I live only a few miles away from Seattle where the shining glass skyscrapers protrude out of the landscape of like giant spikes on the back of a great beast, reflecting the light around them. Right before dusk, the towering Space Needle resembles a charcoal sketch silhouetted against the dying sun. Nestled between mountain ranges, the Puget Sound, and Lakes Union and Washington, this picturesque city may look like a beautiful place to live, but underneath the shining overpasses and next to two huge multi-million dollar sports stadiums, lays a three-mile stretch of tents and garbage where thousands of homeless live. With fires and acts of violence breaking out daily, this chaotic landscape earned the name “the Jungle.” Seattle announced this problem a state emergency back in 2014 when the ever growing population of homeless people grew to an almost uncontrollable amount. Many people I have heard discuss homelessness have differing opinions on the source of the problem, but I think Seattle's homeless problem stems from three things: lack of cheap housing, very little drug recovery and mental illness programs, and the draw of government provided welfare. …show more content…
Small houses that were once cheap housing for the poorer people are now raised, forcing the inhabitants out and into The Jungle. I think that if the city decided to create more low-rent housing, then the homelessness problem would diminish. Shelters are a good way to help homeless people by giving them temporary shelter, but the hassle of moving in and out every single day is why many people view The Jungle as the best option. If the government took some of the money used for homeless shelters and put it towards building low-income homes instead, I think it would provide a more stable situation for homeless