Abstract

Because of public urination and defecation due to insufficient restrooms for homeless residents, community leaders in Seattles International District (I.D.) initially supported the placement of an automated public restroom at Hing Hay Park.

However, since March of 2004, misuse and unwarranted or illegal/criminal activities have led to community officials experimenting with lighting projects and 24-hour surveillance cameras to regulate behaviors of those in and around Hing Hay Park. For the residents of this minority neighborhood, this situation is further exacerbated by cultural and language barriers.

This interdisciplinary study examines the use and control of public space in Hing Hay Park and the surrounding area. I integrate the concept of territoriality -- the purposeful clustering of minorities -- from geography with the law of common property resource from Economics. In order to apply these concepts to answer my research questions, I interview community leaders, business owners, and I.D. residents. I supplement these with my own observations of the park. My initial findings indicate discontent with the current situation but willingness on the part of neighborhood citizens to work to improve it for all the involved stakeholders.