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>> Tucker: MAY BE MORE THAN
ANY OTHER CITY, SEATTLE,
WASHINGTON, SEEMS TO REPRESENT
ONE AMERICA IS BECOMING.
AMAZON, MICROSOFT, STARBUCKS ARE
ALL BASED IN THE CITY OR ITS
SUBURBS.
JEFF BEZOS, THE RICHEST MAN IN
THE WORLD, LIVES THERE.
BUT ALONG WITH UNFATHOMABLE
WEALTH, THERE IS ALSO DESPERATE
POVERTY AND WIDESPREAD
DEGRADATION.
THE HOMELESS POPULATION IS
SURGING IN THE CITY IS
SUFFOCATING UNDER GARBAGE
PRODUCED BY HUNDREDS OF HOMELESS
CAMPS.
RATHER THAN TAKE ACTION, THE
CITY COUNCIL HAS ENABLED A
PROBLEM AND EVEN RECENTLY
SUGGESTED THE GARBAGE IS LEFT BY
MIDDLE-CLASS RESIDENTS WHO ARE
TRYING TO FRAME THE HOMELESS.
LOCAL NEWS BROADCASTERS GRABBED
NATIONAL HEADLINES BY WARNING
THAT SEATTLE IS DYING.
THE CITY BECOMES UNLIVABLE FOR
REGULAR FAMILIES.
DAY THREE OF OUR "HOMELESS IN
AMERICA" SERIES, OUR PRODUCER
VISITED SEATTLE TO GET AN UP
CLOSE LOOK AT WHAT'S HAPPENING
THERE.
SEATTLE'S HOMELESSNESS CRISIS IS
DEEPLY CONNECTED TO THE CITY'S
DRUG CRISIS.
THAT'S WHAT WE LEARNED WHEN WE
VISITED THIS SPRAWLING
ENCAMPMENT OFF INTERSTATE 5.
WASHINGTON NATIVE ERIC NELSON IS
HOMELESS.
HE LIVES IN A NEARBY SHELTER
WHERE HE IS UNDERGOING METHADONE
TREATMENT.
HE CAME TO THIS ENCAMPMENT TO
VISIT FRIENDS.
>> DO YOU THINK DRUGS ARE ONE OF
THE PRIMARY DRIVERS OF
HOMELESSNESS?
>> I THINK MENTAL HEALTH IS.
MENTAL HEALTH IS THE FOUNDATION
OF A LOT OF ADDICTION AND OTHER
THINGS.
>> Tucker: MENTAL HEALTH AND
ADDICTION ARE CLEARLY PROBLEMS.
WHEN WE ARRIVED ON WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON, THE RESIDENTS WERE
CLEANING UP THEIR CAMP.
IT WAS LITTERED WITH SYRINGES.
>> HOW MANY PEOPLE, PERCENTAGE
LIVING HERE OR DOING DRUGS?
>> I WOULD SAY A GOOD 60%.
THAT'S MAYBE A LITTLE SHORT, BUT
THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.
>> HOW EASY IS IT TO GET HEROIN?
REALLY, IT'S REALLY EASY.
>> Tucker: OUTSIDE THE
I-5 CAMP, THERE IS EVIDENCE OF A
DRUG EPIDEMIC.
AT A SHELTER WE FOUND THIS
POSTER MORNING DRUG USERS OF THE
DANGERS OF FENTANYL.
SEATTLE IS A MECCA FOR DRUG
ADDICTS.
WASHINGTON STATE LEGALIZED
MARIJUANA IN SEATTLE'S POLICE
FORCE HAS A PROGRAM THAT REFERS
SOME LOW-LEVEL DRUG CRIMINALS TO
SOCIAL SERVICES INSTEAD OF JAIL,
LIKE SAN FRANCISCO, SEATTLE CITY
GOVERNMENT HAS ESSENTIALLY
DECRIMINALIZED
QUALITY-OF-LIFE CRIMES.
MISDEMEANOR CITATIONS HAVE
PLUMMETED SINCE 2009.
THE CONSEQUENCE?
SEE IT FOR YOURSELF.
HERE IS A VIDEO OF A MAN PASSED
OUT IN A POPULAR PARK.
THIS PICTURE SHOWS URINE IN A
PUBLIC STAIRCASE.
THIS PICTURE SHOWS HUMAN WASTE A
FEW STEPS ABOVE THAT.
HOMELESSNESS BECAME MORE VISIBLE
AS THE LEADERS BECAME MORE
LENIENT ON PETTY CRIME.
BECAUSE OF THEIR LIBERAL
ATTITUDES IN THE MILD CLIMATE,
THE CITY IS A MAGNET FOR
VAGRANTS.
NELSON THINKS MOST OF THE PEOPLE
AT THE CAMP DIDN'T GROW UP IN
THE AREA.
>> PROBABLY MORE THAN HALF
PROBABLY NOT FROM SEATTLE.
>> Tucker: HOMELESSNESS IS
COMPLICATED.
DRUGS ARE THE ONLY CAUSE.
TAKE A LOOK AT THIS PICTURE OF
PEOPLE LIVING IN BROKEN DOWN
RVs IN THE BACKGROUND, THE
WORLD HEADQUARTERS OF STARBUCKS.
LIKE MOST OF THE WEST COAST,
SEATTLE'S ECONOMIC BOOM HAS NOT
BEEN DISTRIBUTED EVENLY.
NOT CLOSE.
WHEN WAGES AT THE LOW-END BACK
OF THE ECONOMIC SPECTRUM FAILED
TO GIVE UP WITH RISING COST OF
LIVING, YOU WIND UP WITH A PLACE
WHERE PEOPLE LIVING IN THEIR
CARS ARE FLANKED BY BILLIONAIRES
LIKE JEFF BEZOS AND BILL GATES.
SO WHAT CAUSES HOMELESSNESS?
MANY THINGS.
DRUG ADDICTION, ECONOMIC
HARDSHIP, ILLNESS.
ONE THING EVERYONE LIVING ON THE
STREET SEEMS TO HAVE IN COMMON:
BROKEN FAMILIES.
IN THE CASE OF ERIC NELSON, HE
HASN'T SEEN HIS FAMILY SINCE HE
WAS 16 YEARS OLD.
>> WE KIND OF SPLIT.
WE DIDN'T REALLY HAVE TOO MUCH
IN COMMON, SO I JUST PARTED WAYS
WHEN I WAS 16.
AND THEN I RAN OUT OF MONEY.
I RAN OUT OF EVERYTHING SO I WAS
HOMELESS.
>> Tucker: IT ISN'T JUST BIG
CITIES SUFFERING FROM A
HOMELESSNESS EPIDEMIC.
TOMORROW NIGHT AS OUR SERIES