Jonathan Choe’s latest report reveals drug deaths and chaos at DESC in Burien. Burien Councilmembers Stephanie Mora and Alex Andrade warn other communities not to be “bamboozled” by DESC and other “low barrier” permanent supportive housing projects.
NEW: The latest Downtown Emergency Service Center(@DESCSeattle) building in Burien has turned into the epicenter for crime, chaos, and death.
— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) July 31, 2025
Over the weekend, two more people died of drug OD's inside units. Then an alleged fentanyl dealer was arrested in front of this building… pic.twitter.com/yomFLlUFcb
Posted on X/Twitter by Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) July 30, 2025
NEW : The latest Downtown Emergency Service Center
(@DESCSeattle) building in Burien has turned into the epicenter for crime, chaos, and death. Over the weekend, two more people died of drug OD’s inside units. Then an alleged fentanyl dealer was arrested in front of this building preying on vulnerable residents. Since it’s opening last year, the Bloomside leads the city in 911 calls and is a constant drain on emergency resources. Now elected officials are warning other communities to ban DESC and other “low barrier” permanent supportive housing saying they’ve been “bamboozled.” This is exactly why President Trump(@realDonaldTrump) signed an executive order last week pledging to defund Housing First and “harm reduction” in America’s cities. Here is a preview of my multi-part investigation into this permanent supportive housing provider. This is a scandal.
Burien.News reached out to King County Police for comment.
[Editor’s Note 8/1/25: The above photo is not from this past weekend. Instead, it is from December 2024, as one example of the numerous emergency aid vehicles called to DESC Bloomside within the past 12 months. The new DESC location just celebrated its one-year anniversary in Burien.]
6 Responses
Progressives – what a self-ingratiating term used for a failed political movement. “Progressive” policies set in motion, like low barrier housing, are created by people who need to see themselves as warriors for the unfortunate drug addicted and mental unstable population. In fact, these people need to be taken off the street, against their will if necessary in a “high bar” environment order to have even a slim chance of saving their lives. Otherwise you should just set up a morgue next door.
Is this info current/currently true? Only reason I ask is because your picture says December 2024. Even if not current why would anyone in their right mind even vote Rocco, Moore, and all the other “huggers” into office/council! Do they want to go backwards and have Burien look they way it did when Cydney, Charles and the likes of them were running the show?
I just hope there are enough sane voters to boot these money hungry and making their wages and pocket change off the deprived and let the newbies get them the help that they need and to keep Burien going forward and up.
You are correct, and thank you for asking for clarification. We were not present to document last weekend’s reported deaths or the alleged drug dealer being arrested. Instead, we opted to post a photo from December 2024, as an example of one of the dozens of emergency aid calls to the DESC address since it opened one year ago.
Thank you for confirming on the “current” status of the picture and also for your excellent reporting on the “good, the bad and the ugly” in Burien unlike other publications who are just one-sided.
AGAIN Burien people…let us not go backwards, we know who needs to go and lets get in some new fresh people!
UPDATE: Councilmember Mora was on a KIRO radio show on 8/1/25 where she noted that DESC had over 600 police responses in the past year.
Oh my that is not good, not good at all.