Mayor Wilson announces crackdown on Seattle’s open-air drug markets in Little Saigon, North Beacon Hill

Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson said the city is launching a new effort to dismantle open-air drug markets and curb chronic crime around 12th Avenue S. and S. Jackson Street in Little Saigon and nearby North Beacon Hill.

In a statement posted online, Wilson said Seattle will “no longer tolerate” open-air drug use, drug dealing, and the sale of stolen goods in the neighborhoods, which have long been plagued by public drug activity, disorder, and safety concerns.

“We must disrupt the drug dealing, public disorder, and other illegal activity that has destabilized this community,” Wilson wrote.

Mayor Wilson’s plan marks one of her administration’s clearest public safety moves yet

The mayor said the city will increase police staffing in the area and direct officers to engage with people involved in illegal activity. Those who continue selling drugs or stolen goods could be booked into jail or referred to the Law Enforcement Assisted Diversion (LEAD) program.

The announcement marks one of the clearest public safety initiatives of Wilson’s administration since taking office and comes after years of complaints from residents, business owners, and community groups about conditions near 12th and Jackson.

The intersection has become a focal point of Seattle’s ongoing struggles with fentanyl addiction, homelessness, and street-level crime. Residents and business owners have repeatedly raised concerns about open-air drug sales, public drug use, and the buying and selling of stolen merchandise on sidewalks, parks, and transit stops.

Wilson said the city is pairing enforcement with treatment and outreach efforts.

“We know we can’t arrest our way out of these problems,” she said.

The administration is allocating $1.1 million in one-time funding for neighborhood services, including outreach staff, service navigation programs, mobile overdose treatment and prevention teams, and community activation efforts aimed at supporting residents and businesses.

The mayor said the goal is to improve public safety while connecting people struggling with addiction and behavioral health issues to treatment and support services.

Supporters, critics remain divided over the effectiveness of the diversion model

The LEAD program, developed in Seattle and now used in cities across the country, diverts eligible low-level offenders into case management and social services rather than traditional prosecution and incarceration.

Supporters of LEAD argued the program addresses the root causes of crime by helping people access housing, addiction treatment, and behavioral health services.

Critics, however, contend that the diversion model lacks accountability and allows some repeat offenders to continue committing crimes without meaningful consequences.

Wilson acknowledged the challenge of changing long-standing conditions in the neighborhood but said the city is committed to reversing what she described as a perception that illegal activity in Little Saigon and North Beacon Hill is tolerated.

“I’m committed to ending the perception that illegal activity in Little Saigon and North Beacon Hill is acceptable,” Wilson wrote.

The mayor said lasting improvements will require continued collaboration between city leaders, police, service providers, businesses, and community members.

Whether the combination of increased enforcement, jail bookings, diversion services, and outreach funding will produce measurable results remains to be seen. But for residents who have spent years calling for action around 12th and Jackson, the announcement signals a significant shift in the city’s approach to one of Seattle’s most visible public safety challenges.

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