Volunteer Groups to Promote Downtown (Seattle: real estate, live, buses)

[brandonlee206]

Seattle -- Curious if anyone can help me out here. I would be interested in joining some volunteer groups that focus on building downtown Seattle up and protecting business' and owner's rights. I noticed a large population of transients over the weekend and I would like to get involved with groups who try to prevent them from taking over the central city. Any leads?

[seattlenextyear]

Is transient code for homeless person or zombie?

[allforcats]

Is "transient" code for drug addict? Homeless? Non-Nazi?
Chill, friend. You want to make a contribution to the community before you start removing people.

[brandonlee206]

Originally Posted by allforcats

Is "transient" code for drug addict? Homeless? Non-Nazi?
Chill, friend. You want to make a contribution to the community before you start removing people.

Nobody said anything about removing people. I noticed an aggressive panhandler scaring off a group of Japanese tourist last weekend and the folks along the sidewalk just observed the situation rather than stand up and defend the city and it's tourists. I have no say in the way you lead your life and I hope all goes well for you, but I will not sit back and let people scare off business opportunities in Seattle. I have lived in Portland and learned from their mistakes about letting the transients take over parts of the downtown and the impacts that had on the city's tourism industry.

[october2007]

Originally Posted by brandonlee206

Seattle -- Curious if anyone can help me out here. I would be interested in joining some volunteer groups that focus on building downtown Seattle up and protecting business' and owner's rights. I noticed a large population of transients over the weekend and I would like to get involved with groups who try to prevent them from taking over the central city. Any leads?

I'm glad someone else notices this and cares to try and improve the area. I've watched the downtown area deteriorate and it can be unpleasant to walk around, wait for buses - particularly on 3rd Avenue - due to panhandlers, drug dealing, and excessive loitering by gangs of youth that appear to be up to no good. I've lived in other cities and never noticed this sort of element in such concentration in the downtown core. Seattle should get it's act together if it wants to be a world class city.

[brandonlee206]

You and I have some things in common. I lived in Boston for a while and they spent a lot of time and money cleaning things up after the 80's did what it did to center city. I fundamentally disagree with the way Portland handles its transient/drug population and I will not sit on the sidelines and watch Seattle develop that same socialist attitude as it has long term consequences that people can't afford to pay for. Scaring off business is never a good sign to the city and the people in the downtown core (Real Estate people included) should step up and drive strategies/planning to get this handled. I think the best bet would be to set up a work-camp out of downtown and move them in slowly over a few years to the site. I tend to wear my heart on my sleeve and once I land in Seattle, this is certainly a front-burner issue I am going to address. But to where do I direct these inquiries? I don't know the area/people well enough at this point. Could you point me in the direction of a pro-business volunteer org that tackles these issues? Thanks.

Originally Posted by october2007

I'm glad someone else notices this and cares to try and improve the area. I've watched the downtown area deteriorate and it can be unpleasant to walk around, wait for buses - particularly on 3rd Avenue - due to panhandlers, drug dealing, and excessive loitering by gangs of youth that appear to be up to no good. I've lived in other cities and never noticed this sort of element in such concentration in the downtown core. Seattle should get it's act together if it wants to be a world class city.

[pwright1]

What gave you the idea of businesses being scared off? Businesses especially retail businesses are waiting for spaces to open up. There is not enough space for the high demand of retail wanting space in the retail core. And deteriorating? I don't think downtown is deteriorating at all. Yes it does have its element of youth along Third, panhandling and drug dealing in the area but at the same time downtown is only getting better.

[sean98125]

The Downtown Business Association is pretty much the only group that is really focused on pushing the aggressive panhandlers out of the tourist areas in to other parts of the city.

[brandonlee206]

Downtown Business Association may be a good start, then. It's the aggressive panhandlers that I would like to see leave the downtown core.

Originally Posted by sean98125

The Downtown Business Association is pretty much the only group that is really focused on pushing the aggressive panhandlers out of the tourist areas in to other parts of the city.

[brandonlee206]

Q: What gave you the idea of businesses being scared off?

A: Tourist getting scared off would be my concern as I know businesses are pretty robust.

Q: Businesses especially retail businesses are waiting for spaces to open up. There is not enough space for the high demand of retail wanting space in the retail core.

A: I agree.

Q: And deteriorating? I don't think downtown is deteriorating at all.

A:Either do I.

Q:Yes it does have its element of youth along Third, panhandling and drug dealing in the area but at the same time downtown is only getting better.

A: Agree with you 110% about downtown getting better and I would like to make it even more better of a place.

Originally Posted by pwright1

What gave you the idea of businesses being scared off? Businesses especially retail businesses are waiting for spaces to open up. There is not enough space for the high demand of retail wanting space in the retail core. And deteriorating? I don't think downtown is deteriorating at all. Yes it does have its element of youth along Third, panhandling and drug dealing in the area but at the same time downtown is only getting better.