Category — Belltown

Crime in Belltown received quite a bit of attention this past week when one watchful neighbor uploaded BelltownCrime videos onto YouTube. This Belltown resident filmed all kinds of interesting activities in her alleyway and posted them up for the world to watch - the videos have since been removed but you can follow all the drama that happened as a result on the The Seattle PI’s blog.  

But, this does beg the question (and especially since downtown Seattle is constantly being pushed as a density poster child for the rest of the city) how are things working out for our city center? Is downtown Seattle safe?

Well, according to a survey published by the Downtown Seattle Association, that depends on what time of day you’re downtown.

Sixty-nine percent of residents believe that Downtown is a safe place to live versus 77% in 2006. While overall survey results dipped slightly in 2007, the perception of safety in the Pioneer Square/International District neighborhood increased more than 13%. 

Residents continue to feel safe walking downtown during the day (93% in 2007 versus 95% in 2006); however, perceptions of nighttime safety have slipped (46% in 2007 versus 60% in 2006).

What’s really surprising though is the drop from 2006 to 2007. That’s a 25% one year drop in confidence - ouch!

(Crashworks from flickr photo - saw this photo republished first on Belltowner)

I was checking out the Real Change web site and saw their report on $3.5 million possibly being allocated to the Plymouth Housing Group to help purchase property at First Ave. and Cedar St. for housing for homeless people. Reading through the article some more, this property will operate on a ‘housing first’ model - which ,

Applicants do not need to have clean criminal records, a stable renter’s history, or proof of freedom from drug or alcohol addiction. “You take a person where they are, and then you provide the level of services they need to succeed,” (Joanne) LaTuchie (Seattle Office of Housing) says.

The only thing this project needs right now is approval from the city council, and hopefully that will go through.