Is Seattle fueling homelessness?

Is the amount of money the city of Seattle is spending on homeless programs contributing to the growing population?

It’s a great dilemma for the people of Seattle, KIRO Radio’s Tom Tangney told John Curley on Monday morning.

“We want to be generous, but the problem is our generosity is creating an impossible situation,” Tom said.

Curley said the more you spend, the more you get; so the more you spend toward homeless populations, the more homeless people there will be.

Until what point? Curley asked.

Mayor Ed Murray announced plans to open a 100-bed homeless shelter on city-owned property. The city allocated $350,000 to fund the project.

But because the city subsidizes homeless programs, is that directly related to a growing homeless population?

“I think maybe a little bit,” Tom responded to Curley.

Of all major cities, Seattle spends the third most on the homeless, behind New York and Los Angeles. How does that happen? Curley asked. Do people in homeless communities tell each other about Seattle, because of all the effort put into programs?

“What we’re offering in Seattle – is not so outrageously difficult to explain why we’re number three,” Tom said.