The news, from a report released this week by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, highlights a concerning problem dubbed a crisis by city hall.
The Culprit? Likely Rent Hikes
Look, it’s not hard to see a connection between the rising monthly cost of having a place to live and the rising numbers of people who can’t afford a place to live. Nevertheless, we’ve got the stats: One article from Seattle-based tech site Geekwire highlighted an analysis from Zillow last August, and it’s pretty precise. Seattle’s median rents are now in the top five most expensive in the nation. One homeless individual, Edward, offered King5 a quote confirming that this was the cause for him. Seattle’s homeless population is the third highest in the U.S., behind the hubs of New York City and Los Angeles. While some of those concerned about the presence of homeless people in their beloved cities have turned to “defensive architecture” — uncomfortably designed benches and spikes in doorways designed to inhumanely force homelessness out of sight — a wiser approach would be to ramp up rental regulations. Seattle is already overdue. Read more about Seattle’s tech news on TechCo
