Part 5/11:
Meanwhile, downtown Seattle exemplifies the city’s decline. The once vibrant core is now riddled with open drug use, rampant homelessness, and crime. Fences are being installed in alleyways to curb illegal activities, but residents observe that these measures simply push drug addicts and criminals into neighboring areas, rather than solving the problem. The streets are littered with homelessness, with some even openly smoking marijuana in public, indifferent to tourists and residents alike.
One resident laments the city’s deterioration, saying, “It used to be my favorite place to go—it’s just not the same anymore.” Despite these efforts, progress remains elusive, and the city’s attempt to appear orderly with decorative lighting and art installations masks a deeper societal rot.