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Delridge problem-properties followup: City rule change in progress
August 23, 2009 2:02 pm
|      5 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

Four months ago, North Delridge Neighborhood Council co-chair Mike Dady led a tour of “problem properties” in the area – including rundown homes that sit vacant (like the one above at 3804 23rd SW, where another complaint is under investigation now), often frequented by squatters, posing safety and sanitation risks to neighboring residents and businesses. (Here’s our detailed report.) Two City Councilmembers — Sally Clark and Tim Burgess — plus one council candidate (David Bloom) and two city department heads were along for the tour; action was promised on several fronts, including a potential city rule change to allow properties to be demolished even if a plan for their replacement has not been approved. Dady followed up with the city this past week and learned that rule change is making it through the system; here’s the “determination of non-significance” published last month as part of the process – according to Department of Planning and Development director Diane Sugimura, one of the city officials who joined April’s tour, no one appealed that notice, so the ordinance went to the mayor’s office last week – you can read its full text here. Mayoral and council approval are required; we’ll follow its progress through the system.

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Alki’s long-empty Shoremont now subject of “emergency order”
August 21, 2009 9:02 am
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

shoremontdoomed.jpg

(WSB photo from 2008)
It’s been almost a year since a demolition permit was issued for the 86-year-old Shoremont Apartments on Alki (map), with a new development planned at the site. Since then, as the development climate has cooled, they have sat empty, somewhat battered and “forlorn,” the word used by “S” in tipping us that the city DPD has posted an “emergency order” at the Shoremont after finding it in violation of city codes by being “open to entry” – see the complaint/violation history here. The Shoremont last changed hands in early 2008; we last heard from its owner/developers in October and will seek them out again for comment on this.

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West Seattle scenes: Beer (in the) garden; ice-cream open house
August 8, 2009 2:58 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Gardening | Pets | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news | WS beverages

Sure, you need a sweater, but otherwise there are music and beverages to keep you warm at West Seattle Nursery till 5 pm today. It’s a fundraiser for Furry Faces Foundation, with Beveridge Place Pub‘s Gary Sink pouring:

We also have a photo to share from an outdoor celebration in the Roxhill area night before last:

(Thursday photo courtesy Lutheran Alliance To Create Housing)
Paul Hogle and other board members from The Lutheran Alliance To Create Housing (LATCH) served ice cream during an open house/ice-cream social at Longfellow and Westwood Courts. LATCH, with 36 member congregations, oversees more than 200 apartments around the city, including these West Seattle properties.

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North Delridge Neighborhood Council: Elections ahead, and more
August 6, 2009 3:49 am
|    Comments Off on North Delridge Neighborhood Council: Elections ahead, and more
 |   Delridge | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

Toplines from last night’s North Delridge Neighborhood Council meeting:

ndncsign.jpg*Officer elections are coming up in October. But first – nominations will be sought; look for that announcement on the NDNC e-mail group.

*Adopt-A-Street cleanup: You’re invited to pitch in and help out on August 29th. As usual, volunteers will meet up that morning at Delridge Community Center and take off after coffee/snacks. Watch for more details. Separate cleanups may be scheduled for area traffic circles.

*Future meeting speakers: When this topic came up, a popular suggestion was Al Poole, the city’s director of “homelessness intervention” – group members have been talking about the seasonal return of makeshift homeless mini-camps in the greenbelt along 26th SW, and this type of speaker might help educate everyone on how to handle such situations, as well as dealing with the chronic problem that the NDNC has fought in recent months (notably including the tour given to city leaders four months ago) – rundown, vacant houses, often taken over by squatters.

*Location change for next month’s meeting: Watch for an announcement – the library isn’t available that night (September 2) – suggestions included Olympia Pizza, but nothing’s final yet.

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City Council sets public hearing for “backyard cottages” plan
July 28, 2009 11:19 am
|      15 COMMENTS
 |   Development | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

The city’s proposal to enable the building of dozens more “backyard cottages” – allowed now only in Southeast Seattle but potentially to be allowed around the rest of Seattle – sparked a lot of discussion during presentations at recent community-group meetings in West Seattle, so we’re sharing this announcement just forwarded by the Department of Neighborhoods‘ Delridge District Coordinator Ron Angeles: A public hearing on the plan is now set for 5:30 pm on September 15 in the council chambers at City Hall downtown. In the meantime, the Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee will get a briefing at 9:30 am August 12 – that committee meeting, like most, will have a “general public comment period” beforehand if there’s anything you’d like to say. You can also send your thoughts to council members via their website, and if you’re just catching up on the backyard-cottage proposal, you can read up here.
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Onetime $4.8 million Sunset listing now $3 million foreclosure
July 2, 2009 6:03 am
|      37 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle housing | West Seattle news


View Larger Map

Google Street View caught that blufftop home at 1114 Sunset when a for-sale sign was still out front. We mentioned it here in May of last year, when Robert called our attention to its then-$4.8 million for-sale listing. We lost track of what happened to it — till it turned up in the Trustee Sales (foreclosures) section of the Daily Journal of Commerce this week. It’s scheduled to be put up for auction next week, 10 am July 10th at the county courthouse. The notice says $3.1 million principal is due along with almost $300,000 more in interest and other charges/fees; as recently as last weekend, it was listed as a “short sale” for $3.4 million; you can still get a hint of the original $4.8 million listing on the builders’ website.

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Happening today/tonight, in (and/or relevant to) West Seattle
June 15, 2009 7:11 am
|    Comments Off on Happening today/tonight, in (and/or relevant to) West Seattle
 |   West Seattle housing | West Seattle news | West Seattle schools

FIRST DAY OF THE LAST WEEK FOR SEATTLE PUBLIC SCHOOLS: With a few days tacked on to make up for time lost pre-winter break during Snowpocalypse (flash back six months), Friday is the last scheduled day.

AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITY – HENNA IN HIGH POINT: 3 pm today, “Hands-On Henna” at High Point Library. More here.

HOUSING LEVY, SECOND-TO-LAST COUNCIL CONSIDERATION: You’ll see it on the ballot this fall, provided nothing unexpected happens today (2 pm) or next Monday as the next seven-year housing levy finishes making its way through the Seattle City Council. All the fine print is here.

MAD CITY CHICKENS: As previewed on Sunday – Sustainable West Seattle is presenting a screening you can see for, well, chicken scratch ($3 suggested donation, Youngstown Arts Center, 7 pm).

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At the Court of Appeals: Satterlee House case arguments
June 10, 2009 9:51 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

Almost 20 years in Seattle news, and there’s always a first. Today: Our first time in the 1st Division, Washington Court of Appeals, 2nd-highest court in the state, which hears cases at One Union Square downtown. satterleelawn.jpgThe case to be argued within the next hour or so: Satterlee House owner William Conner‘s appeal of a King County Superior Court ruling last October (WSB coverage here) upholding the city decision in April 2008 (WSB coverage here) not to let him proceed with a specific proposal for three 2,000-ish-square-foot homes on the lawn of the Beach Drive house also known as “The Painted Lady” (photo left). We do not have permission to photograph here but can tell you by means of scene-setting: This is homier than the usual courtroom; the gallery where lawyers and spectators are sitting has padded bench seating and windows with natural light. Two cases are on the docket before Conner’s lawyer Richard Hill and city lawyer Judy Barbour – who have been on this case all along – get their turn before the panel of three judges, who are sitting in a raised area reminiscent of City Council chambers. (Both already are here – Hill with Conner – seated, waiting, on opposite sides of the courtroom.) Each side in each case gets 10 minutes for their oral arguments – and there’s no messing around – there’s a digital countdown clock, illuminated in red, in front of where the lawyers stand, and once a lawyer begins, it counts down from 10:00. (Of course, plenty of written casework has been submitted well in advance; this is a supplement to that, and a chance for the judges to ask questions, as we are seeing with the first case under way here this morning.) We’ll report later on what’s said here, and what happens next; the audio from the hearing also should be posted later here. 11 AM UPDATE: Arguments were over by 10:30; full story to come – no rulings today – will be checking on a likely timeframe.

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Happening now: P-Patch progress, plant sale, apartment tour
June 6, 2009 12:53 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Fun stuff to do | Gardening | West Seattle housing

More work today at the new P-Patch in The Junction: Aaron Hernandez from the Friends of Genesee P-Patch sent that photo from Thursday – a city crew has been by to help clear the garden site, which as we recently reported, is one of four new P-Patch sites in line for city funding from the Parks and Green Spaces Levy (the P-Patch also has received a Small and Simple Grant, according to Aaron). Site volunteers are doing some more work there today; if you’re interested in future involvement with the P-Patch, you can reach Aaron here. No matter what kind of gardening you’re doing, you need something to grow. You’ve got myriad plant-buying options this weekend – for one, Village Green Perennial Nursery has just rejoined us as a WSB sponsor – they’re only open for the season till June 28 – and then there’s the Furry Faces Foundation fundraising plant sale:

Lora Lewis from F3 and Hotwire Coffee (WSB sponsor) sent that petunia photo. The sale — with most plants from $1 to $5, Lora notes — continues till 4 pm, and again 10 am-4 pm tomorrow, at 3809 46th SW (tomorrow adoptable pets will be there too, noon-4 pm). Back in The Junction, till 2 pm today, you can enjoy free treats and get a tour at Mural Apartments (WSB sponsor), which has thrown open the doors to show off in its first month of renting brand-new units in “Downtown West Seattle.” 42nd SW, right across from Jefferson Square. Say hi to manager Rose (posing with some of the aforementioned free snacks):

Again, the full slate of what’s up this weekend is in the West Seattle Weekend Lineup.

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Also in court next week: Satterlee House front-lawn fight
June 4, 2009 12:30 pm
|      13 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle history | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

paintedlady.jpg

The Cooper School closure challenge isn’t the only big West Seattle case that’ll be argued in court next week. Wednesday is the date that lawyers for the city and for homeowner William Conner will be in the Court of Appeals to make oral arguments in Conner’s appeal of a city ruling against his proposal to build three homes on the front lawn of Beach Drive’s city-landmark Satterlee House:

satterleelawn1.jpg

We have covered the case extensively here, including the Hearing Examiner proceedings that upheld the Landmarks Board‘s rule (here’s our coverage of that decision in April 2008; then the Superior Court arguments last October, and the ruling later that month which Conner is challenging in the Court of Appeals. The city contends that the landmark status of the property — which gives the Landmarks Board the right to approve or deny development proposals, remodeling proposals, and more — includes the front lawn, and Conner’s arguments say it doesn’t, among many other points. The city’s case does not say Conner can’t build anything on the lawn, however, but that this particular proposal would be detrimental to the landmark. The case is getting national attention – the National Trust for Historic Preservation has filed a friend-of-the-court brief supporting the city; read about it here. (Side note, since some have asked in previous coverage: Satterlee House owner William Conner founded Conner Homes, which is developing property at California/Alaska/42nd in The Junction, but it is now run by his son Charlie Conner.)

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Welcoming a new WSB sponsor: Desiree Loughlin
May 30, 2009 11:26 pm
|      1 COMMENT
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle housing

This weekend, we welcome a new WSB sponsor, Desiree Loughlin from Windermere Real Estate in The Junction. She is currently showing 5057 35th Ave SW in West Seattle. Desiree’s been at the Junction office since 2001; that’s where she teams with Domenica Lovaglia and Jessica Tavares. During this time she has learned not only that there is “fair market value” for every home but that how the home is presented is also key — see how this all comes together, Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm, at the open house for 5057 35th SW. She believes that real estate is financial AND emotional and when done properly is about building sustainable neighborhoods and communities. Desiree says this business philosophy is especially relevant in the current real estate market. “Right now, real estate needs sound judgment. Many clients are looking for overly optimistic assessments that are not warranted. My responsibility is to convey good information. I develop close relationships with my clients. Because I level with them, they know that they can make their decisions with confidence.” For a little background on Desiree, know that she’s mom to Jackson, a first-grader at Alki, and Ruby, a kindergartener at Lafayette. She laughs large, loves music and often plays at West Seattle’s many parks. This summer she’s looking forward to blue skies and the upcoming Hiawatha Summer Concerts (where she might even be performing). Here’s a map to Sunday’s open house site at 5057 35th SW.

Thanks to Desiree Loughlin for supporting community news, information and discussion on WSB; our current team of sponsors is on this page, along with information on how to join them!

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Delridge demolition: “Problem property” now pile of debris
May 27, 2009 9:49 am
|      1 COMMENT
 |   Delridge | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

Thanks to North Delridge Neighborhood Council’s Mike Dady for sending word that 4117 Delridge (map) is no more. It’s one of the five sites he included on the “Delridge problem properties” tour that drew two City Council members and a delegation of other high-ranking city reps a month and a half ago (WSB coverage is here and here). We reported 11 days ago that its demolition permit had been granted, to close a city-violation “unfit premises” case; also in that report, we noted that one of the councilmembers who attended the tour, Sally Clark, is taking comment on the concept of making it easier for houses like this to be demolished even if the owner doesn’t have a replacement plan.

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Welcoming a new WSB sponsor: Kennan-Meyer Architecture
May 18, 2009 1:55 pm
|    Comments Off on Welcoming a new WSB sponsor: Kennan-Meyer Architecture
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle housing

(From left, Kennan-Meyer Architecture‘s senior architect Kit Newman and owner Lisa Kennan-Meyer)
Today, we welcome a new WSB sponsor: Kennan-Meyer Architecture. Kennan-Meyer has been in West Seattle for 18 years. You know their work from their offices at 5426 California SW (map), and from the photos you can see on their website. The firm specializes in all aspects of housing, from remodels to new homes and multi-family projects. Owner Lisa Kennan-Meyer says her firm is uniquely suited to understanding new homes and remodeling in West Seattle: “Our firm has extensive knowledge about local architecture, local codes, and local climate patterns. I grew up in Seattle and went to Architecture School at the University of Washington, so I am connected to the design and building community. I know the area, the materials that work here, and the ideas that are best left in the southwest or the desert. Local architecture and development patterns are unique to a region, and its materials, weather, and lifestyle. We bring all those items into consideration in working with our clients.” Lisa says Kennan-Meyer Architecture‘s clients have called their work “gifted,” and she’s been complimented on her firm’s listening skills and down-to-earth common sense. Kennan-Meyer Architecture is a member of AIA (American Institute of Architects), Master Builders Association of King and Snohomish Counties, and Solar Energy International. They can be contacted at www.kennanmeyerarch.com and 206-938-1970.

Thanks to Kennan-Meyer Architecture for supporting 24/7 community news, information and discussion by sponsoring West Seattle Blog; our full list of sponsors is here, as is info on how to join them!

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Delridge problem properties: 1 permit, 1 councilmember update
May 16, 2009 2:02 pm
|    Comments Off on Delridge problem properties: 1 permit, 1 councilmember update
 |   Delridge | Safety | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

Six weeks after two city councilmembers joined a Delridge delegation on a tour of problem properties – long-vacant houses used by squatters, or otherwise threatening neighborhood health and safety (WSB coverage is here and here) – we have two updates. First, 4117 Delridge (map) – where we got the above video clip during the April 3 tour, with North Delridge Neighborhood Council‘s Mike Dady talking about the frustration that site has caused him for years – now has a demolition permit, issued just yesterday. (We saw a work crew at the site earlier today, though no backhoe in sight.) The permit says demolition will resolve a DPD case. Meanwhile, one of the councilmembers who joined in the tour, Sally Clark, mentioned her action plan in her monthly newsletter that’s just been e-mailed out:

… As a result of the neighborhood’s advocacy we will be looking at a change in the land use code to allow quicker demolition of a single family house. Right now you can’t demolish unless you have a plan and permit to rebuild. This concept makes sense in protecting housing stock and should be retained for multi-family areas. In single-family zones the requirement prevents owners who want to do the right thing from removing derelict homes. It’s not a perfect solution. I would rather see these houses reclaimed and lived in, but for some neighbors the wait for the perfect solution has already been too long. Watch for PLUNC to take up this idea this summer. If you’d like more information or have feedback about the idea of allowing demolition of single-family homes without a new building permit in hand, please contact me.

Here’s Councilmember Clark’s contact info; PLUNC is the Planning, Land Use and Neighborhoods Committee that she chairs — track its meetings and agendas here. Councilmember Tim Burgess was on the tour too and promised at the time to pursue a proposal to make property owners more accountable, though it hasn’t come up yet before the Public Safety (etc.) committee he chairs.

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Attention, landlords: Workshop to help you prevent/solve problems
May 16, 2009 12:22 pm
|      3 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

There’s a lot more to being a good landlord/property manager than collecting the rent checks. With that in mind, Seattle Neighborhood Group joined WSB as a sponsor to get the word out about its one-day workshop for landlords/property managers – coming up this Wednesday in West Seattle. Here are the details:

Property manager or landlord? Searching for practical tips on managing your rental property? On May 20, an affordable, effective workshop is scheduled in West Seattle.
Topics include:
· Screen applications legally and effectively
· Create strong, enforceable rental agreements
· Attract and retain reliable tenants
· Prevent unwanted activity
· Motivate residents to report problems to you before they escalate
· Enhance physical spaces to make them safer & more secure for people who use them
· Recognize signs of drug and criminal activity
· Work with police and other resources to address trespass andillegal activity
· Recent changes in landlord/tenant law
· Crisis resolution, notices and evictions
The workshop is scheduled 8-4:30 Wednesday May 20 in West Seattle, at 2300 SW Webster (at Delridge Way SW), in the community room of the Southwest Precinct. At 8 AM, participants begin signing-in and pick up materials and a continental breakfast. At 8:30 AM, the workshop will start. Cost for the day is $25, including manual. Lunch: BYO or in the neighborhood. The workshop will end at 4:30 PM. Participants will receive certificate of completion. To pre-register, go to: www.sngi.org/landlord_register.html (through PayPal). For more information, contact SNG. E-mail lois@sngi.org or call 206-323-9666 / 206-323-3150.

The online brochure for this workshop can be seen here.

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High Point “green rental” milestone, with celebration tonight
April 21, 2009 12:23 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Environment | High Point | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

See the solar panels on the roof of this High Point duplex (on 30th west of Morgan)? During a media tour this morning, we learned about one unit in that duplex that’s involved in a pilot program — the only HP rental with solar hot-water heat, and today was a prime day to show it off:

It’s an “on-demand” water-heating system also linked into the 3-bedroom unit’s main heating system. During the media tour (also attended by two TV stations, one radio station, and the Daily Journal of Commerce and Voice newspapers), the Seattle Housing Authority showed off this unit — here’s some of what SHA’s HP manager Tom Phillips had to say:

The tour also peeked into a nearby “Breathe Easy” unit specially geared to help asthmatics or reduce the incidence of the disease – note there are no steps leading up to this home’s porch, one of the ways in which it’s built to assist those with difficulty breathing:

This morning’s tour was offered in advance of an event tonight, with dignitaries to include Mayor Nickels and County Council Chair Dow Constantine, 5-7 pm, celebrating the completion of phase two of High Point’s rental housing — 600 units, which SHA estimates are about 85% rented (work on the last few units is just finishing up now; 60 of the 600 are “Breathe Easy” units, by the way). You’re invited to tonight’s event – more info here.

FROM TUESDAY EVENING: Two photos from the evening event held at the duplex with the solar panels – here’s the mayor in the room with the water heater:

And here’s the crowd in the front yard, with the big tree that project managers say makes the site even greener, in a variety of ways:

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West Seattle scenes: The point; a perch; on stage; on street
April 19, 2009 11:56 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle housing | West Seattle schools | Wildlife

Thanks to JayDee for that view from Sunset Avenue SW, looking out toward Alki Point, with Blake Island in the background. Next: Ground-level on Alki, we spotted this bird a few days ago, and have been meaning to ask aloud if it’s yet another eagle-in-transition:

Different kind of creatures onstage this past week at West Seattle Montessori School (WSB sponsor) – congratulations to the preprimary performers who put on “Three Billy Goats Gruff”, and thanks to Jennifer for sharing the photo:

Last but not least, we published a photo tour last week spotlighting a new WSB sponsor, Mural Apartments in The Junction — a few days later, Brian sent us this photo, with appliances-in-waiting seeming to mirror the windows above:

Thanks to everyone who shares photos via WSB, whether breaking news or interesting sights – yours are welcome any time at editor@westseattleblog.com (including links to Flickr or other types of galleries, as long as you tell us it’s OK to publish)!

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Welcoming a new WSB sponsor: West Seattle’s Mural Apartments
April 14, 2009 12:15 pm
|      16 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle housing

This is the first of the current wave of Junction megaprojects to be finished — just one month from now, residents will start moving in, and its storefronts will start to open. Today, as WSB welcomes Mural Apartments (4727 42nd SW; map; ) as a sponsor, we have photos and information to bring you from a tour we joined last Friday, even as crews put the finishing touches on residential and retail – you are welcome to book a tour too (935-0676). Here’s a sneak peek inside one of the model units they’re showing now:

Read on to see what else we saw, and found out, including new information about Mural‘s ground-floor businesses:Read More

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Delridge dilapidation tour, the followup: So what happens now?
April 6, 2009 5:04 am
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

(Video no longer available due to blip.tv shutdown)

That clip from Friday’s tour of Delridge-area problem properties (previous coverage here) starts with resident Lisa Keith explaining how she’d hit a brick wall with the city rules that prohibit police from going into even a known vacant home without the owner’s permission; she is followed by Skylark Cafe and Club (WSB sponsor) owner Jessie Summa-Kusiak, whose popular venue is across Delridge from a squatter-ravaged vacant home; and finally, a few words from Tim Burgess, who along with fellow councilmember Sally Clark also joined the tour.

The question for Lisa, Jessie, and North Delridge Neighborhood Council co-chair Mike Dady, who organized the tour after years of trying to get something done about the problem, is – what happens now? Getting the attention and presence of two councilmembers, two city department heads (Diane Sugimura from Planning and Development and Stella Chao from Neighborhoods), the mayor’s public-safety liaison Julien Loh, and city council candidate David Bloom is a big first step, but it would be all too easy for status quo to reign in its wake. Read on for more details, including a post-tour exchange:Read More

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Delridge-area problem properties: Cleanup under way on 26th
March 25, 2009 2:44 pm
|      8 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

In the past week, we have brought you two updates on Delridge-area problem properties (here and here), focused in particular on one vacant house at the far north end of Delridge, but also discussing a wider problem – junk and trash piling up outside some, transient/squatter problems at others. Today, we got word (thanks, Lisa!) that a cleanup crew is at 5424 26th SW (map), which she says is a vacant house that’s had a junk problem for a long time (note the photos above and below). The city-worker crew that’s there would tell us only that it’s a court-ordered cleanup; crossreferencing the parcel number in King County’s online-records system didn’t turn up that kind of court order, nor did any recent violation notices show up on the city website (though as a commenter discovered, it looks like one of last year’s violations did just wind its way through the system), but we did find a notice that the site is to be auctioned off on April 17th (10 am, King County Administration Building downtown).

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Delridge-area problem properties: A call for “quick demolition”
March 21, 2009 2:34 am
|      17 COMMENTS
 |   Delridge | Safety | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

We reported Thursday about a stirring of hope that some high-level city attention may finally be given to a problem that’s been plaguing the Delridge area in its redevelopment throes: Even as some of Delridge’s old homes make way for new construction – particularly townhouses – some houses sit abandoned for years, and become magnets for trouble — like the one above, which sits prominently over the northbound Delridge approach to The Bridge. While, as we reported last night, the city says it was cleared and “secured” a few weeks ago, the proprietor of nearby Skylark Club and Cafe (WSB sponsor) pointed out in a new e-mail discussion (including city councilmember Sally Clark, who promised to come tour the area) that it was also reportedly “secured” last year, too (after a small fire we reported here, attributed to transients). And North Delridge Neighborhood Council co-chair Mike Dady says he would like to see this lead to changes that can help areas beyond Delridge, too:

My hope is that we will see Council Member Clark and Diane Sugimura follow through and visit Delridge within the next couple weeks. But my greater hope is that we don’t just have a band-aid or quick-fix put on wound that is affecting not just Delridge, but many other parts of the city. These are properties that are in the hands of absentee property owners, speculators or developers who allow them to sit vacant, completely unattended or monitored, and looking like, well…..looking like a pile of you-know-what and attracting problems that are in some cases beyond the imagination.

It seems to me that the City Council and the Mayor’s Office needs to revise the Seattle Municipal Code to allow quick demolition and removal of problem prone structures as it is nearly impossible to keep trespassers out of vacant building, even if it is boarded up with plywood, lumber and lag bolts. Allowing houses without water service turned on and functional plumbing to become de facto shelters for transient or homeless people is not an acceptable solution to that very separate and difficult issue.

To allow these dilapidated properties to remain as is, for many, many years in some cases, creates a public safety problem, wastes citizen energy and is a drain on DPD, SPD, SFD and KC Public Health budgets and staff time.

Sincerely,
Mike Dady
North Delridge Neighborhood Council Co-Chair

It’s not just the vacant houses that he’s concerned about, but also the occupied ones that are literally trashed outdoors – like this junk pile spotted recently behind a multiplex in the 4800 block of Delridge (map):

The discussed city-involved tour of Delridge hasn’t been scheduled yet, to our knowledge, but we will continue to follow up. You can also bet this will be on the next NDNC agenda – the council meets the first Wednesday of each month, so that’s 6:30 pm April 1st, Delridge Library.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON UPDATE: A date for the tour is now set for early April, according to Mike Dady, and at least one citywide media outlet may be along, after reading about it here.

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Habitat for Humanity’s High Point work gets mayoral help
March 18, 2009 10:51 am
|    Comments Off on Habitat for Humanity’s High Point work gets mayoral help
 |   High Point | West Seattle housing | West Seattle news

That’s Mayor Nickels, lending a hand this morning to a project that’s had tons of volunteer help — Habitat for Humanity‘s High Point project (here’s more information on what’s being built there). You can help too – here’s how.

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Signs of the times: Seen around West Seattle (pre-snow)
February 10, 2009 4:59 pm
|      2 COMMENTS
 |   West Seattle businesses | West Seattle housing | WS culture/arts

Hard to believe, but 24 hours or so ago, it was sunny, and your WSB co-publishers were wandering around taking photos. We didn’t get a chance to publish them last night but they’re still fresh enough today, so here goes. Above, that’s renowned local sign-painting artist Japhy Witt, detailing coins in the window of … where else … West Seattle Coins, at California/Oregon in The Junction, under the Senior Center – here’s one he’d already completed:

Japhy told us he’s likely detailing vintage bills for the wider window between the two coins. You’ve seen his work at many other West Seattle businesses, including — right across SW Oregon from this project — Shadow Land (here’s WSB coverage from 2007). Other signs that caught our eye included one at a Harbor Avenue development that now has a name:

If you can’t read the sign, it’s “Indus Work/House.” (That last part has an interesting historical connotation, but then again, elsewhere in new-ish West Seattle real estate, so does The Dakota.) And on the other side of the real-estate fence, bright-yellow signs around North Delridge pointed to an “auction” – we followed them, and found this house on SW Nevada, west of 30th SW:

The signs included this web address – the specific listing says the auction is 10 am 2/20, onsite. The yellow sign in the window says minimum bid is $50K. (Here are the latest local foreclosure stats, from Seattle Bubble, which reports King County’s foreclosure total in December – more than 600 – was the second-highest ever [last July, 730, was the highest, in the stats SB uses].)

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