SEATTLE — Business owners north of the University District say they are fed up with crime and want the city leaders to do something about it. On Friday, city council members hit the block – hearing concerns directly from those impacted.
From a small law firm’s smashed windows to a full-on burglary of a smoke shop in Wedgewood, business owners are banding together with the message that "enough is enough."
“Well, the most frustrating part for me is being a third-generation Seattleite and seeing what’s going on in our city,” said Karen Camandona of A Northeast Cleaners near 35th Avenue NE and NE 70th.
Camandona has owned and operated the dry cleaners for 20 years. She said she’d love to attend a council meeting and speak out about crime but hasn’t made it to City Hall.
“I would love to be able to go down and go to the meetings at City Hall. I can’t, I’m running a business,” Camandona said.
In April of last year, burglars busted out windows and got away with an armful of clothing. Camandona took the hit out of pocket for fear of her insurance premiums going up. It's a story she told to council members directly.
“It feels terrible. It’s gut wrenching because I know that small business owners are putting everything on the line,” said Seattle City Councilmember Sara Nelson.
Nelson was among the few that walked 35th Avenue NE at the request of the business owners.
“We need to accelerate hiring at the Seattle Police Department, obviously we need to finally really driving crime, I believe that it’s drugs. I believe that it is addiction that is fueling the street crime,” Nelson said.
Mayor Bruce Harrel’s 2024 budget, proposed Tuesday, seems to reflect those priorities. Increasing the amount allocated to public safety by $40 million to $845 million. But, to date ,business owners say they’ve been the ones paying out of pocket – covering damage from crime themselves as to not risk raising insurance premiums.
According to the Seattle Police Department crime dashboard, for what they call the Roosevelt Ravena neighborhood, 1000 less reports of crime have been reported in 2023 when comparted to 2022. Keep in mind there are still three months left in the year.
But business owners say that doesn’t show the full extent of the problem and say something needs to be
“I’ve always had hope for Seattle. Like I said I was born and raised here I want my kids to want to stay here,” Camandona said.
“But man, something’s got to happen, something’s got to happen here.”