Seattle, WA
Seattle get sidewalk murals to tackle homeless drug addicts
As fentanyl addicts and the mentally ill continue to languish and die on our streets, Mayor Bruce Harrell’s administration has decided that what downtown Seattle really needs are sidewalk murals. Because nothing says “we’re tackling the root causes of homelessness” quite like ensuring that when a drug addict passes out, they do so on a vibrant, city-commissioned work of art.
The sidewalk murals are part of Harrell’s uninspired Downtown Activation Plan. One of the action steps? “Create more murals and other art installations throughout Downtown and activate street corners, parks, and transit stations with buskers and other forms of entertainment to create a more beautiful and welcoming environment, mitigating the impact of graffiti and street disorder.”
The logic, if you can call it that, seems to be that if we make the scenery prettier, the human suffering playing out against it will somehow be less tragic. It’s a continuation of the same tired, ineffective, and lazy approach we’ve seen countless times from our city’s leadership. Harrell is a master of the performative gesture, the symbolic act that accomplishes nothing but allows the mayor to pat himself on the back for a job well done.
This is not a parody. This is the actual strategy of a city in the throes of a humanitarian crisis.
As part of the plan to tackle downtown Seattle homelessness, the mayor is having murals painted on the sidewalks.
But all this means is that fentanyl addicts will pass out on murals. pic.twitter.com/8EC2KSUvyw
— Jason Rantz on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) June 26, 2025
Bruce Harrell’s homelessness plans? Sidewalk art and lighting
This sidewalk mural initiative is a perfect companion piece to another of the mayor’s recent beautification-as-solution projects: strings of lights a few blocks away from where the homeless congregate.
Billed as a way to “enhance community safety and vibrancy,” the decorative lights are meant to deter crime and make residents feel more secure. But ask anyone who lives or works in the downtown core and Belltown, and they’ll tell you that the problem isn’t a lack of ambient lighting. The problem is the open-air drug markets, the relentless property crime, and the sense that the city has all but abandoned them to the wolves.
The lights and sidewalk murals are a slap in the face to a community that has been begging for a real plan, for more police, and for a commitment to prosecuting the criminals who are making their lives a living hell.
Seattle residents should be insulted
What these initiatives share is a fundamental misunderstanding, or perhaps a willful ignorance, of the nature of the problem.
We are not dealing with a crisis of aesthetics. We are dealing with a crisis of addiction, of mental illness, and of a complete and utter breakdown of law and order. Painting a mural on a sidewalk will not get a fentanyl addict into treatment. Installing a light fixture will not stop a prolific offender from breaking into another small business.
These are solutions for a city that is not in crisis, for a city that has the luxury of worrying about its appearance. That is not Seattle.
We actually know what tackles homelessness
The tragic irony is that we know what works. We know that a compassionate, but firm approach, one that combines robust and readily available treatment options with a law enforcement presence that makes it clear that criminal behavior will not be tolerated, is the only way to make a real difference.
Seattle should be investing in long-term treatment facilities, in mental health care, and in a criminal justice system that is allowed to do its job. Instead, we get murals and mood lighting. Soon? Buskers.
It’s a tale of two cities. In the Seattle mayor’s press releases, the city is becoming more vibrant, more beautiful, and more welcoming with each passing day. In the real Seattle, the one that the rest of us have to live in, things are getting worse. The open-air drug use, the homeless encampments, the property crime—these are the realities that a fresh coat of paint and some light bulbs cannot hide.
The people of Seattle are not asking for a more scenic city. Our city is beautiful—when you clean up the mess made by the homeless.
Listen to The Jason Rantz Show on weekday afternoons from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. on KTTH 770 AM (HD Radio 97.3 FM HD-Channel 3). Subscribe to the podcast here. Follow Jason Rantz on X, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook.
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Seattle, WA
Outreach groups respond to the reported relocation cycle of Ballard’s homeless population
SEATTLE — As people voice concerns about an encampment in Seattle’s Ballard neighborhood, outreach groups are detailing their efforts and fighting back against encampment removals.
The outreach group We Heart Seattle said it checks on the people in an encampment of at least 20 people weekly to offer water, snacks, personal hygiene items, and access to treatment.
RELATED | Ballard encampment grows after city removes nearby site along Burke-Gilman Trail
The group told KOMO it believes more can be done at the city level, from policy to housing, to get the homeless connected with shelter and services.
A woman working at the Fred Meyer off NW 45th Street and 9th Avenue captured video of a fire near tents at an encampment across the street. A day later, off camera, she told KOMO News she worries about the safety of the people living in the tents and Ballard neighbors, in addition to concerns about alleged open-air drug use at the encampment.
“We became homeless because of certain situations, and we turned to drugs, and unfortunately, addiction comes next, you know?” Crystal Rawlings told KOMO News. She has set up her tent on multiple streets in Ballard, and said she’s approaching one year of being opioid-free.
She believes there’s been more city outreach since the start of the new mayoral administration to connect people living on the streets with services, but knows there’s not enough transitional housing for everyone who needs or wants it.
She and the Ballard Community Task Force on Homelessness and Hunger urge the city to stop encampment removals that push this group to another block.
RELATED | City removes Ballard encampment as neighboring businesses raise housing concerns
“We’re not abominations. We’re not obstructions, and we’re not trash, so stop sweeping us,” Rawlings stated.
The city is still aiming to reach Mayor Katie Wilson’s goal of adding 1,000 new units of shelter in 2026 and recently opened a tiny home village in nearby Interbay, but fell short of the goal of 500 new units by June.
Andrea Suarez with We Heart Seattle estimates at least 20 people living on the street keep getting moved around Ballard, from behind the Albert Lee store to Leary Avenue to NW 45th Street behind the Fred Meyer.
“This encampment has people that’ve been homeless for more than five years. We know their names and faces. They’re still here. They’re still stuck in late-phase addiction, frankly because it’s permitted,” Suarez explained.
RELATED | Viral makeshift homeless shelter with chimney dismantled by Seattle city crews
She believes a camping ban on city sidewalks would help encourage more people to accept shelter, and help stop the cycle of moving people without
“It is an underserved community. I think it is unfair,” Suarez added. “We’ve tried to balance between enablement and really giving people a hand up, but without the teeth and backup for the work of outreach workers, it starts to feel futile, and that’s why we get burned out.”
The mayor’s office was working to send data about its homeless response in Ballard as of Wednesday afternoon.
The Ballard Community Task Force on Homelessness and Hunger estimates there have been nine Ballard-area encampment removals so far this year.
SEATTLE – Wednesday will be another warm day with highs in the mid to upper 80s for parts of western Washington. Eastern and central Washington will reach near 100F with high fire danger. The coast and north interior will be cooler, only in the 60s to 70s.
Wednesday will be another warm day with highs in the mid to upper 80s for parts of western Washington.
Fire Weather Watch
A Fire Weather Watch goes into effect Wednesday evening through Thursday evening for thunderstorms and gusty winds. Lightning strikes could create new fire starts and, with very dry conditions in place, any new fire could spread quickly.
A Fire Weather Watch goes into effect Wednesday evening through Thursday evening for thunderstorms and gusty winds.
What’s next:
An upper level low will move into the Pacific Northwest, bringing scattered showers and a chance of thunderstorms. The heaviest showers will be in the morning hours and will turn more scattered into the evening hours.
An upper level low will move into the Pacific Northwest, bringing scattered showers and chance of thunderstorms.
Looking Ahead:
High pressure will build again Friday and into the weekend, increasing temperatures and sunshine. We will start to see highs reach the upper 80s to low 90s by early next week.
High pressure will build again Friday and into the weekend, increasing temperatures and sunshine.
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After so many disappointing seasons with the interior offensive line, the Seattle Seahawks made a commitment last offseason to improve the unit. They started one big step at a time by drafting North Dakota State guard Grey Zabel in the first round, 18th overall pick, of the 2025 NFL Draft. This one was one of the last steps for the Seahawks to create one of the most productive offenses in the NFL.
Zabel wasn’t perfect in his rookie season, but he was good enough to validate the decision to draft him in the first round, and he showed improvement. Zabel is already a favorite among some Seahawks fans and some media outlets as they love his determination and spirit. It was a big jump from the FCS collegiate level to the NFL and this season, he has a chance to show why he might be a top-half-of-the-league guard.
Why Zabel Could Be Ranked Higher?
The Seahawks wanted a determined workhorse when looking for a guard. That’s exactly what they got in Zabel. Last season, he appeared in 1,051 snaps, which is only 10 fewer snaps than right tackle Abraham Lucas, who had the most offensive snaps. Zabel got better as the season progressed. Pro Football Focus gave him an overall grade of 81.5 and a run-block grade of 81.2 in Week 14 through the NFC Championship Game.
There were times last season when he looked like a monster against several defenders. He was pushing some defenders completely out of the way on pulling plays and even ran to defenders after the pass-catcher caught the ball. This is the mentality the Seahawks expect him to have going into his second season in the league. He has more experience and the complete trust of the team to be a franchise player on par with Lucas and left tackle Charles Cross. If he continues to improve, he will be another steal for the Seahawks.
Why Zabel Could Be Ranked Lower?
There were times last season when he didn’t quite catch up to the learning curve of the NFL. Zabel allowed two sacks, four hits and 24 pressures in 2025. The Seahawks expect those numbers to decrease significantly as he is experienced and capable of playing at an efficient level. While Zabel is impressive, he might not be the best player the Seahawks have selected in the 2025 NFL Draft. That honor belongs to slot cornerback Nick Emmanwori, who is stepping up to be the steal of the draft.
Zabel is easily one of the best second-year players and is one of the top offensive linemen, but there are players behind him because they haven’t proven to be consistently explosive for the Seahawks. There is going to be even more pressure on him this upcoming season. The Seahawks hired a more run-friendly coach in Brian Fleury as offensive coordinator. His ranking at the end of the season might be much better if he improves, or worse if he fails to reach expectations.
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