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After years of struggling with rising crime, office vacancies, and economic uncertainty, downtown Seattle is showing signs of improvement. But while crime rates are dropping, businesses are opening, and workers are slowly returning, major challenges remain, according to the latest .听

鈥淲e鈥檝e clearly turned the corner from where we were just a couple of years ago,鈥� said DSA President and CEO Jon Scholes. 鈥淭o be successful downtown, you have got to feel safe, you have to feel welcome, I t鈥檚 got to be clean. And if you don鈥檛 get that right, nothing else really works. And we weren鈥檛 getting that right a couple of years ago.鈥�听

鈥淚鈥檇 say under the leadership of our mayor, our city attorney, our council president, and new county prosecutor, we鈥檝e also got a new police chief that鈥檚 just joined the department here in the last month, we鈥檙e moving in the right direction,鈥� Scholes said.听

The annual report, released this week, highlights a decline in overdose deaths and violent crime in the downtown core. From September to December of last year, violent crime in key areas, including Third Avenue and Pine Street, dropped by 50 percent compared to two years ago. Observed drug activity also fell by 30 percent.听

We鈥檝e got more officers applying for jobs than we鈥檝e had in more than a decade,鈥� Scholes said. 鈥淔or the first time in years, we didn鈥檛 lose officers last year, and we鈥檙e seeing a reduction in violent crime and overdose deaths.鈥�听

The improvement comes after significant investments in law enforcement, policy changes, and increased coordination between city officials and law enforcement agencies. Under Mayor Bruce Harrell, the city has focused on addressing street crime and visible drug use, which had deterred visitors and businesses from investing in downtown.听

Related MyNorthwest: Visitors are filling downtown Seattle streets near pre-pandemic levels

Third and Pine still a challenge, but improving听

While downtown Seattle is seeing signs of recovery, some areas remain a serious concern, especially Third Avenue and Pine Street, which has long been one of the most troubled intersections in the city.听

鈥淭hey鈥檙e better than they were six months ago. Six months ago, those two blocks had more violent crime and overdose deaths than just about any block in the city,鈥� said Jon Scholes, president and CEO of the Downtown Seattle Association.听

For years, the area has been plagued by open-air drug use, violent crime, and high-profile incidents that have shaped public perception of downtown safety. But Scholes said targeted efforts by the Seattle Police Department and city leaders have helped drive down crime.听

鈥淲ith the support and action by the Seattle Police Department and leadership of our mayor and our own team out there with enhanced cleaning services and other interventions, we鈥檝e seen a 50 percent reduction in violent crime between September and December relative to where we were two years ago and a reduction of about 30 percent in observed drug activity,鈥� Scholes said.听

Still, problems persist. Many storefronts remain vacant, and while crime is down, it is still a concern.听

鈥淚s it perfect? No. And there鈥檚 still vacancies and empty storefronts that we want to see filled up with great new small businesses. Again, we鈥檙e moving in the right direction,鈥� Scholes said.听

He said the city is no longer taking a hands-off approach to crime and public disorder, which has helped change the dynamic at Third and Pine.听

鈥淔or too long, we weren鈥檛 able to distinguish between those who need help and those who are just out there causing harm,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e really didn鈥檛 do much in Seattle and sort of let it all happen. If you wanted to come downtown and set up a tent or break a window or harm somebody, in a lot of ways, you were free to do it. Thankfully, that鈥檚 not the case anymore.鈥�听

Scholes credited an increase in coordination between city departments, law enforcement, and local businesses for making a measurable impact at the intersection.听

鈥淭here鈥檚 a level of daily collaboration between the Seattle Police Department, the Department of Transportation, our team, property owners, human service providers: calls every few days, figuring out where can we deploy, where can we pull resources from other places, what鈥檚 working, what鈥檚 not, tracking data and metrics,鈥� he said. 鈥淎re we making a difference? Are we seeing crime go down? Are we seeing drug use go down? This level of operational excellence is what鈥檚 needed to break apart this disorder that we鈥檝e seen for far too long.鈥�听

Scholes said the focus must remain on ensuring that people who need help get it, while also holding accountable those who are committing crimes.听

鈥淲e need to be able to provide help to those that are hurting on our streets, but we also need to hold accountable those that are out there just hurting others,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have new leaders in charge, and I think they鈥檙e sending a clear message of what鈥檚 acceptable and what鈥檚 not. If you鈥檙e out here just trying to hurt people, you鈥檙e going to be held accountable, and you鈥檙e going to go to jail. That鈥檚 what should happen.鈥�听

Third and Pine is a key entry point to some of Seattle鈥檚 biggest attractions, including Pike Place Market and the soon-to-be completed waterfront. Scholes said it is critical for the area to become a place where people feel comfortable again.听

鈥淚t鈥檚 got to be great. It鈥檚 got to be the best street in Seattle,鈥� Scholes said. 鈥淔or a long time, it hasn鈥檛 been. But it鈥檚 much better than it鈥檚 been.鈥�听

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Retail and business growth show promise听

Despite challenges, the report shows growth in the retail and hospitality industries. Last year, 88 new ground-level businesses opened downtown, including new restaurants, shops, and cafes.听

鈥淭here鈥檚 a number of long-term leases that were just signed,鈥� Scholes said. 鈥淧ortland Leather Goods will open later this year at Fourth and Pike, and we鈥檝e got several restaurants opening in Pioneer Square.鈥�听

But Scholes acknowledges that while more businesses are opening than closing, which is a shift from previous years, retail still has a long way to go.听

鈥淐OVID left us with a lot of vacancies, no doubt,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd a lot of folks had to close their doors that weren鈥檛 able to reopen. We have a lot of work to do to fill those spaces.鈥�听

According to the report, retail foot traffic is recovering, and visitors are returning downtown. However, suburban malls and shopping centers continue to compete for customers, and perceptions of safety remain a barrier.听

鈥淭he ground-level experience in any downtown is what always matters,鈥� Scholes said. 鈥淧eople want lots of options, they want choices, and they want to see life in those storefronts.鈥�听

Office vacancies remain a major challenge听

One of the biggest hurdles facing downtown Seattle remains high office vacancy rates. With remote and hybrid work still the norm for many companies, downtown鈥檚 once-thriving office sector has struggled to regain its pre-pandemic workforce.听

鈥淚f you own an office building now, chances are you鈥檙e in a tough spot relative to 3-4 years ago, or even relative to the last downturn during the Great Recession,鈥� Scholes said.听

According to the report, the number of workers in offices at least three days a week has steadily increased. January saw the highest office attendance since February 2020, with Amazon now requiring employees to return to the office five days a week. Other companies are following suit, either enforcing existing requirements or increasing in-office days.听

鈥淲e think downtown is still really relevant to work and to creating great culture, serving clients, and developing great strategy,鈥� Scholes said. 鈥淚 think we will cross the two-thirds mark for office attendance sometime this year.鈥�听

While progress is being made, the DSA warns that vacant office space could continue to weigh on the downtown economy for years to come unless more companies bring workers back.听

The 2026 World Cup: A game-changer for Seattle听

One bright spot on the horizon is the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is expected to bring 750,000 visitors to Seattle over a six-week period in June and July.听

鈥淭his is the biggest event, biggest party on the planet that will descend on Seattle,鈥� Scholes said. 鈥淎nd this tournament will have more games and more teams than any tournament in history.鈥�听

Seattle will host at least one U.S. Men鈥檚 National Team match, which Scholes says is a testament to the city鈥檚 strong soccer culture.听

鈥淭hey wanted to be part of the soccer culture and atmosphere that they know exists in Seattle,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hat says a lot about our city, our sports culture, and the enthusiasm around soccer.鈥�听

Scholes says by 2026, the revamped waterfront will be fully completed, and Seattle Center will host Fan Fest and viewing zones, allowing locals and visitors to experience the games, even if they don鈥檛 have a ticket to Lumen Field.听

鈥淚 think fans from around the world are going to have a phenomenal experience,鈥� Scholes said. 鈥淭he atmosphere in our city for those five or six weeks is going to be incredible.鈥�听

Looking ahead: what needs to change?听

While the city is making strides, Scholes says there鈥檚 still work to do before Seattle鈥檚 downtown can fully recover.听

鈥淚f we鈥檙e having this conversation a year from now, my hope is that we will have continued to make measurable progress, to make downtown safer, healthier, and more welcoming to everybody,鈥� he said.听

Scholes also emphasized the importance of filling vacant storefronts and making it easier for small businesses to invest.听

鈥淒owntown retail has never been an easy business across the U.S. for the last 20 years,鈥� he said. 鈥淪eattle has been one of those places that got hit hard by COVID but also has an opportunity to rebound.鈥�听

Despite the setbacks of the past few years, Scholes remains optimistic about the future.听

鈥淲e have a vibrant downtown with world-class attractions: Pike Place Market, the waterfront, our arts and culture scene,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f we stay on this path, I think we鈥檒l be talking about an even safer, more vibrant, and welcoming downtown next year.鈥�听

Charlie Harger is the host of “Seattle鈥檚 Morning News”on 成人X站 Newsradio. You can read more of his stories and commentaries here. Follow Charlie and email him here.听