Jonathan Choe

Journalist and Senior Fellow, Center on Wealth and Poverty

Jonathan Choe is a journalist and Senior Fellow with Discovery Institute's Center on Wealth and Poverty, covering homelessness issues for its Fix Homelessness initiative. Prior to joining Discovery, Choe spent several years as one of the lead reporters at KOMO-TV, consistently the top rated television station in Seattle. His in depth stories on crime and deep dive investigations into the homeless crisis led to measurable results in the community, including changes in public policy.

Choe has more than two decades of experience in television news behind the scenes and in front of the camera for ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, and Tribune. He has also been been nominated and honored with multiple industry awards including an Emmy. Choe spent several years teaching classes on emerging media and entreprenuership to under privileged youth in inner city Chicago.

As an independent journalist, Choe also contributes regularly to the Mill Creek View and Lynnwood Times and has reported on exclusive stories in the past year for Daily Wire and The Postmillennial.

Choe is a New England native and Boston University journalism school graduate.

Archives

Police Response at DESC Location Recalls Years of Chaos Across Seattle

Lengthy Standoff Massive police response late Tuesday evening to Interbay Place in Seattle’s West Queen Anne neighborhood. Cops arrested 28 year old Benjamin G. White after a lengthy standoff. He allegedly threatened to kill another resident with a knife and barricaded himself in a room. While in custody, White reportedly bit, kicked, and spat on officers. This is just the latest Downtown Emergency Service Center property responsible for more chaos in the community. DESC remains the crown jewel in the region’s homeless industrial complex. Trespassed I’ve been exposing taxpayer funded DESC now for more than five years. And this Housing First provider hates it. The leaders have officially banned me from their properties. My mug is now on pretty

Erratic Homeless Man Threatens Plymouth Housing Staff

Chaos Continues at Plymouth Housing The cancer continues to spread in Bellevue’s Eastgate community. The @FactoriaLLS team and I have gone through dozens of 911 calls to uncover another horrific incident at the Plymouth Housing/PorchLight campus. On October 30, a PorchLight worker called cops to trespass a homeless man who threatened to kill employees and police. The unhinged individual claimed to be infected with HIV after a tussle with the worker. When will City Manager Diane Carlson and Mayor Lynne Robinson finally admit this permanent supportive housing project and homeless shelter are destroying the community with crime, chaos, and death? Some neighbors believe these elected officials are running cover for the homeless industrial complex. What an epic

Plymouth Residents Proposition, Harass Teenage Girls at Bus Stop

Exclusive Witnesses say two teens were offered alcohol, sexually propositioned, and nearly assaulted at the Eastgate Park & Ride in Bellevue late Sunday evening. The 15-year-old victim managed to protect her younger cousin by pepper spraying her alleged attacker. A good samaritan also jumped out of his car to help. Cops say two homeless men staying at the Plymouth Housing/PorchLight campus were involved in this incident. One Arrested Only Jose Morales Juan was arrested. He’s facing several charges. Plymouth 911 Calls The 911 calls keep stacking up at the Plymouth Housing/PorchLight campus in Bellevue. Violent repeat offender “Manny” the wheelchair bound maniac is terrorizing residents again. This latest incident happened on October

Prominent San Francisco Housing First Advocate Faces Vote to Remove Her from Committee

Booted Jennifer Friedenbach is the queen of San Francisco’s homeless industrial complex. Looks like she’s getting booted from the “Our City Our Home Oversight Committee.” This collective is responsible for looking after a billion dollars in homeless and housing services. I spoke to Friedenbach earlier this year. She took shots at recovery advocates like @Twolfrecovery and defended the failed Housing First and “harm reduction” policies that have led to record drug overdose deaths in the city. About fuking time. #SanFrancisco https://t.co/lqjFGMzdXH— T Wolf 🌁 (@Twolfrecovery) November 3, 2025 Final Vote Nov. 11 The Board of Supervisors will take a final vote on Friedenbach’s future with the committee on November

Harm Reduction Fliers Teach Addicts How to Take Drugs Rectally

“Boofing” This is a new one. NYC based Lighthouse Learning Collective just put out this Halloween themed step by step guide on “boofing.” Addicts are being taught how to take drugs up their ass. This is all part of the so called “harm reduction” lobby in America. Also Known As… Boofing is also known as “booty bumping.” Why? Good to know some addicts get a better high this way. How? So here is the technique. Risks Surprise, there are risks to “boofing.” Microtears in your rectum. Lovely. All at the Expense of the Taxpayer Taxpayer funded boofing kits can be acquired for free at many places that offer the so called “harm reduction” supplies. Lighthouse Learning

Repeat Offender Continues to Terrorize Residents at Plymouth Housing

Exclusive The 911 calls keep stacking up at the Plymouth Housing/PorchLight campus in Bellevue. Violent repeat offender “Manny” the wheelchair bound maniac is terrorizing residents again. Credit to @FactoriaLLS for sifting through dozens of emergency calls to find this incident on October 26. There are even more problems we are about to expose. NEW: Bellevue's Plymouth Housing/Porchlight campus continues to be a cancer on the community. On Sunday, a non-verbal Plymouth resident allegedly made terroristic threats. He scribbled on the wall that he would shoot staff with a pistol and held a weapon in his hand.🧵👇 https://t.co/YGmyDepfmn pic.twitter.com/P1FcA4W5r3— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) September 16, 2025 City Leaders Downplay the

Seattle Mayoral Candidate Struggles to Answer Basic Questions About Homelessness

Seattle’s homeless drug crisis remains a top three issue for voters. During a recent debate, Mayor Bruce Harrell and mayoral candidate Katie Wilson were asked the following: “Should homeless people be allowed to stay in tents in parks?” “Should homeless people be allowed to live in sidewalks?” “Should people be allowed to smoke or use drugs like fentanyl in public places?” The moderator was asking for a simple yes or no response. But Katie Wilson seemed to waffle and struggle.

News Nation Reports on the Relationship Between Homelessness Industry and Antifa

All Eyes on Seattle National media is now focusing on Homeless Inc.’s ties to far-left activists and Antifa in Seattle. The Trump administration is following the money and cracking down on this grift. When will local politicians wake up and admit there’s a problem? Read “Infiltrated: The Ideological Capture of Homeless Advocacy” Here NEW: Hot off the presses, here is the research report I presented to President Trump showing Antifa's ties to the homeless industrial complex, Democratic Socialists of America(DSA,) and other far-left radical groups. Time to cut off the funding that's fueling the mayhem.… https://t.co/x1GYgUIGuP pic.twitter.com/KJWx8z0r36— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) October 10, 2025

The Tragic Reality of Homeless Children in Oakland

“I’ve Been Pregnant Out Here” If San Francisco doesn’t want the National Guard, send the troops into Oakland. I spent the past week on the ground in this failing city. By some estimates, there are now dozens of children (babies) living in crime- and drug-infested encampments. The current plan is not working.

Homeless Pets and Their Owners

Who Cares for the Homeless Animals? Independent journalists Susan D. Reynolds and Kevin Dahlgren have been sounding the alarm about pets being abused in homeless encampments across America. In West Oakland, I personally counted more than 20 cats and dogs running wild near tents or caged in inhumane conditions. Some drug addicts living in permanent support housing are also allegedly running puppy mills in their rooms to support fentanyl habits. Where is the enforcement and accountability? No sign of advocacy groups or city workers trying to save these animals. How come?

Plymouth Housing Hides Event from Community Members, Bans Reporters

Exclusive Controversial homeless services provider Plymouth Housing banned me, We Heart Seattle’s Andrea Suarez and podcaster Brandi Kruse from a secret ground breaking ceremony in Redmond, WA. But I exposed them anyway. “Our Faces Were Plastered Everywhere” On Wednesday, Plymouth hosted a private ceremony at the Hilton Garden Inn. It was invite only. Sources told me photos of our faces were plastered everywhere and security was told to keep us out. Brandi Kruse’s Reporting Kruse has been annihilating Plymouth. Just … wild. Governor Bob Ferguson is celebrating Plymouth Housing, just days after @choeshow exposed the taxpayer-funded entity for covering up overdoses, deaths, and crime. https://t.co/5xph0uW8Si

Plymouth Housing to Set Up Shop Right Next to Luxury Apartments, Child Daycare

What Is Redmond Thinking? Construction workers finishing up the AMLI Redmond Way luxury apartments in downtown say the company had no idea the city would allow Plymouth Housing to build right next door. There’s already concern potential renters will avoid the AMLI once they realize Plymouth facilities attract an inordinate amount of crime, open air-drug use, and death into the community. Along with dozens of businesses, there’s also a daycare right next door. And with light rail nearby, it’s an easy commute to Microsoft and Meta. The tech workers are gonna love being around fentanyl addicts and dealers. No idea what Mayor Angela Birney and the city council is thinking here. They’ve been captured by the homeless industrial complex. Goodbye Redmond as

Another Tragedy at Plymouth: Homeless Man Claims He Was Drugged and Raped

Breaking Bellevue cops are looking into another horrific incident related to the Plymouth Housing/PorchLight campus in the Eastgate neighborhood. A Seattle homeless man claims he was drugged and brutally raped by another transient outside the PorchLight facility. WARNING: This portion of the 911 call is graphic and may be upsetting to some. Attracting Crime Incident happened on Friday September 26. Both men were denied entry to Porchlight. Unclear why. But they decided to camp in the nearby bushes. The shelter continues to attract criminals and deviants into the area. This is exactly what the community has been saying all along. Bellevue PD Statement Right now, this is all Bellevue PD is releasing. This homeless campus continues to trigger the most

Plymouth Housing CEO Defends Housing First, Calls Criticism “Misinformation”

Damage Control Embattled Plymouth Housing CEO Karen Lee is doing damage control after our series of reports highlighting all the crime, chaos, and death in her Bellevue, WA facility. I have obtained an email Lee recently sent to Bellevue councilmembers. Based on her talking points and spin, she appears to think they’re gullible and stupid. #BREAKING: I have now officially been trespassed from Plymouth Housing's(@PlymouthHousing) Bellevue facility in the Eastgate neighborhood. Sources say my photo is everywhere and staff members are being told to call the cops if they see me. In fact that's what happened the other… pic.twitter.com/NKQLzsr1Hd— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) September 23, 2025 Page 1 Lee claims some of the content about Plymouth

Another 911 Call from Plymouth Housing

This is “Housing First” Another crazy incident at Plymouth Crossing in Bellevue’s Eastgate neighborhood Tuesday morning. 911 dispatchers say a call came in about a 65 year old woman in a wheelchair going on a bender. She was suspected of using meth or fentanyl. Just in the past couple weeks, the FactoriaLLS team has documented more than a dozen cases of fights, drug use, and other disturbances. There were likely more incidents that were missed. This Plymouth Housing/PorchLight campus triggers the most 911 calls in the city. Ladies and gentlemen, this is “Housing First” and “harm reduction” in action. Your taxpayer dollars are funding all this crime and chaos. This is what Bellevue Mayor Lynne Robinson voted for and what WA Governor

Plymouth Housing Murder Suspect Arrested and Charged

Breaking Bellevue homeless murder suspect Samuel Hitchcock has been arrested. In a joint effort with the United States Marshals Service and the Portland Police Bureau, regional partners arrested Hitchcock near a residential area in Portland. More details will be made available during a 3pm press conference at Bellevue Police HQ. Bellevue Police arrest man connected to July homicide https://t.co/LvKu1KnO78— The Bellevue Police Department (WA) (@BvuePD) September 17, 2025 A Massive Black Eye This has been a massive black eye for the Porchlight/Plymouth Housing campus in the Eastgate neighborhood. This property triggers the most 911 calls in the city and is constantly being blamed by neighbors for open-air drug use and other crimes. UPDATE: The Bellevue

King County Councilmember Says She Has No Regrets About Problematic Supportive Housing Facility

No Regrets King County Councilmember Claudia Balducci admits she helped usher in the problematic Bellevue Plymouth Housing/Porchlight campus. I asked her point blank if she has any regrets allowing the facility into the community since it triggers the most 911 calls in the city. She did not answer my question directly but Balducci did defend the “Housing First” approach to solving the homeless drug crisis. Listen carefully in the end. She could only cite the former Silvercloud Inn location as the most successful “permanent supportive housing” facility in King County. That’s because it’s not being run by Plymouth. The Christian based Salvation Army is operator in Redmond. Notice the stark difference? NEW: After numerous problematic

Cops Called to Plymouth Housing…Again

They Said It Would Be Safe It’s a daily occurrence at Bellevue’s Plymouth Housing/Porchlight campus. On Monday, witnesses say two people got into an argument at Plymouth and one woman brandished a knife. No one was injured. Tons of cops were called again, draining resources and taxpayer dollars from the community. This is “permanent supportive housing” in action. The crime, chaos, and death continues. City and county politicians lied to the community when they said it would be safe. Now it’s becoming a PR nightmare for them because residents are finally demanding change. NEW: Bellevue's Plymouth Housing/Porchlight campus continues to be a cancer on the community. On Sunday, a non-verbal Plymouth resident allegedly made terroristic

Plymouth Chaos: Resident Arrested, and Murder Suspect Still on the Loose

Plymouth Resident Threatens Staff Bellevue’s Plymouth Housing/Porchlight campus continues to be a cancer on the community. On Sunday, a non-verbal Plymouth resident allegedly made terroristic threats. He scribbled on the wall that he would shoot staff with a pistol and held a weapon in his hand. NEW: After numerous problematic incidents at the Plymouth Housing/PorchLight campus in Bellevue, more neighbors are starting to scrutinize this facility and are now demanding accountability. (@FactoriaLLS)This Eastgate location triggers the most 911 calls in the city and is… pic.twitter.com/Rmyt2QGBNg— Jonathan Choe (@choeshow) August 15, 2025 Arrestee Known for Spitting and Kicking People Cops later determined the “weapon” was actually a

Tragic Accident at One of the Most Dangerous Intersections in Little Saigon

Drug Addicts Contribute to Dangerous Conditions Horrific scene Sunday morning in Seattle’s Little Saigon neighborhood. Cops say a semi-truck driver hit a man crossing the street at the intersection of 12th Ave S. & S. King St. Investigators say the driver was not impaired. No one was arrested. This appears to be a tragic accident. Meanwhile, this area is arguably one of the most dangerous intersections in the city. You have construction going on, drug addicts walking around like zombies, and cars are constantly zooming through the streets. Police investigating fatal pedestrian collision:https://t.co/46EVgtSxcf— Seattle Police Department (@SeattlePD) September 14, 2025