New legislation being proposed by the Harrell administration would put the power to demolish vacant buildings that become magnets for squatters and drug use in the hands of Seattle City Hall.
The bill proposed by Mayor Bruce Harrell will be taken up by the Seattle City Council as officials hope to give Seattle Fire Department Chief Harold Scoggins new powers to “to take quick action to remedy derelict buildings that threaten the health and safety of our neighborhoods.”
The city says the number of vacant building fires has surged from 77 in 2021 to 130 last year including the massive blaze last summer that destroyed the First Hill building home to low-income apartments and Vito’s nightclub. That building had been shuttered for repairs following a previous smaller fire but had become popular with squatters and drug users. Continue reading