Need to identify Seattle low income areas. (section 8, apartments)

[WordWarrior]

Hi all, this is my first post, and I hope someone can help me out.

I am a writer who lives in Cincinnati. I am currently working on a paranormal manuscript set in Seattle. I have never been to Seattle, and I am having a difficult time locating some of the information I need.

Most of the action in my manuscript happens between downtown, Belltown, and Capitol Hill. My problem is that I need a location close to those areas where a person with low income could live. The worse the area, the better for my story purposes.

[MaikeerinWA]

Pioneer Square has quite a few low-income residents, including artist types.

[nwexplor]

Solution: Set your story in the 1980s.

For a contemporary story I second using Pioneer Square. Search for "Frye Hotel". Keep in mind that while there is some low-income housing there, it is otherwise a very nice and tourist-friendly area. If you get the details right, it would be a better setting all-around. Seattle people love to read about Seattle.

Seattle is small and wealthy--nothing in Seattle compares to the projects and deteriorated areas in larger cities. Low-income people typically get Section 8 apartments in mixed-income buildings or flee to less expensive communities.

[WordWarrior]

Thanks so much, MichaelinWA and nwexplor. Can either of you tell me if the units in the Frye are single room efficiencies or if they have been converted into multi-room units? They Frye sounds perfect.

Thanks again.

[Ira500]

The Frye is a once elegant hotel, built in the early 1900s converted to low income apartments in the 1970's( after being in decline for many years before that). It is directly across from the King County courthouse and a small park still known as " Muscatel Meadow". The Frye has 234 units, some studios and some one bedrooms. Some units are designated for elderly, disabled, and formerly homeless folks.

[WordWarrior]

Originally Posted by Ira500

The Frye is a once elegant hotel, built in the early 1900s converted to low income apartments in the 1970's( after being in decline for many years before that). It is directly across from the King County courthouse and a small park still known as " Muscatel Meadow". The Frye has 234 units, some studios and some one bedrooms. Some units are designated for elderly, disabled, and formerly homeless folks.

Thanks for the info. I did an image search and was surprised that I didn't find more pics. Thanks for the park name, hadn't found that yet.

[azelismia]

a lot of low income people also live on capitol hill. it's a very colorful neighborhood and quite dangerous. it's not just low income though, it's mixed with all the various types of wage earners from drug addicts and criminal elements, Elderly, very affluent and middle class.

[WordWarrior]

Originally Posted by azelismia

a lot of low income people also live on capitol hill. it's a very colorful neighborhood and quite dangerous. it's not just low income though, it's mixed with all the various types of wage earners from drug addicts and criminal elements, Elderly, very affluent and middle class.

Thanks. Good info. The character in question does end up living on Capitol Hill, but I needed her to reside in another neighborhood for the first half of the novel.

[Ira500]

"Muscatel Meadow" is officially known as City Hall Park, because the King county Courthouse was originally the county-city building. Here's an old picture:

Seattle Municipal Archives - Online Exhibits - Historical Postcards

[WordWarrior]

Originally Posted by Ira500

"Muscatel Meadow" is officially known as City Hall Park, because the King county Courthouse was originally the county-city building. Here's an old picture:

Seattle Municipal Archives - Online Exhibits - Historical Postcards

Thanks. Great pic. The park looks really small. Are there any trees in it now? Do people lurk there at night? My characters are night critters.