Update Dec. 9, 2022

All former residents, and others of the Rozella Building near White Center were successfully taken out of the building and provided other housing in hotels or taken for treatment according to Debra LeComb, property manager for S&L Realty.

The building owner Peter Phan was told by the City of Seattle that the Rozella Building needed to be boarded up securely by end of day on Dec. 9. He told LeComb that the plywood and other materials would not fit into his SUV so he was delayed. As of 3:30 pm the work had not started. He has 72 hours (not counting the weekend) to complete the work or it will be done by the City of Seattle and he will be charged for it.

LeComb said, "One of the residents was a hoarder and you could barely open the door or move around in there." 

In any case the owner has said he plans to re-rent the building after cleanup, repairs, new paint and carpet are installed. No timeline on that work was announced.

Notices were put up on all doors of a Trespass Warning and Enforcement Authorization which allows police to arrest anyone on the premises.

Original Post Dec. 8, 2022

The Rozella Building at 9434 Delridge Way near White Center has been a problem for a long time. That's about to change.

Owned by Peter Phan, the building has in recent years become the scene of open drug dealing, a squatting site for up to 30 otherwise homeless people and the scene of violence. 

Phan, who was asked repeatedly by members of the community to address the situation finally hired S&L Realty to help him evict people, a process that under pandemic rules and Washington State law takes some time. 

Now, those who are still there have come to the end of the line and will be made to leave, but not without a compassionate alternative. 

A team of people from Africa Town, the King County LEAD progam, and others will be assisting those there in finding housing, treatment and more as required. But the building will in fact be boarded up. 

Debra LeComb with S&L is the Property Manager and said she hopes to get landmark status for the 1926 building. But that's down the road. She said the landlord plans to reopen the building meaning it will have some repairs, new carpet and new paint. But that's not immediate. The first task is to stop the problems caused by the current residents.

Geoffrey "Mac" McElroy who owns the nearby Triangle Pub has suffered for some time with people who have been drawn to the Rozella for a variety of reasons. He said, "It’s a shame that there will be that much less affordable housing in the neighborhood. I am hopeful that the incessant drug dealing and the associated problems that it causes won’t take root in someone else’s community. I believe that this is a win for White Center."