As anyone concerned with the overcrowding in NE Seattle schools can tell you: the number of children living in our community has grown over the past several years. Between 2000 and 2010, Ravenna-Bryant households with people under 18 years old increased by 14%, compared to 9% citywide. One quarter of R-B households now include one or more persons under the age of 18 living in them, compared to 20% citywide.
At the same time, households with people 65 years or older increased by 2% and make up 17% of the R-B population, similar to citywide population. The total population of our neighborhood increased by 8% to just over 24,000 people.
Why is this important? Because our neighborhood, along with our city, is expected to continue growing for the foreseeable future. It’s a rather safe bet that the number of households with children will continue to grow. Ravenna-Bryant is fortunate to be home to desirable schools, is relatively safe, and scores high for walkability, making it attractive to families.
In fact, Ravenna is listed as one of the city’s ten best neighborhoods in the April 2015 edition of SeattleMet magazine in part because of good schools and parks:
Not only was Ravenna the most competitive Seattle housing market in 2014, it was one of the top 10 hottest neighborhoods in the country, according to a Redfin report. Homes stayed on the market for an average of just seven days, with an overall 11 percent increase in home value from the previous year.
Its old age in part makes the neighborhood so desirable, with its Craftsman and Tudor homes built mostly before 1940. Close proximity to the University District doesn’t hurt either, nor do the parks and highly ranked schools.
As a city, we are planning for significant population and job growth over the next 20 years. Ravenna-Bryant will need to do the same. And since every neighborhood it unique, it’s important that we create plans that meet the needs of specific neighborhoods — one size does not fit all. Knowing that families find R-B a desirable place to live, planning efforts can ensure that the needs of children and families continue to be met.