Outsiders

Despite Olympia’s efforts, hundreds of people remain in unsanctioned camps around the city. They invent ways to stay alive and help each other survive.

How did people end up on the streets of Olympia? Some can point to a catastrophe that bent their lives toward homelessness. For others, it almost seemed like life was moving in that direction from the very beginning.

The rise of homelessness in Olympia looked different depending on where you were standing. To many people, it swept over the city like a storm in a matter of weeks. But a few could see the pressure building for decades.

The West Coast's homelessness crisis arrives in Olympia, Washington. City leaders scramble to respond, and wonder if they can succeed where larger cities have failed. People trying to survive outside face a choice: whether to set aside years of distrust and go along with the city’s plans.

The West Coast's homelessness crisis arrives in Olympia, Washington. City leaders scramble to respond, and wonder if they can succeed where larger cities have failed. People trying to survive outside face a choice: whether to set aside years of distrust and go along with the city’s plans.

Homelessness on the West Coast is rising to crisis levels at a time of historic economic growth and prosperity. Why? KNKX Public Radio and The Seattle Times' Project Homeless spent one year in a city that’s grappling with homelessness. What’s it like to live outside for months on end? What’s it like when tents come to your neighborhood? What new solutions can city leaders find?