted in a 92 percent reduction in homelessness over a decade. Greenblatt emphasizes the collaborative efforts between the county, city and nonprofit organizations as key to this achievement. Challenges and Future Aspirations for Milwaukee: Despite significant progress, Milwaukee still faces challenges, including opioid addiction, traffic fatalities and income disparities. Both Crowley and Johnson have ambitious goals to change the perception of Milwaukee, with hopes for future growth, although there is skepticism about whether it will achieve the rapid development seen in cities like Nashville or Austin. Related Links to stories referenced in the episode: · Public Officials of the Year: A Special Note from Our Publisher · After Decades, a County's Budget Gets Back on Track (Crowley POY profile) Our editors used ChatGPT 4.0 to summarize the episode in bullet form to help create the show notes. The main image for this story was created using DALL-E 3.   

On this week's episode of Inside West Virginia Politics, we talk to both parties in the race for District 57, learn about the VA's Housing First approach and explore the latest inductees to the WV Broadcasting Hall of Fame.

A recount request in the race for Tulsa's next mayor.Oklahoma teens are living less dangerously than they did a decade ago.Oklahoma City is working to reduce homelessness.You can find the KOSU Daily wherever you get your podcasts, you can also subscribe, rate us and leave a comment.You can keep up to date on all the latest news throughout the day at KOSU.org and make sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram at KOSU Radio.This is The KOSU Daily, Oklahoma news, every weekday.

Over the course of this series, we have taken a closer look at the different aspects of homelessness examining the Housing First philosophy, the interconnectedness of housing and healthcare, prevention efforts, and what hidden homelessness looks like. In today's episode, we focus on the tools available for developers and communities to build supportive housing and the support systems necessary to help people maintain their homes. Additionally, we dive into braiding, a funding mechanism used to build units to serve people with zero income.In My Place educates listeners on what cities like Nashville can do to prevent and end homelessness — while caring for our neighbors who are still unhoused. We talk to national and local guests about everything from best practices to worst failures and hear from people who intimately know the complexities of having nowhere to go. This show highlights how affordable housing affects each of us even if we think it doesn't.This series was created thanks in part to support from Pinnacle Financial Partners.This episode was produced by Judy Tackett and Tasha A.F. Lemley.Today's guests:Leah Werner | Director Ohio, Kentucky and Tennessee Program, CSHAngela Hubbard | Housing Director, Metro Nashville Planning DepartmentDavid Langgle-Martin | Chief Housing Officer, Park CenterAnita Smith | Speaker and advocate

In this continuation of ChangeMakers with Katie Goar, Dr. Vincent Atchity, President & CEO of Mental Health Colorado, delves deeper into the complex relationship between mental health, housing, and criminal justice. Dr. Atchity discusses the "Care Not Cuffs" initiative, emphasizing the need for a shift from over-criminalization to a more supportive, health-focused approach. He explores the concept of "Housing First" and its importance in addressing homelessness, while also touching on the challenges faced by various demographics, including families, youth, and the elderly. The conversation covers recent legal decisions affecting homeless encampments, potential changes in housing access policies, and the need for a more comprehensive national housing strategy. Dr. Atchity concludes by sharing success stories that demonstrate the positive impact of combining proper mental health support with housing stability, highlighting the potential for reducing reliance on crisis interventions and improving overall community well-being.

4 PILLARS OF AMERICAN FASCISM; THE TRAGEDY OF HOMELESSNESS     We begin GREEP zoom #183 with HEDY TRIPP and her announcement of the public showing of the new documentary film “Detroit's Olympic Uprising.”    The great ANDREA MILLER from the Center for Common Ground then takes us through a devastating exposition of the US Supreme Court's decision to restore an absolute monarchy to the North American continent.   Her “Protecting Democracy from the Court” lays out in terrifying detail the Supremes' attack on democracy.  Their decisions range from dismissing charges against January 6 insurrectionists to establishing the divine right of a sitting president—-and maybe even an ex-president—-to break any laws they want.   MYLA RESON asks about the Biden Plan for reorganizing the Supreme Court.     ERIC LAZARUS proposes a civil assembly to substitute for the Court as is done in Ireland.   GREGG GORDON says “we're the King” and points out that the Court's decision now applies to President Biden, giving him absolute power….for the time being.   LYNN FEINERMAN tells us of GREG PALAST'S cinematic warning, in the movie “Vigilantes”,  against vote challenging, which allows a single individual to disqualify thousands of registered voters without due process.     Georgia's RAY MCCLENDON confirms our worst nightmare about mass disqualifications in the Peach State among others.  An Executive Order from the President would have no impact against this because of state's rights.  Ray urges us to focus on local election boards to counter this assault on democracy.   WENDI LEDERMAN, MIKE HERSH, PAUL NEWMAN, STEVE KAISER and DENNIS BERNSTEIN chime in on various aspects of this deep attack on our democracy.   We then welcome the legendary DONALD WHITEHEAD of the National Coalition for the Homeless.  Dr. Whitehead takes us deep into the horrifying plague of homelessness that now so deeply taints the American soul.   LORI GRACE then begins digging into the Project 2025 documents and provisos that might include a treason trial for Liz Cheney complete with execution of, at least, the death penalty.  In the eyes of Christian Nationalists, she said, “God has ordained Trump.”   TATANKA BRICCA brings us consideration of the Housing First organization that is successful 90% of the time for people who are unhoused.   SANDY BOLZENIUS tells us of Move to Amend which works against the Citizens United decision that has opened the floodgates for corporations to take over our government and extinguish our democracy.   DR. NANCY NIPARKO reminds us tat a major part of the homeless crisis has to do with overpricing on rents, bad zoning regulations and more.   Tatanka reminds us of the horrendous crisis we face with LEONARD PELTIER, who faces a de facto death penalty unless he is soon freed.   STEVE CARUSO has engineered another phenomenal gathering.  We'll see you next week!!!        

Musk says he will move SpaceX, X headquarters to Texas over frustration with California laws - RNC speaker's forehead tattoos: What do they mean? - I lived in a homeless encampment for a week. I saw how Housing First doesn't work. - Businesses face high energy bills as temps rise in Central California     KMJ's Afternoon Drive with Philip Teresi & E. Curtis Johnson   Weekdays 2-6PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 & 105.9 KMJ   Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X   Listen to past episodes at kmjnow.com   Subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Music    Contact See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Musk says he will move SpaceX, X headquarters to Texas over frustration with California laws - RNC speaker's forehead tattoos: What do they mean? - I lived in a homeless encampment for a week. I saw how Housing First doesn't work. - Businesses face high energy bills as temps rise in Central California     KMJ's Afternoon Drive with Philip Teresi & E. Curtis Johnson   Weekdays 2-6PM Pacific on News/Talk 580 & 105.9 KMJ   Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and X   Listen to past episodes at kmjnow.com   Subscribe to the show on Apple, Spotify, or Amazon Music    Contact See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Dale Keller from Solutions Utah comes on the Utah Stories podcast to discuss Utah's homeless, the Supreme's Court's decision, Housing First, affordable housing, and more.  Here is Solutions Utah's website for more info: https://solutionsutah.org. Here is The Other Side Academy's website for more info: https://www.theothersideacademy.com. Visit UtahStories.com for more and to subscribe to our free digital newsletter. There you can also support our journalism by subscribing to our print magazine for $3 per month. Follow us on: Instagram @UtahStories Twitter @UtahStories

This episode was originally released for Death Panel patrons on October 23rd, 2023. To support the show and help make episodes like this one possible, become a patron at www.patreon.com/deathpanelpod Beatrice speaks with Brian Nam-Sonenstein about two recent briefs he wrote for Prison Policy Initiative focused on a few key intersections of housing, disability, incarceration, and the administrative state. Transcript forthcoming. Find the briefs here: "High stakes mistakes: How courts respond to 'failure to appear'" https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2023/08/15/fta/ "Seeking shelter from mass incarceration: Fighting criminalization with Housing First" https://www.prisonpolicy.org/blog/2023/09/11/housing-first/ Find our book Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Find Jules' new book, A Short History of Trans Misogyny, here: https://www.versobooks.com/products/3054-a-short-history-of-trans-misogyny Death Panel merch here (patrons get a discount code): www.deathpanel.net/merch As always, support Death Panel at www.patreon.com/deathpanelpod

You know what it's like. There is a stirring inside. A whisper that tells you which direction to head in. I've heard it. I've followed it and amazing things have happened. Someone else that has trusted the whisper is Kathy Izard. In this conversation, we focus on listening to and trusting God's whispers to follow one's life path and calling. Kathy shares her personal journey of hearing God's call to address homelessness in her community through founding a housing program. She discusses how communities can come together through a "housing first" approach to help the homeless population. Kathy emphasizes surrendering to God's plan and trusting that he will work through you, despite feelings of being unqualified or unexpected difficulties. So listen for your own whispers from God and have faith to follow where it leads. Join us as we learn to trust the whisper. Kathy Izard is an award-winning author, a national speaker and retreat leader, and an advocate for housing and mental health services in Charlotte, North Carolina. She co-led the citywide effort to build Moore Place, Charlotte's first permanent, supportive housing for people experiencing chronic homelessness, and was instrumental in establishing HopeWay, Charlotte's first residential mental health treatment center. She wrote about her efforts in her memoir The Hundred Story Home, which received a 2017 Christopher Award for inspirational nonfiction. Kathy's Book:Trust the WhisperKathy's Recommendation:The Amen EffectJoin Our Patreon for Early Access and More: PatreonConnect with Joshua: jjohnson@allnations.usGo to www.shiftingculturepodcast.com to interact and donate. Every donation helps to produce more podcasts for you to enjoy.Follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or Threads at www.facebook.com/shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.instagram.com/shiftingculturepodcast/https://twitter.com/shiftingcultur2https://www.threads.net/@shiftingculturepodcasthttps://www.youtube.com/@shiftingculturepodcastConsider Giving to the podcast and to the ministry that my wife and I do around the world. Just click on the support the show link belowSend us a Text Message.Support the Show.

Despite TOSA's remarkable success in aiding homeless individuals without government funding, state-funded homeless services in Utah face significant challenges, including lack of accountability and ineffective implementation. The Solutions Utah conference shed light on the increasing homelessness crisis in Salt Lake City, fueled by rising housing prices and scarcity. Governor Spencer Cox endorsed TOSA's approach, emphasizing personal accountability and community support over Housing First policies. The conference highlighted the need for effective and accountable homeless services, contrasting the success of organizations like TOSA and Switchpoint with the failures of government-funded programs. To learn more go to utahstories.com to watch the full episode or read the full story.     

The dual challenges of mental illness and lack of affordable housing are pressing issues in this election year. In March, California voters narrowly approved Proposition 1, which allocates $6.4 billion to construct new housing and treatment facilities for people with mental illness statewide. But will this measure truly benefit this vulnerable population? Professor Neil Gong delves into the history of mental health treatment in the U.S. and how it has shaped our current system and policy conversations. He tells stories of people he met through his research to highlight the stark differences between mental health care available to the wealthy and the poor, and explores potential policy changes to address the intertwined challenges of homelessness and mental health.  For more of Neil Gong's work: Read his recent book, Sons, Daughters, and Sidewalk Psychotics: Mental Illness and Homelessness in Los Angeles Check out his opinion piece on Proposition 1 in the Los Angeles Times  Read his analysis on the Housing First strategy in The American Prospect   

This month, we're joined by Meredith Malpass, Regional Coordinator for the HUD-VASH to learn about Harm Reduction.Ms. Malpass talks about what Harm Reduction is, how you may already be using Harm Reduction in your daily life, and how it can help Veterans experiencing homelessness and housing instability better engage in their care.Veterans who are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness are strongly encouraged to contact the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at (877) 4AID-VET (877-424-3838) for assistance.Closed Caption Transcript is available at: https://www.sharedfedtraining.org/Podcasts/EVH_S1EP25.pdf===============================Find your nearest VA: https://www.va.gov/find-locationsLearn more about VA resources to help homeless Veterans: https://www.va.gov/homelessListen to our episode on Housing First: https://www.spreaker.com/episode/s1ep21-what-s-the-big-deal-with-housing-first--58200313Learn more about risk factors for Veteran homelessness: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25595171Read the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/press-announcements/20231113/hhs-samhsa-release-2022-nsduh-dataRead the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Harm Reduction resources: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/harm-reduction=============================== VA does not endorse the University of California and is not responsible for the content of the following linked websites:Read the University of California San Francisco's Benioff Homelessness and Housing Initiative's California Statewide Study of People Experiencing Homelessness: https://homelessness.ucsf.edu/our-impact/studies/california-statewide-study-people-experiencing-homelessness

This Day in Maine for Monday, May 6th, 2024.

Drei Beispiele haben wir uns herausgepickt: Den Resilienz-Unterricht in finnischen Schulen: Kinder lernen von klein an, mit herausfordernden Situationen umzugehen, über Gefühle zu sprechen und Stress abzubauen. Außerdem besuchen wir eine Einrichtung von "Housing First": Obdachlose, großenteils mit Suchterkrankung, bekommen einen großen Vertrauensvorschuss vom Staat und eine Wohnung gestellt, um sich dann in Sicherheit um die eigene Gesundheit etc. kümmern zu können. Zusätzlich sprechen wir mit Forschern, die die Studie erstellt haben und fragen, was wir von Finnland lernen können.

Erja Morottaja, Head of Communications with No Fixed Abode in Finland discusses how a Housing First policy has helped to reduce homelessness in Helsinki and across the country.

Sam Tsemberis (he/him) is a community psychology practitioner, the Founder/CEO of the Pathways Housing First Institute and he is an Unapologetically Black Unicorn. Dr. Tsemberis shares how Housing First got started and why it's a person-centered program. They talk about the decimation of our public housing system, the questions to ask if you're entering a housing program and steps for advocates to encourage more housing first models. For more information on Pathways Housing First: https://www.pathwayshousingfirst.org/   The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now: 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

In this series, thanks in part to support from Pinnacle Financial Partners, we talk to national and local guests about everything from best practices to worst failures and hear from people who intimately know the complexities of having nowhere to go. Today's episode focuses on the Housing First philosophy. What is it? Who does it work for — and not work for? Today's guests: • Jeff Olivet, executive director, United States Interagency Council on Homelessness • Deirdre Nicole Childress, director of communications, trauma services and case management, Gideon's Army • India Pungarcher, advocacy and outreach specialist, Open Table Nashville • David Langgle-Martin, Chief Housing Officer, Park Center • Paula Carlson, expert through lived experience, current resident In Park Center's supportive housing. She says, "When you're homeless, you lose everything and then you start from scratch one. And you have to decide what to do first. Do I look for a house? Do I need a vehicle — and then come up with the money to do it?" Further in: • Overview Episode of In My Place • Episode 1: Homelessness Facts and Faces • United States Interagency Council on Homelessness

What’s Trending: The Renton police Chief is concerned with the spike in juvenile crime after 3 teenagers were arrested after a car chase and at least one of the teens had a firearm on them. Three suspects were arrested in connection in armed home invasions in Seattle. The Seattle media is going all in for the Housing First program and are blaming the push back of this program as the reason for why the homelessness crisis continues to be a huge issue. // Benjamin Netanyahu has been invited to the US to speak and this may not work out for the Democrats who has been trying to undermine him. Some have called for his regime to be overthrown and Democrats may have to reverse course. Pro-Palestinian protesters at USF are going on a hunger strike until their ridiculous demands are met. // A TikToker is going viral for his videos that explains to illegal immigrants how they can squat in homes and take advantage of the law. 

The City Cast team is here to round up the news of the week. Bianca Martin and Molly Stentz recap the weird-ass weather, the precarious state of affordable housing in Madison, and the deal for our new Madison Metropolitan School District Superintendent. Plus, meet Phil Surkis, our new producer! Mentioned on the show:

The Housing First approach starts with providing homes to chronically unhoused people, but it doesn't stop there — and that's what makes it so effective. Tim Aubry shares findings from a major Housing First study and the keys to a successful program.

New Hampshire voters have spoken, and it seems increasingly clear that this November's election will pit President Joe Biden against former President Donald Trump. Both appear to be making health a key part of their campaigns, with Trump vowing (again) to repeal the Affordable Care Act, and Biden stressing his support for contraception and abortion rights. Meanwhile, both candidates will try to highlight efforts to rein in prescription drug prices. Alice Miranda Ollstein of Politico, Anna Edney of Bloomberg News, and Jessie Hellmann of CQ Roll Call join KFF Health News chief Washington correspondent Julie Rovner to discuss these issues and more. Also this week, Rovner interviews Sarah Somers of the National Health Law Program about the potential consequences for the health care system if the Supreme Court overturns a key precedent attempting to balance executive vs. judicial power. Plus, for “extra credit,” the panelists suggest health policy stories they read this week that they think you should read, too: Julie Rovner: Health Affairs' “‘Housing First' Increased Psychiatric Care Office Visits and Prescriptions While Reducing Emergency Visits,” by Devlin Hanson and Sarah Gillespie. Alice Miranda Ollstein: Stat's “The White House Has a Pharmacy — And It Was a Mess, a New Investigation Found,” by Brittany Trang. Anna Edney: The New Yorker's “What Would It Mean for Scientists to Listen to Patients?” by Rachael Bedard. Jessie Hellmann: North Carolina Health News' “Congenital Syphilis — An Ancient Scourge — Claimed the Lives of Eight NC Babies Last Year,” by Jennifer Fernandez. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this week-in-review, Crystal is joined by Chair of Sierra Club Seattle, long time communications and political strategist, Robert Cruickshank! Crystal and Robert dive into the open machinations of the big corporate donors to appoint their preferred candidate to a Seattle City Council vacancy and how the messy process has leached its way into Seattle School Board politics. They then discuss the qualification of a right-wing initiative to dismantle the state's plan to take on the climate crisis. Robert gives a rare kudos to The Seattle Times for their presentation of a debate over homeless encampments, they both are dismayed at the depressing and infuriating news that the Tacoma officers in the Manuel Ellis case are getting paid $500k each to voluntarily leave the police department, and the show rounds out with analysis of some media's treatment of AG Ferguson's lawsuit to block a merger between Kroger and Albertsons. As always, a full text transcript of the show is available below and at officialhacksandwonks.com. Find the host, Crystal Fincher, on Twitter at @finchfrii and find today's co-host, Robert Cruickshank, at @cruickshank.   Resources RE-AIR: The Big Waterfront Bamboozle with Mike McGinn and Robert Cruickshank from Hacks & Wonks   “Harrell Administration Consultant Tim Ceis Urges Businesses to Back Tanya Woo for Open Council Seat” by Erica C. Barnett from PubliCola   “Business, labor lobby for open seat on Seattle City Council” by David Kroman from The Seattle Times   “Seattle City Council candidate has residency conflict in School Board role” by Claire Bryan from The Seattle Times    “Initiative 2117 (repealing Washington's Climate Commitment Act) gets certified” by Andrew Villeneuve from The Cascadia Advocate   “‘Should Seattle remove encampments?' Advocates debate” by Greg Kim from The Seattle Times   “Tacoma cops acquitted in death of Manuel Ellis will get $500K each to resign, city says” by Peter Talbot from The News Tribune    “Kroger-Albertsons merger would hike grocery prices, create near monopolies in some Washington communities, AG says” by Helen Smith from KING 5   “WA suit to block Kroger-Albertsons merger gets cheers, raised eyebrows” by Paul Roberts from The Seattle Times   Find stories that Crystal is reading here   Listen on your favorite podcast app to all our episodes here   Transcript [00:00:00] Crystal Fincher: Welcome to Hacks & Wonks. I'm Crystal Fincher, and I'm a political consultant and your host. On this show, we talk with policy walks and political hacks to gather insight into local politics and policy in Washington state through the lens of those doing the work with behind-the-scenes perspectives on what's happening, why it's happening, and what you can do about it. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get full versions of our Tuesday topical show and our Friday week-in-review delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, the most helpful thing you can do is leave a review wherever you listen to Hacks & Wonks. Full transcripts and resources referenced in the show are always available at officialhacksandwonks.com and in our episode notes. Today, we're continuing our Friday week-in-review shows where we review the news of the week with a co-host. Welcome back to the program, friend of the show, one of our audience favorites, and today's co-host: Chair of Sierra Club Seattle, longtime communications and political strategist, Robert Cruickshank. [00:01:12] Robert Cruickshank: Hey - thanks for having me on again, Crystal. [00:01:14] Crystal Fincher: Hey, excited to have you on again - here in 2024. Well, we've got a lot to talk about - things are getting spicy in the City of Seattle, with regards to this upcoming Seattle City Council appointment to replace Teresa Mosqueda's seat. Because Teresa was elected to the King County Council, which created a vacancy - so now it needs to be filled. So what happened this week? [00:01:38] Robert Cruickshank: Well, I think a lot has happened with the machinations around this appointment process - and in fact, things we're learning about how the new regime at City Hall is conducting itself - and they come together. I think this is basically Tim Ceis - who is former deputy mayor to Greg Nickels back in the 2000s, corporate lobbyist, close to established power in Seattle - and Council President Sara Nelson, who, of course, just became council president after the new council with a bunch of her allies got sworn in at the beginning of the month. They seem to be conducting a purge of anyone progressive in the City Hall, in City staff, and are determined to consolidate power around what is actually, I think, a fairly radical agenda for the city that most voters didn't really actually select, especially when it comes to cutting taxes for big businesses and slashing public services. But in order to try to achieve that, they know that they need to try to push out and keep out anyone who might disagree, anyone who might even be remotely progressive on anything. I think it's a pretty significant misreading of the results of recent elections in Seattle - their candidates won often narrowly on questions of public safety, not on cutting taxes for big businesses. In fact, most of their candidates hedged on the questions of taxes when they were asked during the campaigns. But I think you see a real desire to consolidate power around a small group of loyalists, no dissent allowed. And this is a approach to governance that I don't think Seattleites expect or want. I mean, most people in Seattle assume and want a fairly technocratic, go-along-to-get-along government where everyone is sort of driven by data, gets along with each other, and try to do things in the public interest. Now, you and I, a lot of our listeners, know that's not really how the city operates. But what we're seeing now is, I think, a much more aggressive and - in some ways, unprecedented for Seattle - attempt to impose a radical agenda on the city from the right. [00:03:26] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, this isn't what voters thought they were signing up for. This isn't what anyone campaigned on. Voters are looking at what the candidates are saying, they're looking at the mail, the commercials - again, definitely talked about public safety, talked about homelessness. But what we saw in Sara Nelson's first statement was austerity - we're cutting taxes for business. But voters didn't weigh in on this at all. And I don't think people are going to have a great reaction to this. [00:03:55] Robert Cruickshank: When Seattle voters weigh in on questions of taxes, Seattleites pass almost every tax put in front of them. When it comes to state ballot initiatives to tax the rich - they might fail statewide as they did in 2010, but they pass with wide support in Seattle. When it comes to money in politics, Seattleites approved taxing themselves - raising their property taxes slightly - to create the Democracy Voucher program. This is a city that does not want corporate money in politics and yet, that is exactly what's happened here. The reason we're talking about all this right now is not just because there's a council appointment, but because Tim Ceis, this aforementioned corporate lobbyist, sent out an email at the beginning of the week urging all of the people - whether they're wealthy individuals or from big corporations - who donated to the independent expenditure campaigns to help get a lot of these councilmembers elected last year, telling them - Hey, we need you to mobilize right now to stop Vivian Song, who is currently on the Seattle School Board, who's seeking the appointment - Ceis says, We got to stop her. She held a fundraiser for Teresa Mosqueda. She endorsed Ron Davis. She's friendly to unions. And gosh, we can't have that on our council. And the way Ceis put it was to basically act as if these wealthy interests had bought the council. They now own the council - it is theirs, not ours. Not ours in the sense of "we the people." And they can do whatever they want with it. So Ceis' attitude - and I think Sara Nelson shares this - is that it's theirs now, nobody else can tell them what to do with the city council. They have the absolute right to pick whoever they want to and impose this agenda on the city. I think both that attitude and a policy agenda they want are not what the city wants at all, and they are going to run into a big backlash real fast. [00:05:30] Crystal Fincher: Real fast. And the brazenness with which he stated this was wild. This is from the email that Tim Ceis sent - "While it's been a great two weeks watching the outcome of our effort as the new City Council has taken office, the independent expenditure success earned you the right to let the Council know not to offer the left the consolation prize of this Council seat." Okay, they're just admitting that they bought this seat. They're just admitting that - Hey, yeah, it was our effort that got these people onto the council. And we spent a million dollars plus in this independent expenditure effort and that gives us the right - he said the "right" - to tell the council what to do, which I don't recall seeing something this overtly stated before. [00:06:17] Robert Cruickshank: There's an important contrast we can draw - both Bruce Harrell and Eric Adams, mayor of New York, were elected in 2021. And at the time, Eric Adams was hailed as some sort of future of the Democratic Party - center right, tough on crime, pushing back against progressives. Well, here we are at the beginning of 2024 - Eric Adams has a 28% approval rating in New York - highly unlikely to win a re-election at this point. There are a lot of reasons for that, but one of the primary reasons is cuts to public services - libraries, schools, parks, all sorts of things. And the public is just clearly rejecting that. Bruce Harrell is up for re-election next year. And I think Harrell's going to have to decide for himself - does he want to be the one to get all the blame for this? Or maybe he just thinks Sara Nelson takes all the blame. Who knows? Maybe there's a good cop, bad cop approach being planned here - with Sara Nelson being the bad cop pushing austerity and Harrell's try to be the good cop, try to bring everybody together. Who knows? But I think what you see in New York is what you're going to see in Seattle - a significant backlash. I also want to mention - you quoted Ceis' letter talking about giving a prize to the left. Vivian Song is not a leftist. This is the part that just blows my mind about all this. She's as mainstream a Seattle Democrat as it gets. If you read her application letter for the council appointment, she talks about hiring more cops, being careful with city spending. She's honestly probably a little bit to the right of most of the previous city council that just got voted out. But to Ceis and Nelson, she's unacceptable because she's friendly with unions, was friendly with some progressives - what that shows me is that they only want extremists like themselves or who will just do their own bidding. And I think they're setting themselves up for a significant backlash. [00:07:58] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, and the final point - in looking at this, there were so many applicants to this - all across the spectrum, right? There weren't just progressive applicants for the seat. There were dozens and dozens of people from across the spectrum - and good choices - people who had experience, who have the right intentions from across the spectrum. This isn't about - Well, we just don't want an extreme leftist from these corporate interests. This is about - You're going to pick our person. Because there are several other choices on there - they're talking about Tanya Woo. Why aren't they talking about Phil Tavel, right? Why aren't they talking about anyone else that seems to align with their interests? They want loyalists - that's the bottom line. It goes beyond what the ideology is. It's - are you going to be loyal to me? Are you going to back me on what I'm doing? And without that assurance - We're not backing you. With that assurance, you're in and we're going to fight. And hey, we spent a million plus to get these other folks in. Now we're using our muscle to get you in too. And we're telling people - Hey, this was our show. We elected these people. It was our effort and that gives us the right to dictate what's going to happen. When you have the primary concern, the primary litmus test being loyalty and not is this going to help the residents of the city? Do they have experience? Can they credibly lead and do this? Wow, we get into a lot of trouble if it's just - Are you going to back me? Are you not going to question anything I'm doing? Are you going to rubber stamp this? So this appointment process is really going to be an opportunity to see where the loyalties lie. Are they serving their constituents or are they serving the business community? Because again, there are lots of picks if they wanted to go with a conservative person, right? I think they probably will. But the point is, it's got to be the one handpicked by business. This is going to tell us a lot about where the heads of these new councilmembers are at. Yeah, it [00:09:49] Robert Cruickshank: will. And I think it's also setting up 2024 - not just in terms of the policy discussions we'll see in City Hall, but the campaigns. This seat that gets filled in this appointment process later this month will be on the November 2024 ballot citywide. And I think Tanya Woo would likely run for that seat if she's appointed to it. If so, then she's going to have to go to voters - not as someone picked for her qualifications, at least in the way the public will see it. The public will see it as - she was picked by business because she's loyal to business. Vivian Song may want to run for that seat too - last night got endorsed by the King County Labor Council to hold that appointment. It sets up a very interesting - not just 10 days between now and when this appointment gets made, but 10 months between now and the November election, where I think you're going to see real contests over the future of the city. [00:10:35] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. Another interesting dimension with this about Vivian Song is about her residency and her existing Seattle School Board position. What's going on here? [00:10:45] Robert Cruickshank: Yeah, so we'll go back to 2021 - where there was an article that appeared in The Stranger when Vivian was running for the school board, questioning her residency - that she had changed residencies and changed voter registration - and questioning whether she was eligible to run for the District 4 seat for the school board. Now, the school board districts don't line up exactly with the city council districts, so listeners should keep that in mind - but Vivian won, won citywide. Because in school board, you are first elected out of the primary in just the district. Then the top two from that district go on to a citywide election in the school board. So Vivian won citywide in 2021. Last summer, it emerges that some of her critics and opponents on school board were questioning where she lives now - that she might not actually live in the district she technically represents. This is brought to the school board legal department, which looked at it and did not see a need to kick her off the school board, or declare her seat vacant and force an election. People move around for personal reasons, and they don't have to be told to tell those personal reasons in public. But Vivian is not someone who is manipulating the system for political gain - there are legitimate reasons she was moving. And yet this comes out in a Seattle Times article this week and gets mentioned at a board meeting last night - the only board meeting during this entire council appointment process. This has been under discussion behind the scenes at the school district for months. But why does it emerge now? I think it's the obvious reason why it emerges now - because some of Vivian's critics on the school board, whether they're working directly with Tim Ceis and Sara Nelson or not, are certainly helping Tim Ceis and Sara Nelson try to torpedo Vivian Song's candidacy. Now, from a progressive perspective, this doesn't necessarily mean that Vivian's the right pick for the appointment process. We should take a look at everybody. But I think the relentless efforts to destroy her, both in her position on the school board and to keep her out of the city council, suggest to me some real problems with the way both the city council and the school board are now being governed by small little cliques determined to hold on to their own power, to push austerity, unfriendly to labor, and hostile to public input. I think it's a really shocking and disturbing development that we're seeing in our city. Away from small-d democratic governance. I think everyone in the city should be really concerned about these developments. [00:13:05] Crystal Fincher: Completely agree. And statewide news - big news - it's going to impact our November 2024 ballot. The second right-wing initiative qualified for the 2024 ballot. What does this do and what does this mean? [00:13:21] Robert Cruickshank: So background here is that the far right chair of the state Republican Party, State Representative Jim Walsh - hardcore MAGA Trump guy - became State Party Chair last year and is working with a wealthy mega-donor, a guy named Brian Heywood, to try to repeal the main accomplishments of the Democratic majority in the legislature of the last few years. So we've got six initiatives so far that they've submitted to the state to qualify - two of them have made it to the ballot. One of them you just mentioned, which will be Initiative 2117 to try to destroy our state's climate action plan. They want to repeal the carbon pricing piece of it - sometimes known as cap and trade, cap and invest, whatever you want to call it. Their argument is - Oh, it's why gas prices are so high in Washington state. Well, no. One, we on the West Coast have always had higher gas prices than the rest of the country. And in fact, the reason Washington has high gas prices is because of King County. I did an analysis a few weeks ago that shows - if you cross the river from Portland to Vancouver, Washington, the average cost of gas is the same. If you are in Tacoma, you're paying less than you pay in Portland, Oregon. So if carbon pricing was causing gas prices to soar across Washington state, you'd see it everywhere - but you don't. What that suggests to me is you might actually be seeing oil companies gouging King County - that's worth investigation, which the oil companies don't want. But point being - Jim Walsh, who's a Trump guy, Brian Heywood, who's the wealthy funder, want to destroy our ability to tackle the climate crisis. They want to destroy our ability to fund the things that are needed to help people get off of fossil fuel. And so they're putting this on the ballot. They're going to put some other initiatives on the ballot to try to repeal our capital gains tax on the rich, that funds schools and early learning. And this is going to be one of the big battles that we're seeing this year - an effort to impose, again, a far-right agenda on the state of Washington. And I think that progressive organizations, the State Democratic Party are maybe a little slow to respond to this - I think they will engage, but now's the time to start letting people know what's happening here, what this attack is, how dangerous it could be, and the importance of stopping all six of these initiatives. [00:15:30] Crystal Fincher: We've seen Republicans have an increasingly hard time winning statewide and legislatively over the past few years - they've lost power, they tried the courts. The Supreme Court actually just rejected a case trying to come to the Supreme Court about the capital gains tax. So this is their only recourse now. And unfortunately, because of the way our political system is, money gets you really far. And so if you have these multi-hundred millionaires, these billionaires who come in and say - You know what, this is what I want - they're able to basically make us go through this whole charade. And so we have to fight against it. It's here. We have to do this. But it really is important to talk to people about - not to fall for these cheap lines that, Oh, this is another gas tax. It's the hidden gas tax, as they say. But we've had this price gouging conversation before - I think more people are seeing it, which is encouraging. But we're going to have to go through this whole campaign. [00:16:29] Robert Cruickshank: Yeah, and I think that it's worth noting there are reasonable discussions to be had about how to do carbon pricing right and what it should fund. And there were very intense conversations and disagreements about that when this was passed in 2021. And I think it makes sense to take a look and say - Okay, how do we make sure we're doing this right? That's not what this initiative does. This initiative uses voter concern about gas prices to totally destroy our ability to tackle the climate crisis. This is coming from people who don't believe the climate crisis is real. Or if they do believe it's real, they don't really want to do anything to stop it because they think driving and keeping oil companies happy is more important. We see wild weather all across the region - we remember that super hot heat wave from the summer of 2021, we remember the long droughts of 2022 - this is not a time to mess around. If we want to look at how to address needs to ensure that carbon pricing works - great. If we want to take a look at what it's funding - great. But to totally destroy the system entirely because a bunch of right-wingers and wealthy donors want it, I think, is a disaster. [00:17:30] Crystal Fincher: Absolute disaster. I was certainly one of those people who had criticisms of the Climate Commitment Act. There are certainly tweaks that should be made. There are some better ways that we can go about some of these processes. But the option isn't - do nothing. That's unacceptable. It isn't just dismantle and repeal everything. Just like with Social Security, just like with Medicare - these big, important pieces of legislation - that do come with benefits. We're going to have to tweak them. We're going to have to get information back, get data back, and respond to that with some technical fixes, some tweaks to make sure that we steer it onto the best path that it can be. But wow, we cannot afford to do nothing. We can't afford to dismantle this at this point in time. This is one of the most hopeful opportunities we have - really in the country - to show how states can lead and come together to get this done. We can't dismantle this at this point in time. Also want to talk about a debate that we saw, on the pages of The Seattle Times, among homeless advocates that reflects a lot of the conversation going on in communities about how to handle encampments. What was talked about here and what's important to understand? [00:18:42] Robert Cruickshank: Yeah, I want to do something I don't always do, which is give credit to The Seattle Times for hosting this discussion. I think it was a really good way to do it - between two people - Tim Harris, who used to be the executive editor of Real Change, and Tiffani McCoy, a leader in the Initiative 135 House Our Neighbors Now social housing effort here in Seattle. These are two progressive people who have long records of advocacy for housing and for the needs of the homeless. So they didn't do the usual thing that media will do - is pit a progressive against some crazy right winger. These are two people, who I think come at this with the right intentions and the right values. And they both made some pretty good points about how we handle this issue of sweeps and encampments. Sweeps - I believe they're awful. They're also popular. The public likes them. We saw the 2017 mayoral race, we saw in 2021 mayoral and city council races, city attorney race. We saw it last year in the city council races. Candidates who back sweeps almost always defeat candidates who oppose them - we're getting nowhere, and the people who are living in these encampments aren't getting help. Now, this doesn't mean we should embrace sweeps. And I thought that Tiffani McCoy did a really good job of laying out, again, the damage that sweeps do to not just the possessions of people who are living in tents, but to their own psychological state. And it often makes it harder for them to escape addiction, harder for them to find stability they need to get a home. I thought Tim Harris, though, made some good points about the problems that happen if you leave an encampment in place - how drug dealers eventually find it. And even the best managed encampments - it just takes one or two people with bad intentions to show up and the whole place kind of falls apart into violence. So leaving an encampment out there doesn't help the people who are living there, especially now we're in the extremely cold winter season. But what happens is, too often, this gets framed as a discussion between - do we sweep or do we leave encampments indefinitely? And when that's the terms of the discussion, sweeps will win every single time. And we've seen that for years now. And I think progressives need to realize that that's the case. We are not going to stop sweeps by trying to argue against sweeps alone, and to argue essentially for leaving encampments indefinitely. We have to get out of that binary that we're losing and the people in those encampments are losing. And I think the only way out is to go to the solution, right? We need to build housing for people immediately. Bruce Harrell took office on a promise to build 2,000 units of housing for folks - homes, shelter, tiny homes, whatever - to get people out. Did that happen? Where did that go? You know, there are some tiny home villages that are out there. They do a great job. But why aren't we massively expanding those? Where are the safe RV sites? Where are other forms of shelter? Where's the permanent supportive housing that we need? Where are the new SROs that we need? I think that's where progressive energy needs to focus - is on getting people out of tents now - into real housing with a roof, with a door that locks that they like, where they can bring all their possessions, including their dog and their partner. And I think that's where the emphasis needs to go. I think if we get stuck in this sweeps versus indefinite encampments, we're just going to keep losing. The people who need help aren't going to get it. And so I thought that this debate that The Times hosted did a good job of really laying out why we need to go in that direction. [00:21:59] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, absolutely. I think this is another area where - just the classic communications issue - you can't just argue against something. You have to argue for the vision that you want - because it doesn't translate - what people do here is exactly what you said. Well, okay - if we aren't going to sweep, then they're going to just stay there and that's unacceptable too. And it's unacceptable to a lot of people for a lot of different reasons, right? Some people are those crazy right wingers who just, you know - Get them out of my sight type of thing. But there are people who are saying - We need to get these people into a better place. We have lethal cold in the winter. We have lethal heat in the summer. We have public safety concerns. People who are unhoused, who are in these encampments, are more likely to be victims of crime than just about anyone else. This is a hazard to their health, to everyone's health. This is a big challenge. We need to get them into housing. We need more shelter options. We can't have this conversation while we know there isn't the infrastructure to get everyone indoors. Until we have that infrastructure, what are we talking about? We have to build. We have to build more transitional housing. We have to build more single residence occupancy, or those SROs. We have to move forward with housing. And I do believe in a Housing First approach. There's also this preemptive kind of argument that we're hearing from right wingers - Oh, we already tried that. Oh, we so have not tried that. We've never come close to trying that - on more than a trial with 20 people basis - that has never been a policy that the city has pursued overall. We have pursued these encampment sweeps and you can see they aren't getting us anywhere. The problem has actually gotten worse while we're doing this. So we have to make sure that we're speaking with unity and articulating what we want to see, what we're pursuing, what needs to get done. [00:23:50] Robert Cruickshank: Yeah, and I think there is another reason for urgency here. Sweeps, under rulings of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals - federal - in the case against the City of Boise, Idaho, and a similar case against the City of Grants Pass, Oregon. The appeals court ruled that you cannot sweep an encampment without offering shelter to the people living there. A lot of cities, including San Francisco and others, have wanted to get out of that. They appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in the last few days. The Supreme Court has said - Yes, we will take up those cases. It is highly likely then, perhaps by this summer, the U.S. Supreme Court will say - You can sweep whenever you want to. You can eliminate an encampment without having to offer shelter at all. And I think a lot of advocates will point out that those offers of shelter, you know, are maybe a fig leaf at best. That fig leaf is going to go away very soon. So I think that just creates even more urgency to push really hard to get the city and the state to step up and provide housing, whether it's, you know, buying more hotels to get people out of tents or put up more tiny home villages. Whatever it takes, we have to do it, and we have to do it now because there is now an actual ticking clock at the U.S. Supreme Court on this. [00:24:57] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. And you know what? I do want to recognize what Dow Constantine has been doing with leaning on this issue - with the buying the hotels, working in concert with different cities in the county, offering - even in the Burien debacle, it was really the county who provided the light at the end of the tunnel and real tangible assistance to actually deal with the issue and get people into housing. So, you know, more of that - more of what we've seen from Dow Constantine, more of focusing on getting people housed. Absolutely want to see it. And just absolutely dejecting news - where I wasn't shocked, but certainly dismayed. The Tacoma cops from the Manuel Ellis case are getting $500,000 to voluntarily leave the department. What are your thoughts on this? [00:25:47] Robert Cruickshank: I mean, it's unsurprising and appalling that they're getting half a million dollars after killing Manuel Ellis and getting away with it. I mean, getting away with it was bad enough - the way that the jury ruled in that case a few weeks back. Now they're literally getting money in their pocket after this - being waved goodbye. And I'm sure that this does not come with any stipulations that would make it difficult for them to get a new job anywhere else. I remember when McGinn was mayor in the early 2010s, the Ian Birk case. Ian Birk, the Seattle officer who shot and killed Native American woodcarver John T. Williams. Birk was not really prosecuted. There was an inquest. But Birk left the department, got a job somewhere else. Well, one of the things McGinn did was pursue legal remedies to make it impossible for Birk to get another job as an officer. I do not see any such thing happening here in the Tacoma case. These officers are getting a payday and getting away with it. But I think what this shows, yet again, is the importance of having real teeth in police accountability. And I think it also shows that the criminal justice system is not a substitute for that. We can't assume that the criminal justice system alone is going to hold cops accountable, as we saw in this case - yet again, it didn't. We need reforms at the state level to remove officer accountability from bargaining. We need to make it easier for cities to hold cops accountable who break the law, who commit murder, things like that. And that's where this needs to go, because what has happened here is injustice upon injustice upon injustice. And if this doesn't spur us to act, then what's going to? [00:27:32] Crystal Fincher: There's currently a federal review going on by the U.S. attorney for Western Washington. The family of Manny Ellis is calling for a consent decree for the City of Tacoma's police department with this. So those levers are turning. This issue to me is really - my goodness, this is not a pro-cop or an anti-cop thing, right? How do we hold people accountable who violate the standards that we set for them, who violate the standards that are already in place? This reminds me of what happened in the City of Kent with the assistant chief who had Nazi memorabilia, Hitler mustache, Nazi signs at work - and then got paid a ton, got rich to leave voluntarily. What are we doing when there's no mechanism to fire a Nazi in the workplace? For people who are absolutely in favor of more police, why are you tolerating this? That's my question. Why are we allowing this to fall into the - Well, either you love cops or you hate cops and you're evil if you want to do anything attached to accountability. What are we even doing? I could go on about this for a long time, but this just falls into - What are we even doing? What is the point of anything if we have to pay people who violate our standard to leave? [00:28:53] Robert Cruickshank: Yeah. I mean, we've been told since the summer of 2020 - Oh, we can't defund the police. Okay, then what are we going to do? Because we can't allow this sort of behavior, whether it is Nazi memorabilia in the actual work office in Kent or killing Manuel Ellis on the streets of Tacoma to continue - which is what I fear is actually what critics of police accountability want. They just want cops to be able to do as they please without consequences because in their minds - and these are mostly white folks like me who are saying these things - they don't think they're ever going to have to face those consequences. They want to maintain their hierarchy, their place at the top as much as they can. They see police as part of that. It's really toxic. And I think that it just shows, once again, the urgency of fixing this - including at the state level, to get the legislature out of this idea that some legislators have that - Oh, somehow it undermines labor unions and labor rights if we take accountability out of police bargaining. Well, military soldiers can't bargain, they can't form a union. They have a strict uniform code of military justice. They're held, in many cases, to much higher standards than police officers. I think we could point out ways in which even the military needs to be held to higher standards, but at least there are some. They exist and they operate. Police - they are convinced that they have the right to do as they please and to get away with it - and to be paid well for it, even when they do horrific things. And that is what we have to reject. And I think at this point - cities, we need to hold them accountable and push them. But the state needs to step in and we need to see changes to state law to make it easier to have real accountability at the local level. [00:30:25] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, absolutely. Final thing I want to talk about today is a lawsuit announced by Attorney General Bob Ferguson to stop the Kroger-Albertsons merger that they have announced their intention to do, saying that this is going to be bad for competition, creating grocery monopolies. Grocery prices are already sky high - this would make it worse. What do you think about this? [00:30:49] Robert Cruickshank: Yeah, I think it's absolutely the right thing to do and well within Attorney General Ferguson's right to protect local business and to protect consumers. And people notice that Fred Meyer and QFC are owned by the Kroger company already, and there's not enough competition there - prices there are higher than they should be. You add in Albertsons to the mix, and that's even less competition. I think people understand that more competition helps bring prices down, it's good for consumers. More local ownership - good for consumers. And this is popular, right? I think the public likes it. What's interesting to me is the way this gets covered. There's an article in The Seattle Times today about Ferguson's lawsuit. And to read the body of the article, it makes it very clear that the public loves it, that there's a legitimate reason for Ferguson to sue to protect the particular needs of Washington businesses and Washington consumers - because our grocery market industry is not always the same as other states. And we need to have our attorney general in there fighting for our interests. People get that. The Federal Trade Commission under Lina Khan is doing a great job really finally reinvigorating antitrust law and taking on mergers like this. And she's fantastic. But the article opens with this weird frame, questioning whether this is all a political stunt and saying - Oh, well, Ferguson jumped out and filed a lawsuit before the FTC did. Maybe he's trying to undermine the FTC or going rogue. Maybe it's just a political stunt. Yet the rest of the article makes it super clear that that's not the case at all. The article shows that the FTC says - No, we can work with Washington. They don't seem to be worried about this. In fact, the FTC regularly works with attorneys general around the country in multi-state lawsuits, in partnership with the federal government. So it struck me as a case where the second two-thirds of that article was really useful, but the top of it seemed to be The Times going out of their way to try to spin this against Ferguson. And I think it's a real lesson to the State Democratic Party and to Ferguson's campaign that they cannot trust the media to give him a fair shake here in 2024. The media is going to be hostile. The media is going to try to take things that look potentially helpful for Ferguson and spin them against him. So they're going to have to be ahead of that game and prepare for that, as well as make sure they're doing their own comms, using social media really well to get the story out there. Because the public gets it - the public doesn't want to see Albertsons, Fred Meyer, QFC all owned by the same company. They know it's either going to raise higher prices, fewer staff in stores, or fewer stores outright. We've already seen some stores close across the region. You're going to get more of those bad outcomes. So thank you, Bob Ferguson, for stepping up. And Bob, watch your back, because the media is coming for you. [00:33:28] Crystal Fincher: Yeah, absolutely. This is a positive thing. This is consumer protection. This is what we ask him to do as our attorney general. We have seen the direction that things go when there's consolidation. There's a lot of people who order delivery now. I don't know if many people have been in stores lately, but it is a miserable experience because they've reduced staff to untenable amounts where you have to wait for someone to unlock half the thing or stand in a special section and a special line. It's just - this is the wrong direction that we're going in. We've already seen this as a result of consolidation. We don't want to see any more. [00:34:03] Robert Cruickshank: Yeah, and you can look at another act of consolidation that I wish someone had sued to stop, which is when Rite Aid bought Bartell Drugs in 2020. Everyone knows that's been a disaster. Bartell, locally owned store - you had great locally owned products for sale. You could go and get your prescription filled really quickly and easily. Once that merger happened, all of a sudden people's prescriptions got lost, lines got really long, took you hours to get your prescription filled. And then all of a sudden, stores started closing all over the place. Now Walgreens is closing stores because there's not a lot of competition. There's no incentive for them to keep these stores open. And now we're going to see the same things happen with grocery stores - those trends that are already kind of lurking, accelerating if this merger goes through. So kudos to Bob Ferguson, but he's got to watch out for the people who are coming for him, especially in the media. [00:34:52] Crystal Fincher: Absolutely. Well, thank you so much for listening to Hacks & Wonks on this Friday, January 19th, 2024. The producer of Hacks & Wonks is Shannon Cheng. Our insightful co-host today is the Chair of Sierra Club Seattle, longtime communications and political strategist Robert Cruickshank. You can find Robert on Twitter, or X, @cruickshank. You can follow Hacks & Wonks on Twitter. You can find me on all platforms - BlueSky, Threads, anything - @finchfrii. You can catch Hacks & Wonks on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever else you get your podcasts - just type "Hacks and Wonks" into the search bar. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast to get the full versions of our Friday week-in-review shows and our Tuesday topical show delivered to your podcast feed. If you like us, leave a review wherever you listen. You can also get a full transcript of this episode and links to the resources referenced in the show at officialhacksandwonks.com and in the podcast episode notes. Thanks for tuning in - talk to you next time.

It’s a new year, and that means experts — and nonexperts — have lots of guesses about what 2024 may hold. In this episode, we’ll talk about some of those predictions. Will inflation hit to 3%? Will consumer credit keep ticking up? Will gas prices drop below $3 a gallon? Signs point to yes. Plus, Houston has been nationally recognized for its successful Housing First approach to homelessness. But keeping up those programs will mean more funding, especially as housing costs rise.

It’s a new year, and that means experts — and nonexperts — have lots of guesses about what 2024 may hold. In this episode, we’ll talk about some of those predictions. Will inflation hit to 3%? Will consumer credit keep ticking up? Will gas prices drop below $3 a gallon? Signs point to yes. Plus, Houston has been nationally recognized for its successful Housing First approach to homelessness. But keeping up those programs will mean more funding, especially as housing costs rise.

Subscribe on Patreon and hear this week's full patron-exclusive episode here: https://www.patreon.com/posts/91515360 Beatrice speaks with Brian Nam-Sonenstein about two recent briefs he wrote for Prison Policy Initiative focused on a few key intersections of housing, disability, incarceration, and the administrative state. The first concerns how "failure to appear" laws add additional layers of criminalization into the court system, and the second concerns Housing First programs. Get Health Communism here: www.versobooks.com/books/4081-health-communism Runtime 1:27:38, 23 October 2023