Sara Rankin Profile picture
Law Prof, Director of Homeless Rights Advocacy Project at Seattle U School of Law, mom, rescue dog fan
Jul 3, 2019 17 tweets 5 min read
Nothing roils me like BS media, like this one from @CNN, casually tossing around phrases like "shelter resistant" in articles on homelessness. While I rant, consider whether you would EVER choose a shelter.
amp.cnn.com/cnn/2019/06/18… Shortage of emergency shelters leads to overcrowding, creating unhealthy, unsanitary, and even dangerous conditions in some shelters. Here’s just a few examples of the maggots, mold, sexual abuse, rats, contaminated food, scabies, sewage, and toxic air awaiting in some shelters.
May 31, 2019 17 tweets 3 min read
Given the Durkan administration's "new policy" ramping up sweeps when an encampment is a hazard or obstruction (allowing the city to ignore notice and support), it's time for a rant about sweeps. ISSUE 1 is the vagueness of the terms “obstruction” and “hazard.” These terms were intended as basic guideposts to ensure that sweeps were reserved for the most extreme cases, and in these extreme cases, notice and service offers were still important.