‘Where are they going to go?’: Gee and Ursula back Everett’s crackdown on homeless camps but question what comes next

Everett is expanding its crackdown on areas where businesses report open drug use, theft, encampments, and people sleeping outside. KIRO hosts Gee Scott and Ursula Reutin support the move, but they’re frustrated that the region keeps coming back to the same problems.

The city is adding two buffer zones, one near a Safeway on Broadway and another near Midnight Smoke and Grocery on Colby Avenue. The Broadway location alone generated nearly 160 calls for service last month.

On “The Gee and Ursula Show” on KIRO Newsradio, Gee said the problems businesses face have to be addressed. He also wants to know where people pushed out of these areas will end up.

“Here’s the buffer zone. Where are they going? Where are they going to go?” Gee asked.

Businesses want action, but advocates have concerns

Inside the buffer zones, people can’t sit, lie down, or sleep on public property. Unauthorized groups also can’t hand out food, supplies, or services there.

Justin Harpen owns a car lot near the Safeway. He told KOMO News that businesses in the area need the city’s help.

“At night they get into our vehicles, they mess around with stuff, they get keyed, they steal gas, they drill the tanks,” Harpen said. “I would just like to see somebody actually do something, take some action.”

Wendy Grove of the Everett Recovery Cafe worries the zones will only punish people who are homeless.

“The question we need to be asking is: How can we come together as a community and help you?” Grove said.

Everett now has six active buffer zones. The mayor said calls for service in those areas are decreasing, though not dramatically.

Gee supports the zones but wants more prevention

Gee made clear that he wants help for the businesses and residents dealing with break-ins and other problems.

“I don’t disagree that those problems have to be addressed,” he said. “In this case, I’m agreeing with it, Ursula. I’m not against it at all.”

But he thinks too much of the effort goes into making homelessness less visible instead of preventing it.

“I think the energy is on not seeing the unhoused,” Gee said. “We’re still not doing enough to work on things to prevent those things.”

Ursula credited Everett for acting. The city is also adding shelter and temporary housing, though there still aren’t enough beds for everyone living outside.

‘I have yet to be able to say a city has enough beds’

Gee pointed out how often Ursula has said a city doesn’t have enough shelter beds.

“Every time,” Ursula said. “I have yet to be able to say a city has enough beds. I don’t think that it’s ever going to happen.”

She’s frustrated that the shortage continues even as spending grows. She pointed to the estimated cost of about $750,000 per apartment for Seattle’s planned social housing project in the Central District.

“I’m sorry, that just cannot be,” Ursula said.

Gee said he feels the same frustration, because listeners can predict what he’ll say: Sweeps alone aren’t enough.

“OK. You want to sweep? Great,” Gee said. “What new things are we doing to address the prevention of these things?”

He quipped that with so much money going toward homelessness, the city might as well hand people $20,000 or $30,000 directly.

Ursula noted that many of the officials standing behind the mayor at the news conference have been part of past efforts to solve the problem.

“We’re still talking about it. We’re still spending more money, and the problem still keeps growing,” she said. “So I’m holding my breath.”

Watch the full discussion in the video above.

Listen to Gee and Ursula on “The Gee and Ursula Show” weekday mornings from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio.