By Jason Cruz
NORTHWEST ASIAN WEEKLY
In a move to enhance public safety and health across Seattle’s key neighborhoods, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced the creation of a Downtown Activation Team (DAT). The executive order, announced on Friday, will focus on the downtown corridor, the Chinatown-International District (CID), and Little Saigon.
It aims to bring together 15 City departments with partners and service providers like Downtown Seattle Association, Metropolitan Improvement District Ambassadors, and We Deliver Care. It is meant to improve coordination to address issues such as safety, cleanliness, and public services.
With the Pike Place Market sign as a backdrop, the mayor made the announcement with Seattle police officers, ambassadors, and other city workers present. If the newly announced plan is successful, the goal is to expand it to other neighborhoods in the future.
Harrell announces Executive Order addressing Public Health and Safety
“Safety and security are the most basic jobs in government,” Harrell said in starting his speech with the quote from Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg. “Safety is the top priority of our administration and it has been since day one.”
He introduced DAT, which will work in partnership with the community. He also stated that his office has submitted two pieces of legislation to the Seattle City Council that would facilitate DAT’s efforts. The first addresses illegal street vending and trafficking of stolen goods in order to protect city workers while they work to clean the streets. He also announced a restoration framework to address public health challenges in public spaces.
“We’ve defined it for public consumption and measured with data for our framework.”
As part of DAT, the city would take part in scheduled restoration actions, including sidewalk cleanings, environmental changings like street lightings, frequent garbage pickups, and the establishment of areas with art such as murals. Since September, DAT has completed nearly 2,000 restoration actions and removed more than 100 instances of graffiti downtown. Additionally, the team has completed 43 actions including graffiti abatement and clean-ups in Little Saigon, where DAT began operations earlier this month.
“When we see disorder and suffering on our streets, we don’t ignore it, we work on it through compassion and urgency,” Harrell stated.
“We are seeing positive early results along 3rd Avenue which we know we can replicate when expanding to Chinatown-International District and Little Saigon,” Harrell said of the pilot program established on 3rd Avenue in the downtown corridor.
“We are very intentional about including that in our downtown activation plans.”
When asked if DAT would utilize the same cleaning tactics used at 12th and Jackson to other areas, Harrell said, “There is a connection between some of the work we are doing downtown and how it affects Little Saigon.” He added, “[T]he fact of the matter is that some people are trying to find their way and sometimes that way could be involved with drug trafficking and drug use they can migrate up to Little Saigon.” Harrell stated that there are coordinating efforts on treatment. “They are still human beings. Our approach is to make sure that they have a right to clear the area, but we want to coordinate with LEAD (city-based program “Let Everyone Advance with Dignity”), We Deliver Care, our treatment partners, and our Health Department with the County.”
“I use an acronym in my office called ACT,” Harrell explained. “We may have to Arrest, we have to Clean, and we must Treat. What you will see is that people will be treated aggressively, but we have to make sure that we do not have tolerance for unsafe conditions and unclean conditions.”
Harrell indicated his personal affection for the CID when asked about concerns that the area was not receiving enough resources.
“What you are going to see in our framework is increased activity, increased resources, and increased focus on the Chinatown-International District.” He said his office monitors the area daily.
“It’s my community. I don’t want to be afraid,” said Jaclyne Manalastas, a member of the CID Public Safety Council. “We all need to be heard. It’s our community, everyone needs to know that they hear us,” Manalastas said of working with the CID Public Safety Council.
Harrell was interrupted by a protester a couple minutes into his speech who accused him of murdering citizens. The protester, an advocate of the homeless, claimed that the city’s decision to disband homeless encampments were killing people. After Harrell’s speech, he talked to the woman to attempt to address her concerns.
Jason can be reached at newstips@nwasianweekly.com.