Re: “Why housing first isn’t the answer to Seattle’s homelessness crisis” (Feb. 7, Opinion):
As a psychiatrist who spent years working with individuals who had been homeless, I like plenty of the work Andrea Suarez does and I agree with a lot of what she says in her visitor essay.
Some variation of her concept that housing by itself doesn’t (normally) clear up habit is appropriate, in my expertise. However she evidently additionally doesn’t consider that lack of sufficient housing is the first explanation for homelessness.
What continues to frustrate me is that Seattle appears incapable of mixing two ideas: Homelessness is basically as a consequence of lack of sufficient housing and offering housing with out asking something of individuals doesn’t assist (most) individuals progress from habit.
Greg Smith, M.D., Seattle
