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Recent History

Since the mid-1990s, Chinatown/ID has increasingly faced serious issues with graffiti vandalism. In City Council Member David Della's August, 2006, summary report on crime conditions in the neighborhood, graffiti was ranked by residents as a concern on par with physical assault because of the severity of the problem, and affect on business and neighbors.

Community Response

The Seattle Chinatown International District Preservation and Development Authority (PDA), Chinatown/International District District Business Improvement Area (CIDBIA), the International District Housing Alliance (IDHA), and other community groups have undertaken an effort to solve this problem, but as indicated in the Chinatown/ID Safety Meeting Summary, more City help is needed.

Who Tags

Taggers usually come out between 2 - 5 AM, after the bars close. Some are gangstas, most are not.

Most tagging, according to a recent exhibit on graffiti at the Wing Luke Asian Art Museum, is done by white youths from nearby suburbs, including the Eastside and from across Puget Sound.

A group of students from the University of Washington has long been active in the area. Tags in Chinatown/ID and Little Saigon are seldom political.

What Gets Tagged

Businesses, homes, churches, Buddhist and Taoist temples, family organization buildings, Chinese language and culture schools, publicly funded and privately commissioned artworks, natural objects, vehicles, and phone booths, bus shelters, and mailboxes.

Though tagging appears in almost all neighborhoods in Seattle, the economic and cultural center of the Asian American community has been especially targeted.

Labels

Pre-printed graffiti labels, made of paper or vinyl, are also seen in the neighborhood. They are expensive to make compared to the price of a can of spray paint.

About this Information

Photographs presented here were taken by a block watch and community cleanup leader who has worked with the Asian American community for over a decade. As part of his work, graffiti is documented and pictures sent to the Seattle Police Department.

Also see Street Signs: In graffiti the disaffected join our civic dialogue, Pacific Northwest Magazine, The Seattle Times, March 18, 2007.