City of Tacoma Washington sent this bulletin at 12/22/2021 01:04 PM PST
Introduction
Good afternoon and Happy Holidays,
While every season in Tacoma is special in its own way, despite the soggy days and dwindling daylight, I enjoy winter. My children are very excited about the holiday ahead and to get to spend time with their family (and the potential for presents!). While I am also looking forward to friends, family and the return of some of our favorite traditions (like the tree lighting downtown), I also love the opportunity to sit by the fire and read some good books (more on that later in the email).
As I am coming to the end of my second year on City Council, I am very proud of what I have been able to accomplish. From changes to the Multi-Family Property Tax Exemption (MFTE) to investing in our City’s reserve fund to supporting initiatives like Tidy-Up Tacoma and our successful 6th and Orchard TEMS site.
In the year ahead, I look forward to the continued work of Phase 2 of Home in Tacoma, working with our newly hired police chief and working to recruit new police officers, and beginning the biennium budget process. For much of this work, it is going to take time and require extensive community input, and I look forward to doing much of it in person in 2022.
As always, please feel free to reach out to me to share your thoughts and concerns. I invite you to also tune in to the City Council’s Study Session or Council meetings on Tuesdays via TV Tacoma, Facebook Live, or Zoom, login cityoftacoma.org/councilmeetings.
Also, if you enjoy getting this newsletter and regular updates from me, please feel free to share it with others who you think might find it valuable and encourage them to subscribe.
Catching Up With Council Member Hines
Home In Tacoma
On December 7, the Council passed Phase 1 of Home in Tacoma. This followed our December 1 Special Meeting (listen here) where we discussed multiple potential amendments to the Phase 1 map. I proposed two adjustments including one in the West End and one along North Union Ave (which can be found here). The final map, which includes all of the approved amendments and that was approved on December 7 can be found here.
That being said, as I mentioned in last month’s newsletter, I have heard from many of you that are concerned about the scope, scale, speed, and substance of the changes proposed through Home in Tacoma. Now that Phase 1 has been adopted, the real work will begin on Phase 2. This work includes some of the critically important things we have talked about, including:
Design standards
Infrastructure and services
Parking and transportation choices
Reducing the potential demolition of viable structures
Green, sustainable, and resilient housing
Promoting physical accessibility
Two areas I am very interested in continuing to work on are affordable housing and home-ownership. Affordable housing is a passion for me. I have been working on it the past year with the MFTE and, before I came onto the Council, with the YWCA. Affordable housing development also has to be paired with more opportunities for home-ownership, which is critical to building generational wealth in our community. This is going to take time and require extensive community input before any zoning changes are put in place. Tacoma is growing, and that is a good thing, but I recognize that there are things that we need to address before the zoning changes. I look forward to a collaborative conversation with the public and building support for potential changes through Phase 2 in 2022!
Addressing Homeless Encampments in Tacoma
While homelessness has been a priority for me while on Council, including my support of the 6th and Orchard TEMS site, recently we have been discussing further action as a Council regarding homeless encampments. At our November 9 Council Meeting, Ordinance No. 28756, which addresses unauthorized use of public property for camping and storage of personal property, was sent to our Council’s Community Vitality and Safety Committee (CVS) for further discussion.
I currently serve on CVS. We are working through a potential ordinance that will address camping on public property. If you are interested, I would encourage you to listen to our conversation on December 9 and review our presentation. They give a good overview of what other cities are doing and what are the legal considerations when addressing camping on public property.
In my time on the Council, we have invested more than ever in providing shelter for those experiencing homelessness. This includes establishing the TEMS 3 and 4 sites (at 6th and Orchard and 69th and Proctor), helping purchase and set-up the Comfort Inn (at 84th and Hosmer), and the continued support of the Stability Site and other non-profits and religious organizations offering shelter services. I have been a vocal advocate of City-authorized emergency shelters because I recognize that people resorting to living on our streets is not an outcome that is good for anyone in our community.
Throughout our meetings, I have discussed the idea of beginning with prohibiting camping on public property around schools and parks and then expanding as we have shelter spaces available. Generally, I support prohibiting camping on public property as long as we pair it with increasing the supply of shelter, permanent housing, and social services so these individuals experiencing homelessness can move forward with their lives.
I do think that it is important that I make clear: the goal is that we have enough housing options so everyone currently living on our streets has a place to go. I believe it is inhumane to allow people to live on the street. Each day I go to work, I drive by encampments near the Tacoma Public Schools Central Office. I have walked through and talked to some of the residents there. I have also talked to multiple neighbors in the area. That situation is not tolerable, and while we are working to make it more humane and provide some dignity to the people living there, the goal remains that no one will be living on our streets.
Update on the Manuel Ellis Investigation
On December 21, the Council held a special meeting to receive an update on the on-going Manuel Ellis investigation (video of the meeting can be found here). City Manager Elizabeth Pauli and Interim Police Chief Mike Ake informed the Council that the City’s extensive administrative review related to the actions of the two uncharged officers involved in the death of Manuel Ellis was completed.
Interim Police Chief Ake determined that the two uncharged officers, Armando Farinas and Masiyh Ford, did not violate any departmental policies. If you are interested, I would encourage you to listen to the meeting or visit the City’s webpage detailing police use of force here. More information about the Chief’s decision, including the written decision will be made available on this webpage after ten days to comply with state law.
My Favorite Books of 2021
As many of you know, I love to read! Before joining Council, I was a Tacoma Public Library Board Trustee, and my love affair with books that began at the South Tacoma Library Branch decades ago continues (which anyone can see from my Zoom background). Last year I did a favorite books list and so I decided to do another one again this year! Here are the books I most enjoyed reading in 2021 (and sorry, as a former high school history teacher, they are all non-fiction):
Visit one of our Tacoma Public Libraries and pick one of them up today!
Scenes From the City of Destiny
Visit to the Landfill
Continuing a theme, Council Member Walker and I visited the Hidden Valley Recycling Center this past month. If you ever wondered where the contents of your brown bin ended up, it begins its transformation from yard waste and food scraps at Hidden Valley. While there, we learned all about the composting process and even got our hands on some of the final products.
One thing we did learn is the importance of making sure the right items get into the brown bins. All the compost at Hidden Valley is used in our community, but that is due to the fact that it is high quality and does not have issues with contamination. You can learn more about what is okay to put in the brown bin here, and you can do your part to keep our compost clean and high quality!
Lighting the Christmas Tree Downtown
This past month, my family and I were happy to enjoy another tradition with the City of Tacoma’s annual holiday tree lighting. After a year of not gathering for these traditions, it was good to return downtown and enjoy being around members of our community, celebrating the holidays.
In the year ahead, I am looking forward to the continued return to our downtown. In 2022, I look forward to working with our downtown partners to find ways to keep our downtown safe, clean, and welcoming to more of our residents. A vibrant and thriving downtown is critical to the post-COVID success of the City of Destiny.
Resources for Utility Assistance
As we move forward through the phases of pandemic recovery together, we know many customers in our community struggle financially. Here are several resources available to help:
Information about limited federal and other relief funds for utility bills available to Tacoma and Pierce County residents
Expanded residential utility payment assistance so more households can qualify to receive additional help
Updates about when disconnects and late fees will resume
Multiple ways to pay your bill, including online and Pay Box locations
Extended payment arrangements and waiver of late fees
Tips for lowering electricity and water use at your home or business
The challenges we are facing in Tacoma with COVID-19 are unprecedented, but I want to let you know that we are taking important steps to address it in our community. We are working hard to support residents, families and businesses as we continue to address this public health crisis.
Rental and Utility Assistance: Pierce County and City of Tacoma residents struggling to pay rent or utilities due to impacts of COVID-19 can apply for assistance: PierceCountyWA.gov/housinghelp
Washington State/Governor Jay Inslee COVID-19 Response: coronavirus.wa.gov
Please be sure to check out cityoftacoma.org for City updates and resources and, as always, please email me directly at john.hines@cityoftacoma.org and do not reply to this email. You can also call me at (253) 312-5620 if you have questions.
