There was a gathering of activists from the faith community yesterday, to meet with the new Mayor of Seattle, Jenny Durkan. I had two minutes. I blathered, dang it.

The one thing I should have said: “Stop sweeping homeless camps if you don’t have options to offer people!”

Every day outreach workers and police are identifying places where homeless people have taken up residence. They are given advanced warning (or so we are told) in the hopes that they will clear out. But where are people going?

Even the tiny house and tent encampments are full. There are not enough emergency shelters to handle the load.

Develop adequate options, then move people. Anything else is cruel.