‘We’re just trying to save the city money’: Jake has a ‘pie-in-the-sky idea’ to reduce Seattle’s homelessness
Mar 21, 2026, 5:00 AM
Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson announced her intentions to find 500 new shelter beds for Seattle’s homeless population ahead of the World Cup, with rough estimates placing the cost per shelter at $28,000.
Jake Skorheim and Spike O’Neill, co-hosts of “The Jake and Spike Show” on KIRO Newsradio, brainstormed a better idea that would achieve Wilson’s goal, but at a fraction of the cost.
“Look, $28,000 seems crazy. I know it’s a different beast, but have you ever tried to buy a shed to put in your property? One of those prefabricated sheds? I’m talking about insulation, it’s waterproof, of course, it’s safe and dry,” Spike said.
“I’m walking through those all the time. You can get a nice one at Costco right now,” Jake responded. “I can tell you exactly how much it is. It’s $800, and super nice. I would buy 500 of those things immediately, and I would make a deal with Costco, and say, ‘I’m gonna buy 500 of these. Can I get a 10% discount?’ They’d be like, ‘Well, if you sign up for a Costco card, we can get you that right away.”
Jake looked to cut the cost even further by simply making an offer directly to the homeless individuals who would be in line to take one of the 500 potential shelter beds in the near future.
“Okay, you’re going to serve 500 individuals, $20,000 a piece. What if, pie-in-the-sky idea, not trying to be a jerk, you give each of them $5,000 and ask them to leave?” Jake said. “I’ve just saved a lot of money, and I don’t have to do any work, $4,900 and a bus ticket. You want them out of town by the time the World Cup gets here, and hand them a little cash. You watch how fast. We’re just trying to save the city money.”
Watch the full discussion in the video above.
Listen to “The Jake and Spike Show” weekdays from noon to 3 p.m. on KIRO Newsradio 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.
