Exploring the Impact of Mixed-Income/Mixed-Use Redevelopments in Building Community Cohesion at Seattle’s Yesler Terrace

Abstract

How do you build community? Is it the building, services, and amenities that we build into communities? Or is it the people, who use buildings, services, and amenities in communities to have experienced, and build relationships with one another. Mixed-income/mixed-use communities play a unique role in providing housing and amenities to a variety of individuals, and potentially fostering a sense of community cohesion. Yesler Terrace, a new mixed-income/mixed-use community in development, created a timely opportunity to characterize the current level and features of community cohesion in preliminary stages of redevelopment at this site. Community cohesion and neighborhood harmony can affect the health of individuals and the community as a whole. This evaluation was completed in three parts: site observations and analysis; focus groups conducted with Seattle Housing Authority residents; and one-on-one interviews conducted with market- rate residents living at the Batik building. Results reveal that SHA and market-rate residents enjoy the new spaces but yearn for more interaction within the community. SHA residents reported little connection with the perceived wealthier market-rate community. Market-rate residents wanted to engage with SHA residents but didn’t want to seem like they are taking over the community. Both communities primarily used their local spaces and did not share communal areas as often as they would like. All Yesler Terrace resident saw an opportunity to foster space that builds organic relationships. There is limited, but generally supportive evidence of overall community cohesion at this early stage of redevelopment at Yesler Terrace, plus promising expressions of a desire for greater cohesion. SHA can explore at different procedural, conceptual and methodological recommendations to deepen the agencies understanding of cohesion at Yesler Terrace. Partnering with market-rate leaders, SHA can implement changes that will foster an environment open to all residents. For example, lobbies across the community can be activated and used as community spaces, welcoming to all in the community. SHA can discover its evolving role in building community at Yesler Terrace.