Seattle City Council President Richard Conlin met with the Ballard District Council March 11 to discuss the city’s goals during the budget crunch and to discuss questions and concerns brought forward by members of the council.

One of the major concerns brought forward by the council was the increasing homeless presence in the neighborhood.

Conlin said he had heard the same thing from the Lake City neighborhood, but the city council is so far not looking at the trends of mobile homeless populations.

The council is looking to update the Affordable Housing Levy, which expires in December, and is starting to get more help in funding for homeless issues from suburban cities, he said.

He said an increasing homeless population, as well as rashes of burglaries against small business, may be a rising trend.

“Given the current economic situation, it’s likely to get worse before it gets better,” Conlin said.

Rob Mattson, Ballard District coordinator, said Ballard was choking on building permits, but is now choking on vacant properties that are breeding public safety problems.

Empty properties are a huge issue with many neighborhoods, Conlin said. He said one of his ideas is to use some of the $2 million meant for neighborhood gardens under the Pro Parks Levy to create interim gardens on lots that will be vacant long-term.

The possibility of a new jail in Seattle and the need for a new police chief with Gil Kerlikowske moving into the Obama administration were also bought up.

Conlin said the council hates the idea of building a new jail and is working with the King County Council and a newly created task force to find ways to reduce the number of people being sent to jail and a way to make the current system work better.

The goal is to at least postpone the need for a new jail, if not do away with it altogether, he said.

Conlin said he would like to see a new police chief who will get patrols out into neighborhoods and make sure the police have a presence in the communities they are serving.