Caitlyn McKenney

Caitlyn (Axe) McKenney was a research fellow and program coordinator for Discovery Institute’s Center on Wealth & Poverty. Her work has centered on government fiscal accountability, political rhetoric, and addiction with a focus on human dignity ethics. Caitlyn is a graduate of the University of Washington, has interned for a political advocacy organization in Washington, D.C., and has participated in the Vita Institute at the University of Notre Dame. She is published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, at The American Spectator and the Federalist, and has made local and national media appearances.

Archives

Brian Chandler’s Journey from Addiction to Service

Caitlyn McKenney
March 26, 2025
In this episode of Restorations, Caitlyn McKenney is joined by Brian Chandler of Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission. Brian shares his incredible journey to UGM and the innovative work the mission is doing to build government relationships for the greater good of the city. …

Homelessness CEO Spends 24 Hours Unsheltered in Seattle

Caitlyn McKenney
March 3, 2025
In this episode of Restorations, Caitlyn McKenney is joined by Kim Cook the CEO of Bread of Life Mission in Seattle’s historic Pioneer Square. Caitlyn and Kim react to conversations Kim had during a 24 hour livestream outside in from of the Mission. Together, they discuss cancel culture, harm reduction, accountability and the power of dialogue with advocates from all ends of the political and ideological spectrum. Guest Spotlight: Kim Cook, CEO of Bread of Life Mission in Seattle, spent 24 hours on a bench in Pioneer Square livestreaming conversations as part of a Citygate Network project with 15 missions across the country. Eight S’s Framework: Bread of Life uses “Safe, Sober, Stable, Schooled, Skilled, Secure, Settled, Serving” to guide individuals from crisis to …

Homelessness Data Suggests Economic Factors Not a Main Driver

Caitlyn McKenney
February 19, 2025
Caitlyn McKenney reacts to data shared by the Mayor of Normandy Park WA that shows the role of addiction and mental illness in homelessness. This data should inform policymakers in Washington as they consider a bill that would make it easier to sue cities for restricting public camping. Follow Fix Homelessness at fixhomelessness.org. …

Homelessness Data Suggests Economic Factors Not a Main Driver

Caitlyn McKenney
February 18, 2025
Caitlyn McKenney reacts to data shared by the Mayor of Normandy Park WA that shows the role of addiction and mental illness in homelessness. This data should inform policymakers in Washington as they consider a bill that would make it easier to sue cities for restricting public camping. …

Is Housing a Human Right?

Caitlyn McKenney
February 5, 2025
The U.S. Constitution establishes life, liberty and property as unalienable rights but makes no room for a human right to the provision of housing.

Sensible WA Tenancy Laws Will Help Housing Stability

Caitlyn McKenney
February 4, 2025
The Washington Legislature is considering a bill aimed at “improving housing stability for tenants” by capping rent increases at 7% and fees at 1.5% of monthly rent. Instead of mandating rent control, lawmakers should provide housing stability by enacting smart landlord-tenant laws. More than half of Seattle residents are renters, and the growing dysfunction in Seattle’s affordable housing market offers cautionary insights into the meaning of housing stability. Last summer, the city distributed $14 million in emergency funding to affordable housing providers on the brink of collapse. If there is any picture painted by the applications for funding, it is one of housing instability. The applications, which are public records, document what has happened in some of …

Washington State Debates Rent Control

Caitlyn McKenney
January 24, 2025
SB 5222 WA’s Senate Housing Committee heard testimony on SB 5222, a bill that would mandate a 7% cap on rent increases (aka rent control). If you care about the cost of housing, watch these key moments from expert testimony. But first, the bill’s sponsor asking for grace. PRO PRO price cap: Bryce Yadon says renters “deserve the same assurance I have that my mortgage won’t increase 25% in a single year because the bank decided they didn’t plan.” “I’ll have to do some research…” Sen Chris Gildon asks Bryce for an example of where rent control has worked. “I’ll have to do some research and get back to you.” Counter-Question Sen Alvarado (who introduced the bill as a Rep in the …

The YIMBY Movement Faces Challenges on Both Sides of the Aisle

Caitlyn McKenney
January 15, 2025
“Yes In My Backyard” — if the phrase has yet to enter your lexicon, the YIMBY movement is a growing cultural and political response to its predecessor, NIMBY (“Not In My Backyard”), which conjured images of wealthy property owners in manicured neighborhoods railing against property development nearby that would change the “feel” of the area. Whether or not that image is fair and accurate, as the nation faces a shortage of nearly 4 million homes, a pro-housing response is understandably on the rise. And while the YIMBY movement has garnered impressive traction on both sides of the political aisle — Harris and Trump have both vocalized pro-housing development sentiment — it is also not immune to criticism from both sides. A recent Vox analysis of the future of the …

Feds Flub Homelessness by Ignoring Addiction

Caitlyn McKenney
January 9, 2025
The federal government is hoping you, the public, won’t notice that homelessness in America reached an all-time high last year. That was the impression given by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) when it quietly released the 2024 annual homelessness report on the Friday between Christmas, Hannukah, and New Year’s. Nationwide, 771,480 people were experiencing homelessness in 2024, an 18 percent increase from the year before and the highest number on record. The HUD administration attributes this record-setting number to a lack of affordable housing, systemic racism, and rising inflation. Impossible to hide, the report also highlights the strain caused by a surge in migrants and asylum seekers: “new arrivals” made up 13,600 of Chicago’s …

As Region Faces Shortage, Seattle Needs to Preserve its Existing Housing 

Caitlyn McKenney
December 18, 2024
According to a 2024 report on housing production from Up For Growth, the metro area encompassing Seattle, Tacoma, and Bellevue is facing a shortage of 71,060 homes. That amounts to 4.2% of the region’s total housing stock. While the production of new homes is vital to closing the gap between supply and demand, so is the preservation of existing housing, especially affordable housing. A recent op-ed in the Seattle Times called on Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell to suspend the city’s winter eviction moratorium, a law that halts evictions for the nonpayment of rent from December through March every year. The article is authored by Sharon Lee, executive Director of the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), and Emily Thompson, a partner at GMD Development. LIHI owns or …

King County Homelessness CEO Makes $200K+ Despite Dismal Homelessness Figures

Caitlyn McKenney
December 18, 2024
Where Is All the Money Going? King County homelessness authority CEO’s salary is $290,000 — that’s more than the Seattle median income and average tech salary COMBINED. Taxpayer funded. Meanwhile, Seattle’s homelessness crisis is third worst in the nation. Let’s take a look. KCRHA Employee Salaries The King County Regional Homelessness Authority has been embroiled in controversy since its start in 2022. Former CEO Marc Dones made $247,200. Hired this year, new CEO Kelly Kinnison is being paid $290,000. Kinnison is not the only one making $200k+. Kelly Kinnison Marc Dones More Salaries King County Regional Homelessness Authority Salaries: CEO Kelly Kinnison – $290,000 CPO Irene Agustin – $205,000 CFO James Rouse – …

A Majority of Americans Say They Favor Rent Caps, but the Results Say They Shouldn’t

Caitlyn McKenney
December 13, 2024
According to a recent survey commissioned by Redfin Real Estate, the majority of U.S. residents are in favor of caps on rent increases. When presented with the statement, “there should be caps on the amount landlords are allowed to increase rent,” 82% of respondents agreed. This significant majority holds regardless of political party or homeownership, though Democrats and renters were about 7% more likely to favor rent caps than Republicans or homeowners. What are “rent caps”? A more familiar term for the government regulation of rent increases is “rent control.” According to the National Apartment Association (NAA), only seven states, in addition to the District of Columbia, have enacted rent control policies locally or statewide. Interestingly, …

A Majority of Americans Say They Favor Rent Caps, but the Results Say They Shouldn’t

Caitlyn McKenney
December 13, 2024
According to a recent survey commissioned by Redfin Real Estate, the majority of U.S. residents are in favor of caps on rent increases. When presented with the statement, “there should be caps on the amount landlords are allowed to increase rent,” 82% of respondents agreed. This significant majority holds regardless of political party or homeownership, though Democrats and renters were about 7% more likely to favor rent caps than Republicans or homeowners. What are “rent caps”? A more familiar term for the government regulation of rent increases is “rent control.” According to the National Apartment Association (NAA), only seven states, in addition to the District of Columbia, have enacted rent control policies locally or statewide. Interestingly, an online poll from …

Addiction Treatment Should Look Like This

Art Dahlen
December 5, 2024
In this episode of Restorations, Caitlyn McKenney is joined by the founder of Battlefield Addiction Art Dahlen. As a former addict, Art shares personal insights on addiction treatment, the policy environment in Seattle, and the power of language.

Addiction Treatment Should Look Like This

Caitlyn McKenney
December 5, 2024
In this episode of Restorations, Caitlyn McKenney is joined by the founder of Battlefield Addiction Art Dahlen. As a former addict, Art shares personal insights on addiction treatment, the policy environment in Seattle, and the power of language. Learn more about Battlefield Addiction at battlefieldaddiction.com Join the conversation on X @CaitlynMcKenney or @DiscoveryCWP. Episode Summary: In this episode of Restorations, host Caitlyn McKenney speaks with Art Dahlen, founder of Battlefield Addiction, about addiction, recovery, and harm reduction policies in Seattle. The discussion explores personal experiences, societal impacts, and effective strategies for combating addiction and homelessness. Key Points Discussed Draft Legislation in WA State: Caitlyn critiques a …