The Plan to Nowhere?

"I understand," Govea says. "There are good reasons for them to think that way. We all have our dark side. But you do it—take care of the poor—for the sake of doing it. The reward is in the doing of it. I'm looking at another 10 years now. I know that. If I could've had some intervention in this vicious cycle years before, maybe things would be different. Now, I want to wake up each day and see what happens. It's worth staying in the world just to see what happens. How do you live in this world? Who do you want to be? I am who I want to be. I've had my epiphany. I understand what happened to me. I am an example of how the system works in many ways."

But no one can say what will happen to him—and that system—after April 1.

Ron Wurzer

SPD Sgt. Paul Gracy checks in on a homeless man in Pioneer Square. On a recent subfreezing night, police scoured the city for people who needed shelter, and for scarce shelter space itself.

Details

Previously

It's Morning at the Morrison
Has a $27 million renovation tamed one of the city's worst hellholes? Jan. 11, 2006

A Goal: Homes for 9,500
Creating permanent housing for all of King County's homeless is one big challenge. Helping people learn to survive on their own is another. July 20, 2005

Got Any Spare Change?
An audacious 10-year plan to end homelessness in Seattle faces the usual problem: not enough money. In fact, federal cuts are on the way. April 13, 2005

Related Content

• Boundaries Unveiled for Washington's New Congressional District
  December 28, 2011
• Isabel Wilkerson
  September 28, 2011
• OptumHealth's Mad Medicine
  May 23, 2012
• State Revisits Measure to End Death Penalty; Remember How Michael Dukakis Handled That Hot Potato?
  January 25, 2012
• Reading the Labels
  October 19, 2011

More About

• Larry Govea
• Philip Mangano
• George H.W. Bush
• Homelessness
• Mental Health

Like this Story?

Sign up for the Weekly Newsletter: Our weekly feature stories, movie reviews, calendar picks and more - minus the newsprint and sent directly to your inbox.

Privacy Policy Cancel Continue

pdawdy@seattleweekly.com