Life in Tweakerville
It was all over the news: the digital sign that read “Welcome to Tweakerville.”
The sign belongs to Z-Sport, an auto shop located at the offramp of I-5 at Broadway— one of the busiest roads in the city, and a main portal to the downtown core.
Then, a few weeks later, the North Everett “Tweaker Cam” emerged. The Tweaker Cam Facebook page is categorized as “Performance Art” and has 9,200 followers who tune in to watch homeless people on the street. The Facebook page has a 4.6 out of 5 star rating.
The gimmick: 720p digital footage, live streaming people loitering at the corner of 36th Street & Smith Avenue near the Everett Gospel Mission.
On the Tweaker Cam YouTube page the admin writes, "A lot of these people do have homes but choose to congregate here and do drugs anyways."
The footage is arresting. But if it seems exploitative, that’s because it is.
The paradox of drug addiction and homelessness: we don’t want to see people living on our streets. We may turn a blind eye in real life, but 9,200 viewers have streamed that reality in hi-def from the comfort of their homes.
A screen shot of "Tweaker Cam" footage.
These citizen-led responses—though they be in bad taste—have got people in the city talking about issues that impact us all. During the past three weeks the police have stepped up patrols and drug arrests, have made visits to local businesses asking for community input. Social media is abuzz with debates about homelessness and drug addiction. The conversation is heated in the digital realm, as things can get when people have strong and opposing opinions.
The mayor’s office recently issued a public statement on the Tweakerville "scandal" and homelessness is a leading issue in this year's mayoral race.
Homelessness in Everett, it seems, can't be overlooked anymore.
So what do we have to do with this?
Live in Everett is not a traditional news blog. Street level issues are not our typical focus. Still we can’t turn a deaf ear to the conversation that surrounds us in this city—a city we believe in.
I (Richard) know a bit about homelessness. I’ve worked as a housing case manager for Catholic Community Services, helping clients transition out of street life into stable housing in our community. I’ve toured the Everett Gospel Mission and volunteered for the the Point in Time Count.
The scope of the issue at hand is boggling. Wait lists for housing and basic social services stretch into the hundreds. Furthermore, most aid programs require an applicant to be “technically homeless”—not couch surfing, in the process of being evicted, or living in a car. This technicality disqualifies hundreds of individual people and families in crisis.
Meanwhile the Everett Gospel Mission is at capacity. It has a limited number of beds and they fill quickly. People in need are forced to hit Smith Street. Where they are filmed without their consent.
Clark Park was originally named "City Park" and looked something like this. Today the public park is a de facto haven for people experiencing homelessness. Police have stepped up drug arrests in the area in response to public outcry.
The public’s concerns are valid. But how can we address this complicated issue?
I believe in two approaches.
The first approach is to inform yourself as much as possible. Homelessness and drug addiction are real and they are in Everett. Ignoring them won’t make them go away. That being said, partial information or no information has a way of fostering unfounded fear.
Inform yourself as a citizen. There have been several community forums on this issue. Do a Google search about mental illness and the psychology of drug addiction. A little knowledge can be a powerful thing and can go a long way to destigmatizing marginalized members of our society.
The second approach is to take action directly. The key here is to respond in a way that’s calm, positive, and rational.
Here’s what you can do as a citizen of Everett right now.
1. Donate
Give money or supplies directly to a reputable nonprofit. You are in the right place—Everett is the county seat and the downtown has many social services dedicated to providing avenues for people to better themselves.
The following nonprofits are doing great work. You can donate to all directly online right now from the comfort of where you’re reading this.
2. Make care kits and hand them out
Handing cash to people in need is not recommended. What is recommended is making care packs for people— help them to meet their basic needs.
What this looks like is a freezer-sized Ziplock bag filled with toiletries, socks, nonperishable snacks like granola bars, and even gift cards. You can keep a few care kits in your car and hand them out at intersections.
A care package.
3. Call the police when appropriate
If you feel that someone is a threat to themselves or others, please dial 911. If someone is trespassing on your property and you don't feel safe, please dial 911. It’s ok. That's what the police are for.
What’s more, the Everett Police now have two embedded social workers. These social workers go on patrols and can assess a given situation. They can and do refer people in crisis to appropriate services as needed. Let the professionals handle it.
What do we want to see?
We want to see citizens who are compassionate and involved. We want a people empowered to feel safe in their own community. We want to see a city where all inhabitants are respected and not exploited or mocked because of their socioeconomic status.
Live in Everett loves Milltown. It’s our whole deal. Our slogan, catchphrase, and signature hashtag is “Good Things Happen Here.” We believe in that statement, personally and professionally.
Join us as we work together to make a safe, equitable Everett that we can all call home.
You can do something.
Richard is Live in Everett's resident blog manager and writer.
