Simply Superior, January 7, 2022

This week on “Simply Superior,” we discuss homeless encampments in the Twin Ports, and ways to address them. With homelessness on the rise, it has also become more visible with colorful tents in encampments that have emerged as de facto alternatives to emergency shelters for those unable to meet the rising cost of housing. Joining “Simply Superior” host Robin Washington to explain the causes behind the increase are John Cole, executive director of CHUM, the Twin Ports largest food shelf and emergency shelter provider, and Harvard University postdoctoral fellow and UCLA Sociology Professor Chris Herring. They also identify some solutions, such as tiny homes, as well as the challenges of getting government entities to fully engage with the issue.

Also, we highlight Twin Ports based internationally known country-blues musician Charlie Parr, who is performing a series of weekly shows through January. Washington speaks with the owner of Earth Rider Brewery, where Parr will be playing, about how this performance series has become an annual January tradition.