Seattle

Why Is Seattle Keeping Her From Cleaning Up Trash?

Since 2020, We Heart Seattle has picked up over 2 million pounds of trash. In response, the state government is investigating the group for improper handling of materials.

Joe Lancaster | 9.30.2026 4:15 PM

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(Courtesy of We Heart Seattle)

Many major American cities struggle with homelessness, and with no single clear or obvious solution, it's unlikely the problem will be solved anytime soon.

The issue also has spillover costs. Take, for example, the Evergreen State.

"Washington state is experiencing the fifth-highest per-capita rate of unsheltered homelessness in the nation," the Washington Department of Ecology warned in 2020. "On any given night, 10,000 Washington residents are living outside or in places unfit for human habitation." And while the encampments can pose a danger to nearby residents, their presence "also impacts the environment. Illegal disposal of garbage and human waste can contaminate the environment, spread disease, and attract vermin."

So when a Seattle resident took it upon herself to clean up public spaces in her city, why did the state feel the need to stand in her way?

Like most of us, Andrea Suarez found herself with a lot of free time during the COVID-19 pandemic. But when she took walks near her home in downtown Seattle, she didn't like what she saw: used needles, garbage, and homeless people experiencing drug addiction and untreated mental illness.

"Tourism was........

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