These
shots are photos of “old” Rainier Vista taken in about 2002 —actually a portion of the 480 unit
complex torn down over a period of several years to make way for a HOPE VI Redevelopment.
Does this look like dilapidated old tenement housing. This is what they tore down in Seattle for a HOPE VI redevelopment. 480 decent low income homes were removed to make way for a "mixed income" project that when finished is supposed to include 310 low income public housing units. To date, they've only replaced 125 of those units.
These duplexes were renovated many times during their 70 year existence and sat on solid concrete foundations. They had years of life left in them - that is until HOPE VI came along. They were organized around large courtyards. Each home and their only small patio and room for flowers and a little lawn. The families could all look out the back window and see their kids playing together and the neighbors raising vegetables in their shared courtyard garden. It was a true melting pot.
“Old” Rainier Vista has been upgraded and modernized many times. Note the nice homes and brand new streets upgraded at a cost of over 10 million dollars - upgraded just before they tore it all out. Note the tree canopy , community gardens, and open courtyards where families and children of all races and ages commingle just a few steps out their back doors.
more photos of old Rainier Vista - you'll see lots of green, a very old tree canopy, inviting courtyards, et
Now take a look at what replaced these homes. The following is a shot of one of the 3 story apartment buildings in Phase I (W. side of MLK Way) in the new Rainier Vista - built with HOPE VI federal funds. The HOPE VI program was supposed to fund projects that would "deconcentrate" low income housing. In Seattle's case they did just the opposite:
The following are shots of new housing at the Holly Park Hope VI project similar to those being built at Rainier Vista:
These are new units at Holly Park—created with HOPE VI Funds. The units are similar in type to the housing planned for Rainier Vista although there more of the low income residents are stuck into denser apartment buildings..
Is this an improvement over living conditions in the “old”units at Rainier Vista identified above where children and adults congregated together - where each unit was ground related, had their own back yard, but all were linked to a common courtyard? The units you're looking at to left are some of the nicer ones at Holly Park and most of these are for higher income groups. Most of the public housing residents have been consigned to 3 story apartment buildings with shared halls and stairs and of course no yard.
The new units at New Holly and Rainier Vista for low income residents are not ground related. The units here - most are for higher income residents. They are more dense, more crowded walk-ups—two story units with little or no back yard. And few of these are reserved for public housing residents. In most cases they are consigned to dense 3-story apartments where large families share common hallways and stairways. And where have all the trees gone?
Note also
that play areas for the kids, open space, and community gardens—readily
accessible under the existing
“courtyard” concept at Rainier Vista are now many yards and even blocks away
from each units. Kids play in
the street
instead of non-existent backyards or they must walk considerable distance to
designated and organized recreation areas
Over 400 public housing units were lost at Holly Park when it was redeveloped with HOPE VI funds for a "mixed income" community.
and for another stark comparison of old vs. new click here
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