Buyers fleeing West Coast city after woke mayor's open drug use policy comes to their door
Seattle's newly elected mayor Katie Wilson is facing backlash as critics warn her woke approach to drug enforcement could drive crime higher — and now real estate experts say the fallout is already negatively affecting the city's housing market.
Police emails showing a softer approach to open drug use have spooked buyers, particularly in Seattle’s condo-heavy downtown.
Seattle-based real estate agent Jason Fox says the issue is becoming impossible to ignore as clients now seriously weigh safety concerns while house hunting.
'Well, they just restricted policing of open-air drug use in the city. That just happened in the last couple of days,' Fox told Daily Mail. 'I think that is going to be a real concern for people.'
Fox said buyers are increasingly factoring visible drug use into their decisions, with some neighborhoods now actively avoided.
‘Seattle is a city made up of more than 60 distinct neighborhoods, so you can’t judge the whole city the same way,’ Fox said.
‘But a good number of them have problems. Buyers care about safety, and when a neighborhood has open drug use, it’s a major red flag.’
Two areas Fox believes could be hit hardest are Belltown and Pioneer Square, known for their energy and nightlife but increasingly associated with crime and now visible drug use.
Seattle's newly elected mayor Katie Wilson is facing backlash as critics warn her woke approach to drug enforcement could drive crime higher
Seattle easing drug enforcement has sparked fear among homebuyers who don't want to live near open drug use areas
Seattle's newly elected mayor Katie Wilson has eased open drug use and it's already affecting the city's real estate market
'I think the Pioneer Square area will probably be hit pretty hard,' Fox said. 'That's where you find a lot of condos and a lot of apartments.'
'If you live there, you can have a nice apartment, but you're having to walk through the city and find safe routes to get home.
'It used to be a really bustling nightlife and music scene. It's a challenge to navigate that area.'
Fox says buyers have been hesitant to see deals through following Wilson's win.
'I was showing a couple of condos downtown for a couple buying for their daughter, who was 22.
'We were getting close to a sale and they asked if I thought the area was safe. I said I think it's safe — if you're careful. But it is a concern. We decided to go to a different area.'
High-rise condo markets in Belltown are also struggling, Fox said, with safety concerns now an issue on top of already high costs.
‘These are expensive buildings, and in some cases there’s open drug use right outside or across the street,’ he said.
An apartment building in Belltown, where residents have to walk through an open use drug area to get to
Seattle is a city of neighborhoods and some now have open drug use areas that are alarming homebuyers
In some areas of Seattle there are nice apartment buildings and condo complexes that you have to access through open drug areas
Seattle-based real estate agent Jason Fox
'Not every area is unsafe, but there are some areas where you have to be a little more careful than others.'
While Fox said some buyers are hopeful the new mayor will improve affordability for middle-income families, others are alarmed by the public safety issues that are hitting the condo-heavy downtown neighborhoods.
'I've had some folks tell me they were really hopeful about housing affordability, the mayor's supposed to be working on some middle-income family affordability,' he said.
'Some clients see the new mayor as something positive and think we're going to work on affordability, and then some clients are worried about safety in the city.
'I've heard both.'
Seattle officials say certain Stay out of Drug Areas (SODA) and Stay Out of Areas of Prostitution (SOAP) zones, designated safe zones in the city that will still prohibit open drug use and prostitution, are designed to help residents feel safe. Critics argue it is not working.
A bowl of heroin syringes were collected from a Seattle homeless encampment. Homebuyers are alarmed by the public safety issues that are hitting condo-heavy downtown neighborhoods
An encampment at the site of an old store in Seattle's Ballard neighborhood was seen littered with garbage. The real estate market is already harm from the new mayor's policies
SPOG President Mike Solan denounced the mayor's decision in a statement
'They do have some areas where you're still not allowed to do open drug use, SOAP zones,' Fox said.
'Those neighborhoods will benefit from that, including real estate.
'I think overall, you will start to see a little bit more crime though, although Seattle has been going through a lot of this for quite some time.
'It could be a real concern for some folks.'
The concerns are also coming from police leadership.
The Seattle Police Department insists it will continue to make drug-related arrests when called for.
Seattle Police Officers Guild President Mike Solan warned that rampant drug use will lead to more 'crime, decay, and death,' comments Fox described as alarming.
'The president of the Seattle Police Guild made a very strong comment saying he expected much more crime, urban decay, and death. That was a very harsh statement. I don't see this open drug use being a positive thing.'
The real estate market in Seattle will continue to suffer as a result of the state of the city and the new mayor, say experts
An unsanctioned homeless encampment has popped up near Seattle iconic Space Needle attraction, where there are also luxury apartments for sale
Despite his concerns, Fox said he hopes Wilson's approach includes real solutions for addiction, even if conditions worsen first.
'In terms of safety, I hope that what they're trying to do is give people an opportunity to get off drugs safely.
'I think it will probably get a little worse before it gets better.
'My hope is that the mayor does have a plan to help people with treatment and recovery safely.'
