The Graham Street station in South Seattle is not expected to go online until 2031. But community organizers are already anticipating new development and evaluating the potential effects of gentrification in the area. In particular, SouthCore, a coalition of 24 organizations that was active in lobbying for the new station, is trying to start a community dialogue about the needs of the neighborhood. Many fear a rises in housing prices and closures of long-standing businesses, as occurred in the Columbia City neighborhood when it received a station in 2009. Currently, SouthCore is engaging in a door-to-door campaign in order to assess how much unsubsidized affordable housing exists in the area. Going forward, the organization is considering community land trust models as well as community benefits agreements with private developers. The SouthCore leadership emphasize that they are not against economic development, but have concerns about maintaining the cultural diversity of the area.
Image Credit: Andrew Nash (CC by 2.0)
Recent Comments