Seattle’s Beacon Hill neighborhood is facing a growing crisis as four parks have been overrun by open-air drug markets and encampments, with residents reporting widespread drug use, theft, and property destruction. The situation has escalated to the point where families are unable to use the parks, and a sense of intimidation has gripped the community.
According to a report by Charlie Harger of Seattle’s Morning News, the parks of Daejohn, Sturgus, Lewis, and Jose Rizal are now centers for fentanyl use and dealing. Harger described walking through fentanyl smoke within minutes of arriving at Lewis Park last week, observing groups of individuals openly using drugs with no intervention. He noted that the situation has worsened with each of his four visits over the past five months.
Residents have expressed frustration with the city’s response, or lack thereof. One resident, Kevin, who has lived on Beacon Hill for over 20 years, contacted his council member and the mayor’s office with concerns, but received no response. He then reached out to Seattle’s Morning News, prompting Harger’s investigation.
Park Infrastructure Deteriorating
The impact on park infrastructure has been significant. The Rizal Park pavilion, a community gathering space for Filipino, Vietnamese, and Chinese communities, was so badly damaged that it had to be torn down. The Korean pagoda in Daejeon Park, a gift from the City of Seoul, is now being used as shelter. Graffiti reappears within days of being cleaned, and the off-leash dog park is unusable.
Harger reported that the city’s response has been to demolish damaged structures and build gender-neutral bathrooms, a move criticized by residents as a misplaced priority. “Seattle’s answer to an out-of-control drug market is to demolish the things people love and build a gender-neutral bathroom in its place,” Harger wrote.
Drug Market Operations
Harger observed a clear pattern of drug dealing in the parks, with cars pulling up, occupants briefly entering the park, and then leaving with suspected drugs. Hundreds of people are reportedly living and using drugs in the four parks, creating a dangerous and untenable situation for residents.
Andrea Suarez of We Heart Seattle reported in December 2025 that drug dealers and addicts were moving further into wooded areas in Beacon Hill as renovations began at Dr. Jose Rizal Park. Suarez also criticized Seattle Parks Superintendent AP Diaz for being “MIA” and the city for failing to enforce public camping laws in the area. She counted over 100 drug tents in the Chinatown-ID and Beacon Hill neighborhoods, acknowledging this was likely an undercount.
Fentanyl Crisis Worsens
A separate report from Harger published on April 2, 2026, emphasized that the situation is a drug problem masquerading as a homeless problem. He noted that even after a recent city sweep, conditions in North Beacon Hill parks have worsened, with fentanyl being smoked openly. The picnic shelter at Rizal Park, which had been damaged, has since been torn down, and the pagoda at Daejeon Park is also deteriorating.
Harger described witnessing individuals smoking fentanyl in plain sight on a Wednesday afternoon, walking through the smoke and observing discarded foil and human waste on walking paths. Dozens of tents were visible throughout the parks.