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Housing
New Housing Project

SEATTLE

Turning Neighborhoods Around

Affordable housing in accessible, inner city neighborhoods is not quite a reality for Seattle, but it’s no longer a pipe dream. Seattle CDCs have made strides toward revitalizing urban neighborhoods, while finding creative ways to reclaim areas such as the International District from criminals and local gangs.

Bringing Back Delridge

Delridge, bordering the city’s largest steel mill, is currently one of the poorer neighborhoods in Seattle: its median income is about $20,000 less than that of the city as a whole. About one-third of the rental units in the area are subsidized, and many are in disrepair.

One of the primary targets for redevelopment is the 716-unit High Point public housing development, which dates back to World War II, when it was built as temporary housing for workers. With a HOPE VI-funded redevelopment plan, the city government and Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association are collaborating on an effort to turn the High Point housing complex into a mixed income development. Low-interest rehabilitation loans will make it easier for residents to maintain their property, and new construction will include owner-occupied units, market rate rental units, and senior citizens’ housing.

Other deteriorated public housing developments, such as the Brandon Court housing complex, are also slated for redevelopment.

Improving Relations in the International District

seattle

The International District is Seattle’s most diverse neighborhood, with about half its population foreign-born. For many years, language and cultural divisions took their toll: the area was considered a hub of criminal activity, partly the result of poor relationships between the largely white police force and the local Asian population. The Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) has stepped in to build a productive alliance between police and the local community, transforming an area once associated with drive-by shootings and gang activities into a popular restaurant district. Stop signs, alley floodlights, and property development have made the area more pedestrian-friendly, and local businesses are flourishing.

While CDCs have done a lot to make Seattle accessible to all residents, many poor neighborhoods still face challenges. Neighborhood planning coalitions have been received with enthusiasm, but detailed planning remains difficult in neighborhoods where up to 35 different languages are spoken.