A Hopeful Future
Wow. Judging by some of your comments on the issues raised in a post the other day, it is clear that everyone in High Point had something to say about the good, the bad, and the ugly in our neighborhood. HPB would like to take a moment to look at a few of the things that have been said, and a few things that ought to be said.
Ken, I know that this is a working class neighborhood and that is one of the reasons why I moved here. What I meant by” transitional” is that people are going to be held more accountable for their actions now than what they were held to in the past. Just because someone is poor doesn’t give them a free pass to break the law and not respect their other neighbors. Now I realize that the majority of the people in Highpoint are great …..but let’s be honest…..there are a few bad apples. I don’t want those “bad apples” to feel comfortable breaking laws and/or causing disturbances. I feel that is one of the reasons why this community is here…so we can learn form one another. I bring a strong work ethic and an intolerance to crime. Others in this neighborhood bring diversity, community involvement etc……I think it is a perfect blend. This neighborhood is in the infancy of it’s rebirth with some speed bumps ahead no doubt, but if we work together utilizing our strengths I think that this can be a great place for everyone.
Really Jim’s comment adequately sums up what HPB was trying to say. The issues are not rich versus poor; white versus black; owners versus renters, etc. The point I was trying to make is that regardless of your economic background–the opportunity to live in a new and innovative urban community like High Point is something special and that the residents (or non-residents as it were) who have been causing trouble should get the boot.
That being said, as a commentator aptly noted,
“we all know that the homeowners with mortgages and full time jobs are not having fights up and down the streets. We’re not throwing rocks at cars. We’re not selling or buying drugs in the park. The violent acts (such as fights) are being caused by the low income renters and the invited (and probably uninvited, too) guests of the low income renters.”
If you take that view to be bigoted or elitist in anyway; you’re the one who’s out of touch with reality and not the hardworking homeowners of High Point. HPB recants: the biggest threat to the success of High Point is not the low-income housing element, but rather home-owning residents who are of the opinion that,” [S]tuff happens and probably will continue.” We have a right to demand and expect the very best of the place we choose to live and invest our hard-earned income. While very few places on Earth could be described as crime-free, taking anything other than a zero-tolerance attitude is in effect taking a welcoming attitude.
What we really need is actually having real security that will patrol this area day in and night out and actually enforce suspicious activity.
Tell me about it. There have been numerous occasions on which I have seen the High Point security truck parked with the headlights on. It’s a late model red truck (Chevy S-10 maybe??) in case you’re wondering.
All aside, I want this place to be safe and I dont want this place to turn out to be a neighborhood that is known to be sketchy but a place where I can have pride telling people that I live in HP. HP need to do something to keep the violence, vandalism, and unwanted noise in check. I know that this is going to be tough but with enough support from the residents, I really think we can make this happen if we make these issues voiced. - bk
As commentator bk put it, this is what the post was really about–bottom line. Though I do feel that people shouldn’t have music so loud that I can hear it clearly, several blocks away… “Allahu akbar…” which means, “God is great,” for all you non-Arabic speaking High Point residents. 
The fact that so many of you took the time to write in with your thoughts on where our neighborhood is and where you would like to see it go has reinvigorated The High Point Blog’s confidence that our community really will become West Seattle’s next great neighborhood.
October 7, 2007 at 2:17 pm
Anyone who moves into a neighborhood unknown to them without thoroughly checking its characteristics, residents, history and other pertinent topics is a fool. Likewise, anyone who moves into a neighborhood only to discover it’s not his/her personal version of Shangri-La and mounts a campaign to change it is a fool. If you don’t like your neighborhood, do your new neighbors a big favor and MOVE OUT! High Point is a diverse neighborhood. If you don’t like it that way, don’t try to change other peoples’ behavior. Work on your own emotional inventory, not theirs. This is what people learn in kindergarten, by the way: how to live around others and appreciate their differences.
October 7, 2007 at 2:30 pm
I think that if you had actually taken time to read anything on here, you’d know that most everyone who moved into High Point knew exactly what their prospective neighborhood would be about before moving in. Moreover, the spirit of coming together to enact change is one of the fundamental elements of democracy. If you don’t like something, get a majority together and change it. And since when does diversity, which means variety, particularly ethnic variety when used in a social context, have anything to do with people’s destructive behaviors?
October 7, 2007 at 7:41 pm
Perhaps the wrong word came up in the spell checker?
re·cant (r-knt)
v. re·cant·ed, re·cant·ing, re·cants
v.tr.
To make a formal retraction or disavowal of (a statement or belief to which one has previously committed oneself).
v.intr.
To make a formal retraction or disavowal of a previously held statement or belief.
——————————————————————————–
“HPB recants: the biggest threat to the success of High Point is not the low- income housing element, but rather home-owning residents who are of the opinion that,” [S]tuff happens and probably will continue.” We have a right to demand and expect the very best of the place we choose to live and invest our hard-earned income. While very few places on Earth could be described as crime-free, taking anything other than a zero-tolerance attitude is in effect taking a welcoming attitude.”
The key here seems to be we are communicating past each other.
No one advocates ignoring actual crime. I see various posts implying that legal but annoying behaviors should be reported to some magic agency which will set things to right. What agency is that and how do you expect to contact them. Prayer? Burnt offering? Text message? email to your HOA?
If you see a drug deal (please share how one tells a conversation from a drug deal from 100 feet away) call 911 and make sure they know you are available as a witness. Better yet make a video. The HOA can budget for cameras for the park (which park ?) and the city might even pitch in if there are actually any convictions on the SHA or Parks and Rec property.
If you see vandalism, fights or any other criminal activity, please call 911.
Music volume is only addressed in SHA regs after 10 pm and only from housing units last time I looked. Cars are not mentioned as far as noise. The WA RCW requires a decibel meter reading and not all of the patrol cars carry them. I think they are used mainly to shut down bars and frat parties.
Music content is governed by the Constitution, Bill of rights, article one.
WA state anti Littering initiative has a hot line but actual litter is usually either homeless or a byproduct of the SHA contracted trash pickup. If you can identify the source as a person or vehicle, call it in.
People walking in the street or the sidewalk while brown is not covered by any of the RCW’s that I can find, however if you feel the urge, go ahead and call it in. The local SPD is not often amused by non actionable complaints. They sometimes send brown officers out to investigate.
Also note Is the Muslim call to prayer what you are hearing? I am up at dawn every day and I have never heard it here.
TRANSLATION OF THE
CALL TO PRAYER
God is most great. God is most great.
God is most great. God is most great.
I testify that there is no God except God.
I testify that there is no God except God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
I testify that Muhammad is the messenger of God.
Come to prayer! Come to prayer!
Come to success! Come to success!
God is most great. God is most great.
There is none worthy of worship except God.
Listen to the wav file and let us know if this is the music you’re objecting to.
http://www.toursaudiarabia.com/prayer.html
BTW The security guys in the red truck may have lost the contract. The current rent a cop in my part of the neighborhood is in a black jeep like multi-passenger vehicle with a logo and company name on the side. The driver never stops that I have seen and seems to be wearing headphones unless it is after midnight in which case sometimes you can hear the truck radio before the truck comes into view. The construction companies might have their own security contractor. During construction there were three different security contractors and they said they were only there to protect the construction site. Unless the current crop is paid by the HOA directly, I suspect the will only be around as long as there is construction equipment or materials to guard.
I see you feel the need to blame me for living in the reality based community.
So be it.
Good luck in your Crusade.
October 8, 2007 at 8:36 am
Well, this blog has made an appearance in D. Westneat’s column in the Sunday Seattle Times.
The problems that are revealed in these postings will be noticed citywide.
Prospective buyers will now have more than empty lots and pretty brochures to look at
before they plunk down their hard-earned.
Now they can do a walk-thru of the completed areas.
They will have a reality-based aspect to consider before they sign up.
A lot of folks who have no cultural history of property will not care about things like ‘appearance,’ ‘decorum,’ or ‘behavior.’ If in fact they understand the concepts, as they relate to real estate values, at all.
Newcomers with the ability to borrow hundreds of thousands of dollars will however consider many of these neighborhood attributes.
The physical engineering of the site has been considerable.
The water runoff can be handled via the litter strewn swales and the porous streets.
Energy usage has been moderated.
But, as I’ve said before, this is social engineering.
I’m not sure the energy of cultural attitudes will be so easily managed.
October 8, 2007 at 11:11 am
wow I just read that article on Seattle times http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2003930962_danny07.html wow, what a pounding HP might take but at the same time, I think HP will start to have some urgency with the problems. I really do think people need to go out and get involved and that means meeting other people in the neighborhood. From the most part, I think everyone in this neighborhood are friendly and thats including the low income families. Everyone here have families with mostly young children. I just think we need better security and a neighborhood crime watch. Lets face it, West Seattle (besides Alki) was never known for having Yuppie white collar neighborhoods. It’s known for its blue collar working families (like my dad, a former welder working at the port) and diversity, trust me, I grew up on Delridge. On the flipside West Seattle is changing for the positive and HP even though it has its problems is 10 times better then it was and going to get better with Phase 2. How many neighborhoods can you think of has all of what HP has and will have? Like the article, this neighborhood has a lot of potential but at the same time its not going to be easy, the city is putting in a lot of efforts to make it work and so should we. I don’t think people should worry so much about HP going down the drain, besides some of the negative aspects, there are so many positives coming out of HP, its really not worth putting ourselves in a negative mind state. Lets just focus on th positives for the most part because its really not worth having a divide with the rich and poor, I really do think as Americans we shouldn’t be regressing back intead moving forward.
October 9, 2007 at 10:10 pm
What did you think was going to happen when you bought into a neighborhood that was 2 thirds SHA rentals. I have heard it was only 1 third but that is a lie. You still have to make very little to live in the “market rate” rentals. BE glad you didn’t buy into the New Holly. My friend bought a house when it first opened and has been robbed twice in the day light hours! Be happy with the grocery stores we have in West Seattle. There is the most run down Safeway accross for New Holly.
October 10, 2007 at 12:50 pm
what is the New Holly>?
October 10, 2007 at 1:00 pm
New Holly is another SHA mixed income project like our own in the Rainier valley I believe. In fact, if I remember correctly, Sound Transit’s light rail to Sea-Tac runs either through or very near New Holly.
October 10, 2007 at 1:07 pm
Im not too worried about HP, from what I’ve heard, it should be majority market rate houses, especially with phase 2. Remember that a lot of the houses are not just low income but for seniors and disabled.
October 10, 2007 at 1:10 pm
Hey glad that you responded, well south Seattle is a totally different beast compared to HP and west seattle. I can see how your friend is getting robbed there.
October 10, 2007 at 3:04 pm
Just a quick clarification: High Point consists of approximately 50% privately owned and the other 50% is owned by the Seattle Housing Authority. The SHA housing is a mix of low-income rentals, market-rate rentals and senior housing. Approximately 15% of the 1,500 new homes in High Point are considered “low-income” housing.
October 10, 2007 at 8:43 pm
This is true, but what I think most people are talking about is the current situation. As it stands, most of Phase I is non-SFH owner-occupied residences which tilts the balance of the HP population towards low-income and other miscellaneous residents. Add to that the fact that not all of the for-sale homes in Phase I are even sold and you quickly realize that homeowners are outnumbered by a guesstimated ratio of at least 2 or 3:1. As HPB has stated though, this problem should correct itself as Phase II gets built and as homeowners begin (hopefully) snapping up the new homes.
October 11, 2007 at 10:34 am
While I don’t live in HP itself, I am a close neighbor. I have loved watching HP be developed and I am so thankful that I live in an economically and ethnically diverse neighborhood. I grew up in a small town where the farm workers kids and the doctor’s kids all went to the same schools and we all shopped in the same stores and played in the same parks. It all worked out. Kids from all groups went on to college (of course not all). Some may call it social engineering, but I am thankful that my daughter is exposed to people from all sorts of backgrounds in this rapidly gentrifying city. I have lived both in poverty and prosperity. Please remember that low-income renters are contributing their hard-earned dollars to their housing (and low-income work is usually the most physically demanding). They just don’t get the benefit of the ownership/investment aspect of the equation.
October 11, 2007 at 10:49 am
If one considers “Highpoint” to be only the area formerly occupied by the original Highpoint Seattle Housing Authority project, then perhaps your figures are right.
However, though the residents atop the hill near the water tower resist (Roxhill), the whole area from the west side of Delridge to the top of the hill is called Highpoint neighborhood. The city codifies it a bit more narrowly now than they used to, but the map at the city clerks office web site:
http://clerk.ci.seattle.wa.us/public/nmaps/S/NN-1580S.htm
clearly shows the neighborhood as extending beyond the borders of phase one and two in all directions.
We all have a stake in the rebuild succeeding but perhaps a bit different focus.
With out the market rate housing sales, the taxpayers of Seattle could never have afforded to redevelop the Seattle housing authority and City owned property so thoroughly or so quickly. The deadline for qualifying for HOPE VI money from the Feds was, I suspect, what pushed the project through.
Without the city of Seattle’s willingness to trade valuable and scarce view properties (that would simply have continued to increase in value as city assets) for a one time capitol project, those of you who bought houses would not have had the opportunity to do so.
Those of us who bought in this neighborhood before the redevelopment, can perhaps be forgiven for looking askance at statements that imply a NIMBY attitude from those who have so recently arrived, toward that which preceded them.
The surrounding neighborhood is made up of homeowners as well as renters. Many of us had to fight the city to keep them from reducing the number of low income rentals in the early stage planning since it would have been even more of an unconscionable give away to a few developers than it turned out to be. Much of the land the SHA oversees was acquired to build housing for Boeing and other defense workers in 1940. The mission statement below is from the SHA web page.
—-
The mission of the Seattle Housing Authority is to enhance the Seattle community by creating and sustaining decent, safe and affordable living environments that foster stability and self-sufficiency for people with low incomes.
—-
This was public land, held in trust for the citizens of Seattle (since 1940) to provide housing for the working class. The Hope IV type projects are an experiment and even as some have mentioned, a social engineering project. It’s success will not be measured by the taxable value of the new homes. It will be measured by how well we live together as a community.
History of several housing sites including Highpoint:
http://www.historylink.org/essays/output.cfm?file_id=3022
Seattle may someday give up it’s focus on the “common good” for all.
But it is not today.
October 11, 2007 at 8:15 pm
I just returned from a Highpoint Neighborhood Association meeting. If you haven’t been to one of these meetings, I highly suggest you attend. There are so many bright, eager and dedicated people working on all of the issues brought up in this blog. We have a communications committee, a traffic and safety committee, a sustainable living committee, a youth mentor committee and a social/cultural committee. Here is a list of some things we are working on:
• Getting lights or other safety features installed along 35th
• Halloween party and community walk-abouts to insure a safe Halloween
• Welcome packs for new residents so they know how to get involved in the community
• How to best advocate for retail and grocery facilities
• Planning for a second community garden
• Advocating for better bus service
Getting involved in this community is crucial to both the community’s success and your own happiness in living here. If you are only attending the Home Owners meetings, you are doing yourself a great disservice. Attend the neighborhood meeting if you really want to be a part of the solution!
My Highpoint testimony if anyone is interested:
My partner and I have lived in Highpoint for a little over a year now. We haven’t had any problems with crime and I have never felt threatened or in danger. I feel so sorry for the person who sleeps with a gun next to his bed, to live like that must be awful. I blame a lot of this on the builder’s agents. They are not properly setting peoples expectations when trying to sell a property in Highpoint. I remember our Polygon representative said, “There are a few SHA people living around here, but don’t worry, you won’t see them and you won’t hear them.” The reality is, the community is made up of 50% SHA members which is a mixture of low-income and normal rental units and 50% homeowners. And why would you want to live in a community where you don’t see or talk to your neighbors? That’s kind of creepy to me. If you don’t want to see your neighbors, move to Issaquah, don’t move to Highpoint. SHA residents have to follow certain rules. The main rules are they have to be employed, all children of age have to be in school, and all cars on the premises have to be operable. Those rules don’t include cooking food that smells a certain way, listening to certain music or parenting in a certain manner, which are complaints I hear at home owners meetings. I want to point out that I lived in Arbor Heights in West Seattle for three years. I had this neighbor who had at least 10 beat up cars and trucks parked in his front yard. He made money by renting the cars out to homeless people so they could sleep in them. Many of these people (by his own admission) had drug problems. This is what I lived next to for 3 years and I couldn’t do anything about it. And believe me, I tried. The city said to me over and over, it’s his property; he can do what he wants with it. So the fact that my new neighbors now have some rules they have to follow, and if they don’t follow, they can be evicted, is very comforting to me. These rules aren’t just for show either. SHA has already evicted several families for not living up to the standards. Most of the SHA people that I have met are single mothers or newly immigrated families. The only complaints we have is the litter issue which is being addressed and has improved recently. Otherwise it’s been great. We’ve met lots of new people, we get our organic veggies from the community garden, we live 10 minutes to downtown and our house is appreciating at a steady rate.
October 11, 2007 at 8:18 pm
PS - I want to thank Robert (HPB) for joining us at the meeting tonight and for getting this conversation started!
October 12, 2007 at 5:38 am
RE Lisa’s list:
I did not attend the meeting but know several people who did. I will get details later today.
* lights at 35th:
The SDOT people I have contacted several times in the past, assured me that there would NOT be a traffic light installed at Raymond and 35th anytime in the future since it was too close to the light at Morgan/sylvan way and 35th. Hopefully someone can change their mind but it apparently is not going to be me by myself.
SHA has forced high traffic onto the streets they designed narrower than any streets outside of Capitol Hill. SHA has refused to accelerate the opening of any outlet to Sylvan way even though the connection at Lanham pl and Sylvan way has appeared to be ready for months.
Every time you have to pull over to let traffic sprint from the opposite end of a block, remember that the SHA zoning changes, variances and design board decisions were based on adding that extra ten square feet along the frontage of your townhouse. So basically our streets were donated to developers so they could squeeze more profit out per housing unit. Those of us who objected pre build were repeatedly ridiculed and dropped from the meeting notification mailing list. Think of those design board members who perpetrated this travesty each and every time you have to figure out if you can make it to the end of the block.
Another public safety issue is snow. I hope we don’t see any. However, this winter, when I finish shoveling my sidewalk and the sidewalk of any neighbor who is unable to do so, I will be calling in a complaint on both the Seattle Housing Authority and the Home Owners Association for violations of Seattle code that makes each property owner responsible for clearing the public sidewalk on their part of the city right-of-way.
Note: the much touted “porous” streets and sidewalks have a little known feature. Ice does not melt evenly if at all. Chemical ice melt drains right through it so it melts tunnels the size and shape of the ice melt crystals. I suspect a propane weed burner is going to be the only alternative to removal with a shovel or snow blower early in the event.
* Halloween:
After several years of being forced to eat my candy myself after Halloween
(due to no children in the neighborhood), I was glad to have some help last year.
I don’t see the point of organized events but that’s just me.
Welcome packs:
Will there be a section on realistic expectations to balance the ADT security system fear-mongering sales hype?
* Retail and grocery
are areas I have given up on. No one knows what will happen and no amount of input by anyone except the developers will make a damn bit of difference as to what businesses locate there. Pretend if you like but don’t get your hopes up.
* P-Patch good.
Note, at least one of the new homeowners has expressed interest in figuring out how to get involved in the community gardens. I expect more will be interested. Details of how to get involved should be publicized and included in any welcome pack.
http://seattlemarketgardens.org/farmers.html
* Bus service:
I am vaguely disturbed at Raymond and Sylvan Way being used as park and rides. I am also pretty sure nothing can be done about it that is not more painful than the problem. also note, any who wish to use the 25 and the 120 to get to Burien or UW have to walk down a dark street with no shoulder, sidewalk or lights. This area is part of the Highpoint neighborhood too.
October 17, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Why does Jeff Davis seem so full of himself?
October 19, 2007 at 10:34 am
Project much “Jeff”?
The name is Ken Davis.
I am right here in the neighborhood anytime you might want to discuss how full of my self I might be.
I speak out for those in the neighborhood who can’t or are not comfortable with electronic media. I actually am somewhat familiar with many of their opinions since I knock on their doors once or twice a year and ask them.
Robert has been kind enough to create this forum and anyone who wishes to use complete sentences and reading comprehension to argue their ideas, seems to be welcome to join in the conversation so far.
And you too.
Try again. Flesh out your point a bit and spell my name right.
I am a vetran of the FIDOnet flamewars with a hide like a rino.
October 19, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Ken, you do seem a little hostile, I must admit. I don’t really know what that other person was trying to say, but it certainly looks like you’re itching for a fight, or a little attention at least.
I’m sorry you lost your view, and I’m sorry our “overpriced condos” have come in. But that’s a way of life. Things change.
However, people do expect a certain level of security. A previous writer stated that it’s likely the renters who are up to the mischief; and I believe this is true. It’s NOT the homeowners who are out in the park at 11pm, booming their car stereos, drinking beverages in paper bags at the corner. It’s the low-income renters. Sad, but true.
They live in quite the community now! Great houses, (that I can’t afford) subsidized this and that, and apparently lots of free time. I wish that I could understand why some people would mess up such a good thing.
And Ken, I’m sorry. If several people are in the park late at night… Don’t be naive. They’re up to no good.
October 19, 2007 at 10:14 pm
Opps, one more thing. Ken, I noticed in one of your earlier posts you did manage some intellectual elevation with us giving the proper usage for the word “Recant”. Sir, I never would challenge your cut-n-paste skills, but if you are going to hold us all to such a high level of language proficiency, perhaps you can turn the mighty editorial hand inward.
It’s “Rhino”…..Not “Rino”
“Veteran”….Not “Vetran”
I’ll be gosh-darned if I know what a FIDO-Net flamewar is. You got me. Was this a Black Ops Mission into Laos? Armed with flamethrowers? And dogs?
October 23, 2007 at 8:32 am
ok, I think this is getting a little immature, when dd we start becoming the grammer police, (we’re spoiled by spell check anyway) this site is basically to post our opinions and if people are too sensitive about it, then they shouldn’t get involved in this forum. I think some opinions are strong but I think most have valid points to them. Ken does sound stand offish and left sided at the most and probably doesn’t care too much of our concerns of the housing market value but he does make valid points on community problems.
January 25, 2008 at 1:33 pm
Is the whole of the HP community subjected to wake up to this “call to prayer”?If so how is that fair to us “none muslim” community members.