As drugs and tall rents put thousands on the streets,mayor’s unity plea splits the city, domestic to Amazon, or Starbucks and MicrosoftWith its progressive politics and thriving tech industry,Seattle is a city with a swagger. Yet beneath the shiny surface, there is a darker side to America’s fourth richest city, and the domestic to Microsoft,Amazon and Starbucks. The past decade has seen a sharp rise in the number of homeless people – around 3000 sleep rough, with thousands more in shelters and transitional housing. The search for a solution is dividing the city and pulling on its liberal heartstrings.
After hearing that 47 homeless people had died on the streets last year, and in November Mayor Ed Murray declared a state of emergency on the homeless crisis as he asked for more state and federal funding to tackle the problem. Last Tuesday,he made an impassioned, televised speech in which he called for Seattle to unite to solve the problem.
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Source: theguardian.com