can anyone say 'public pressure'?
ooops, sorry, i just did it...
thank you all, the spotlight is harder to avoid.

How about the homeless shelter at nights? Is this also cancelled? just curious

Thank you BFB! I appreciate your contributions to our community through the food bank on 24th, and I appreciate your dedication to be a good neighbor in this decision as well. I wish you all well, and am hopeful the soup kitchen can resume at another site in the near future. Perhaps somewhere better zoned for it, like along Market, or Leary, or Shilshole? The old Yankee Diner perhaps? Again, thanks.

What frightens me about the pastor at this church (Steve Grumm) is that you give an inch and he takes a mile.

I hope he doesn't try to move the shelter, or another tent city, at this church.

Whoever said there is no such thing as a free lunch!

I would not suggest Market or Leary. Or, you better expect a major battle. Our next goal is to keep that damn "Car Campground" for transients from opening as scheduled by the New Library.

Not going to happen if I have anything to say about it. I don't even care to have the food bank here, but this is better than nothing.

There is a thing called food stamps. Obama has just even increased it. Just go apply. No, its not just "90 year old grandmothers" as some say about the foodbank.

Actually, its a bunch of young healthy looking transients, who probaby already are on foodstamps. (Or sold them for beer)

We still have two free lunches in Ballard that I am aware of. Can we get those out of here? There are dozens around Seattle. More than the transients could possibly visit.

This morning, I got panhandled from sitting in my own yard. Then, got dirty looks for refusing to get any of my "spare change" This place has become a joke. You dont know how close I came to handling that scum bag the old fashioned way.

I'm a bit unclear on something. The article says, "In the meantime, the Food Bank is partnering with Our Redeemers Church on 85th St." So, is the 85th location temporary and will be closed or will it serve as the new soup kitchen?

The transients are coming in by the busload all day, every day. If the lunches are gone, could someone PLEASE explain what is drawing them here suddenly? I have lived here a long time and have NEVER seen such a sudden and practically overnight explosion of transients.

Someone? Anyone?

No free lunches, no jobs, people giving to panhandlers less... What in Gods name is the sudden HUGE attraction to the hordes of transitents have with Ballard? I mean, why would they even spend the bus fare? There is something I am missing here.

Bergen Park can't be THAT fascinating

Black Heli, Maybe you should go down and ask them why they're here.

The Ballard Food Bank's Meal Program was not closed due to public pressure. It was closed because we felt that it was placed in a location that we did not have the capacity to properly police.

The 85th Street partnership is an off-site food bank distribution that is meant to serve people that are not able to get to the food bank during day time hours.

The people in line at the food bank may surprise some people. It is not all transients as was suggested. There are many people that are trying very hard to make ends meet so that they stay off of the street.

Which one? I have asked around. I was told the city of Portland is giving bus fare to Seattle to the biggest problem street people who agree to leave town for Seattle. But, this many? Practically overnight?

Its almost as if, every time someone is let out of King County Jail, they say "Here is a map of Ballards services and bus fare" These new transients are so young and healthy looking. Like the one who hassled me in my own yard. He looked about 25 and perfectly healthy.

How many people are let out of King County each day and have no place to go exactly?

I was driving by Ballard Food Bank at about 8AM, and I was quite surprised by how many of the people waiting outside /were/, in fact, ladies on the other side of middle age.

Nah, it couldn't be, because BHO says that's not true. They must have been strapping young transients, just bused in from Pioneer Square, in wigs and makeup.

Sit down and watch the Bus Stop on Market Street for an hour. There are so many people getting off the bus with huge backpacks and sleeping bags, you would think there was a 3 day rock festival in Ballard. Why, and where are all these people with back backs and sleeping bags going? It makes no sense. Watch it yourself sometime. All day this goes on.

The food bank is NOT for outsiders. You are supposed to be living in the Ballard Zip Code, prove you are, and not be intoxicated. No, its not old ladies only. Sorry, very few in fact. I will video tape the damn line to prove it

"3 day rock festival in Ballard"

Bumfest!

By the way, the food bank was not even open today. When it is open, it does not open til noon. So, another lier posted, once again.

@12 Thank you, BHO, for your service to the community: by videotaping the line at the foodbank, you'll create a period of at least 5-10 minutes during which you're neither threatening to beat up homeless people (@5), nor ranting away here. That's a rare thing, and something we can all get behind!

(@14 -- you're right, BHO, I meant to say I was driving past the food bank on my way to an appointment at 8AM on /Wednesday/. I have no idea why there were people lined up at that time if they weren't serving, but there was definitely a line)

@Black Helicopter
You are so single minded! In fact you are ill educated. Have you just thought for one moment that “ Portland pays them to go to Seattle” is a totally fabricated story – you idiot.

Oh and the answer to your question:

They are going to the Hostel! They are international travelers – bringing much needed funds to the local economy

GET A BLOODY LIFE!

Oh yea, every Meth Head from Europe suddenly feels the need to sit in a hostel across from Anthonys home port when it is not even summer yet. Sure...

And no, actually I have two college degrees and am not "I'll educated" as you claim.

@"BHO"

I talk to those 'bums' every morning and evening on my way home from work. I love talking to them - they enrich my life. I would much rather talk to them than you

By all means, be my guest. Ask them if they know who broke into the Salon three times in the past month, while you're chatting, or who is behind the other countless break ins. Who knows, maybe they even know the name of the transient who assaulted a police officer in the Olympic Gym parking lot a few nights ago.

I heard that the economy is doing so poorly that people previously employed and housed are now on the streets. By the hordes. Maybe this contributes to the increase... Jobs are few according to the news.

"They are going to the Hostel! They are international travelers – bringing much needed funds to the local economy ."

Yeah, people who stay in hostels are often known for their high rollin', high spendin' ways.

bho...back it up a bit, please. Seriously. I won't defend enabling improper behavior. I won't 'dump' on the Ballard Food Bank either, it has a necessary role in this community. The real issue, is what responsibility they assume, while protecting the families in need. Let's talk about that.

Fine, live on the street in the U District or Broadway, where they have lots of police patrols and more soup kitchens than you could ever dream of. This is a family neighborhood, not a damn campground.

Gurple, that's a stretch, to say the least.

There is NW Harvest and a million others. Plenty of food banks. If I dont want one here, please don't censor my honest feelings. The food bank is part of an overall transient infrastructure, that is causing Ballard to collapse. Sure, a couple years ago the Food Bank was great. Now, we have every church in Ballard jumping on the bandwagon, so as far as I am concerned, they can ALL go. It's not cute any more and has become a political agenda.

ANYONE with a need, can can food stamps. Its very simple and if you dont sell them for beer/ Crystal Meth or Crack, they last an enitire month.

How many transients live off their Food Bank food, and then sell their food stamps for Crack/Crystal Meth and beer, so they can sit in Bergen Park all day? (Or, slep in Bergen Park) Lots and lots...

Why is the Food bank so sacred, that nobody can even question if they want it any more. I personally don't. The same with Calgary Church.

"Oh it's so holy and sacred, we need to all march in lock step and praise the stupid thing."

Well, I don't and I don't give a rats behind if anyone likes it. We are swimming in meth heads, and a zero tolerance policy is the answer.

It's called "a nice neighborhood" If you can't even afford to eat and need to sleep outside, maybe it's not the right choice for you. Ya think?

While we are at it, lets get rid of public transportation in ballard as well. Once the food bank closes, all of these "meth heads" will have to exodus ballard to get food. Without transit, it won't be so easy for them to return. Who cares if many decent, working (or retired) people from this neighborhood also depend on it?

Trust me, if I had my way, I would do just that. Why do you think they don't have a Food Bank in most nice neighborhoods? Because they are just fascists? Set one up in Medina if they are so great. If you can't figure out your finances, enough to feed your face without a food bank, maybe you should live in a neighborhood you can afford, or move back home with your family. If you are retired, you might want to call one of your kids and let them know you are now "so broke" you are going to a food bank. Let's see how they react. The day my mother goes to a food bank, is the day I shoot myself. My God! I can't be the only person who knows, there are some neighborhoods others can't afford to live in. It's life. Deal with it.

I used to volunteer at the food bank. I am guessing the reason people were lined up at 8am on Wednesday is they give out numbers starting at 8:15 for placement in the food bank line. It was my obsevation while volunteering at BFB that this was a great system and kept the big lines down until 11am when they open.

Facts are facts here. Seattle and Portland have both been long known to advertise or entice these schlubs. Hell, our very own government advertises to get more and more people ON it's programs constantly too. Is this what being liberal gets us? I wish all the guilty white people in Ballard would end this by simply taking these fine examples home with them. For a "change" of course.

Just to clarify, BHO, you are against public transportation in our community?

Honestly, BHO, aren't your embarrassed to post so often and frequently on the comment section of a blog?

Thank you.. one person with a brain in Ballard. I mean, do you think my parents worked their butts off so we could live in a better neighborhood, or do you think my Dad said, "let's just find a wealthy area and sleep in the park. Afterall, they have good schools there, not to mention free food."

It's called "living in a neighborhood you can afford". If you can't even afford food, move.... It's like going to club when you are so broke, you pay the cover charge, then you order water all night and piss off the bartender. If you can't afford Ballard, go to the U District and work you way up, like every one else.

"...The food bank is NOT for outsiders. You are supposed to be living in the Ballard Zip Code, prove you are, and not be intoxicated..."

Perhaps they no longer do it, but I remember homeless-looking patients using the Ballard Food Bank address. So I wonder how those folks proved they lived in Ballard?

Yes BHO, unfortunately there are quite a few people that come upon hard times (especially recently) that can't afford to just pick up and move. If someone needs help for a few months, should we help them, or just tell them to get out, move to the u district?

Another thing worth mentioning is some posts here and in other conversations on this blog indicate some believe everyone in the food bank line is a transient. I volunteered at the food bank for over a year and loved it. I only quit because I got a full time job and will go back when I can get a schedule that allows that.
I saw those lines week after week at the food bank and got to know so many. Yes there were transients there, but mostly the people in line were families, elderly people and singles who weren't transients, but most often people who had been laid off from their jobs or had some other unforeseen problem like an illness that wiped them out. . I heard so many very sad stories from people who said they used to be donors at BFB and now were in line for food. Many people seemed to be ashamed to be there. I sincerely hope that the crazy person a few posts ago won't try to take pictures of the food bank line. So sad that someone would even suggest such a thing.
I can only imagine that with the worsening economy, there is even more truly needy people at BFB. Lets support them. Who knows when someone we know or even us might need their services.
Every community needs a food bank, especially in this economy. Each food bank throughout Seattle and neighboring areas serves the needy in their own community. I urge all of you who can to support the Ballard Food Bank. They do great work!

One more thing to Black Helicopter or clueless as I can see. Food stamps do not even begin to cover a persons food for the month, thus the need for supplements like a soup kitchen or a food bank.

Yada yada yada. Are these people looking for a hand-up or a hand-out? There are safety nets. Then there are HAMMOCKS. Seems to me these places enable too many. Isn't "success" them closing? What's the exit strategy here? Is gettting more people on more programs and hand-outs really "success"? Aren't there already a gazillion programs for people/situations? (hello FDR and LBJ/Obama) Man have we cheapened the language. Too bad churches can't handle this. Instead our paychecks will be absconded. How does this make you feel?

Looks like BHO's finally dragged himself away from the computer - no post in nearly an hour. Maybe BHO has gone out to film the action down at Bergen Place.

Good point Goofy, and I agree. Hammocks aren't are responsibility, but a safety net for our community, that is. So, again, I won’t ‘dump’ on the Ballard Food Bank either, it has a necessary role in this community. The real issue, is what responsibility they assume, while protecting the families in need. Let’s talk about that.
Please, or is it 'kill 'em all, and let God sort'em out?

the experiences that i have when i have passed the bfb is that these people think their the center of the universe. just the other day, a pack of them got off the bus and crossed against the light stopping traffic. there wasn't a line at the fb nor were they closing their doors. they're just a bunch of selfish jerks (all men at this incident) that blow off the law regardless how small. no, i wasn't in a hurry to be somewhere but the fact still shows that they don't want to play by ANY rules.

Another day another blog post about soup kitchens and homeless shelters in Ballard. zzzzz

All the little naysayers should be so proud. Oh how perfect our little hamlet will be now. Go home, clutch your small little lives tightly to your ignorance, and pray there is something else to fear so you can speak out and act like you actual matter in this world. The ground will take you all soon enough.

HECK YEAH BHO @5!!! Let's handle those scum bags the 'old fashioned way'. I got some tar, feathers and white sheets in the pickup. Let's call our club tHe BRotHerHood or something cool like that.

It rained today. I blame the transients.

Okay, I feel like I shouldn't lob an attack and run, even if it is a Friday night and I have better things to do...

Black Heli, I agree with you that there are some problems Ballard is having with some of the homeless/transient population. There is some nuisance stuff like the aggressive panhandling and the bums scaring off customers. There is probably a bit of crime too, like the window at the liquor store, and a bunch of drug use and therefore trafficking that we can do without. But to blame everything on them is absurd. Look at who they've been busting for the break ins, a clean young guy here, a couple of tough guys there, another young guy there, all young guys and only one of them was anything close to homeless living out of one of the Greenlake motels.
Don't simplify all your problems onto one group. My point in the other post is that if you blame everything on that group even if it's not them, it will backfire and you'll lose any credibility when you actually try to solve the problem.

kim said: "just the other day, a pack of them got off the bus and crossed against the light stopping traffic"

Have you driven by Ballard High School and seen the foot traffic between the HS and Zesto's around 2:30? The students are much more egregious in their jaywalking. Doesn't excuse it, but really that's the least of our problems right now.

Just cut a check to the food bank for $100.

In honor of BHO, of course.

Just wondering how come BHO knows so much about food banks and food stamps. Could he be a self hating homeless person posting from the library?

BHO, how is a homeless person supposed to live off of food stamps? They don't cover deli food, just ingredients. Fat lot of good a bag of flour and raw meat is going to do a homeless person.

Iala- I have to say you are not informed intghe food stamp program

You can eat off food stamps, a family of 4 gets 580, that is more than I spend for my family of four and we eat healthy. single person gets 180. Homeless people should not get food stamps, why because alot are professional homeless. 10+ yrs. C'mon folks, if you get get your head outta yer ass in 10 yrs are you ever gonna, doubt it. Now panhandlers should be fined, when they don't pay the fine send em to work camp. When I got in trouble as a youth you know what my parents did? they sent me to "camp" where I dug trails for the US forest service. Guess what, I never let them catch me again. Hard labor makes a person feel worth something, so put these people to work. Go bust rock with a hammer if you wanna eat. I am sick and tried of seeing people hand out money to lazy good for nothing able bodied people. What do you folks think your doin? If you feel guilty about being rich, give me money I'll help some under educated KID! I don't know if ya'll been outta Seattle but other cities don't have these problems. Hard working people don't give their money away, so if you give your money to panhandlers I say you need to go bust rock and learn the value of a days work yourself!

And yes i'm a proud country bumpkin who voted for Obama!

I'm with you BHO! I hate the way my neighborhood has changed. Get rid of the food banks and the bleeding heart do-gooders who have turned my family neighborhood into a haven for drunks, bums and thieves. When you start feeding the rats, it doesn't take long before you have a disease spreading infestation.

spg

apples to oranges

#53 & 54:
To blanket that homeless shouldn't get food stamps is idiotic. Where do you draw the line? Lots of those we know may soon become homeless...hmmm and also do your research no body can really feed themselves without help from other programs while on the food stamp program.
This is a tough economy that is getting worse. Lots more new homeless. Not just the transients that all of you have been crying about. I think we might have to get ready for tent cities that might contain our neighbors.

air support:
are you a cousin by maybe questionable means of black helicopter? sounds like you are weirdly related.

I happened to run into Art Olsen today, who is the landlord for many of the businesses in old Ballard..and he told us that the guitar shop was borken into the other night, and over $800 worth of equipment stolen..you can see the board on the front door. He may not be the main charge of the police reports, but in all his years here, he is definitely concerned about the upswing in crime, and he attributes it to the 20 somthing group of what he referred to as an organized group targeting businesses where cash can be had..his biggest concern was grafitti, saying thast it cause countless dollars in dmamge more than what is reported in actual product stolen from merhants…over $100,000 in damages done to to buildings to have it all repaired. I know he mentioned that he thought a comback in the “beat cops” is the only thing that will bring Ballard back to some sort of normalcy. that and lots and lots of security cameras…

Not to diminish the losses to the guitar store (where I used to shop when it was Phil's), but $800 worth of stuff is not that much when it comes to musical equipment. The price of just one of their custom-made Canadian acoustics is almost $3,000. So, at least they didn't lose really valuable items.

Did they not have an alarm system? That is a basic necessity for any musical equipment supplier.

it seems like at least half of those posting here are transients themselves pecking away at a library keyboard.

bring the food bank back. help people.
not all people are out to get you.
it's not all about YOU.

@58
You don't have to related to have common sense.
With transients (included in that category are drunks, bums and substance abusers) come thieves and preditors who may not even be homeless, but can blend in with the squallor when we allow it. There is nothing wrong with wanting to live in a place where one does not fear being burglarized or unsafe. Ballard used to be nice friendly neighborhood, but as developers started taking over our neighborhood, we saw an influx of homlessness, vagrants, addicts and vandals.
I'm not saying that all the food banks and soup kitchens need to go away, but why can't we consolidate these services away from family neighborhoods? Create their own utopia where they can receive not only food and shelter, but also job training and counseling. And when they can contribute to society in a positive manner, they are welcome to buy a house on my street, travel to work with me on the bus and spend their money at our local stores.

Mickey-
saying someone got lucky after being broken into is diminishing. I don't know if you have ever been robbed but it is a horrible feeling. It is not so much the money or cost of repairing the door as it is the feelings that go along with it. You cannot put a price tag on the mental cost.
I personally do not really care about the harmless homeless is they do not yell at people or cause a mess. I do however strongly dislike the drug addicts and thugs that have popped up.

Saw it Go Down --

In fact, I have been robbed before (more than once) so I do know the feeling. That has nothing to do with my comment, which was based on simple facts regarding the value of musical instruments. I'm sure the owners of the store are upset (who wouldn't be?) But I'll bet they are also relieved that their high value item$ were NOT stolen.

God, these comment threads have become a drag, populated by a bunch of paranoid vigilantes.

This discussion has now motivated me to get off my butt and volunteer at the food bank for the first time my life!! Thanks for the lively discussion to get me out there!

kim, It's not apples and oranges when it's the exact same offense. I don't really care either way about that, but I think that we need to focus on the real problems created by the transient population. Jaywalking is the least of it. Let's get the Police to actually enforce some of the laws against drug dealing, aggressive panhandling, assaults by the crazies, trespassing by the squatters, sh--ing in the park, etc.
Let's also not confuse and demonize the Food Bank. It's a valuable service. The soup kitchen has had some issues and it's value in our neighborhood is debatable when compared to it's impact. That's a debate we can have along with some discussion of how to deal with homelessness.
There are several groups of homeless, temporary homeless who could use a little help to get back on their feet, the drunks/druggies who can't beat their addictions, the crazies, and the career transients who prefer the lifestyle. Of the four categories the first three can be helped and though it isn't easy and it takes efforts and resources it can be done. The last group is the one that is responsible for a lot of the problems we're having and the one that takes advantage of the helping hand offered to the others. It's a shame really, because it makes people like Black Heli hate all homeless and blame them for everything. I can't stand the transient end of the spectrum, but I still have some sympathy for the rest and think that we can still do something to help them out and get them back into society in a productive way.

spg-

hmm again, you're missing my point. hint: look beyond the jaywalking......

fyi

robbery happens to a person
burglary happens to an inanimate object

spg, would you be opposed to requiring proof of a local address to take part in the food bank? I'd bet that we would find them leaving for the next red carpet ride, once we've yanked it out from under them.
Also, I'd like to know what you'd think about a stiff set of requirements for any soup kitchen, flop house, tent city, car city, or whatever they think of next.
1. back ground checks. with-out exception.
2. logged in, logged out, destination and purpose must be valid, and that would require proof, either from a job, health service provider, church or school. If you don't have a valid reason to leave? Don't try coming back.
3. 24/7 security, which would include surrounding properties.
4. Mandatory community service. Anyone availing themselves of our community's resources, space and compassion, better be investing in this community. I've got some good ideas about that, but suffice to say, there's no shortage of positive things for them to be doing.
5. Absolutely, no drug or alcohol use.
6. Zero tolerance, they break a rule, put them on a bus, get them the hell out of here. If they are caught committing ANY crime, on or off the facility, of whatever variety, kiss their butt goodbye, and inform law enforcement.

I'm certain, because I'm no export on the issue, that there are other valid requirements to add.
But those would be the minimum, imho.

I'm only interested in seeing them become contributing members of society, if they don't, they'll be a lot easier to spot and deal with.

Do you think all the Meth Heads in Bergen Park, or the Crack dealers in frount of 7 11 would be here if the transients were not here to buy drugs, knowing it is almost impossible to get arrested? If Ballard had police all over the place on bikes and on horseback to control these maniacs, I would have no problem with the food bank. But, until we stop the explosion of break ins and countelss other crimes, no food. They will just go back to the U District, Broadway and downtown, where they came from. More free lunches there than they even have enough time to visit. Plenty of police as well. Is the Food Bank or Calgary Church staff planning on clearing the meth heads out of Bergen Park or the Crack dealers outta of 7 11 on Market Street? No, and neither will the police. It's the job of the shopkeepers.

Has a single member of the Food Bank Staff or Calgary Church attended, or offered help with any of the neighborhood crime watches and meetings springing up like wildfire to fight the crime wave?

No, is the answer. Afterall, they are just saints and the business owners owe society something because they take take take. So, policing is the least the business owners and Old Ballard neighborhood people should do. We have nothing better to do, than save a once great neighborhood.

Chopper 74

I second the motion.

When you start to legitimize behavior, problems go away. Darkness hates the light...

Too much personal responsibility has been lost and forced upon society as a social responsibility.
What ever happened to cause and effect and decisions and consequences?

Chopper, It sounds like you're talking purely out of frustration and what you're describing is prison or a work camp.
Don't get me wrong, I don't have any patience for the burglaries or even the nuisance issues but if your only solution is to take away any services or safety net things will only get worse, much worse as far as actual crimes being committed.
My point earlier is that the homeless aren't a homogenous group where a single tough love solution is going to work for everyone (or maybe anyone) but simply demonizing everyone isn't going to do it either.
Do I have a single simple solution that will make it all go away? Nope, and don't believe anyone who thinks they do. It's not simple, it's not easy, and it's not quick. What I do know is that just looking around on the street proves we're not doing it right either.

If we were going to start doing anything, as a start I'd suggest:
1. Reopen the mental hospitals that were closed under Reagan and allow commitments. This would get the 'crazies' off the street.
2. More drug treatment programs.
3. More police.
4. More subsidized housing with counseling. Believe it or not this actually saves money.

It's not that hard to distinguish the few visitors we have coming to the hostel from the homeless!
Hostel- Clean
Homeless- not so much
Hostel- newish backpack, hiking boots, European accent.
Homeless- dirtyclothes, hoodies, says "got some change?"
Hostel: get on 17 bus or 44 to go to Golden Gardens.
Homeless: lurk around Bergen Park, Marvin Gardens, the Golden City, 7-11, Seafefway, and Chai house.
The guy who said "$800 isn't so much" ; well, then, why don't you cut the guitar store owner a check for that amount, plus the cost of the door?

If we get rid of the crack and meth addicts, we'll get rid of the dealers. We will also get rid of a vast amount of crime in the form of burglery and car prowls...how do you suppose these people pay for their drugs? Trust fund?

I think we should bring back the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) from the 1930s. It put men to work AND fed, housed and clothed them, with the added bonus of building all sorts of great lodges, bridges, roads, etc in all of our state and national parks.

And.. for those who think we are all talk. We have business owners and people in the houses, covering half of Market Street and a huge Part of Leary Way, as part of The Black Helicopter Operations. They may not be posting here, but you can bet your METH pipe, they are taking pictures, video, licence numbers, discrptions of prowlers, calling the police, and if needed chasing the meth heads out of their businesses.

One business owner told me, through email, he physically removed and out of control meth head the other day. He is BHO. Twice in the same day it happened with the same meth head. This is a business owner you don't want to tangle with, I assure you.

You go ahead and keep doing everything you're doing to draw the crack/meth dealers out in frount of your houses and shops, but, we are keeping them away from ours.

What crime watches are the Food Bank or Calgary Church involved in, specifically? Too busy for that type of stuff I would imagine. These posters who hate BHO, let us know for the record, what crime watches you are involved in, exactly?

I'd have to say yes, I'm frustrated. I don't see any other way to do determine who's here for the red carpet, or, who's here, and wants to contribute. Thanks for your time.

by the way, the guitar shop just had another belligerent intruder, did damage to a guitar, and was refusing to compensate, or leave, police were dispatched, again, to 'old Ballard', (yeah, we have to call it that, though, it just aint true) police said, 'under control'. Ahem...I know it's petty, but 'under control?' lmao

Final Post -

If you are working with the Black Helicopter Operation, keep up the good work and it's sad that you have to take time away from your families to do the job of The Seattle Police's Narcotics division, but all hope is not lost. Keep compiling info, and asking around who is behind the break ins. Even if you have to bribe a meth head with a dollar, it works.

How do you think I found out who smashed the window at the liquor store? A bribe... And yes, the criminal goes to the food bank, hangs around Bergen Park, 7 11 and all over downtown Ballard every day. The Food Bank could easily have solved the crime as I did. Did they try? No....

I agree that the mental hospitals should re-open, but drug and alchohol programs? They cost money.

People don't choose to be mentally ill, and I think it is rubbish when people say drug and alcohol addiction is an illness. I don't mind paying for (in the way of taxes) hospitals, but programs for drunks and duggies? Screw them, drive them out of the area, let them live hard lives if that is what they have chosen and even their families have wiped their hands of them. Put the money to better use, help the old, handicapped, sick, orphans etc.

Why should we be responsible for pouring good money on bad people? It is not fair really. Rehabilitating meth addicts should be hard prison time, not sheleters and free food, they will get shelter and free food in jail.

oh, and let's make sure that we have housing and meetings for a new, yet to be cured illness, it's a devastating, time consuming, heavily addictive problem rising in this community.

I'd call it MBAA....

My Ballard Addicts Anonymous ;-)

My last post didn't take so trying again.

There's been a lot of discussion about the causes of homelessness. Here's a website with information on that:
http://www.cehkc.org/scope/causes.aspx

so it's 'prison camps' (spg), or prison (shane), fair enough. I can't complain either way.
bho will do.
chopper out

From the Ballard Food Bank website:

27% of food recipients are elderly.
14% are children

Hours of Operation:

Office, Clothing Bank and Hygiene Bar: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 to 3:00.

Off-site grocery distribution: Monday evening, 5:00 - 7:00 pm, Our Redeemer's Church, 2400 NW 85th Street.

On-site grocery distribution: Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11:00 to 2:45.

Home delivery of groceries for elderly/disabled: Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Seems we, the majority of the voices on this blog, are the lot of 'Complainers', 'Whiners' and 'Hand Wringing Fascisits'.
Be confident in knowing that there is no dialogue with Pastor Grumm, those who identify themselves as participant parishoners and I believe one BFB part-timer. Energies beyond the scope of this blog are those such as SHARE/WHEEL, Ballard (free)for All, and nefarious tax-sheltered guilt-ridden Christian organizations which are organized and have the ear of local government. They don't care and are not listening.
For crime get involved with Block Watch.
For Homeless/Vagrants write and call hiznoer, MaryLou Dickerson and those self righteous church leaders.
For a 'Combo Deal' attend the local Ballard council meeting and let city government know that, to paraphrase Richard Conlin from the last meeting, 'homelessness will get worse before it gets better' is unacceptable.

If Mary Lou Dickerson would tell us the target number of Meth Heads she wants in Ballard, before she declares she is running for higher office, then the rest of us could decide if we want to stay or move out of Ballard.

I know she and her political cronies at the Food Bank have political aspirations, but come on...

How many Meth Heads are they looking to bring into Ballard before they feel they have achieved the political advantage. 100 more? 1, 000?

One Meth Head for every 3 Ballardites?

What's the End Game here, exactly? I personally don't think Ballard can sustain any more Meth Heads based on the number of broken windows we have every night and Seattle Police Officers being assaulted here.

But, I assume to Mary Lou and her future Mayoral staff from the Food Bank, helping all these little old ladies and kids who are homeless (also known as young guys who are Meth Heads living in Bergen Park) makes a good sound bite on Komo when she runs for mayor...

Nobody would do what these people do against the wishes of almost everyone, unless there was a personal financial or political gain down the road. Nobody!

NW Citizen writes -

From the Ballard Food Bank website:

27% of food recipients are elderly.
14% are children


Bull Crap is what I say to the Food Banks Own statistics. These are bogus, and simply political. Even if these were true, what about the other 59%. Screened to see if they are sex offenders or convicted felons Are people allowed to get food who are on Meth or so drunk they smash a liquor store window and black out about the whole event?

Man, I can't wait to get in on this action. I have a CWP and hate the homeless and apartment and rental dwelling scum that scourge our neighborhood. If you don't own or if you do but are not employed, you should GTF out. For that matter, we should have minimum income levels before you are allowed in the neighborhood. It pisses me off every time I have to look at a Safeway, a Fred Meyer or even a Trader Joes - these places are really just food banks for ne'er do wells. If you can't afford to shop at Ballard Market or QFC please just realize your lot in life and leave. Furthermore, your POS cars, bus passes and ridiculous bikes aren't quite keeping in the image we are trying to promote and protect in Ballard, so leave. People that have time to spend all day and night posting to this blog are obviously hepped out on methamphetamine and goof balls and have been seen frequenting the Chai house and Bergen Park. Even though there aren't any planters at the Ballard library, these folks have been caught defecating in them - I personally identified over 200 perps I caught doing this and personally saw them on their way to Guantanamo. The thing is, Jesus loves me...me and me only. I'm famous now and respect what BHO is trying to do, but I'm afraid theat they don't fit the profile of someone I'd want in MY community and I'm going to have to ask them to leave.

Oh yeah, sorry....Tackleberry out.

Nice job Tackelberry! ;-)

That was CHUD again, under the name Tackleberry with his Chai House Plug, again. What is his obsession with The Chai House. I never even have been to the place and have no idea if people are doing Crystal Meth there. My issue is Bergen Park. The Chai House is some sort of Hippie Commune themed "Parody" for teens, but as far as I know, it's all fake. A coffee shop version of the "Its a small world after all" ride at Disneyland. Kids try to re-create their grand parents life from the 1960's, type of thing, only using tea over LSD.

Can you get coffee at the Chai House?

Black Heli, I'm going to say this one more time and hopefully it sticks. Not all crime is committed by the homeless. Not all homeless are criminals. Some are, and some are just annoying. Stop trying to make everything so black and white. You can still do a block watch and make a difference around here without dumping on the food bank. The food bank is not the same as the soup kitchen.

You and I would both like to see a crime free and homeless free Ballard. I'd like to see it happen with good police work and tackling the root causes of homelessness, like drug/alcohol addiction and at least a minimal safety net to prevent people from sinking that low. I get the feeling that you'd be ok with a mass grave out in the dessert.

SPG - Why pore good money and resources into drug/alcohol problems? If people are homeless because of losing their job or spousal abuse that is one thing. But spending money on people who made very poor choices is another thing.

I often ask how some of these poor people on the streets have no family, or no friends at all that can help them.

There are lots of much better ways to put our efforts (and money) to. Improving education, helping families that are struggling financially, even creating a fund to pay for local jobs that need doing.

But please, please stop pouring good money on hopeless causes.

Shane spewed: "Why pore good money and resources into drug/alcohol problems? If people are homeless because of losing their job or spousal abuse that is one thing. But spending money on people who made very poor choices is another thing."

Why treat the kid who fell off the monkey bars and broke his arm? Obviously that too was a poor choice. If we let him bleed to death it will definitely teach him the error of his ways.
Plenty of people make poor choices when they don't know what the options are and what the consequences are going to be. George Foreman was mugging people in Houston before the Jobs Corps gave him the stability and the experience to find out that there was a whole other world out there and now society has lean mean grillin' machines instead of another crime stat and prisoner.
Drug and alcohol addictions can be treated and we can get some people back to being productive members of society, so why not try? Would you rather have them out on the streets causing problems and costing us money in emergency services?

I heard that Mercer Island is a safe place. It might be easier just to move there to be with like minded people. Let the do-nothings have Ballard.

spg, good points, all. However, and I'm back again to post # 69, if we don't REQUIRE that these poor people get help, and become productive members of society, they won't. They'll just keep taking what-ever they can get from us, with-out so much of a thought to change their behavior.

spg-

how can you even compare a child on the monkey bars to someone who beats their spouse? again you're comparing apples to oranges. whatever angle you try to make just doesn't jibe. kids/teens are one demographic. grown adults are another. life experiences alone exclude them from the choices that children make. please don't muddle some of your intelligent comments w/obscene ones.

"Why treat the kid who fell off the monkey bars and broke his arm? Obviously that too was a poor choice. If we let him bleed to death it will definitely teach him the error of his ways."

I agree, so lets give money and resources to help a children's hospital or improve the facilities at parks to make them safer. Both in my opinion are much more deserving than drunks or drug addicts programs.

You should always fix the most urgent problems first, if someone has a heart attack and falls down the stairs, you don't stick a band aid on his knee first and then worry about his heart, you treat the most urgent thing first.

Let's help the people in Ballard first, people who live in Ballard, people that have been paying taxes and contributing to the community, old people that have worked hard all their working lives and now are struggling as they are retired, help the transients that keep arriving after all these people.

The church actually do great things in many cases, they send money to feed hungry kids, build schools, help at hospices etc. so credit where credit is due.

Personally though I don't think anyone has the right to do something that effects it's neighbors without permission. I want to be responsible for and choose who I help, not pay for something I am completely against. The government funds enough crap from my tax dollar that I do not support.

kim, it's the straw man argument. You build up an imaginary example that you can then easily tear down to prove your point. I threw out the kid with the broken arm to show how the logic of personal responsibility vs. blameless taken to the extreme is silly. You took the kid on the monkey bar and compared it to spousal abuse which I never referenced. I suppose I could have come up with some kind of extreme example where the homelessness would be faultless, but that wasn't the point that I was arguing.
(BTW, how was any of my argument obscene? The image of a kid bleeding to death? But some of the other people here who say it's ok to have people starve to death isn't obscene?)

Chopper, I don't work with the homeless or the addicted. I have had contact with plenty of people who have been there, or close to it. Enough people have hit the skids and made it back that you can't write off all of them. If you make the kind of support that is aimed at getting people off the streets available enough, often enough, some of those homeless will come around to it and get off the streets.
At the same time, I hate the feeling of giving money and time to people who don't appreciate it and aren't grateful for it. So where does that leave me? Muddled in the middle. Not handing out money to the beggars, but not lurking around at night with a baseball bat either. Like I said, there isn't a black and white simple solution.

Shane, I hear ya. I'm not saying that we need to close the schools to house the homeless, but there is a happy medium in there where we take care of what needs to be done for ourselves but we also take on the problems of addiction and homelessness so that they don't spiral out of control to the point where they impact everything else.
When you leave homeless addicts on the street eventually they wind up using emergency services, A LOT. It's been documented that if you house those same addicts and provide some minimum counseling you wind up saving money ($10,000 per IIRC) by keeping them out of emergency rooms. I would also guess that the undocumented costs of depressing business and crime would add up as well. The stability of the housing also leads a much higher percentage to seek out treatment for their addictions and gives them the stability to be more successful staying clean.

spg, I prefer a 5-iron, with a very low handicap, but, you really need to quit assuming that BHO is armed with anything other than eyes and ears.
Yes, there is indeed a black and white solution. Stop allowing, enabling, condoning and excusing the people that are abusing our neighborhood. If you don't care to see it change, I'm sorry, but you're daft.

chopper, I didn't even mean to imply that you or BHO were armed, though you two did make a point of trying to sound intimidating and secretive. I was really just trying to illustrate the point with the other end of the spectrum. Anywayyyyy..... Over the past week or so since I've had time to read these comments I've been giving the homeless issue a little thought. I don't like it one bit, and I'd be much happier not having to deal with it at all, but I have to wonder if just pushing them out of one neighborhood and into another is going to do anything for us. I think that we can be better than that. This doesn't mean that we should welcome them with open arms and look the other way when someone is committing crimes, as I don't think I'd let my neighbors who I genuinely like get away with that. But what do we do to really get a handle on this situation? I've travelled a lot and I don't see this kind of homelessness in too many other places anymore. I also don't think that we're the last dumping ground either, so what have other cities like NYC done to reduce the impact of homelessness? I'm not even saying that they've solved the problem, but I don't see a bum on every corner and every freeway exit like here in Seattle.

Tactics. Attention grabbing tactics, yes. And I find some of that uncomfortable, but, if it forces honest debate, forces folks to open their eyes and ears, I'll be pleased to take a shot here and there for it.
I'm not as well traveled, or as well versed in the rest of the issues facing other regions, and frankly, I don't care. I'm interested in this region, and this region alone. We have many issues to deal with.
Would you rather speak on how in the hell we've managed to allow our government to spend our way into a 9 BILLION DOLLAR hole?
Our debt, per-person, rivals that of California!
California!! oops, just blew a blood vessel...
Chopper out.

I just want to say to the kind folks of Ballard, not all transient individuals are "scum" of the earth, a decent percentage of homeless individuals are from other states, looking for work because the economy is bad where they were at. At least here in Seattle, there is a little bit of an Economy where these people can get jobs working for fishing companies to make money and go back home. Granted it's not a solution to the whole problem, but if it was any one of you who became homeless, what would you do? Run home to family and friends? Granted not all people can do that. So just think about it, What would you do if you were a homeless person on the streets and someone talked down on you? All homeless people are people none the less of the situation in the economy. So, if you think you're better than all the homeless men and women of Seattle, you're very wrong and sadly mistaken. If anything the homeless people of Seattle are better than you because they help each other out even though they don't have much, they still try and help. So if they are to put a shelter or tent city in the church there, more power to them, let the church allow the people a place to stay. If you're shallow enough to throw people on the streets then that's all on you. But let me ask one question, What if it was you're brother, father, sister, family member on the street? Think about that Ballard!

J, I didn't 'throw' any of these people on the street. They've elected to throw themselves in our face.
A. I'm the most compassionate person here, it seems, for that hypothesis isn't even plausible to consider.
Have you ever considered the number of 'hard luck' stories I've heard, how many 'casual labor' offers that I have made? Want to guess the number of times I've been happy with that choice? Zero. I've been ripped off twice, and never thanked for extending myself in that manner. If these 'homeless bums' are looking for work, they have a problem showing it. And I've got a huge problem believing it.

Chopper, not everyone is perfect that is a known fact. If you take into considerations that these individuals could have came from a decent area, had a job, were laid off, and lost their home doesn't mean they are bad people. Granted everyone has their experiences with the homeless some good some bad. Life is hard on everyone regardless of how the person got onto the street. Everyone makes mistakes, it's life.

ok, I have found the one homeless man that I respect, unfortunately, he has died. See the blog by Dori on mynorthwest.com. top of the blog. I want to be 'that kind' of homeless man, if that is what happens to me. I don't see that here in Ballard, currently.

Chopper, I did read the article, it is a good article and I understand how there can be a difference. But if you spend time to actually try and get to know a homeless person or two, it's not that bad. I know a homeless gentleman getting ready to start School April 1st, I also know a gentleman who works full time and is trying to pay his bills before he thinks about going back to a regular house. I bet if one of your neighbors were to become homeless, you'd do whatever it took to help them out. Why not if they did allow a shelter/tent city at the Redeemer Lutheran Church help them out, and get to know them. Who knows, maybe if you did get to know some of them, you could help influence their lives in some way or another and maybe they could do the same for you.

ok, J, (back to both barrels.)
last year, the tent city was here. I talked several of my neighbors, some in local business, as myself, to go up to the tent city, and look for folks that needed a hand up, give them a job, see what happens, maybe we could turn a negative into something positive.
Some of my neighbors now see me as a flake, they were dis-appointed, as was I, and I'm done with that. Not a one, is currently employed. Not a one, gave notice before they walked off, and several, helped themselves to too much, aka, theft. So, what am I missing this time around?
Pull the red carpet out of Ballard!!!!

Chopper, do you realize though that a shelter and tent city are two different types of housing? One is open 24/7 the other is not. I'm sure if a shelter were opened at the Redeemer Church, then there wouldn't be any problems and I'm sure most if not all the men there would appreciate a helping hand.

I am homeless. I start school next month. What is wrong with you people. I can understand that there are a bunc of Jerks out there, There are however many that are trying to do rite. I hope Everyone that is against this loses there Jobs and Homes. Then ends up on the street like me. I lost a business a house my so called life. Now I need to make a new one. Not everyone is a penny pan handling screwball. This situation can happen to anyone. I really hope it doesn't happen to you it just makes me so mad sometimes. Oh and by the way I am thinking of suing your community for slander and malicious behavior. i have done you no wrong you don't need to do me wrong.

Nathan, good luck, especially with your lawsuit.
(I'd suggest the legal aid folks, let me know how it goes) Sorry if they laugh, it's just not that funny.
btw, you work, I assume, you are continuing your education, I assume, and you don't have anyone to see you through, I assume. So, a law suit is a great choice.....duh.
So, in closing, I'd suggest law school, you'd know the definition of slander, at least. You have a sense for creative writing, but pick up some English refresher courses, ok?

I am disappointed in your community. You HAVE CAUSED HARM TO PEOPLE THAT DO NOT DESERVE TO BE HARMED. you MAY HAVE SOME PROBLEMS WITH PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DO NOT KNOW HOW TO BEHAVE. However not all homeless are like that. There are many of us who are trying to get there lives back. I can empathize with you and how you feel but until I ended up in this position I did not realize how many people really just need somewhere to go that is stable enough so they can do what is necessary. Where can a man go to sleep that is safe? Where can a man keep all his things so he can hunt for a Job or go to school? Where can a Man find a stable place to go even if for a year. You as a community have the rite to want to feel secure. You do not have the rite to Judge or pass Judgment. The scripture tells us in /Mathew 7: 1:5 Judge not lest the be Judged the way ye judge. It also talks about helping your neighbors. we do not expect you to be perfect. However I feel we as a people refuse to help another because we are afraid then what good are we. Also i would be more afraid of you because of your hate towards me than of my situation. All I asked is for a place to stay. You just wanted an excuse to say no. You want to justify your No when by saying NO you become part of the problem. You could have and still have the opportunity to be part of the solution. you may be next I pray You Do not lose your job and your Home.
As far as those jerks who harass you I fell sorry for them. All we can do is pray for then. The next time a bum ask you for money hand him a trac about god. Keep some on you. After a while they will know not to ask you for money. They might even read it and begin to change. My final question for you is this. Are you SAVED if you are are you living and doing what Jesus would want you to do? I pray you are just like I pray as a Homeless man I am.

I would sue you my feelings are hurt and I ask you to forgive me. For even suggesting that I woul

I typed too fast i meant to so I would not sue you. I do ask for your forgiveness. lets pray and hope the world and the people in it get better.

Nathan, from my heart, (yes, folks, I have one), I do hope the best for you. I do pray, daily.
and as far as scripture, how about this one.
'keep the water inside the gates of your city, your enemy is using it to defeat you.'

If you're such a good homeless person, why not get the other good homeless people to police the scum bags urinating in garbage cans on Market Street, selling Meth, sleeping in Bergen Park and harassing every person who walks by for money. It's not our job to police your peer group. There are plenty of State, City, Federal and Church programs that can help you in downtown and The U District, just go there. They are set up for that. This is a small family neighborhood, not a shelter.

Nathan, You have to realize that there are two different issues going on here. First is that Ballard has seen an uptick in crime and second is that we've seen an increase in the number of homeless people in Ballard's downtown. Some people like Black Heli have equated the two to being the same problem. I imagine Black Heli suffers from a condition where he can't make distinctions. Anything with 4 wheels is a car, doesn't matter how big or small or who makes it, fire engine or hyundai, there's no difference in his mind. He's simplified his views down to the most basic, so any shades of difference are lost on him.
The rest of us know that there are differences in people of any group. We know that some homeless are trying to make their lives better while some are too far down the cycle of addiction, and some just like living the hobo life. We don't want to help the criminal fringe and frankly we've been getting annoyed at the aggressive panhandlers and seeing drug addicts wander around the neighborhood that we work hard to keep nice. Does that mean that we won't help those who could use it? No, but it does mean that it's harder for us to do that because we think we're always just being scammed by the drug users and petty thieves. We're not as bad as Black Heli about not being able to tell the difference, but it is getting harder. Maybe what he has is contagious.

I understand where Nathan is coming from, not all people are bad, but what you're doing is using your past experiences to judge for anything that happens in that community in the future. Homeless should not have to police homeless, I know with a shelter in Ballard, it would assist with the homeless situation by allowing them to save up their money so they can get a place of their own. I have been to a couple of community meetings myself that have occurred between the people of Ballard, the church, and the shelter group that wants to stay. I believe that the shelter group has a good heart and has a good objective to assist with their predicament. If a shelter were allowed to stay there, allow the shelter to do what they agreed to do and not make them change their policies that they have. As they have stated before they have 19 years of running shelters and their screening process is strong and they have never had any major issues. But if you want to keep men on the street, I hope your conscious can handle the fact that you have possibly sent one of the 20 men to a troubling future of getting off the street.

spg, do you realize that we get swept with the same broad brush as they do? Do you realize, that if you have anything that is your own, you're rich? Do you realize how they despise you? Resent you?
It's working against us, simply, because they have nothing to loose. I'm sure that Nathan could be an exception, but he's not the rule.

Chopper, I realize that a lot of people hold similar misconceptions about other groups. I like to think that I'm better than that.

got this in an email today...thought it was worth passing on:

This guy has a point!!! This was written by a construction worker in FortMcMurray . Read on.... I work, they pay me. I pay my taxes, and the government distributes my taxes as it sees fit. In order to earn that pay check, I work on a rig site for aFort McMurray construction project. At any time I am required to pass a randomurine test, with which I have no problem. HOWEVER, what I do have a problemwith is the distribution of my taxes to people who don't have to pass aurine test. Shouldn't one have to pass a urine test to get a welfare checkbecause I have to pass one to earn it for them? Understand - I have no problem with helping people get back on their feet. I doon the other hand have a problem with helping someone sit on their butt,drinking beer and smoking dope. Could you imagine how much money this countrywould save if people had to pass a urine test to get a public assistance check? If you agree, please pass this along, or simply delete if you don't. Hopeyou will pass it along though, because something has to change in this country,and soon!

Seems pretty simple. The homeless are taking over. They need help. Only the people of your community can offer that, as it appears the homeless have adopted your neighborhood as theirs and they aren't going away. Here's what I offer and what my community did.

Offer a multi service center in Ballard, this area overcome by homeless. Offer every referral any homeless person could want at that center. Many will go out of the area based on one simple referral. Staff it with volunteers who care and always have them seeking new referrals for the homeless clientele. It worked great here.
Ask the city and country help to open it. Staff it with community volunteers and demand results. Many currently homeless long for this kind of help. Those chronics in your neighborhood should be taken care of by excess police force after the opening of a multi-service/ help-up center and those that remain can be taken care of by a citizen street patrol.
Reading your site at the recommendation of a friend. I am in California. You guys need to stop bitching and take control. A multi service center to take those to task that want help is the first step, then weed out those that are mucking up the neighborhood.

I just want to say that Darnative has a good point. Not all homeless people are evil vagrants who don't need to have a pot to piss in. If the people of Ballard would allow something like this to happen, not only does it show how rude and inconsiderate you are, but also how shallow you really are. This statement does not go to all of Ballard because I know at least some of you kind people would like to see these homeless men and women off the streets. But the statement does go for the majority of Ballard.

hmmm, so I'm glad that we have someone in California telling us to 'take control'.
So, tell me, how has that been demonstrated exactly? You clowns in Cali have lost control, already, and Ballard doesn't have to go that route.
I seriously hope that it doesn't.

This guy goes out of his way to offer some advice and you have to crap on him for it? It's one thing to address the advice on it's merits, but you didn't even do that.
One of the things I never understood in all my years of living here is the level of anti California issues so many Seattleites have. I had to move down there for about a year for a job assignment and picked up a new car before coming back. When I'd park on the street it would get spit on all the time until I transfered the title and got WA plates on it.
I've heard complaints about "all these Californians moving up here in the 80's and ruining the northwest" well, I still haven't met any who have done anything other than buy a crappy old house at an inflated price and fix it up. In fact, I only know a couple people of the dozens from out of Seattle who are even from California. Is CA just the scapegoat to hate the 'others'? The other thing you have to realize is that someone who chooses to uproot themselves and move to a place often has more love for that place than the person who never chose to live there, but was just born there.

spg, I take your point, with exception. This is about the 'Ballard food bank', while I don't pretend to have all the answers, at least I'm here trying to find them.
MY POINT, we cannot go the way of California in Ballard, too many people love this area, but too many people expect it to be used, and abused. Just like California.
btw, I don't hate Californians, or anyone, for that matter. But we should be able to learn what 'not to do' at least. The only numbers that matter right now to me, is our debt.
We now have 'Mc Cheese' pushing forward with a gun-ban in our parks. This is a violation of the 2nd amendment, and our state constitution, but he's willing to spend another 'couple million' to add to our debt, to loose! Simply ridiculous, and wasteful. I wish he'd go back to Chicago.
There, I said it, Chicago, does that make me a hater?
chopper out.

Can you explain how California got it wrong regarding the homeless issue? I'm not up on that, so I'm genuinely curious.
I'm not even going to touch the 2nd amendment vs reasonable restraint debate, the NRA seems to have a 6th sense about this and the comments will go over 1,000 instantly.

Yes, I can. As long as you sign the form, they give you money, housing, free medical, food stamps, and a voters card. Note, just sign the form. No verification what-so-ever, and the carpet is yours.
I'd say that it's wrong, but who am I?
They are relying 'heavily', on federal dollars, to allow, even reward, irresponsible choices. They have fallen off the edge, and are 'upside down' both financially, and morally. imho.
This state, city, isn't far behind. So, that's what I have to say, thanks for your time.

So we're all pretty much in agreement that BHO is a 14 year old boy with posters of Hugh Jackman as wolverine on his walls, right?

I have to agree with some of what is said here, but I'm still for a shelter in the Ballard area. Granted the tax payers are the ones who pay for the food stamps, and medical and all that but you also have to remember that the homeless were and still are taxpayers today. So if you want to keep all these hard working Americans on the street more power to you. But I really do hope you can live with the fact that 10 homeless have died this year already setting a record for most homeless deaths in Seattle. If you all can live with that then more power to you all.

I say let those who want to pay for the shelter pay for it (and be responsible for it) and those of us that don't want to support it shouldn't. I would rather my tax dollar go somewhere else.
How do some of these people have absolutely no friends or family to help them out? I would never let any of my friends live on the streets.
Helping Ballards homeless is one thing, but it is the fact that others from elsewhere will come too.

"If you build it they will come." - James Earl Jones in Field Of Dreams

Shane, I agree with you, but the program that wants to put a shelter in the Ballard area doesn't charge homeless to stay there because they want the people to save their money and be able to buy their own apartment/house and get off the streets. It's not going to be an easy process but it's a process none the less.

I am saying lets help Ballard first.

There are so many worth while causes, even in Seattle.

I mean there are more people that registered having cancer as registered as homeless. I am sure there are more of us in Ballard that knows someone with cancer, than knows someone that has no home. Personally I would rather all my tax dollar going to helping cancer sufferers or into research for a cure than to a homeless shelter here. How about building a hospice in Ballard instead?

It's a crying shame when a homeless person dies, alone, and on the street.
I'd like to back this up a bit. What choices would lead to that result...mine? I think not.
I find it reprehensible that it could, and does happen, too often. But, where does the blame lie?
'change begins from within'

Listen up, if you were homeless and living on the streets of Seattle, you'd be doing the same thing that the current homeless are doing, you'd be fighting for a place to stay and a place to live. You'd be wanting a place to stay and live. But since you're too good for that then shows the care that you people give to the homeless of Seattle.