Why Some Seattle Homeless Prefer The Streets To The Shelters

05:42

June 14, 2016

Chris Fojtik and Mahealani Texeira outside Union Gospel Mission. They choose to sleep outside, rather than being separated. Most shelters don't let couples stay together at night. (Joshua McNichols/KUOW)

In Seattle, hundreds of homeless men and women live under Interstate 5 in a place called "The Jungle.” Earlier this year, three teenagers shot five people there, killing two.

In part two of his report on Seattle's homeless, Joshua McNichols of Here & Now contributor KUOW tells the story of a shooting survivor, who had been unable to get into shelters or housing. That is a reason why "The Jungle" exists, despite efforts to shut it down.

Reporter

Joshua McNichols, reporter for KUOW in Seattle. He tweets@joshuamcnichols.

This segment aired on June 14, 2016.