[seanmcdirmid]

Seattle has always had homeless people, from the time "skid row" meant the place where you skid freshly cut logs to the waterfront to be cut. Likewise, Portland, Vancouver (BC), and (to a lesser extent) Spokane have and have had very similar homeless problems of roughly the same nature. Basically, these three cities have acted as a catchment for almost anyone in BC, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, that fall through the cracks (and ya, you'll find homeless people from places like Bonners Ferry).

Basically, its the red rural areas around these cities exporting their problems to the cities that actually provide services to deal with them. Couple that with kids from these areas with little education going to Seattle to make it, and not making it.