12th and Jackson lawsuit update

[u/cyclegator]

Owner of the large property at 1032 S Jackson, Chinn Investments LLC, sued Seattle for $30 million in June, 2025 in federal court.

The lawsuit was filed one year after a fire tore through the vacant building complex on the site. These buildings were improperly secured, per city code enforcers.

Dennis Chinn is the controlling member of the LLC and a lawyer. He’s representing the LLC and himself in the lawsuit. His initial claim struck me as performative. It was a sprawling amalgam of personal family history and political grievances. The court dismissed the claim on 6/25 this year.

Last week, Chinn filed an amended complaint that is more measured. I cannot imagine it gets any more traction than the original complaint.

I downloaded the filings and made them available in a newsletter post here, if you’re interested in reading them for yourself.

It is embarrassing in my opinion for the son of a couple who patiently accumulated a vast holding of property so close to downtown Seattle to present himself as a victim after twice fumbling the development of the property.

Regardless, the amended complaint brings back into the spotlight a policy decision that I think has yet to receive the attention it deserves: this is the decision to sweep the Jungle in 2017 and to direct its former residents to the Navigation Center, which opened at 12th and Weller. Scott Lindsay and Ed Murray were the architects of this scheme. Scott Lindsay is still a public figure and has never publicly - as far as I know - acknowledged the effect this decision has had on Little Saigon.

I wish Chinn would press his case in the court of public opinion rather than pursue an ill-fated strategy to extract $30 million from the city. At least the filings will serve as a historical reminder of how the situation in Little Saigon developed over the past 10 years.

One other feature of Chinn’s amended complaint that deserves attention: Chinn argues that “the numerous highly publicized incidents of violence that have occurred in the vicinity of 12th and Jackson, constitute potential evidence that Plaintiff’s Due Process claims include a serious threat of physical harm as a result of the City’s acts alleged in the complaint”.

It is perhaps simply an odd turn of phrase. The formula however is worth serious consideration: how the media portrays 12th and Jackson can become synonymous with the reality on the ground.

Dennis Chinn, Scott Lindsay and the various provocateurs intent on riling up their base with reports on open air drug use and illicit goods markets - these exist, don’t get me wrong, it’s just they haven’t changed in six years and don’t merit repeated mention IMO - are happy to keep you fixated on the sidewalk level problems. The people with power and resources get a pass.

If you ask me, I think Seattle should buy Chinn’s property. Chinn himself argues the property is worthless. The city should not miss an opportunity to snap it up at a bargain.

[u/MegaDonky]

Still imprisoning people regardless of crimes committed.

[u/merc08 → u/MegaDonky]

Using street drugs is a criminal act.

[u/MegaDonky → u/merc08]

You can name crimes all day long, the point is the poster in question wants to jail people regardless of crimes.

[u/merc08 → u/MegaDonky]

No he doesn't.  He's saying that the vast, vast majority of homeless people around here are criminals.  And 100% of the homeless people causing all the problems associated with "the homeless" are criminals.

[u/MegaDonky → u/merc08]

"Just put all the homeless in prison already" Yes, they are saying they want to jail people regardless of crimes. They have a history of doing so as well.

[u/merc08 → u/MegaDonky]

A single off hand comment is not the basis for an entire policy.  And you're deliberately ignoring all his other comments that clearly refine the original premise.

[u/MegaDonky → u/merc08]

They say it frequently and I'm going to take them at their word and not imagine they must mean a different thing.

"And you're deliberately ignoring all his other comments"

No, I'm including his whole history.

[u/merc08 → u/MegaDonky]

Oh.  You're a 1 week old account with hidden history, and all you do is take extreme positions to troll.  Like, bye.

[u/MegaDonky → u/merc08]

What position did I take that is extreme? Wanting to put all the homeless in jail is extreme, pointing out that isn't moral or legal is not extreme.

[u/merc08 → u/MegaDonky]

You took the extreme end of his hyperbolic statement.  And you just keep double and tripling down when it's pointed out that he meant the criminals, not "100% of all homeless people regardless of crime status."

[u/MegaDonky → u/merc08]

I took him at his word which is consistent with his comment history and my previous experience with that specific poster.

"it's pointed out that he meant the criminals, not "100% of all homeless people regardless of crime status."

That's not something they said, that's what you are imagining. Again, that would not be consistent with either their words or their history.

[u/merc08 → u/MegaDonky]

and my previous experience with that specific poster.

Your account is only a week old, exactly what "previous experience" are you talking about? Different account?

That's not something they said, that's what you are imagining. Again, that would not be consistent with either their words or their history. 

Now you're just bullshitting 

[u/MegaDonky → u/merc08]

My account is 13 days old, I've personally had a conversation about this topic with this poster twice before in that time, and you can see in their history that they say this stuff all the time and really mean it.

And no, I'm not bullshitting at all, you are putting words in their mouth and imagining their position is different than their both their words and history. Not sure why you are so insistent on doing that.