The Seattle City Council will vote next week on a proposal to tighten restrictions on empty properties that are part of the city's Vacant Building Monitoring Program.
The proposal comes as the city has seen an increase in unsecured vacant buildings since 2021. Representatives of the Seattle Department of Construction and Inspections (SDCI) said unsecured properties pose an ongoing public safety risk.
"As a resident, it tends to be a little bit scary," said Bob Luciano, executive director of the Rainier Valley Community Development Fund, who has seen the problem of vacant buildings firsthand.
Luciano said vacant buildings can become a magnet for crime and vandalism with some properties being burned down.