"People like *you* are ruining Seattle!"
I moved to Seattle about 2 and a half years ago from San Francisco proper, where I lived for 6 years. Only now am I getting used to living here (no joke), and I attribute this to my having developed a very, VERY thick skin to combat the disappointingly backwards social attitude here. I've lived in several major US cities in a wide variety of areas and regions (NYC, Boston, Dallas, SF, and a number of other places in between), but none of them comes close to Seattle in terms of social dysfunction. And I say that in a very serious, sincere, and un-sarcastic tone.
Anyway... to the topic at hand, which of course relates to my opening paragraph above:
I live in Ballard, only by a few blocks away from what is generally considered the center of the neighborhood (which would be where Ballard Avenue SW hits Market). I own a home that is a part of a sort of mini-development that was put in place where two or three properties used to be. Some of the structures on this lot are adjoined townhomes, and some are free standing homes. It is all new construction and the lots are, for the most part, zero lot-line.
Since moving there I've experienced multiple, *multiple* incidents of vandalism at my home. As I have come to learn, new construction is unwelcome in Seattle because it is seen as something that is ruining the face of Seattle. And me, as a person living in one of these structures, is a "bad guy", an unwelcome outsider, a so-pegged selfish bastard that has moved here to ruin the neighborhood and drive up home prices (note: all this is apart from the fact I moved here from hated SF, CA, which is a whole other posting altogether).
Anyway...
Consider this, people of this painfully provincial, bumpkin-laden town:
1: I didn't own the houses that existed previously on those lots, and I didn't sell them (or make a profit on the sale). You, Seattle, did.
2: I didn't make money as a local realtor (and Escrow agent) off the sale of these properties. You, Seattle, did.
3: I didn't buy the land as a local developer with the intention of developing it into what it is now. You, Seattle, did.
4: I didn't get hired and paid as a local engineer / architect to develop plans for this lot. You, Seattle, did.
5: I didn't approve the plans on this lot as a city office or official. You, Seattle, did.
6: I didn't get hired as a contractor (plumber, builder, flooring carpenter, etc.) or sell you materials to complete the project. You, Seattle did.
7: I didn't (again) make money of the resale (and escrow) of these homes as a realtor. You, Seattle, did.
8: I wasn't the local development company that made money off the finalization and sale of whole project. You, Seattle, did.
9: And Lastly I am not the city, making a considerable amount more money than you would have otherwise from the new property taxes applied to higher-appraised, more densely constructed, newly constructed properties.
And what did *I* do? I moved into the home.
And I am the guy who is demonized?
Seattle, get a grip.