Amazon's presence can cause frustration

Pittsburgh is waiting to see if it will win the Amazon HQ2 bid and have tens of thousands of new jobs coming to the city.

While the wait continues, Target 11 traveled to Seattle, where Amazon's first headquarters has dramatically changed the city. We found out some people don't think all the changes were for the better.

MORE INFORMATION: Downtown Seattle Association's 2017 Development Guide

Amazon has more than 40,000 employees in Seattle and operates in dozens of downtown buildings. While the city says the company is doing big things for business and even non-profits, some residents say its presence has made living in the city unsustainable.

"Before, I was able to get a 3-bedroom down on Rainier for $800 a month. Now, I'd be lucky to get a two bedroom for $1,250," Anis Hassan said. "You know what I mean? I can't do it."

During the past four years, the cost of housing has doubled in Seattle. The median price of a single-family home is now $840,000.

TRENDING NOW:

• Mom hears brutal slaying of 15-year-old daughter through phone call
• North Allegheny Intermediate High evacuated due to bomb threat
• Police: 11-year-old girl attacked in mall restroom, father tackles suspect in food court
• VIDEO: Arrest made in theft ring that stole $58K in items from vehicles

"The vast majority of ordinary people in Seattle are angry and fed up at the housing crisis," said Councilwoman Kshama Sawant.

Sawant has proposed taxing big companies like Amazon to pay for public housing and provide help to the homeless. She told us she doesn't think Amazon pays its fair share right now.

Downtown Seattle CEO Jon Scholes told Target 11 he disagrees.

"Look at the wages they pay, the construction taxes they paid for the development of their new buildings and all the other local, state," he said. Scholes said Amazon has already contributed to the city in a big way.

The housing crisis isn't the only issue to arise from the explosive growth of big tech companies in the city.

Seattle ranks ninth in the country for worst traffic: Drivers will spend an average of 55 hours per year stuck in traffic. Seattle has tried to fix that problem by pumping more than $100 million into expanding light rail and bus services.

"It's not an Amazon issue," Scholes said. "It's a Seattle issue and we haven't invested to the point we need to, going back 40 or so years."

We met up with a former Pittsburgh resident now living in Seattle. Despite the challenges, she still thinks Amazon would be a good fit for the Steel City.

"The city of Pittsburgh is old and well-grounded and it has the intelligence to figure out the transportation and make it happen," Karen Clark said.

Seattle's city council members have some words of advice for Pittsburgh as the process continues.

"You need to have your job creators, a partner, a civic partner, that will help you figure out not only how to plan for those things but how to pay for them," Councilwoman Lisa Herbold advised.

Council members Target 11 spoke to urged Pittsburgh leaders to reverse course and release the details of the Amazon bid.

"It's a question of what you are doing with our taxpayer money," Sawant said. "So if you are going to give shady deals to Amazon, tax deals, tax breaks, we want to know about it."

Cox Media Group