I met Danielle in an encampment that overlooked the freeway. The view from her tent was spectacular. The waterfront, Bainbridge Island, the stadiums, and King County Jail, are all visible from her home. The noise, rats, and erratic behavior of her neighbors, makes her living situation extremely unsafe. After chatting a few times, I learned that she attends the meals at our dispatch center. Danielle has a housing voucher and isn’t sure how to get into an apartment. I refer her to our in-house case manager and several other people who know how to navigate the fragmented and broken system that is low-income housing. After a few more visits to her home, her encampment is swept, and we lose touch. “In 2023 the city dramatically increased funding for “encampment resolution, cleaning and hygiene” to 29.1 million dollars. In 2022 the city conducted more than 900 sweeps, coinciding with a record 310 unhoused people dying in King County (Guy Oron, Real Change)”. Periodically, I drive by her old encampment to see if she has moved back. No one is living there now, and as always, I hope for the best and fear the worst.

It’s Thursday night and I am on outreach with a wonderful volunteer in Pioneer Square. It is the end of the night, and we are walking back to our van. As were crossing the street I smile and say hello to a young couple that looks like they may be unhoused. It’s Danielle! She is happy to see me, introduces me to her boyfriend, and updates me on her housing prospects. As we say our goodbyes, Danielle tells me that it’s nice to see me, that seeing my face makes her feel like she is home. Home is where the heart/Nightwatch is!

Michael Cox