Author: Sally Bagshaw (Sally Bagshaw)

It’s been over two years since the King County Executive and the Seattle Mayor declared a state of emergency around homelessness. We have developed new policies, awarded contracts, and argued vociferously about approaches. Gratefully, we will now shift away from arguments toward a coordinated regional system to solve our homelessness crisis. We have made critical […]

On Monday morning, our nation woke up to reports of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history. We grieve for the 59 people who lost their lives and the hundreds injured in the attack in Las Vegas. As new evidence and details emerge we learn that the shooter brought in 23 guns along with […]

Like most other states, we in Washington spend millions of dollars prosecuting and incarcerating drug users every year. If, instead, we invested that money in treatment and public health, we would see progress in tackling the opioid addiction crisis, reducing the spread of diseases such as HIV, and in improved public safety outcomes. This is exactly what I will propose in […]

We received excellent news from the Human Services Department about the future of Tent City 5! Here is their statement: “We are pleased to partner with the Port of Seattle to lease their Tsubota property for the Tent City 5 Interbay City permitted encampment, which is scheduled to move from its current location before their […]

This week has been a whirlwind—and it’s only Thursday! Here are a few reflections on the progress we made this week on issues important to District 7 and our entire City. Our New Mayor:   “What’s happening at City Hall?”   Oh my. It’s true we’ve had three Mayors in a week and the transition has been […]

We have come a long way since Tent City Five (TC5) first came to Interbay two years ago. I am deeply grateful to the compassionate Queen Anne, Magnolia, and Interbay residents and businesses who have built this caring community together. On Wednesday, September 6, I attended a meeting at the Magnolia Community Center hosted jointly by […]

The visible hatred on display in Charlottesville in August was a shock felt around the world.  Journalists, academics, activists, engaged community members and many thoughtful politicians in our nation — as well as those of us who have learned from history — continue to think about the implications. Despite the ugliness, the response has been […]

“Everything is double-hard out here, including being clean.” This bit of wisdom came from Sidney who spoke in May with the Seattle Times.   He was living in a tent on South Dearborn at the time.   He’d been homeless for two years and was struggling to survive.  He was trying to figure out on a daily […]