SEATTLE — A Seattle property owner has filed a $30 million lawsuit against the city, claiming municipal leaders allowed crime and homelessness to devastate the Little Saigon neighborhood, causing him to lose tenants and a major property deal.
Dennis Chinn’s lawsuit, filed in August, alleges that city policies trampled on the rights of residents and property owners for years, transforming the area near 12th Avenue South and South Jackson Street into what the suit describes as “a wasteland of drug sales and use.” According to the lawsuit, the neighborhood’s decline resulted in the collapse of a $21 million property deal and forced Chinn’s tenants to leave.
City officials at Seattle City Hall declined to comment on the active litigation. The city has since filed a motion to dismiss the case.
Despite the lawsuit’s grim allegations, recent data and local observations suggest conditions in Little Saigon have seen some improvement. Seattle Police Department statistics show significant year-over-year decreases this August, with 24% fewer 911 calls from the neighborhood, 32% fewer thefts and 60% fewer robberies compared 2024.
Dale Watanabe, a neighborhood observer, acknowledged the progress.
“Their efforts around here have made a tremendous difference,” he said. “The city started to put much more emphasis on policing, on actually cleaning up the park next door.”
The city has deployed new initiatives and increased outreach in the area. Over the past five months, a program has helped 39 people transition from the streets into temporary housing.
However, residents and workers in Little Saigon warn that sustained effort is necessary to maintain these gains. Security concerns remain significant enough that organizations continue investing heavily in protection measures.
“You see fences. You see a parking lot gate here. For a nonprofit to have to spend $250,000 to put the fencing up to protect the property, it’s just untenable,” Watanabe said. “It’s much better now. But is it great? Not quite there but hopefully getting there.”
트위터 공유: 시애틀 리틀 사이공 부동산 소송 3천만 달러