Comments on: West Seattle Crime Watch: Highland Park arrest; robbery-suspect video

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 20:20:50 +0000

There are a number of things that the present owners can do.

1. Hire a professional management company. This particular property is self managed, I believe – and the owners are likely in over their heads. Either that or they don’t care. There are plenty of reputable management companies that will manage the property correctly. Unfortunately, that means less going to the bottom line, but the owners need to realize that missing income in the short term will result in a better property and neighborhood in the long term.

2. Start serving 10 day notices. This is the first step to eviction. I don’t know if the present owners are doing this.

3. Asking for help from the community. If we complain directly to the owners loudly enough, change will happen. I’ve also heard talk of suing the owners in Small Claims Court, and enough of those actions would prompt the owners to change quite quickly.

Thanks -

Tom

By: Mike

Mike — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 18:25:27 +0000

http://www.redfin.com/WA/Seattle/7701-15th-Ave-SW-98106/home/474602

That property is for sale. We should start a collection in the neighborhood to buy it out or something.

I appreciate the Athena’s post. It’s great to have a nice food spot in the neighborhood, and I try to make a point to come over as much as I can. An effective way to help take control over our neighborhood is just to be out and about. Looking forward to the live music in a couple weeks,that sounds like a fantastic idea.

By: rob

rob — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:35:20 +0000

The guys in the video were at the Morgan Junction Thriftway last night. Don’t know who they are, but they stand out. Shouldn’t be too hard for the police to find them.

By: Athena's

Athena's — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 02:45:26 +0000

Athena’s restaurant is located right next to troubled ally (Along side seamart)
We have been having trouble with the section 8 Apartments east of the alley since we have moved in a year ago.

We see that are many hard working families in individuals in the great area of highland park.

Unfortunately We have some Very Bad section 8 (Federal Housing) nieghbors across the alley from us!
If you pay taxes you are paying their rent!

I have witnessed a very bad situation get worse over the last few months.
Everything from crack sales, Liquor bottle security tags litter the lot, large fist fights,gambling,threats on business and personal,broken store front windows the list continues to build.
I fear if this is not curbed by the summer months its going to escalate to violence general badness.

I have spoken with the police and they are trying a few avenues.

There are ways to help!
Email
Kevin.McDaniel@seattle.gov (with spd)

With ANY complaints you may have had with section 8 tenants

Call 911 if you see any and all suspicious behavior.
The more calls on apartments the easier it will be to evict them.

Last but not least come down to our restaurant and hang out!! We have cheap beer on tapp (3.00 a pint) and delicious Gyros and burgers.

We can take this corner back from the crack dealers and thugs and make this a great place to live and raise a family!!

PS We will be having live music on April 6th from 6-8pm.

PSS We need you’re help!!

By: Melissa

Melissa — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 02:43:02 +0000

Rajami what is the name of property management company? Sounds like what we went through on 13th?

By: nemobeansmom

nemobeansmom — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:02:36 +0000

Wow I bet Zippy’s is glad they’re out of there!

By: M Flash

M Flash — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:01:25 +0000

Bad spot…drivers avoiding the red light cutting through the parking lot then heading in the alley behind the apt in the photo.
SEMART parking lot is big magnet for folks hanging
out looking BAD!!!
This area is a blight in the HP neighborhood. Time to CLEAN IT UP!!!
Also those stairs from Delridge to 14th need cleaning up including the weeds chopped short to keep things in view.

By: bigmark

bigmark — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 23:46:44 +0000

I’m curious what people expect the landlord to do. (I don’t mean that to sound like a passive-aggressive defense of the landlord, I’m actually curious.) Is it as simple as evicting the tenants? Are there legal issues with trying to do that to tenants who have signed a lease?

Is this the apartment in question? Seems like maybe the landlord doesn’t want to deal with this either, since it seems to have been for sale on and off for almost two years now.

http://www.redfin.com/WA/Seattle/7701-15th-Ave-SW-98106/home/474602

By: Rajami

Rajami — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 23:13:53 +0000

Some years ago our Highland Park neighborhood had a similar problem with a rental house a block away from this one. Despite numerous calls to SPD, despite calls and visits to the property management company (which happened to be in W. Sea.), no effective action was taken. The problem ended only when the tenant could not pay rent and was evicted – and their belongings were moved to the curb. A few years ago I saw a sign for that very same property management company at this apartment at 15th & Holden. Don’t know if they are still managers of the apartments. Perhaps we could invite the owner and the property management company to attend the next Highland Park meeting.

By: Danny

Danny — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 22:51:39 +0000

Yes, the police are well aware of that property. When I was filing a report about a car prowl in front of my house, a suspicious car parked a couple houses down. The officer told me they were scouts from the crack house apartments on 15th and Holden, sent over to keep an eye on him. To his credit, he did turn and face them as he finished taking my report.

I love Highland Park, but that intersection is sketchy. I don’t advocate a Tacoma Hilltop incident, but we have to take all the measures we can.

By: westman

westman — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:46:53 +0000

I lock my car door when I have to stop at that light because of that house! bad landlord!!

By: nick

nick — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 20:17:53 +0000

That apt building is loaded with a lot of scumbags I’ve seen it first hand when I get food from Athena’s. I think the landlord should also be accountable as well that place has been a problem for years. Any crime mapping would show that place as a hotspot

By: Darryll

Darryll — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 19:59:32 +0000

Thanks for the reminder, WSB! You’re absolutely right that citizen involvement is what gets things done. I was unfortunately wrapped up at work last night, but I do make it to these meetings whenever my schedule permits. I’d also like to start attending city level meetings to understand whether policy factors are forcing police to be less effective than they would like to be – I suspect this must be the case at some level.

My block also has a very active block watch – another key ingredient to reducing crime in your local area.

By: cs in hp

cs in hp — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:44:56 +0000

Yes- thank you for posting information about the Crime Prevention meetings WSB- the police know about the problems the neighborhood has been experiencing with the property on 15th and Holden- but the more people that voice their concerns and experience to the right people, the higher the priority it becomes, and the more proactive policing can be.

By: WSB

WSB — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:44:27 +0000

Great place to advocate police presence if you have a specific concern is to come to the West Seattle Crime Prevention Council meetings, where the second-in-command lieutenant from the precinct stands before whomever shows up and asks about concerns. Last night, while there were some new faces there to hear SPD’s graffiti detective (story to come), there still was PLENTY more time that could have been spent listening to and answering neighborhood questions – the meeting ended half an hour shorter than it could have run. We mention these meetings frequently; third Tuesday of the month, 7 pm. – TR