Re: “Homelessness in Seattle: We can’t unsee it” (Dec. 28, Opinion):
Walter Hatch’s mostly excellent essay is marred by what I think is an unfair comparison with Milwaukee, Wisc. He wrote, “Milwaukee, Wis., which has dramatically reduced its homeless population over the past decade, serves as a shining example of the success of a housing-first policy.”
For an accurate comparison between Seattle and Milwaukee, Hatch would need to examine other data between the two cities. What percentage of the populations in Seattle and Milwaukee are homeless? I ask because on Jan. 1, 2026, the low temperature in Milwaukee was predicted to be 9 degrees Fahrenheit and that in Seattle was predicted to be 39 degrees.
In no way would I want to be homeless in Seattle at a temperature of 39 degrees. But in Milwaukee I would be dead. Poverty-stricken people in the Midwest migrate to warmer climates, if they can, to stay alive.
Let’s work on addressing the problem of homelessness in Seattle without comparison to dissimilar cities.
Kate Bradley, Sammamish
