Team 3 - Delridge

Delridge Way looking north from the intersection with Genesee Street. Source: Google Maps

Delridge is a community located in West Seattle adjacent to the Duwamish River on Duwamish lands. The Delridge district is reported to have begun as a steel town. This area is not precisely defined and the name Delridge is usually used to describe a collection of neighborhoods that are near the Delridge valley, which includes High Point, Youngstown, Roxhill, Highland Park and more. By the 1990s, Filipinos, Koreans, Samoans, and African-Americans made up more than one third of the population within this district. This community also houses South Seattle Community College, which is located atop the Puget Ridge and opened its doors in 1969. Although this brought new populations to the area, as well as business interests, the potential for landslides and floods kept the district from being rapidly developed like neighboring districts. The 2010 Census reports the overall population as 34,904. The community make-up of all Delridge neighborhoods is 56.5% White, 15.5% Asians, and 13.3% Black or African Americans. 48.3% of people in the Delridge neighborhoods are persons of color. The 2010 Census also reported a total of 15,755 housing units in the area, 8.5% of those being reported as vacant. Our team will be specifically focusing on the area that surrounds the intersection of Delridge Way SW and SW Genesee Street, which is in the neighborhoods of Youngstown and North Delrdige.

1. Increased socioeconomic status
2. Housing affordability
3. Land use action
4. Commercial retail character
5. Social character
6. Displacement (both indirect and cultural)

Delridge, like other neighborhoods at the edges of Seattle, is at a significant growing point. Property value has been steadily increasing, and major public transportation projects indicate that the neighborhood is developing. According to Zillow, North Delridge housing prices increased 82% from 2010 to 2020. New, denser, developments are replacing long standing, low density housing. The potential that the new transit veins may bring has the potential to further conflate the rising cost of living in this neighborhood.

There is currently a large amount of development that has been happening along Delridge Way. From MicroCondos to luxury townhouse, there are currently 22 major development changes happening in the neighborhood.

According to a survey by Rent.com published in November 2019 rent in Delridge has increased by 17.95%. The average rent for a one-bedroom is now $1916.77. The residential properties are about 50/50 renters and owners. Seattle Housing Authority reports that there are 6-8 year waiting lists for low-income housing in the area that currently are $1300 from the $750 that it use to be for a 1 bedroom. This means that people who want to live here and can’t afford the steep rent are not able to and those who do live here might be able to no longer. Housing being unaffordable will directly impact the socioeconomic status of the families that are able to stay. There are also accounts of affordable apartments being turned into condos which displace the local families who live paycheck to paycheck.

Outside of personal accounts there are not a lot of documented demographic changes. This may be because the families who live in the low-income housing are often people of color and are long-term residents. With the security of HUD they are able to stay in their homes despite everything changing around them. What is known is that there is has been a consistent population increase of in this area. The question to ask is who is moving in and why? How does the new residents impact the community of long standing residents here?

During the 1850s when the Europeans came to this area of America, the Duwamish people were sent to camp at the mouth of the river. Isaac Stevens was the Governor who in 1853 signed an agreement with the Duwamish people to name their community a "reservation". By 1910 and 1920, Indigenous people formed only 1% of the population in the neighborhood.

In 1905, William Pigott and Judge E.M. Wilson opened the Seattle Steel Company to great acclaim. Seattle movers and shakers hyped the beginning of a new industrial epoch, and a special train carried 500 of Seattle’s leading citizens out to the mill for an opening reception. The steel mill has been operating ever since, under various names and ownership, gradually filling in the tideflats on a cove at the northeastern end of the Duwamish Peninsula. In 1906 the steel mill provided a room in a tiny office building, and 70 children showed up the first day. Once Youngstown was annexed to West Seattle and then to Seattle, which was a move tavern owners and the steel mill opposed, the Seattle School District built a wooden school for Youngstown with five classrooms. The school on 24th Avenue (now Delridge Way) was replaced by brick in 1917 with an addition in 1929. For 80 years, Youngstown/Cooper School provided education for the children of immigrants and a heart for the neighborhood. Today a new Cooper School at the top of Puget Ridge and Sanislo Elementary continue to serve Delridge children, as well as others.

Delridge was a working-class neighborhood, a contrast to the middle-class neighborhood of West Seattle on the hill to the west. In the 1930’s, aspiring parents successfully petitioned the school board to change the name of the school from Youngstown, with its steel city connotations, to the Frank B. Cooper School, after a progressive Seattle superintendent. Residents also raised money, bought land, and built the Youngstown Improvement Club as a social gathering place. They persuaded the city to pave 24th Avenue and rename it Delridge Way. The city developed the Delridge Playfield and community center, and the West Seattle Golf Course grew on land that leads up the ridge to Camp Long.

During WWII, a large number of working class people migrated from the Midwest and South, which caused a change of the demographics of the neighborhood. The settlers of Delridge and the West Seattle area were the Duwamish people. For about two thousand years they were the ones who fished, gathered, and hunted in Elliot Bay and the Duwamish River.

Besides the large numbers of migrants from the Midwest, many African-Americans were drawn from the southern United States to the jobs in the Pacific Northwest. The family of guitarist Jimi Hendrix lived in the Delridge projects for a while when he was a baby.

During the 1850s when the Europeans came to this area of America, the Duwamish people were sent to camp at the mouth of the river. Isaac Stevens was the Governor who in 1853 signed an agreement with the Duwamish people to name their community a "reservation".

The Treaty of Point Elliott signed in 1855 officially recognized the Duwamish people as a nation. 54,000 acres of Duwamish land was traded for fishing and land use rights, however, soon after the treaty went into effect it was violated by settlers and wars ensued.

Since the broken treaty, the United States has not made amends to the Duwamish people. By the early 20th century, they made up only 1% of the population in their former homeland.

Seattle has an extensive history of forcing racial segregation for its minority groups. From 1910s to 1960s many Seattle’s areas practiced racial exclusion which led to limited areas where minority groups were allowed to live and areas that banks would not lend to which contributed to disinvestment and high rates of poverty. These neighborhoods were considered hazards and areas where it was undesirable to live. These practices went on for over 50 years and in recent decades became places where developers bought up properties as living central to Seattle became more desirable and White families were able to move into these neighborhoods at a cheaper rate than the already developed neighborhoods. As the neighborhood were invested in property values and rents increased and the already established minority groups become unable to afford living in there homes and become displaced. Seattle’s red areas were predominately African American and Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, and Hispanic and included International District, Central District, Beacon Hill, and Delridge.

In 1980 there was a rent control ballot that Seattle voters rejected that became the most costly political campaign of all time.Rent Control was banned in all of Washington in 1981 through RCW 35.21.830 in the wake of president Ronald Reagan's election and a nationwide rollback of regulation. At the time there was a conservative majority in Olympia and the bill was backed by pro-developer lobbyists. According to this law, No city in Washington can create laws limiting rent for a private rental property, rent can increase any amount of time, a landlord must give 30-days and 60 days for an increase of 10% or more. This creates landlords and developers unregulated pursuits at the expense of low income residents

• "South Seattle Community College opened on the top of Puget Ridge in 1969. Traffic increased; larger businesses and office buildings crowded out neighborhood businesses. But over the years, the greenness of Delridge—its potential for landslides, periodic flooding, its ravines and creeks saved it from rapid development.” ( https://www.loghousemuseum.org/history/delridge-history/) 
• “In that first year the college held classes at various locations, including the Duwamish site (now known as South’s Georgetown Campus), West Seattle High School, and the Holgate site on 3rd Avenue.” (https://southseattle.edu/50th-anniversary)

Seattle's 20-year policy (1994-2014) Washington State Growth management Act

The plan articulates land use, transportation, housing, capital facilities, and utilities elements in accordance with the requirements of the Washington State Growth Management Act. The plan will eventually include an economic development element to comply with King County’s Countywide Planning Policies. And, the plan will also include neighborhood planning and human development elements to comply with the Seattle Framework Policies Resolution 28535.

Plan’s objective- are to develop and enhance the following qualities:

• Diverse mix of residents- various ages, incomes, cultures, employment, and interests;
• Variety of housing types that meets needs and preferences of diverse
• Strong relationships with residents and commercial businesses
• Community facilities, including schools, community and recreation centers, libraries, parks, human services within walking distance of neighborhood centers.
• Partnerships with neighborhoods and community based organizations to improve people’s access to services
• Transit, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities with connections to adjacent neighborhoods, good circulation within the neighborhood and surrounding area
• A unique identity reflecting local history, the neighborhoods natural features, its culture, and other sources of community pride.

Implementation strategy:

• Develop more complete and competitive transit model
• Targeting use of housing assistance funds and planning tools to serve higher density neighborhoods and provide delivery based on citizen expressed priorities

The light rail expansion planned for 2030 will have a station in North Delridge. There is already an observed pattern of accelerated development around new light rail stations in Seattle. This can accelerate the gentrification in the area and displace more families that have already established community in the area.

Although there is no gentrification research that focuses specifically on Delridge, there is research that has examined gentrification within Seattle. In a report by the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, it was reported that Seattle is the “third most gentrifying city” in the United States when compared among 100 other large U.S cities — Seattle is reported to have “the third highest percentage of gentrifying census tracts” (Balk).

While some may see gentrification as a positive due to the fact that new wealth is finally making its way into communities through the migration of young professionals and other affluent individuals into their neighborhoods, the reality is not so bright. It is reported that through this new wealth that these communities are rapidly changing, “many of which had suffered from decades of blight and population loss” (Balk). However, this influx of wealth has detrimental effects for long-time residents because “as property values and rents rise,” long-time residents of these communities who are usually “poorer and often people of color” can be pushed out of their neighborhoods, displacing them from their homes and cultural ties to their communities (Balk).

In this study, it is reported that researchers identified “about 10,000 census tracts in 100 large cities that had incomes below the area median in 2000” with these tracts ultimately being “deemed ‘gentrifiable’” (Balk). They then followed up and sought out which tracts had experienced the largest increase in “the percentage of college-educated residents by the 2010-2014 period” — those in the upper 10 percent for this “were identified as gentrifying” (Balk). For Seattle, there 82 possibilities for gentrification tracts in the year 2000, however, by 2010-2014 it is reported that “30 of them, or 37%, me the study’s threshold of gentrification” only two other cities in this study experienced higher gentrification levels, and those were Washington, D.C. and Portland (Balk).

While gentrification in Seattle is reported as mostly occurring within the central parts, there are also other “pockets of gentrification across the city” which include the South, West, and North parts of Seattle which “all contain formerly low-income areas that experienced a dramatic increase in the share of college-education residents” (Balk).

This brings us back to the important question of what impact does this influx of new residents have on the community of long standing residents within the area? One of the researchers in this study mentioned that “gentrification has positive outcomes for original residents, as long as they are able to stay put” but the reality for many is that through rising rent and stagnant salaries (or lack thereof due to this pandemic and rapidly growing cases of unemployment in the nation), many do not have disposable income to be able to survive the phases of gentrification in their communities (Balk). It is important to state that any prosperity brought forth within these communities through gentrification is not for the betterment of the original community but rather, most of the time, at their expense.

No specific pandemic research was found but there is a health impact assessment that goes into detail about the plethora of issues that the community faces in the upcoming years if there is no action taken. These key findings span from issues such as zoning and mobility all the way to social capital and environmental health.

When it comes to zoning, it is reported that the Delridge neighborhood does not “adequately serve the needs of the community” — this impedes the public from being able to have “access to commercial businesses such as grocery stores and restaurants” as well as adequately placed green spaces which “contribute to overall health, wellbeing, and longevity” of the community (Gundersen, Juaregui, Mager & Snelson, 2015).

Mobility is another issue for the neighborhood. While the residents may be close to parks, trails, and community centers as well as other assets and services within the community, the reported lack of “complete streets (safe streets for all users, including pedestrians, cyclists, transit users, and motorists of all ages and abilities)” only serve to limit a resident’s access and use of such activities and services (Gundersen, et al., 2015). In this same vein, although Delridge does have a wealth of community resources that can foster community, “trust and norms of reciprocity” within its residents to encourage social interaction overall these are “not currently well integrated into the neighborhood infrastructure and thus are not readily accessible by foot, bike, or bus, limiting their ability to enhance social capital” — leaving residents to their own devices in the end (Gundersen, et al., 2015).

Air pollution is another reported factor in the Health Impact Assessment as it is reported that pollution from nearby construction and increased traffic could “raise the risk of cancer, heart and lung disease” as well as “increase hospitalizations for asthma and other respiratory illnesses” (Gundersen, et al., 2015).

The most important key finding comes out of the environmental health portion of the report. It should come as no surprise that an individual’s environment can have an impact on their health, whether a positive or negative one. It is reported that the “soil compaction and instability caused by construction and demolition can negatively affect the water that feeds into nearby Longfellow Creek” (Gundersen, et al., 2015). Due to the fact that it is reported that the creek is “a source of drinking water and habitat for animals, and if polluted, could transmit disease” — then it is evident action must be taken in order to avoid worsening the health of residents in this area (Gundersen, et al., 2015).

All of these issues coalesce for residents in various forms, complicating their experiences within the neighborhood in varying degrees that can result in displacement as they are not able to keep up with the rising costs of living in the area or perhaps they’re dealing with the plethora of other issues that this community faces due to decades of construction, pollution, and communal changes brought on by the commercialization of the Seattle as tech companies continue to migrate their businesses here.

Delridge Grocery Co-op’s mission is to grow community by providing local, sustainably grown whole foods, at affordable prices, to the residents of the Delridge area in Seattle. Seattle has a reputation as a ‘green’ city, so it’s not surprising that many Delridge and West Seattle residents want a local, sustainable food source within walking distance of their homes. The Delridge Grocery Co-op will provide a full range of grocery items with an emphasis on local, organic, and sustainably-grown, minimally-processed foods. 

"We will give priority in purchasing to items produced sustainably and locally."

Through the low-overhead cooperative model, the store will offer competitive, affordable pricing.

It is reported that the Highland Park Improvement Club was born out of a need for local community members to come together in both casual/social settings as well as a space for professional meetings to take place. When it was built, community members stated that there was only one dirt road with a streetcar being available for those that needed transportation, with several transfers they’d be able to get to Downtown Seattle if they so wished. The club was determined to make changes within the community but they also wanted to provide a safe and fun space for the community which included Saturday night socials which included games and dancing. However, as time has passed, so has the growth around the area in which the club is located but through community involvement and popularity of their location, they’ve been able to renovate throughout the years and expand to provide community members with a safe space for gathering and community building. They are registered as a non-profit community club and are ultimately powered by local volunteers.

Due to COVID-19, their focus within the community has shifted and in their official website they state that they are currently “serving as a hub for food preparation, storage and distribution to students and families of many local schools” and they are continuing “to seek ways that we can be of service to the greater community and our impacted neighbors” (HPIC). All of their official community meetings have also moved to online formats in order to adhere to social distancing orders.

Due to their promotion as a community space, you’ll see many of the regulars there both for social gatherings as well as community activism, bringing everyone together, fostering a more welcoming community that amplifies and works to meet the needs of its members.

Their mission: “To enhance the quality of life in the neighborhood by providing a gathering place, hosting neighborhood programs and sustaining a platform for community engagement.”

It is reported that Southwest Youth and Family Services was founded in 1979 as the Southwest Youth Service Bureau Policy Board. For nearly 40 years, SY&FS has been “providing critical services in significantly under-resourced communities of Southwest King County” which includes White Center, South Park, as well as Burien and SeaTac (SWYFS). This organization is a vital part of the community as it works “to remove barriers to our community’s success and sustainability caused by systemic and economic inequities” (SWYFS). It is reported that they’ve become a “leading resource” for many of the low-income and other vulnerable children, youth and families within the area, “supporting more than 2,000 individuals annually with holistic, wrap-around services in the areas of education, youth development, behavioral health, and family advocacy” (SWYFS). Even if they are not able to provide the services that a client or community member needs, they work to ensure that these individuals are referred to the necessary partners or other organizations to “ensure that families get what they need to succeed” (SWYFS). Their staff is “approximately 75” individuals that partner with youth, families, and other community members as well as continue to work in hopes of expanding services across the area to meet the needs of the community.

Their mission: “Our mission is to partner with youth and families to transform their futures.”

The Delridge Triangle lies at the center of the South Delridge community. With Highland Park to the east and Westwood-Roxhill to the west, the public right of way is central feature to the South Delridge corridor.

The Triangle has a long history of negative social behaviors that have created fear and avoidance. After many years of community activists working hard to create a positive community environment it became clear that more needed to be done. South Delridge is in desperate need of improving the layout of this public space to allow children to play, neighbors to connect and for the community to thrive.

Under HALA the City has slated this area to be increased in density. The need for improved pedestrian inter-connectivity, safety and sense of place to socialize and play increases every day. In 2017, the local neighborhood groups held their first workshop and created The Friends of the Delridge Triangle (FDT).

"We are a coalition of community activist groups and local businesses working together to make the central hub, the Delridge Triangle a place for our communities to communities to connect and share a sense of cultural vibrancy and pride."

The Delridge Community Center is a facility owned and operated by the City of Seattle. It was constructed in 1992, and is adjacent to the Delridge Playfield. They have a variety of amenities that are appropriate for a wide range of ages and socio-economic statuses. The amenities include a gym, kitchen, ping pong table, preschool room, public computers, public wifi, shower rooms with free toiletries, tutoring, a playground, a wading pool, and a skatepark. The playground was replaced in 2009 with the help of hundreds of volunteers and the non-profit KaBOOM!

The Center hosts a many different community-focused events, such as Halloween parties, Seafair-related events, and neighborhood forums.

The tennis courts at Delridge Playfield were part of a pilot program in 2017 to add pickleball striping to tennis courts around the City of Seattle. This was initiated after “numerous community members have reached out to Seattle Parks and Recreation(SPR)to request increased access to courts which support the game of pickleball” (Seattle Parks & Recreation). During the pilot project, Delridge was the third most utilized pilot site according to an online survey.

The Community Center has very positive online reviews. It has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars with 93 reviews. Some common themes were the staff being welcoming and helpful, the showers being a good resource, and the center being a “great asset to the community” (Google Maps Reviews).

“This is a friendly, well staffed community center that does its best to serve the community they are part of.” - Google Maps Review

From the online comments and the amenities and programs available, the Delridge Community Center fits many of Oldenburg’s characteristics of third places. For the participants, it is a neutral ground. It is a leveler, with programs for people of every socio-economic status. It is accessible and accommodating. From what I can tell, it fits the characteristic of a low profile. Government-operated community centers and typically unpretentious. The mood is playful. It is a home away from home with many people.

"Great place they are true to there name COMMUNITY Center" - Google Maps Review

The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce is a membership-based business organization that serves the communities of West Seattle, including Delridge. It “has a history of working with businesses in the area and has a list of resources and services that … promote business growth. The Chamber also has experience conducting business gatherings and helping businesses network” (Seattle Parks & Recreation).

Mission: Be the leading advocate for the West Seattle business community through building strong inter-organizational and public-private relationships, networks and resources.

Vision: Sustainable economic growth of a diverse, viable business community on the Greater West Seattle Peninsula.

Source:  https://www.wschamber.com/about-us/ 

The Chamber provides many functions to businesses in the area. These include:

• Providing marketing assistance through a variety of ways, such as monthly luncheon events and listing businesses in the Community Resource Guide,
• Meeting with business leaders and government officials to advocate for members, and
• Providing businesses “tools to connect, engage, thrive & prosper” (WSCC).

The memberships have associated fees. These vary depending on the size of the business and level of the membership, which have increasing benefits based on the level.

The Chamber seems to be generally well-regarded in the community. It has 4 reviews on Google Maps, all of which are 5 stars. It has 7 reviews on Facebook, all of which are 5 stars. The most common theme was that it was a good place to network.

“It not only provides great networking and training opportunities for its members but is also a terrific advocate for the area.” - Google Maps Review

The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce is certainly a “third place” in that it is not home or the workplace. It is an anchor in the neighborhood, and helps support the business community. However, I struggled to find third place characteristics that applied to it. I would be able to know if they applied if I had the chance to interact with members or go to a meeting. However, based on what I know, the only one I can say confidently that applies is the regulars.

“Offers opportunities to participate in my community and meet my neighbors.” - Facebook Review

The Youngstown Cultural Arts Center is a program run by the Delridge nonprofit, Delridge Neighborhoods Development Association. This cultural center represents many different kinds of arts from dancing to music to martial arts. The center rents out space for an affordable price and is committed to serving it's community.

Vision: A vibrant and thriving Delridge

This is certainly a third place in that it provides neutral ground for anyone to create, it has a playful mood, it is a home away from home were folks can spend time being creative.

Yelp review: "...The halls are alive with art and invitations to be involved."

Yelp review: "...Reminds me of highschool in a good way. Everything is a little old, a little dank, but charming at any rate."

Pandemic Response

Like many organizations across the country, the Youngstown Cultural Center and the wider organization that it belongs to (DNDA) have had to adapt their content for online usage.

They have created a web page coined, "DNDA Heartspace" that contains all the online class offerings. The formats are youtube and zoom, and classes on everything from yoga to dance, to open mic events, to nature walks, to social mixers are available.

Erika Bell, Youngstown Manager: "While we may not be able to access our community spaces during this pandemic, we can certainly still access our heart space, and that's what really connects us after all."

Uptown Espresso is a local cafe chain established in Seattle in the 1980s. There are six locations across Seattle. Famous for it's "velvet foam," this coffee roaster has quite the cult following. Furthermore, the Delridge location is a community third place. Touted for it's "chill vibe" and availability of board games and playing space - it's definitely a local's spot to hangout.

This coffee shop is a third place because it is a neutral space where people are not obligated to be, any patron that comes in is at the same level so it is a leveler, there are regular as indicated by google and yelp reviews, and it maintains a low profile as it is described as "cozy" and "chill."

Pandemic Response

Initially, through the beginning of March, Uptown Espresso kept it's door open despite the devolving pandemic, they did so by adjust their safety and health protocol to include minimal contact, payment methods, prohibiting personal coffee containers, and upholding a strict employee cleanliness standard.

However, they eventually had to close operations, until May 10th where they began offering limited takeout ordering. This lack of access to a community hang out spot must be affecting the usual patrons who rely on it’s inherently social atmosphere.

Delridge Neighborhood Development Association (DNDA) is a nonprofit that serves the diverse needs of the area residents. This org offers housing in seven apartment complexes for 144 low-income Delridge residents that earn either 30% or 50% af Seattle Area Median Income. Not only do they provide housing but they offer community programs that focus on culture and justice that aim at individual and community social growth, walking on logs, and SHA summer youth programs. This organization has been a major protective factor against gentrification and creates a place of belonging for many of the children and families in Delridge. Spaces are also available for renting by businesses and organizations.

This series brought together 38 community organizations and businesses as well as provided 20 local artists with paid work,over 1500 community members attended, and 20 youth were included in the organizing and planning of this event. Events were held at DNDA Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, The Vietnamese Cultural Center, and Camp Long; all Delridge area Organizations.

Produced in partnership with Seattle Public Schools. This program uses arts education and indigenous methods of restorative justice. Methods such as, Peachmaking circles to restore relationships between community members and improve educational climates.

SHA Summer Youth Program (SYP) is produced in partnership with Seattle housing authority. They offer youth soccer, environment projects, overnight camping at camp long, cooking classes, swimming etc. These are all offered on a sliding scale and complete scholarships are available. 

This series brought together 38 community organizations and businesses as well as provided 20 local artists with paid work,over 1500 community members attended, and 20 youth were included in the organizing and planning of this event. Events were held at DNDA Youngstown Cultural Arts Center, The Vietnamese Cultural Center, and Camp Long; all Delridge area Organizations.

Let’s talk race has been a series of conversations around a selected topic that led to capacity building and community growth for Delridge residents. 

6535 Delridge Way Southwest, Seattle, Washington 98106, United States

Refugee and Immigrant Family Center is more than childcare it is a bilingual spanish-English preschool that provides education, family events, and centers anti-racism social justice stance while educating and connecting with community. They educate the children about social justice in their curriculum and interactions within the community. MISSIONRIFC's mission is to provide a high quality part-time preschool experience for children ages 2-5 in a warm, nurturing, culturally relevant environment.

Four Core Values of RIFC

Core Values of RIFC

1.Collaborative Relationships: Mutual respect and decision-making among children, families, staff, and educators to create equitable outcomes

2.Social Justice: Cultural democracy as center function. This creates space where people can overcome bias and undo racism. 

3.Engaged Learning: Curiosity and reflection for adults and children

4.Joyful Work: Playfulness and passion are encouraged in all levels of center. Adults are encouraged to draw inspiration from kiddos minds and imaginations. 

To examine the theories we have about gentrification and community change, we examined the demographics of North Delridge and compared them to the rest of King County. We also compared two different time periods to see how the demographics have changed over time. The statistics we used are from the American Community Survey (ACS), which has annual statistics, compared to the Census, which only has statistics for 10-year increments. It also contains more in-depth information than the census, but is only sent to about 3.5 million people instead of every person. The sample is chosen using a “process of scientific sampling” and answering is compulsory. Like the census, resources are provided in 60 different languages. Although all data contains some sort of bias, these facts should help make the information more objective. You can learn more about the  American Community Survey here .

Information obtained through the ACS and the Census uses census tracts. These are statistical units created for the purpose of obtaining geographically-based demographic information. They rarely coincide with local geographical boundaries used by community members, which can cause problems when examining data at a neighborhood level. We used census tract 99, as it contains most of North Delridge. However, it also contains Harbor Island, Youngstown, and Industrial District West (industrial land north of the West Seattle Bridge and east of Harbor Avenue. Because Harbor Island and Industrial District West have few or no residents, the data should not be significantly skewed by the inclusion of these other areas.

The two different time periods are 5-year estimates. The first set of data is from 2005-2009, and the second set is from 2014-2018. 5-year estimates were used because that is the only time frame of the ACS that provides data at the census tract level. 

North Delridge is less racially diverse, has higher educational attainment, and lower percentage of its population below the poverty level than the rest of King County. More research could be done in the future to see how the different census tracts rank, and if there are certain trends in this data.

The map below shows the number of new units built in the City of Seattle from 2010 - 2020. The information for this map was examined, and North Delridge had the median number of new units added (621) out of the 53 neighborhoods included in the data set. The new units are clustered along Delridge Way SW, as well as some units closer to West Seattle Bridge. The number of new units, as also discussed in the demographics, could be indicators that gentrification is occurring and that current residents are being displaced.

The two zoning maps show the current zoning for the neighborhood of North Delridge, where our study area is located. North Delridge is zoned largely single family residential, although a large portion of this is the West Seattle Golf Course, Delridge Playfield, and Pigeon Point Park. In the Future Land Use map, these are shown as City-Owned Open Space. It’s important to note that the zoning, or allowed uses, and actually use, or how the users actually interact with the space, are not always in line. There is very little commercial space in the study area, and a lot of this space is actually used for residential

Another important item to note is the presence of industrial land around a large portion of the neighborhood. This helps to provide employment, but has also contributed to environmental degradation. The industrial zoning is to remain in 2035.

There are no large changes proposed for Delridge by 2035. The high-density multi-family area on the west of Delridge will change to a Hub Urban Village. A Hub Urban Village is an area that has a variety of uses, including residential and employment. This would benefit Delridge by bringing more shops to the area and neighborhood-sensitive density increases. This Urban Village could help to alleviate the food desert, as well, as we will discuss later in this chapter.

As the Current Delridge Zoning data above indicates, there is minimal commercial zoning which has resulted in the lack of grocery stores in the neighborhood. The Health Impact Assessment (HIA) conducted in 2015 by the University of Washington recommends adding commercial zoning to encourage grocery stores to move in.

The Delridge Grocery Cooperative is the only grocery store within central Delridge. However it is not fully operational yet. While construction on it is ongoing, they have experimented with a fresh produce box pick-up in response to the ongoing pandemic. In South Delridge, approximately 3 miles away from our study area, there is a QFC and a Safeway. Otherwise, the closest, full-service, grocery stores to our study area are approximately 1 mile to the West in West Seattle. The HIA notes that the definition of a food desert is varied, but one way to define it is “as an area more than one mile away from a grocery store in an urban area” (Gundersen, et al., 2015). Furthermore, the HIA reports that “72.3% of [Delridge] residents are not consuming 5 or more fruits and vegetables per day” (Gundersen, et al., 2015).

Delridge is a valley between two higher elevation green spaces to the East and West. This geography contributes to the concentration of services on Delridge way and makes cross traffic difficult so the best mode of transportation is by vehicle. Further compounding the challenges that alternative transportation faces, there is a high incidence of pedestrian and bike accidents which indicates that Delridge way is not safe for active transportation. Delridge also has a fragmented network of complete streets. Despite all this the HIA reports that 43% of Delridge residents use alternative transportation, compared to a 32% average throughout all of Seattle (Gundersen, et al., 2015).

Rapidride lines serve 70% more patrons than typical bus routes along the same path. The existing route 120 in Delridge is one of the top 10 busiest routes in the county. The rapidride H line will replace that existing line. The new line will offer faster, more accessible, and more frequent rides by increasing boarding efficiency, improvements to surrounding streets and boardings areas for accessibility, utility upgrades, and more buses. Metro’s State Environmental Policy Act official has conducted an environmental review and determined that this transit project receives a “Determination of Nonsignificance.” “U.S. Census Bureau 2011-2015 American Community Survey census block groups data within a half-mile radius of the H Line corridor has approximately 27.6 percent of households without a vehicle, compared to 9.7 percent in King County overall. Therefore, enhanced transit service is expected to provide a benefit to these transit-dependent households" ( https://kingcounty.gov/depts/transportation/metro/programs-projects/fares-routes-and-service/rapidride-expansion/h-line.aspx ).

The Light Rail Station is currently in planning stages. The Delridge station planning team are considering how to connect the rapidride H line with the light rail station to enhance the transit along the Delridge corridor. Access of pedestrians and bicycles to the new station is also paramount.

While the West Seattle Bridge opened in 1984, more recently the standards for evaluating the load capacity for the type of construction used in the bridge were updated and in response, the bridge has been closely evaluated and monitored. It was closed on March 23rd due to exponentially worsening cracks in the structure. The Spokane Street Bridge, beneath the West Seattle Bridge is still operable but is reserved for essential and emergency vehicles only. It has a smaller capacity, with only two lanes total compared to the seven of the High Bridge. No one, including health care workers, is allowed to use private vehicles on the low bridge. People are allowed to use public transit or alternative forms of transportation like biking or walking.

The Washington Environmental Health Disparities map offers evidence of the health gap that exists between whiter and wealthier census tracts compared to ones that contain more people of color, poor or working-class households, as well as immigrants — communities which tend to be located near industrial zones, waterways that have been polluted, or high-traffic areas. These factors come together to formulate what is known as environmental racism which simply means discrimination against low-income or minority communities that are often forced to live within hazardous environments created by the industries surrounding them, often because of the lower cost of living in said neighborhoods. Due to Delridge’s long history as an industrial area it’s propensity for such risks is inevitable.

It is important to note that researchers that crafted this map state that “additional analysis is needed to make decisions on health outcomes” that can come to be affiliated with environmental factors as this is solely a dynamic yet informative tool (Washington Environmental Health Disparities Map). This is due to the fact that many of the indicators in these maps “rely on national data sources” and may not necessarily capture the nuances that could be discovered through specific data collected by the state or its own community in Delridge (Washington Environmental Health Disparities Map). However, it is a good starting point to begin scanning areas within Delridge which are deemed hazardous for the community and examine the ways in which the community has been affected by it through the examination of national data.

The individual health issues that are faced by this community can not only be further complicated by their hazardous environment, but also by other external factors — such as a new illness being introduced into their community. These individuals are more susceptible/at-risk during pandemics due to their environmental surroundings, which can further complicate their immune systems as their underlying health conditions can put them at a higher risk of contracting severe illnesses (CDC).

The Delridge neighborhood has been affected by COVID-19 . Despite being some miles away from the outbreak area, the Life Care Center of Kirkland. COVID-19 can affect people of any age. Adults in Washington have been tested and diagnosed with COVID-19 more frequently than children. Testing remains limited and physicians may not test children with mild disease, lowering the number of children reported as having COVID-19. Moreover, adults 60 years old and older have died from COVID-19 more frequently than any other age group. In relation to Delridge neighborhood specifically, the King County website suggests data of COVID-19 cases and deaths as follows:

Zip Code: 98106

• 117 have tested positive results, at a rate of 451.8 per 100,000 residents.
• Among those with a positive result: 2 (1.7%) have died due to illness, at a rate of 7.7 per 100,000 residents.

Zip Code: 98126

• 75 have tested positive results, at a rate of 308.1 per 100,000 residents.
• Among those with a positive result: 12 (16.0%) have died due to illness, at a rate of 49.3 per 100,000 residents.

The effects of COVID-19 on the health of racial and ethnic minority groups is still emerging; however, current data suggests a disproportionate burden of illness and death among racial and ethnic minority groups. According to a report made by King County, as of May 15th, 2020, the data on their report shows that COVID-19 is disproportionately impacting communities of color. Overall, through May 15, 2020, there have been 7,347 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in King County, which translates into an overall age-adjusted rate of 330 cases per 100,000 residents. The rate of confirmed cases is highest among Native Hawaiian/ Pacific Islanders (867.8 per 100,000), Hispanics (770.9 per 100,000), and Blacks (419.4 per 100,000). These rates are higher, with statistical significance, than whites (166.2 per 100.00).

"Where we live, learn, work, and play affects our health." (CDC)

The conditions in which people live, learn, work, and play contribute to their health. These conditions, over time, lead to different levels of health risks, needs, and outcomes among some people in certain racial and ethnic minority groups. Health differences between racial and ethnic groups are often due to economic and social conditions that are more common among some racial and ethnic minorities than whites.

Living Conditions: For many people in racial and ethnic minority groups, living conditions may contribute to underlaying health conditions and make it difficult to follow steps to prevent getting sick with COVID-19 or to seek treatment if they do get sick.

• Members of racial and ethnic minorities may be more likely to live in densely populated areas because of institutional racism in the form of residential housing segregation. People living in densely populated areas may find it more difficult to practice prevention measures such as social distancing.
• Research also suggests that racial residential segregation is a fundamental cause of health disparities. For example, racial residential segregation is linked with a variety of adverse health outcomes and underlying conditions.
• Multi-generational households, which may be more common among some racial and ethnic minority families, may find it difficult to take precautions to protect older family members or isolate those who are sick, if space in the household is limited.
• Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

David Bestock is the Executive Director of Delridge Neighborhood Association (DNDA) including Youngstown Cultural Arts Center. He is a native Seattlite who has a background in international public health, nonprofit work, and video production. 

 Food Access and Food Dessert.

David reported that Delridge is a food dessert and that DNDA has done work around leading an initiative to put fresh food in the local corner stores. He shared what DNDA has done to counteract this reality. They supported the start of the program creation of Food Empowerment Education and Sustainability Team (FEEST). FEEST has now branched off into their own organization that works with providing food, teaching youth of color skills to make food at home, and policy advocacy work around healthy food availability in schools as well as more culturally sensitive food for students at school. This organization started within DNDA and is now based in White Center. He also shared that there is a Delridge grocery Co-op that is gaining traction and opening in the DESC building on Delridge. It is in its beginning stages of operation and has been in the works since works since Winter 2009. Covid has put a pause on the entire operation. According to the Coops website, due to “logistical tangles” they are halting services and awaiting a letter from the governor's office deeming them an essential business. They offer $20 fresh food boxes that provide 10 pounds of fruits and vegetables when operational. 

Displacement and Gentrification.

Displacement and gentrification were reported by David Bestock. 

David shared that Delridge had a bad rap in terms of food access, absence of a bank, and high crime rate. He shared that the bad reputation of the neighborhood kept gentrifiers away for a long time. He reported that there was a realization that demographics have changed due to proximity to downtown through the West Seattle Bridge creating quick access to downtown made the area more appealing. He sees a lot of younger White families and more affluent communities coming in. What he has noticed is, “In Delridge specifically I think a lot of it (displacement) is when single family homes get sold it's often just torn down and replaced with townhomes and the price goes up and so folks who are forced to sell their homes are not able to relocate within the area.” Furthermore David described rising property values rising impacts rising property taxes creates financial implications all contributing to displacement.

 There is hope and a recognized chance for long standing residents to sustain their families in Delridge. DNDA plays a vital role in this; He expresses, “Delridge was later to gentrify than much of Seattle, I think there is still opportunity for organizations like ours to get more of a footprint because while gentrification is still happening and certainly displacement is still happening it may be slower that some of the other communities. We do still have some inroads to supporting folks to stay where they grew up and keep things affordable but it's certainly a rising challenge.”

When it comes to community demographic changes and building community with the incoming residents and the longstanding residents David discussed how one of DNDA’s major roles is as a convener of the community and creating dialogue to synthesize the disconnect and reluctance to engage with people who are different that exist in the area. He shared, “ We really try to build programming and build events that will bring lots of different diverse communities together both racially and gender and cultural and intergenerational, and really try to have dialogue from across those different demographic identifiers towards what are the issues we all share? What are the things we share in common? On a neighborhood level, which is the neighborhood, the environment, the green spaces and all that. We really try to break down some of those barriers and that fear of the other and create spaces of belonging and welcoming... The more that tide moves in the more alienated those cultural communities, those families of color feel.”

COVID Response and West Seattle bridge closing.

David is well aware of disproportionate impact of COVID to the community he serves. He reported that 98106 and 98126 (Delridge/ White Center) are way disproportionately affected than 98116 (Upper West Seattle). He described how this trend follows the demographic and socioeconomic metrics. Delridge already had a way higher per capita of lower life expectancy and way higher rate of diabetes. HE believes that Covid is already exposing some of these already existing inequities of health access and general health indicators which is wrapped up into environmental justice issues. He believes that some of that is related to access to affordable healthy foods. He also spoke of a major industrial steel plant that is right on Delridge that claims to be low polluting and how the impact of this plant to the health of residents is unknown. Delridge is experiencing disproportionate deaths and inequities related to general health as well as COVD. David expressed,“We are certainly seeing the impacts of Covid following the history of inequities and I think it's going to go further exasperate that divide in particular because of economics. What I think we will see is people in Delridge` unable to get the resources they are going to need to protect themselves.” He shared concerns for those who do not speak English being unable to access resources and navigate the bureaucratic systems to receive support and the families who are forced into front line work because their families rely on the funds. DNDA is a huge part of combatting these inequities but David believes that the impact is going to get a lot worse. The West Seattle Bridge closing has created a “double whammy” creating a loss of income for DNDA since the rental spaces they provide are no longer easily accessible. It’s affecting many businesses in Delridge by making it a challenge for people from other communities to get to the area. He also mentioned that the limitations of transportation created by the bridge closing can potentially further expose residents who take public transportation by having to spend more time out on buses traveling to their essential jobs. 

DNDA is really stepping up to fill in the gaps that the bureaucratic systems haven’t been able to. David reported that they are delivering masks and providing basic resources. They are also fundraising and creating a system to equitably distribute funds to Delridge residents to relieve the effects of the CoronaVirus. My perception is that they are devoted to deserving their residents and able and committed to taking on new roles in the pandemic. They have adapted their model to support people through this hard time and are really rising up to the occasion. 

Positive Impacts of Gentrification

• Increasing Property Values: In chapter 1, increasing housing values and housing affordability were discussed using data from Zillow. The Zillow Home Value Index has increased from $327,000 in April 2010 to $594,000 in May 2020. This is an increase of 82%. Looking at a house in this area, 4123 23 Avenue SW, provides an example of increasing property values. According to the King County Assessor, this is an average grade and condition house built in 1983 with 1400 square feet. It was last sold in 1996. In 2010, the assessed value was $263,000. The assessed value in 2019 was $519,000, an increase of 97%. This increase in value can benefit the property owner, as their home’s equity has increased. However, this is also a negative change. The increase in value means the owner now has higher property taxes that they may be unable to afford. It also contributes to higher rent, as discussed in chapter 1. These two factors can contribute to displacement.
• Increased Commercial and Retail Space: One of the priority actions of the  North Delridge Action Plan  is economic development. Through this action, the plan aims to support local businesses and provide access to “meaningful employment” in the Delridge area. The Action Plan also aims to develop “dynamic neighborhood destinations,” such as shopping districts. Gentrification can help to support a vibrant business community with a variety of shops and services. This occurs as higher-income residents move to the area who have more disposable income. It also happens as the area becomes a more attractive place to live, and increased density occurs. The increased density means there are more people in the area to support these businesses. This creates a positive feedback loop, where more businesses and “dynamic neighborhood destinations” attract more and higher-income residents, who can in turn support more businesses. This can benefit existing residents as they now have access to more shops and services, as well as more opportunity for employment within their own neighborhood. This could help to combat the food desert discussed in chapter 4 and discussed below, as well as issues with transportation.
• Access to Food: Food access has increased in Delridge in the past 15 years which correlates with the major gentrification of the area. This impact was discussed in the interview with David Bestock of DNDA. The changes seen are development of the delridge coop, development of the organization FEEST, the implementation of the west Seattle food bank on Morgan and 35th, and initiatives to put fresh food in the convenience stores along Delridge.
• Public Housing Increase: In 2019, Mayor Durkin announced 82 new units being built on Delridge. DESC opened a supportive living complex in 2013 and DNDA was able to open 6 complexes for low-income families since 2002. There was already an established low-income housing system available in Delridge but these are the newest additions specifically developed to combat displacement.
• Lower Crime Rates: The Seattle Times reported a -12.9% crime decrease in North Delridge from 2008-2010 to 2015-2007. This seems to be a neighborhood benefit to gentrification, and was also mentioned in the DNDA interview.

Negative Impacts of Gentrification

• Displacement: Displacement is typically noted as the number one negative change brought on by gentrification. David Bestock from DNDA noted that displacement has occurred in Delridge as single family homes are replaced with townhomes, which has caused an increase in property values. The issues of this are twofold. Existing homeowners may be forced to sell their houses as they can no longer afford the higher property taxes. They can’t afford to stay within Delridge, so they are displaced. Existing renters may be forced out of their homes when the owners decide to redevelop or as rents increase, and also cannot afford to stay in this neighborhood. This displacement has a strong negative impact on the community culture, and can also lead to a sense of alienation for those residents who are able to stay, but see their neighbors being forced out.
• Increased Congestion: Access to the West Seattle peninsula has been an issue since white settlers began living in the area, as discussed in chapter 2. The two main connections from West Seattle to downtown are the King County Department of Transportation Water Taxi and the West Seattle Bridge Transportation Corridor (The West Seattle Bridge and Spokane Street). In 2007, the oldest year of data available from the City of Seattle, the Corridor had an average weekday traffic count of 94,800 vehicles(Seattle GeoData). In 2018, this number had increased to 164,891, an increase of 74%. It can be suggested that this increase is due to gentrification and increased densification occuring on the peninsula. This increase in traffic without any improvements to infrastructure will contribute to congestion. This negatively impacts residents, as their commuting time increases. People who have longer commutes are more likely to suffer from depression, have financial worries, get less than the recommended amount of sleep, and are more likely to be obese (Business Insider).
• Alienating Existing Residents: Many long-term residents face social displacement as new residents come in. There are many non-English speaking residents and immigrant families. Work is being done by DNDA to cross these cultural barriers and counteract this result of gentrification.

Negative Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic

• School Closures: David Bestock of DNDA mentioned the impact of pandemic-caused school closures on the residents of Delridge. The movement to school from home has greater barriers for low-income families. Many lack the technology or reliable internet access required for their children to excel in this new schooling milieu. Many children also rely on meals provided at school which they are no longer receiving. Children being at home may also mean that parents need to stay home to take care of them, or risk leaving young children at home by themselves.
• Higher Rates of COVID-19: Delridge is an area where residents are facing disproportionate health outcomes due to environmental racism and other race based health disparities. Based on statistics from King County, COVID-19 seems to be hitting this area harder than adjacent areas such as the West Seattle California neighborhood and Alki.

There were several limitations to our work. Much of the data available wasn’t at the same scale as our project. For example, census tract data didn’t perfectly align with North Delridge, and most of the history was more generic West Seattle than specifically North Delridge. Many of the limitations were specifically related to the pandemic. We were unable to visit the neighborhood in person or meet with community members and stakeholders. It would have been better to have had an opportunity to visit the neighborhood and walk around the streets to get a better picture of what is like to live there. We were also unable to meet as a group in person, which impacted our ability to collaborate. Some resources were also unavailable, such as print resources from libraries. Even though the internet has made it somehow accessible, the lack of physical connections limited our data collection.

• Gentrification:

Access To Both Social & Community Health Services

One of the many ways in which the community can fight gentrification would be by ensuring access to both social and community health services that are vital in meeting the needs of community members that are most in need. These social services would include things like housing, education, basic health services — as well as allow for the building of community partnerships with organizations within the area that could in turn provide the neighborhood with assistance when it comes to finding affordable housing or even employment.

This type of project would do well to begin gathering data from the current services and organizations that exist in order to gain an understanding of the communities and populations that are being served in Delridge at the moment. This would ensure that communities that need the most access are being prioritized and if there are any cultural or language barriers that they are addressed from the very beginning, rather than being incorporated at a later date. This would not only foster new connections within the community, but coordinating and collaborating with local organizations will assure the development of such a project that will alleviate rather than exacerbate the issues and problems that this community experiences.

By adopting a project that is cognizant during its planning phase of the issues surrounding gentrification, the community can tackle these issues and fight displacement and other long-term effects that revitalization efforts can have within a community because in the end, it is that diversity that is vital within the community in Delridge. Maintaining and fostering that diversity will let residents know that their experiences and culture are valued and taken into account at a macro level, especially when it comes to the development of such projects. The community itself already fosters a plethora of community organizations that can help in bringing such a project to fruition. Some of these include, but are not limited to: Southwest Youth & Family Services, Delridge Community Center, Refugee & immigrant Family Center, Friends of the Delridge Triangle, etc. Utilizing organizations that already actively work within the community would be best in trying to ensure that these projects come to fruition.

Mitigating Current Resident Displacement with Affordable Housing

The cost of housing is already rising as indicated by Zillow and Rent.com. Looking forward to transportation plans and rezoning plans for 2035, these developments will necessitate careful, active consideration of displacement. The HIA recommends, “Grant[ing] permits for larger multi-­‐family unit developments, but permits with more than 10 units should include a minimum of 10% affordable housing, for the lowest third of the income bracket of the city of Seattle,” however protections could be more robust. For instance, devoting a greater bracket of housing to affordable units, accepting government subsidies in new developments, developing a system of right of first offer (ROFO) and right of first refusal (ROFR) to existing residences (like that of San Francisco’s Community Opportunity to Purchase Act, San Francisco Administrative Code, Section 41.B.1 through Section 41.B.14). 

Partners for this work could be DNDA and The Washington Low Income Housing Alliance (WLIHA). The DNDA already owns seven low income housing complexes that serve residents that are likely to get priced out of the neighborhood and this program could be expanded. The WLIHA could assist with passing policies such as ROFO and ROFR among more robust protections for affordable housing in the neighborhood.

• Pandemic:

Water Quality Improvement Projects/Clean Water

As discussed in the previous chapter, Delridge’s status as a community that is at risk of environmental and industrial hazards is evident. One of the many ways in which the community can work to try and combat this issue would be by working on a water quality project within the community. Delridge is near the Duwamish Waterway — with Longfellow Creek being a river that runs through parts of the community as well. It is important to work towards, and maintain, an environment that does not further contaminate these bodies of water. This is crucial not just for environmental health but the overall health of the community as further contamination can further exacerbate underlying health issues for community members and make them more susceptible to contract a severe illness that can be introduced to the community during a pandemic.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that contamination of drinking water can come from several sources, with one of them being “manufacturing processes, sewer overflows or wastewater releases” (CDC). It is reported that typically, during dry weather, sewage and stormwater (which includes “runoff from roofs, streets, and sidewalks”) from parts of the city, which includes Delridge, combine and flow together towards King County’s wastewater treatment center (SPU).

The Longfellow Creek within Delridge is a body of water that can overflow during periods of heavy rain within the community — and it is reported that during heavy rainstorms, “stormwater (90%) and sewage (10%) can overflow to the nearest water body to prevent sewage from backing up into homes and streets” (SPU). This combination of “combined sewer overflows” contains various contaminants that in the end can make individuals sick and “harm fish, wildlife, and the environment” (SPU). The Delridge community is at risk of being exposed to these contaminants during heavy rain as it is reported that within Delridge there is a drainage system that “discharges” directly to Longfellow Creek (SPU).

Thus one of the many recommendations that can be made for this community would be a project that deals directly with ensuring water quality. Doing so would assure a healthy environment and provide the community with various health-related benefits. Through research, it appears that Seattle Public Utilities is working on developing a project that deals with improving the water quality not just in Delridge but in other areas within the city as well. However, it is important to note that this is a public utility agency and thus their aims and needs might not exactly align with community stakeholders — thus, it is crucial that community members occupy both leadership and site development roles throughout the entire project process. It is important to incorporate the needs of the neighborhood within these projects because through these partnerships, project success can be assured because rather than dictating to the community it will be a collaborative effort that would educate community members and promote the importance of environmental health.

Access to Fresh Food

As explored in Chapter 4 and confirmed by David Bestock of DNDA, the Delridge neighborhood is a food desert. There are no full service grocery stores or food banks within less than a mile of large swaths of the neighborhood. This condition is compounded by the topography, the lack of complete streets, and lack of reliable public transportation. Furthermore, the HIA reported that 72.3% of residents are not consuming adequate servings of produce. This combined with a higher incidence of environmental racism and reported health conditions relative to other Seattle neighborhoods leave the residents of this neighborhood particularly at risk for the current COVID-19 pandemic which is known to affect people with preexisting health conditions. In particular, the Delridge neighborhood has the highest incidences of chronic lower respiratory disease, obesity, and self-rated health of “fair” or “poor.” 

There are plans in place to mitigate some of these underlying transportation, zoning, and food desert issues. For instance, the Delridge Grocery Cooperative is on the verge of opening it’s store front, awaiting a classification of an “essential business” from the City. The future zoning for 2035 will create a Hub Urban Village which could bring more grocery stores. The RapidRide H line and light rail station will ameliorate transportation inadequacies.

Partners for this work could be the Delridge Grocery Cooperative, the West Seattle Food Bank, and Pikes Place Market.

Recommendations:

• Increase access to fresh/healthy food, exploring alternative ways to brick and mortar stores to more immediately improve access nutrient rich foods
• Look at transportation availability to the current West Seattle Farmers Market or explore the possibility of bringing a farmers market to the Delridge neighborhood.
• Fresh food deliveries: CSA farm boxes via partnerships with Pikes Place market or the Farmers Market, expansion of Mobile Food Banks (like at Cottage Grove), and encourage marketing or community outreach from private food delivery companies like Imperfect Produce. 
• Open a storefront satellite location of the West Seattle Food Bank

Inclusion of Community

Not every neighborhood has an association that can represent the rest of the community. However, where there is one, it is important to ensure every stakeholder in the community has a place at the table before the process advances too far. This means bringing the community members into the planning process from the start and making sure developers respect community goals and priorities. This process of course will require understanding how information travels through communities and how people within them voice their concerns. 

Some of the agencies or community groups that are actively working on behalf of the Delridge community are:

• North Delridge Neighborhood Council is a community organization dedicated to preserving and improving the neighborhood in accordance with the wishes of the community. NDNC strives to inform the community about matters affecting the quality of life in the area, provide leadership in addressing community needs, communicate with governmental agencies in an effort to represent the interests of the community, and cooperate with other organizations and people having similar interests.
• Community Design and Land Use Committee (CDLU):  The goal of the CDLU committee is to provide leadership and foster communication about opportunities for Delridge neighbors to actively engage in shaping the design of their community. The committee is empowered to convene public meetings as needed to gather and prioritize community visions for Delridge. The committee will publicize the results, communicate with appropriate leadership entities, and work towards implementation of the neighborhood’s goals.
• Outreach Committee: The Outreach Committee’s mission is to engage the local residents and create connections between neighbors. The committee appears at local events like Delridge Day and the West Seattle Fair.
• Streets & Pedestrian Advocacy Committee: The Committee for Streets & Pedestrian Advocacy’s mission is to voice the desire of local residents to city planning managers. The City of Seattle has many avenues to request new sidewalks, curbing, crosswalks and more. The committee watches for the application deadlines, prepares the requests, and does their best to lobby for the projects requested.
• Beautification Committee: The Beautification Committee’s purpose is to assist and encourage the clean up of the neighborhood. The committee’s biggest project is the Adopt-A-Street work. As a result of this project, the city has officially recognized the work with an Adopt-A-Street sign on Delridge.
• Public Safety: The Committee for Public Safety mission is to keep the local residents informed of issues concerning public safety. The committee attends local precinct meetings and reports back on any activity that is or potentially will affect the residents. The committee also works with the local emergency response teams in preparing the area in the event of a natural disaster.

Racial Representation

Considering that gentrification affects primarily people of color, not to say that whites are not affected, poor or uneducated whites are also risking their homes due to displacement. However, it impacts people of color the most because at the legislative level there is little to no representation of different culture backgrounds at different offices. Therefore, the loss of political representation at the local level within a gentrifying community intersects with the loss of political voice among long-term residents due to neighborhood change. The most immediate repercussions of this community change may appear at the local level, as long-time residents find themselves losing seats on city councils, county commissions, and community boards to people representing new residents and agendas. 

• Chris: As a student within the social work field, I believe my contribution to these efforts would be in the community connections realm. Utilizing my already existing connections to several organizations and making links with other community stakeholders within the area could coalesce into an exchange of ideas and plans that can not only benefit Delridge, but other communities within the area as these issues are not solely faced by this neighborhood but a plethora of others as our research has shown. My bilingual skills could be utilized to not only translate vital information in posters, packets, pamphlets but I could also be used as an interpreter when engaging with community members whose first language is Spanish ensuring that their voices are heard and advocating for their needs within these projects.
• Gillian: I'm very interested in the North Delridge Neighborhood Council. I participated in a similar community-based organization in my hometown where neighbors came together to help impact the tragectory of the community. I could contribute by helping with events the various parts of the Council undertake. Another way I could see contributing is to find a similar organization in my own neighborhood. I can use my experience in municipal governments, urban planning, and community engagement to help ensure all of the community members' voices are heard.
• Miranda:
• Nadia: Speaking is the most effective way of communication. I can start by getting to know my neighbors better. Talking to people around me can help me build connections and alliances. Moreover, the connections we make are the foundations of our community. While solidifying the sense of community it is important to understand that all voices matter and those voices can help to protect existing affordable housing and altogether demand that any newly built housing will also be affordable and accessible to people who have been living in the neighborhood. Another way of contributing is Voting, choose representatives wisely, read about their campaign and what their missions and values are. Who are they aiming to help, what is their cultural background?, what is their political history? How involved they have been in social justice practices? All these little aspects affect the decisions they make on behalf of entire communities, so choosing who will represent us is a big deal and it should be practiced responsibly. I can not vote? Not a problem, I can still talk to people who can and invite them to exercise their right to vote.
• Shantel: Housing and zoning policy have the ability to proliferate drastic change. It is important that these policies are mindful of unintended byproducts of the developments that are meant to enhance the lives of current residents. As a member of the professional architecture community, there are many ways I can advocate for this due diligence in local legislation. I can also proceed forward as a political activist with some familiarity of the nuances around gentrification and can support just policies around housing and zoning.

• Gentrification: An influx of both middle and upper-income communities moving into low-income neighborhoods, displacing previous residents, families, and communities (Hwang). They also impact the existing culture of the neighborhood as these residents are forced out. Often, investment in a previously neglected neighborhood can contribute to rise in property value and displace current residents who can no longer afford the market rate.

• Pandemic: The World Health Organization describes a pandemic as "the worldwide spread of a new disease" (WHO). Pandemics impact different communities differently. In particular, the COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted low-income people and people of color in the United States.

• Environmental Racism: The YWCA describes Environmental Racism as "systems of power...like governments and health regulators...[being] unresponsive to the threat of pollution to black communities, while protecting white communities from the same threats" (YWCA). Building on this, it is also discrimination against low-income or minority communities that are often forced to live within hazardous environments created by the industries surrounding them, often because of the lower cost of living in said neighborhoods.

• Institutional Racism: Defined as the social, economic, educational, and political forces or policies that operate to foster discriminatory outcomes or give preferences to members of one group over others (National Association of Social Workers).

• Indirect Displacement: This refers to the changes in who is coming into the neighborhood as low-income residents are moving out/being displaced (The Uprooted Project).

• Cultural Displacement: This occurs when there are changes in the aspects of the neighborhood that have provided long-time residents with a community they felt they belong to; removing the familiarity that provides comfort to community members (The Uprooted Project).

• Residential Segregation: Is the physical separation of two or more groups into different neighborhoods. (Wikipedia)

• Densely populated: Refers to the number of people living in an area per square kilometer (Wikipedia). Usually is referring to areas with many apartment complexes.

• Multi Generational Households: Families consisting of more than two generations living under the same roof (U.S. Census Bureau).

• Chamber of Commerce: An organization that advocates for the desires of the business community they represent. They are often membership organizations that businesses pay a fee to belong to, and are often geographically based (ie. The West Seattle Chamber of Commerce is for businesses in West Seattle).

• Densification: Increasing the number of people who can live in an area, primarily by replacing single-family houses with multi-family houses. This can be beneficial because an increased population can support more services, and densifying closer neighborhoods can prevent sprawl. However, it also negatively impacts the existing character of a neighborhood and can force out existing residents who live in single-family or smaller multi-family homes.

• Units: Short for “dwelling unit”. It is a space that is intended to be occupied by one household. Examples include a basement suite, a single family house, and an apartment.

• Zoning: Categories of what types of uses can be put on a certain piece of land. These are governed by the Seattle Land Use Code

• Land Use: What a piece of land is used for. For example, a property that has a detached house has a land use of “single family”

• Building Permit: A government document that lets you perform construction. In Seattle, these are issued by the Seattle Department of Construction & Inspections and regulated by the Seattle Building Code. The work is normally inspected by a city employee

• Census Tract: A statistical division used by the US Census Bureau for collecting data. Seattle has 135 census tracts. They help to provide geographical areas for comparing data- however, they often do not line up with community boundaries or boundaries people have in their mind.

• American Community Survey: A compulsory survey managed by the Census Bureau. It surveys around 3.5 million Americans a year chosen using statistical sampling on topics such as educational attainment and living arrangements. This sample is used to extrapolate for the rest of the population, and is useful for comparing different geographically-based populations. See this link.

• Food access: the availability of healthy foods and their affordability, as well as the ability of consumers to travel to places to purchase that food. (United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service)

• Food desert: “neighborhoods that lack healthy food sources” (United States Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service). “Others define it as an area with a population that has limited access to food, has limited mobility, low income, a higher calorie diet, and a reliance on small grocery stores that have poor quality and high prices.” (HIA)

• Determination of Non Significance - the decision by a State of Environmental Policy Act official that a development project is unlikely to impact the environment (Department of Ecology State of Washington [SEPA]) 

• Environmental Impacts - the severity and intensity of an adverse effect on the environmental quality. (Department of Ecology State of Washington [SEPA])

• Malleability of Access: Organizations making themselves available under the current pandemic circumstances to bring services to community members that are in need.

• Complete Streets: “Streets for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit riders, and persons of all abilities, while promoting safe operation for all users” (City of Seattle DOT). Streets for all these modes of transportation that connect throughout the neighborhood.

I’ve lived in Seattle for close to two years while attending the University of Washington for my undergraduate degree. Most of my connections to communities in the Seattle area are tied to places like Downtown and Capitol Hill, both being communities I’ve been involved with through my volunteer and professional work. I also have only lived in the U District as it is the most affordable option when compared to the surrounding neighborhoods. However, when it comes to the Delridge neighborhood, I do not have any connection to it other than just driving through it to get to other places that are near it.

The data dive into environmental racism painted a very clear picture of how exposed this community actually is to many hazardous environments. The most shocking was how much chemical waste Nucor Steel Seattle was trying to dispose of. The fact that one single company can account for 41% of chemical waste when they are one of 70 other similar companies in the area is very alarming, especially when you see just how many communities surround them in the West Seattle Area. I've never lived in Delridge, but I have had family in the US who have had to live close to industrial zones simply due to the lower cost of rent — and after reading the effects that long-term exposure can cause in your body? It's evident environmental justice policy is needed in order to safeguard these communities. Company profits should not trump the health of the individuals within communities.

David's information was enlightening. Their comments on gentrification made me ponder on my own experience within Seattle. Although I only rent in the U District, it shows me the way in which I, too, have participated in forcing others out of the neighborhood. I think many of us college students have. The influx of new students each year ensures that housing will be needed, and thus the landlords are able to continue raising prices slowly because a new school year will bring forth new money that will inevitably have to rent. Whether or not we acknowledge this is one thing, but it is an issue that we all participate in — especially if we are renters or buyers in the area. Many of us have the resources to be able to keep up with the rising prices, but many others do not. It is important to acknowledge our own experiences within gentrification because although we may see ourselves as being one of the good people, in the end our actions could be contributing to the displacement of others communities within those areas.

I think one important lesson I learned through chapter 6 is definitely the way in which community stakeholders and organizations have come together during COVID-19 to make themselves more malleable to these changing circumstances in order to continue assisting community members. It has allowed for several opportunities for community involvement and collaboration that I feel is important to continue growing even after the pandemic. Clearly a new normal is on the horizon and I think it's also very important to think about what our own role will be in that as working professionals. Will we be the ones exacerbating the issues for clients and becoming another barrier they have to get around? Or will we be the ones alleviating their issues and working collaboratively with them in order to find a solution moving forward?

I've lived in the Seattle area for just over two years. I've had very limited experiences with the community of Delridge, and it's primarily been as a conduit to somewhere else. Prior to this class, I didn't even know the neighborhood's name. I have looked over the community from the West Seattle bridge on my way to Alki or to show a friend in town the view from Admiral Viewpoint. My main memory of Delridge is going to Luna Park Cafe. I remember enjoying the quaint diner, but felt like it was out of place. The drive to the Cafe features many industrial uses, and it is across the street from Nucor Steel. Since I have never ventured further into the community, my impression of Delridge was one of an industrial space where I wouldn't choose to spend my time. However, from looking at the map and getting to know the neighborhood through internet research, this first impression was very wrong. I expect many other people like me see Delridge from the West Seattle Bridge and immediately decide they don't want to spend their time there- because who would want to hang out next to a steel mill, cranes, and semi-truck traffic?

There was a lot of interesting data I found as part of the data dive. The demographics of North Delridge compared to those of King County really surprised me- I expected North Delridge to have more people of color and a higher rate of poverty. It really challenged my preconceived notions of the area as less affluent and more diverse. I would like to try to find older data to see if that used to be the case or not.

I found David's information about gentrification really interesting. My husband and I have talked about moving to West Seattle, where we would be considered gentrifiers- we are two middle class white individuals. This has made me really think about where we choose to live and what we can do to avoid being displacers as much as possible, and also contribute to our current neighborhood and trying to maintain its culture.

I found analyzing the positive and negative impacts of gentrification and pandemic compelling. I come from a place of privilege as a white cisgendered straight woman, so a lot of the negative impacts don't impact me in the same way they do other members of the community. How can I work to ensure these negative impacts do not harm my friends, neighbors, and community? What steps are there that I personally can undertake?

I lived in the Delridge/White Center area from 17-25. It was a high crime area (my car and storage was broken into multiple times and my good friend/neighbor died I was living there) I left because I had the opportunity to move into a house in North Seattle and since I had 2 children it was the best choice at the time. I really miss the community in the neighborhood. You really got to know your neighbors and everyone would just stand outside of their places, barbecue, and talk to each other outside on sunny days. Kids would ride their bikes together and my complex was majority POC. When I moved out the cost of rent was jumping (my apartment went from 740-1300) and there were hipster coffee shops popping up. I had a sense of belonging there that I do not have in my current neighborhood.

When I lived in the area I was at the beginning of my higher education pursuits and looking back on the neighborhood with this lens has been very informing. I thought of gentrification as a completely negative thing and have been able to see some positives through this project and all the work that amazing organizations like DNDA has been able to do to prevent displacement and relieve tension between incoming families and longstanding families has been inspiring. If gentrification is something that we cant prevent then I’d say Delridge has a good start in preservation and preventing the harmful consequences. I think the resources are there but they aren’t always visible and resource visibility is important. I’ve learned about indicators of gentrification, make-ups of neighborhoods, and what kinds of organizations and programming is needed to protect residents. This project and class has been very beneficial and I’m grateful for the experience.

As a Latina born and raised, I feel like the west side of Puget sound including Delridge, White Center, Burien, South Park and Federal Way are areas that the Hispanic population show by a lot. Those are communities that tend to be forgotten by the legislative representatives in terms of what is beneficial for the people not for the profit of big business. I am proud and impressed by the resilience of the people that live in those communities because many of the improvements and positive changes have been done by community members and community leaders. My roots to the Hispanic community are well planted and working for those communities is my ultimate goal as a Social Worker.

Learning about the Delridge community throughout the quarter has caused a significant impact understanding the re-shaping of communities. Many people of color, immigrants, and working class people who before lived in the heart of Seattle, now have moved south either by choice or due to gentrification. Many neighborhood in Seattle have felt the effects of gentrification in recent years, including those in the West part of Seattle. The cost of living has gone up a lot, for example, rent increases in the Delridge area have been among the highest in the city of Seattle considering the growing of building developers and the high tech companies that have stablished around the area such as Boeing, which bring a lot of professional employees with high salaries who can afford those high rent prices. This is causing of course that the working class especially have to migrate farther away from what once was their home. This concept applies to local businesses, too. After the lower class people move out the customers of local business are now gone, forcing the stores to close their doors because they are no longer needed to provide services they once did to the original residents living within the area.

Interviewing a local resident to share their experiences living the Delridge changes was a very moving part of the project because as outsiders researchers we can not understand completely the effects of gentrification on the area. As a social worker, I understand that the client is the expert of their story and that translates at macro level as well. Only the residents of the neighborhood know exactly how their life has changed since the re-shaping of their community. Again, from a social worker lens, working with the community directly and hearing their voices will give a chance to advocate for what they consider is best for them and their families.

I am a Latinx young woman in my late 20s, who is deeply disturbed, yet, motivated by the political climate in the United States. When considering graduate schools for a Master of Architecture some key priorities emerged, which were, the need to be located in a medium to large urban city, the city needed to be fairly progressive politically, it needed to have a thriving economy for job opportunities, and easy access to the outdoors was crucial. University of Washington quickly moved to the top of my list of potential schools, the program grabbed my attention and it checked all the boxes. I moved my life to Seattle in August 2019 settling down in the neighborhood Fremont. In these short eight months of living here I’ve moved three times. I could not afford Fremont after a few months, and then moved in with extended family in Greenlake. Eventually I needed to find my own place and after much deliberation and searching I landed in the U District. My time in Seattle has been relatively short so I have not had the chance to visit neighborhoods in West Seattle yet. It is interesting to see a pattern of historically cheaper housing in neighborhoods further from central Seattle hubs such as the University and downtown. However, the pattern of infiltration of higher economic status residents and displacement of existing communities in neighborhoods like Delridge is alarming. I am cognizant of my role in this phenomena - while I may come from a lower income background, I anticipate that my economic status will increase after I graduate. So even though I don’t have ample financial means at the moment, my occupying cheaper housing is ultimately gentrification.

Reflecting on the data we have gathered, it was shocking to see the health disparities that this community faces. Furthermore, it's current food desert condition and the environmental pollution are surely exacerbating poor health outcomes. This neighborhood is a part of the greater Seattle area, a city touted for it's progressive politics, yet still faces disturbing injustices. The interview with David of DNDA strengthens this idea that the community members and representative organizations know whats best for them and must be consulted in this work.

Furthermore, there are so many active and connected community organizations already existing in Delridge, echoing what Ariana has said before, we do not need to reinvent the wheel here and can simply partner with and bolster the work of these organizations. Especially as an outsider coming in, this is the way to conduct community development that aims to avoid gentrifying a place.