Our initial findings indicated that residents of the International District have a common feeling of being ignored in legislative actions within their neighborhood due to the prevalence of linguistic barriers. Officials wish to increase the prevalence of homeless shelters in the neighborhood to combat the ongoing local crisis, yet tensions continue to arise within the neighborhood. Housing and shelters seem to continuously experience closures and perception of homelessness and crime is generally negative among residents which has resulted in generally negative attitudes towards the issues that the residents experience. These initial issues have bled into the health of the residents as their mortality is generally earlier, and a significant portion is due to early cardiac episodes. This is indicative of the struggles that residents face. 

When the I-5 freeway was built, it cut through the ID which hurt local businesses that relied on foot traffic. Now, the light rail, buses, and Amtrak help connect the neighborhood with the rest of Seattle. However, there is scarce parking, uneven sidewalks, and few bike lanes, which limit those types of transportation. 

Beyond the health and housing crises that the ID faces, there is a rich historical and artistic context of the neighborhood. The historical architecture of the region reflects the growth of the culture of the neighborhood and remains a predominant reason for the demographics of the area. This history also has impacted how residents gather as a community and how different racial groups experience the impacts of this historically rich neighborhood’s issues.