Crime, homelessness in downtown Seattle has ‘by no means been this unhealthy’

Homeless tent in Seattle. (J. Warne)

After KIRO Radio’s Gee and Ursula Show shared their own stories this week about visiting downtown Seattle, particularly regarding the homelessness crisis, they heard from a local business owner who said, “It’s never been this bad.”

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Marc McCann owns Butler Parking, which operates parking garages that provide valet and self-parking, and has been in business since 1987.

“When I started in 1987 the biggest problems we had was that there were payroll centers where people would pick up their paychecks and some of my garages were right next to them and the queues were pretty long and people were a little disrespectful at times” , he said. “I don’t know how many people have tried to snatch the checks or snatch money from those who cash their checks. … Everyone has always moved. Everyone has always been very respectful, and to be honest, it hasn’t really affected our business. “

McCann says the biggest problem now has been the tents. He says the alley behind his shop used to be full of tents lining both sides.

“I’ve seen fires … that I actually sent pictures to the city council and just said, ‘Hey, this is what happened,'” he said.

McCann says he also had to call the fire department to put out the fires.

“We stole things from our property. Not that long ago a couple of our metal trash cans, someone used bolt cutters – where they got them, I have no idea – but to cut the trash cans, ”he said. “And then I was walking up and down the alley and found them in one of the tented villages there and they used it, one for garbage, I think that’s fine. And they used the other one as a fireplace. “

“And so I grabbed a park attendant and asked her if she could help me empty the bins and get them back. And she did, ”added McCann.

He says the people who took the trash cans didn’t say anything when he brought them back, but they no longer leave the trash cans in their shop.

“The graffiti is at least once or twice a week, not only there but in Pioneer Square,” McCann said. “I have a garage right between Washington and Yesler, on 3rd Avenue, right next to the courthouse that has a million tents. … just nobody cares. You just don’t do anything about it. they had
plenty of time to try and fix it. And the city council just seems to spin its wheels or maybe play in front of its constituents and people who shout the loudest. “

Before COVID-19 hit, McCann said his business was pretty strong.

“But when we lost customers, it was almost always someone who said, ‘Hey, you know, I can’t take this walk anymore.’ There used to be a kind of tent village right next to us in Pioneer Square … right in Washington between 2nd and 3rd Avenue. “

McCann accidentally caught a reporter there one day talking about the city doing nothing against the tents. He says it affected his business because people had to pass by to get to their office. About a week or two later, he says the city has cleared the tents in this area.

“They found $ 60,000 in cash, lots of drugs. So, you know, I didn’t make it up, ”he said. “And for a while, business improved. Business started. We haven’t lost people that often. “

“It was a real fight, especially now in front of the courthouse because so many of our clients are jurors, judges and attorneys,” said McCann. “You just closed the entrance to 3rd Avenue, which I am not refusing because I understand. But I don’t understand why they can’t clean up the park now. By the way, it was empty in spring, summer. So everyone had an apartment beforehand, and then suddenly they decided to pitch all of their tents there. “

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McCann says he tried to contact the city council members but only got one response at a time.

“You’re just not listening,” he said. “… I really don’t have to tell you anything, do I? All they have to do is walk out their door, see the problem, and find a way to fix it. “

Listen to the Gee and Ursula Show on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. on KIRO Radio, 97.3 FM. Subscribe to the podcast here.