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City of Renton police photo
Crime is currently one of the biggest concerns of many residents in Renton and our region. I’ve heard from countless Renton residents who are extremely worried about this issue, and sadly some of them have become so concerned they’ve either already moved or are making plans to move. While some elected officials are actively working the crime issue, others are still denying that crime is a significant problem. I’ve asked permission from readers to share a few of the stories I’ve heard, with the goal of ensuring a common understanding of the problem so that it may be worked seriously and productively. A reader named Tonya generously offered to share her poignant story as she and her family begin a new chapter of their lives in Eastern Washington.
Here is Tonya’s story in her words (in italics):
My husband and I married in 2006 and moved from Kent to the LaCrosse neighborhood in north Renton in July 2006. This was a second marriage for both of us and we looked forward to starting our new chapter in Renton. We have 5 adopted children and all of them were raised for many years in our Renton home.
We loved Renton because it was family focused and we appreciated Mayor Denis Law. Renton was close to our workplaces in Georgetown and Redmond, and we were able to find a school for our youngest three at Renton Christian School.
We always saw the police on patrol and they were very proactive and visible – something criminals don’t appreciate. We spent much time at the Renton Landing and Coulon Park.
Traffic flowed well through the city with the many one way streets and freeway access.
Both my husband and I thought that we’d live there forever. That is until….
The main issue with Renton is it’s located in King County.
In 2018 we started to see a major uptick with the King County criminal justice process and the lack of criminal prosecution. Unfortunately my late son was killed in 2018
(Tonya explained to me that her son was at a friend’s house, and an acquaintance of someone living in that home brought over a gun that wasn’t his. The shooting sounded unintentional, but extraordinarily careless, and it left Tonya and her husband grieving the way no parents should ever have to.)
I had to meet with the King County prosecutors regarding the perpetrator in Seattle on a few occasions.
The area around the court house was in decline… not just homeless, but mental health problems that caused a safety concern.
(Tonya’s experience with safety surrounding the King County Courthouse matched my own, as I attended regular meetings at the courthouse as a member of the Metro Transit board. During busy hours, courthouse visitors had to line up in a queue for the metal detector that extended outside the courthouse. While in line I witnessed fist-fights, open drug use, and highly-aggressive panhandling. I can’t even imagine what it felt like dealing with this as a grieving Mom.)
Fast forward to 2020 and the pandemic. King County commandeered the Red Lion hotel on Grady and 167 and that whole area declined with such quick succession, we stopped going to that area of town if we could avoid it.
The police stopped being ever-present and we no longer had police patrols through our neighborhood. When I called for police service, while they always called me back, the lack of resources didn’t allow officer availability to come to the house because all of the resources were pulled to the downtown area.
(During the time the Red Lion was being operated as a shelter, it was sometimes pulling as much as 20 percent of our police and fire resources away from other areas of the city)
With the passing of the “law enforcement reform” bill, there were so many changes on what the police could and could not do with criminals anymore.
The increase in tents throughout the area….and no one was addressing the services and mental health needs of these homeless individuals.
Increased car theft, catalytic converter thefts, a rise in violence were/are being felt by the citizenry. Apartments on Lake Washington Blvd that used to be peaceful no longer were.
After King County started purchasing hotels to house people, I read up on the site selection criteria as the Econolodge off exit 7 was in close proximity to us. The former Denny’s location was being turned into a transit center, making it more desirable for a possible King County purchase.
(Many residents have heard rumors about King County being interested in purchasing the Renton Econolodge. The last time I checked, there was no documented interest by King County in this hotel, although King County did purchase the Econolodge in Kent. And under a 2021 state law, it’s possible this or any hotel could be purchased and used for a shelter. )
Once the King County sheriff election was “voted” to be an appointment rather than elected by the people, we decided it was time to make our exit strategy. This is absolutely ludicrous and the “people” have no idea what they’ve lost.
And then there’s the in-your-face drug legalization.
Our property taxes were increasing every year, meanwhile our services were declining and the blight was on the rise.
I did not vote for any of these measures… King County is not going to be a safe place to raise children if law and order is not maintained.
…We still have friends and family in the area, and I will always love Renton, but for now we’re finding a solace in Eastern Washington…. I realize that some laws affect the state as a whole, but right now we’re still here, just not in the asylum known as King County.
I hope Tonya and her family find the peace and healing they deserve in Eastern Washington. May their memories of their beloved son and brother bring joy and comfort to them in the years ahead. Every time someone feels they need to move from Renton to find peace or security, my heart breaks a little.
Thank you Tonya for sharing your story.
Click here to read my previous entry in this series, about Melyza, a single Mom who’s life was turned upside down by an attempted car theft.
This sucks. This is the kind of caring and thoughtful person we need in Renton and we’ve let our politicians chase them away.
Thank you for sharing. We left when taxation without representation got out of control and our property, in a nice part of lower Kennydale, was targeted as one of the first to be reassessed by the County. This was a 17% increase. Add that to car break-ins, mail theft and multiple package thefts. In one instance our groceries (kids lunches for the week) were stolen in the time it took my husband to walk down the stairs. It’s sad that as a council person, sitting next to Randy, I was still helpless against Dow and his big agenda. Trips to Olympia to meet with people like Jayapal, Smith and Schrier fell on deaf ears. And through teaching at all three Renton High Schools where violence and drug use went unchecked and discipline and consequences were a joke, I caught a glimpse of my children’s future. When we had the opportunity to accept offers out of the state with a reasonable cost of living, low crime and great schools, it was a no brainer. If I thought we could have made a difference we might have stayed. But it’s nice to live where our votes actually count and our kids are safe walking from the school bus.
Thanks for your comment Carol Ann. We miss you and your family in Renton, but glad you found a home you love. I’m always very appreciative when other former Renton council members join the conversation, and I thank you for doing so. Please check back in soon!