Greetings District 5 residents,

Happy new year! I hope your holiday season was amazing. This quarter, I wanted to dive into some pretty big topics. You can learn more at our annual District 5 Town Hall on Saturday, February 25, from 12 - 1:30 PM at STAR Center (3873 S. 66th St. in Tacoma).  As I have shared before, your insights and observations help inform the policy decisions I make as I represent you on the City Council and I look forward to seeing you at that event! And, as many of you know, l also do my best to make myself available at other times and regularly attend our Neighborhood Council meetings, Safe Streets group meetings and other events around our community. I hope you will consider engaging with me and our neighbors there as well because, together, we can make a difference.

Thank you,
Council Member Joe Bushnell
City of Tacoma, District 5

Topics in this newsletter include: 

• You're Invited to Council Member Bushnell’s District 5 Town Hall!
• Home in Tacoma Phase 2
• Appointed to Serve on National League of Cities’ Community and Economic Development Committee
• Gun Stolen out of Vehicles in Tacoma Every 48 Hours
• Pierce County Eviction Prevention Program
• Recent Community Highlights
• Conclusion

You're Invited to Council Member Bushnell’s District 5 Town Hall!

I will be holding an in-person town hall for District 5. We will be meeting on Saturday, February 25, from 12 - 1:30 PM at STAR Center (3873 S. 66th St. in Tacoma). Come with your questions, and learn about what the City of Tacoma is doing to address your concerns.

Refreshments will be served and child activities will be provided for event attendees at STAR Center’s Treetops Playgrounds. If you have questions about this event, or need specific accommodations, please contact Lynda Foster at lynda.foster@cityoftacoma.org.

Your voice is important, and I look forward to seeing you there!

Home in Tacoma Phase 2

The City of Tacoma’s Home in Tacoma Project is in phase 2 of the planning process. This phase is focused on how the housing growth strategy the City Council adopted in phase 1 is implemented through zoning and standards, affordability measures, and anti-displacement steps to encourage actions that support housing growth.

As with phase 1, community engagement and conversation is a priority in establishing policy, standards and regulations for implementation. Community members can participate in phase 2 in several ways now through February:

• Sharing your ideas on the Home In Tacoma online engagement forum
• Completing the Home In Tacoma Survey (responses due by February 10, 2023)
• Commenting on the City’s Environmental Impact Statement scope (by February 10, 2023)

More information about these engagement opportunities, how to stay engaged throughout phase 2, and information about the project is available at cityoftacoma.org/homeintacoma.

Home in Tacoma is part of the City’s Affordable Housing Action Strategy (AHAS), which is a citywide effort to address Tacoma’s housing affordability crisis. AHAS is comprised of 27 strategic actions intended to support the creation of affordable housing, reduce or eliminate housing displacement and homelessness, and stabilize housing for families in Tacoma through policies, protections, and development incentives. For more information about AHAS, visit cityoftacoma.org/AHAS.

Appointed to Serve on National League of Cities’ Community and Economic Development Committee

I’m excited to share that I was recently appointed to the National League of Cities (NLC) 2023 Community and Economic Development federal advocacy committee. Throughout my one-year term, I will provide strategic direction and guidance for NLC’s federal advocacy agenda and policy priorities on housing, land use, economic opportunity, and entrepreneurship. The appointment was announced by our Mayor, and also NLC President, Victoria Woodards.

As a member of NLC’s Community and Economic Development committee, I will play a key role in shaping NLC’s policy positions and advocate on behalf of America’s cities, towns and villages before Congress, with the administration, and at home.

Leading this year’s committee are Chair Tishaura Jones, Mayor of St. Louis, MO; Vice Chair Patricia Lock Dawson, Mayor of Riverside, CA; and Vice Chair Lacey Beaty, Mayor of Beaverton, OR.

Visit NLC’s federal advocacy committees webpage for more information.

Gun Stolen out of Vehicles in Tacoma Every 48 Hours

The Tacoma Police Department is asking gun owners to help reduce the number of firearms being stolen from vehicles by practicing responsible gun ownership. A gun is stolen out of a vehicle in Tacoma every 48 hours.

Gun owners can help prevent these thefts by taking the following precautions:

• Do not leave firearms in your vehicle.
• Keep firearms secured and follow safe handling procedures.
• Keep firearms out of the hands of juveniles.

In 2022, 202 guns were stolen out of vehicles in Tacoma. Between January 1 and January 22, 2023, 10 guns have been reported stolen out of vehicles. Those numbers are only thefts of firearms from vehicle prowls, it does not include those firearms stolen during motor vehicle thefts.

“Stolen guns are finding their way into the hands of juveniles and are being used in violent crimes, “said Tacoma Chief of Police Avery L. Moore. “Many of these firearms are stolen in vehicle prowls. By not leaving firearms unattended in your vehicle, you are helping us keep guns out of the hands of juveniles.”

If you are the victim of a theft in which a firearm is stolen, please call 911 if it is in progress, otherwise call (253) 287-4455. Firearm thefts cannot be reported online.

Pierce County Eviction Prevention Program

The Pierce county Eviction Prevention Program has re-opened for 2023! Households behind on their rent may apply online at Eviction prevention | Pierce County, WA - Official Website (piercecountywa.gov).

The Pierce County Eviction Prevention Program supports eligible low-income households with their past due rent. This is not for homeless households looking to get into housing. Submitting an application does not guarantee payment and, due to limited funding, not all eligible households can be served through this program.

Please share this program with your friends and neighbors and keep in mind that you are always welcome to reach out to my office as well, if you need assistance with understanding your rights as a renter in Tacoma.

Recent Community Highlights

I returned to TV Tacoma’s CityLine to discuss community safety, encampments and homelessness, and reducing youth and gun violence, and other issues important to our community.

I recently attended Stafford Elementary School’s monthly awards ceremony to speak to some of our youngest community members and future leaders about the value of public service. I helped students explore what it means to be “inquisitive” – their word of the month. Students had the opportunity to ask questions and individually connect with me as I passed out awards for outstanding behavior and achievement. Special thanks to Principal Alyssa Donohue for the invitation to visit and for snapping this wonderful photo to help us remember that special day.

My work is, first and foremost, about making Tacoma a better place for all residents of District 5. This February I met with South End Neighborhood Council (SENCo) leaders, Environmental Services staff, and Pierce Conservation District staff to discuss improvements to the right of way at South 72nd and South D streets. Watch this space! SENCo is leading the charge on applying for grants to revitalize it.

This is the love of my life and beautiful wife, Almirah. As some of you may have heard, we were married recently in Phnom Penh, the bustling capital of Cambodia, surrounded by family and friends. We feel so blessed to share our lives together. I’m looking forward to introducing her to Tacoma and to all of you.

Conclusion

Thank you again for taking the time to read my newsletter and your continued engagement with the City of Tacoma.