Seattle mayor answers Spencer Pratt homelessness claim
Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt claimed unhoused people would leave for Seattle if he is elected. Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson responded that high housing costs are a major driver of homelessness.
Pratt, a Republican candidate in the Los Angeles mayor's race, has made homelessness a central campaign issue and has called for replacing the city's current approach with treatment focused policies. In a late May interview, he said people living on the streets would go to Seattle if he forced changes in Los Angeles.
Wilson pushed back during a Seattle CityClub event, saying homelessness is closely tied to housing costs while acknowledging drugs can also be a factor. The exchange comes as Los Angeles ballots are still being counted and Pratt remains in second place, making his homelessness platform relevant to a possible November matchup with Mayor Karen Bass.