I don’t think housing can “solve” drug addiction. However, there are factors that have been shown to contribute to addiction from homelessness. Less stability, regular trauma, mental health, etc causes all of these things to interact and exasperate each other.
The frustrating part is that voters keep telling the city, county, and state to invest in all of these areas. Measure 110 was supposed to create more space to have drug addiction treated, and there was no follow through. Now, further existing infrastructure is closing with no replacement. Similarly with housing, voters overwhelmingly keep calling for housing solutions, but any progress turns into new vendor procurement, deals with developers that don’t follow through, and half baked plans that don’t materialize.
Also, I think it’s important to remember that a lot of drug addiction happens amongst the housed. We just don’t see it. But as our coworker who is struggling falls apart, loses their job, and times get tough the more likely they will be the one moving from pain pills at home to fentanyl in the streets.
I’m glad some of the electeds are at least acting like they are as frustrated as I am. I hope they actually do something about it. (thought the need for national reform on both housing and drug addiction also can’t be ignored).
How does housing solve drug addiction?
I don’t think housing can “solve” drug addiction. However, there are factors that have been shown to contribute to addiction from homelessness. Less stability, regular trauma, mental health, etc causes all of these things to interact and exasperate each other.
The frustrating part is that voters keep telling the city, county, and state to invest in all of these areas. Measure 110 was supposed to create more space to have drug addiction treated, and there was no follow through. Now, further existing infrastructure is closing with no replacement. Similarly with housing, voters overwhelmingly keep calling for housing solutions, but any progress turns into new vendor procurement, deals with developers that don’t follow through, and half baked plans that don’t materialize.
Also, I think it’s important to remember that a lot of drug addiction happens amongst the housed. We just don’t see it. But as our coworker who is struggling falls apart, loses their job, and times get tough the more likely they will be the one moving from pain pills at home to fentanyl in the streets.
I’m glad some of the electeds are at least acting like they are as frustrated as I am. I hope they actually do something about it. (thought the need for national reform on both housing and drug addiction also can’t be ignored).