The number is extremely sad but not 98%. It isn't a homeless problem as you suggest in Seattle, it is a drug problem. A friend is on a panel to combat the problem. They told me prior to covid (so my numbers at this point could be inaccurate) is that probably 80-85% of the homelessness is due to a drug problem. 15% is either due to down and out, or mental illness.
But we have to dig into how this drug problem came to be and how to stem the tide and maybe hold those accountable who created the drug problem.
There is no quick fix that fits all.
Ultimately it starts in the home with parenting, but not every kid has a good home, parents, and not all good intentioned parents, parent good, and even those who do parent good, their kids have freedom of choice to do bad.
So more parental support, education, etc, from schools, teachers, society, government, religions, etc.
And things like gangs, cartels, etc, are a problem, so maybe either legalize things like pot, and only criminalize worst drugs, etc, and learn from 1929 PROHIBITION, or find a way to deal with it.
And things like TV, movies, games, music, peer pressure from friends, makes drugs sound cool, so need to try to stop those sources from influencing kids, people from doing drugs.
And more education, FCC regulation, etc, is needed for that.
And then life's trials, pressures can help lead people to doing drugs, so people need more education, support, counseling, etc, so that they turn to friends, family, God, etc, instead of turning to drugs to cope, deal with things.
And part of the problem is poverty, environment, etc, so need to not only do handouts, typical liberal based government stuff, but need to have people be more VOLUNTARY charitable, and teach people how to fish, and create more opportunity, and stop taxing, etc, people to death, so that they have more money to voluntary give to charity, start businesses, create jobs, go-to college, educate themselves and educate other people etc.
Now that's a lot.
But basically it condensed, boils down to:
Culture, Attitude.
And the right culture, attitude is:
God altho HE occasionally does literally take people out of slums, trials, despair, needs, etc, most often God teaches, loves, uplifts, empowers, enables, helps, etc, so that THEY ARE ABLE TO TAKE THEMSELVES OUT OF SLUMS, NEED, ETC, AND THEN TAKE THEMSELVES OUT OF SLUMS, NEED.
And altho God can do that without people, God usually does that through people.
For those that are not religious, then we need to follow God's example in doing that.
And that's basically the Gospel, and that Gospel is needed as the thing that will solve those problems.
For those that not religious, not Christian, or that don't think religious references are appropriate here, then doing the basic values, principles, morality, ethics, etc, of God, Gospel, is what will solve the problem.
But part of the problem is that people, society, etc, are resistant to those basic, fundamental values, principles, morality, ethics, etc, that would, will fix, deal with this, these problem(s).
Ultimately society, etc, have the freedom of choice whether to do the things that will solve the problem or not.
And it can be done.
One only has to look at North Dakotah, that has the lowest taxes, least amount of government regulation, laws, etc, that has the lowest drug rate, lowest crime rate, lowest homeless rate, highest charity rate, best economy, lowest unemployed rate, highest non minimum wage, wage, best standard of living, some of the best schools, etc.
There is a reason why Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakotah, the HEARTLAND of America, etc, is doing so well compared to places like LA, Chicago, New York, etc.