Ayesha Roscoe

I'm Ayesha Roscoe, and this is a Sunday Story from Up First, where we go beyond the news to bring you one big story. Not long ago, reporter Will James walked into an apartment building in Seattle and met a tenant named Kenny Taylor.

I'm Ayesha Roscoe, and this is a Sunday Story from Up First, where we go beyond the news to bring you one big story. Not long ago, reporter Will James walked into an apartment building in Seattle and met a tenant named Kenny Taylor.

I'm Ayesha Roscoe, and this is a Sunday Story from Up First, where we go beyond the news to bring you one big story. Not long ago, reporter Will James walked into an apartment building in Seattle and met a tenant named Kenny Taylor.

This building, the Union Hotel, is the first in Seattle to operate under a philosophy called Housing First. And Kenny was one of the original tenants who moved in 30 years ago. He came here straight off the streets.

This building, the Union Hotel, is the first in Seattle to operate under a philosophy called Housing First. And Kenny was one of the original tenants who moved in 30 years ago. He came here straight off the streets.

This building, the Union Hotel, is the first in Seattle to operate under a philosophy called Housing First. And Kenny was one of the original tenants who moved in 30 years ago. He came here straight off the streets.

When Kenny moved into his apartment in the 1990s, Housing First was an experiment and nobody knew how it was going to turn out. But now, 30 years later, Housing First is the central strategy the federal government uses to combat homelessness. So is it working? And is it working like it's supposed to?

When Kenny moved into his apartment in the 1990s, Housing First was an experiment and nobody knew how it was going to turn out. But now, 30 years later, Housing First is the central strategy the federal government uses to combat homelessness. So is it working? And is it working like it's supposed to?

When Kenny moved into his apartment in the 1990s, Housing First was an experiment and nobody knew how it was going to turn out. But now, 30 years later, Housing First is the central strategy the federal government uses to combat homelessness. So is it working? And is it working like it's supposed to?

When housing first was introduced, the idea was to take some of the most vulnerable people living on the streets and move them immediately into their own permanent subsidized apartments. A lot of these people had serious mental illnesses and addictions. The plan was to get them a home first and then worry about treating those problems later.

When housing first was introduced, the idea was to take some of the most vulnerable people living on the streets and move them immediately into their own permanent subsidized apartments. A lot of these people had serious mental illnesses and addictions. The plan was to get them a home first and then worry about treating those problems later.

When housing first was introduced, the idea was to take some of the most vulnerable people living on the streets and move them immediately into their own permanent subsidized apartments. A lot of these people had serious mental illnesses and addictions. The plan was to get them a home first and then worry about treating those problems later.

Housing first started as a fringe idea, but eventually evidence started piling up that this worked to resolve many of the most stubborn cases of chronic homelessness. When people got housing under this approach, they usually stayed housed for years, like Kenny.

Housing first started as a fringe idea, but eventually evidence started piling up that this worked to resolve many of the most stubborn cases of chronic homelessness. When people got housing under this approach, they usually stayed housed for years, like Kenny.

Housing first started as a fringe idea, but eventually evidence started piling up that this worked to resolve many of the most stubborn cases of chronic homelessness. When people got housing under this approach, they usually stayed housed for years, like Kenny.

But with homelessness now at record levels, conservative think tanks and activists have set their sights on the philosophy of housing first. They're pushing for more programs that require treatment and sobriety before housing. And Project 2025 calls for ending support of it all together.

But with homelessness now at record levels, conservative think tanks and activists have set their sights on the philosophy of housing first. They're pushing for more programs that require treatment and sobriety before housing. And Project 2025 calls for ending support of it all together.

But with homelessness now at record levels, conservative think tanks and activists have set their sights on the philosophy of housing first. They're pushing for more programs that require treatment and sobriety before housing. And Project 2025 calls for ending support of it all together.

After a break, reporter Will James joins me to talk about the future of Housing First and whether it's time for a course correction and how the U.S. handles one of its most persistent problems. We're back with the Sunday story. I'm here with Will James, a reporter and producer for KUOW in Seattle.

After a break, reporter Will James joins me to talk about the future of Housing First and whether it's time for a course correction and how the U.S. handles one of its most persistent problems. We're back with the Sunday story. I'm here with Will James, a reporter and producer for KUOW in Seattle.