2013 – 2024 Activation Survey Data

By: Stew Bowerman

 

If you’ve ever visited us at an activation, chances are one of the engagement workers invited you to do a community survey. Each year we collected hundreds of surveys from Rainier Beach residents as a means of measuring neighborhood opinion.  

 

Let’s take a deep dive into our data for Rainier and Henderson… 

 

So far this year, we’ve collected 68 surveys at the intersection of Rainier and Henderson. Of those we’ve surveyed, 44 are Rainier Beach residents, and 40 are youth.

 

Regarding Rainier and Henderson, when asked if people feel safe, if properties are clean and well-maintained, if there are positive activities for youth, if lighting is adequate, and if people and groups is working hard to make the location a safe space, folx generally agree! Check it out!

It should be understood that the column charts above reflect community opinion, not necessarily the reality. These charts show the community’s perceptions of safety, cleanliness, lighting, etc. 

 

What are the actual numbers? For those numbers, we turn to our research partner Seattle U, who provides quarterly reports to the Rainier Beach: A Beautiful Safe Place for Youth core team. Here are two graphs showing criminal offenses at Rainier and Henderson dating back to 2014, when RBAC began the Corner Greeter program. The good news here is that from 2014 onward, there has been a decrease in overall offenses at Rainier and Henderson! Our work has made a difference! 

Any data analyst will tell you that the numbers only tell half the story. To get a full picture of what’s happening at Rainier and Henderson, we have to ask the community specific questions about the site…and we do that too! 

 

When asked specifically about positive things happening at Rainier and Henderson, here’s some of what the community has pointed to this year:

• People are regularly cleaning the area
• New housing developments
• Large community events such as the Back2School Bash
• The schools, especially the construction of Rainier Beach HS
• Youth development programs happening at the Community Center. 

 

We also ask individuals specifically how the area could be improved. Here are some of the responses we’ve received so far this year: 

• Improve lighting at the bus stops
• Hire more coordinators to lead community events. 
• Offer more restaurants
• Improve traffic safety
• Add parks and community spaces for people to congregate at. 

 

All in all, we can be proud of our community’s center at Rainier and Henderson. While it’s not without its challenges or things that could be improved, we can justifiably state that our community’s opinion of the location is positive, that it’s getting safer, and that the space is being improved through development and community activation.