Let’s face it: There’s so much we don’t get about homelessness in Seattle. How it happens, why it’s happening to more than 12,000 of us in King County, and why we can’t seem to stop it.

So first off, thanks to everyone who took the time to send in a candid, honest question about homelessness in Seattle. Most of them are thoughtful. Many are compassionate. Some are frustrated, and a few are downright mad. But all of them are valuable, because they show us where we need to dig in, get real, and learn more.

Ready for the next step? Excellent. ‘Cause we’ve selected three of your questions to share back with you for a vote. They represent curiosities and concerns we heard from a lot of you, and we’d be down to help you tackle any of them.

» Follow this link to cast your vote: Which of the below questions should we explore first?

• What is it like to transition from having a home to homelessness? I’m sure it doesn’t happen overnight, but HOW does it happen? — Tiffany Campbell
• Does Seattle get an influx of homeless people from outside areas attracted to better services? — Craig Danz
• How is the city including homeless or formerly homeless residents into the decision making process? — Jamie

We’re thrilled that we can help you get to the bottom of one of these questions. We’re even more thrilled that we’re not the only ones. After you cast your vote for which of the above questions you’d like us to tackle, head on over to GeekWire. They’ve partnered with us to hear and answer your questions, and they’ll have a different set of ‘em ready for your vote by 11 a.m. today.

On July 19, even more awesome local journalists will join the project. Crosscut, Seattlepi.com, Real Change, and Patch will ask their audiences to share and pick questions for them to report. Real Change is co-created with locals who’ve experienced homelessness, so we’re especially excited that they’re in the mix. 👍

But back to the present » Go vote on the question you want us to answer first! Voting closes tomorrow at 10 a.m., it’ll only take a second, and no one is better qualified to help than you.

Crime is down… kinda. The Seattle Times’ Gene Balk learned some interesting things when he compared crime rates around Seattle from two periods — 2008 to 2010 and 2015 to 2017. A few highlights:

• Seattle’s overall crime rate is down 3 percent, even though the number of reported crimes is up 13 percent. That’s because our population is up even more — by about 19 percent.
• Generally, crime rates have gone down in South Seattle and up in North Seattle — though crime rates in most northern neighborhoods are still below average.
• South Delridge, a neighborhood in West Seattle, saw the biggest spike in crime — 56 percent.
• South Lake Union, our fastest-growing neighborhood, saw the biggest dip in crime — 55 percent.
• And because data can’t capture everything, it’s worth noting that older white people are most likely to report crime, while younger people and people of color aren’t as likely to.

Best is back. A couple months ago, a search committee convened by Mayor Jenny Durkan announced its top three picks for a big job: our chief of police. One prominent name missing from the list: interim police chief Carmen Best, a 26-year veteran of the department. Lots of Seattleites, including members of the police chief search committee, were upset. Fast forward to this weekend, and Best is back in the running after candidate Cameron McLay withdrew his application. Running alongside Carmen: Ely Reyes, an assistant chief of the Austin Police Department, and Eddie Frizell, a Minneapolis police inspector. (Crosscut)

Breaking a pizza our hearts. Pagliacci Pizza owners announced they’re closing the chain’s first location on The Ave in the University District. But they’ll be going out with a bang, serving free slices on their last day, July 26. And in more sad food news, the owners of South Lake Union seafood joint Chandler’s Crabhouse said they’ll be closing up shop come September because real estate developer Vulcan is redeveloping the property. 🦀 (The Seattle Times)

We kid you not. Seattle’s food scene is booming, but it can be kinda hard to know where to go when you have your little ones in tow. Thankfully, the good folks at The Infatuation have some rad recs for spots hustlin’ parents can go for grub. A couple standouts: West Seattle’s Ma’ono Fried Chicken & Whiskey for kimchi mac ‘n’ cheese and banana cream pie and Fremont’s Frelard Pizza Co. for its delicious pies and handy “kid pit” play area. Want more recs? Seattle author Angela Garbes gave us some great tips for dining out with kiddos, too. (The Infatuation)

The great pop vs. soda debate. If you’re from Seattle and you’re older, you might call a carbonated drink “pop.” If you’re not from here, or you’re from here and younger, you might call it “soda.” At least, that’s how some of you say it all shakes out on our Facebook page. Curious which of the terms won big in our totally unscientific poll? Pop on over and see. And thanks to reader Andy Engelson for sparking this debate after we used the word “soda” in a story about a still-missing mystery “pop” machine on Capitol Hill. (Facebook)

THAT’S ALL FOR TODAY

We’ll see you tomorrow. — The Evergrey