Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson has addressed claims made by Spencer Pratt, a candidate for mayor in Los Angeles, regarding the possible relocation of LA’s homeless population to her city. Interestingly, she seems to acknowledge that Pratt has a valid point.
A few weeks back, Pratt stated to a local reporter that if LA’s homeless were evicted, many would leave the city, and not everyone was originally from LA. He suggested that they might head to Seattle.
“People are being bussed in by scam rehab facilities, scam NGOs, scam homeless nonprofits,” Pratt said. “If I decided to cut off tax dollars, they’d all likely go to Seattle, where the mayor would welcome them.”
During the same interview, he also pointed out a disturbing truth: some people choose to live without homes.
Wilson’s office didn’t respond to inquiries from the California Post. However, in a Wednesday interview with FOX13 Seattle, the issue was raised. She appeared to find humor in Pratt’s remarks, and the audience even reacted with surprise when his potential advancement in the primary was mentioned.
“Oh my god, was that a cheer?” she laughed, clearly enjoying the exchange.
“I’m not going to respond to him, but I’ll respond to you guys,” Wilson said, addressing the audience. “It’s the cost of housing that causes homelessness. There’s a very clear correlation between housing costs and homelessness.”
However, Wilson conceded that Pratt’s point about drug addiction holds merit. Seattle faces significant challenges with open drug use in public spaces, and a reporter later followed up on this issue.
“That doesn’t mean drugs aren’t a factor. They definitely are,” she admitted.
“Drugs make everything worse,” Wilson continued. “When you’re homeless, it’s often the case that you turn to drugs. There are various reasons for that. Even someone with a mild substance use disorder can end up in a much worse situation.”
She elaborated on Seattle’s initiatives to combine shelter with support services such as drug treatment and mental health aid to help those living on the streets.
Yet, she reiterated that “the real factor is the cost of housing.”
Wilson didn’t engage with Pratt’s assertions about welcoming LA’s homeless, nor did she comment on his proposal for transporting them to Seattle.
Pratt previously claimed that around 60% of LA’s homeless population originates from outside the city, referencing a report that suggested about 64% of street homeless individuals stated they weren’t from LA and over half claimed they were from outside the county.
Pratt has suggested sending homeless individuals struggling with addiction to rehabilitation centers on federal land. He mentioned in another CNN interview that plans were in motion, having met with 30 billionaires to talk about funding such facilities.
Vote counting continues in California, where Pratt, currently supported by Republicans, is one of three main candidates remaining in the primary race.
