Community Update from Council Member Sandesh Sadalge
City of Tacoma Washington sent this bulletin at 01/21/2026 01:40 PM PST
Dear District 4,
As 2026 gets fully underway, I am grounding my work on City Council in the values that brought me here: service, equity, and standing with our neighbors. Being sworn in by State House Speaker Laurie Jinkins was a profound honor. She and I share a deep sense of responsibility and a duty to lead with courage and compassion. This week I am reflecting on the call to focus not just on what is happening around us, but on what we can do to support one another, especially our immigrant neighbors and those seeking safe and affordable housing
This newsletter highlights the work from my first full year on Council in 2025, as well as the priorities I am advancing in 2026. I am building on that first year of service with a continued focus on centering our community in every decision. I am deeply grateful for the trust you have placed in me, and I remain committed to showing up with purpose for the people of District 4
Sincerely, Sandesh Sadalge District 4 Tacoma City Council Member
Over the last year, this federal administration has continued to promote actions and policies that sow fear and anxiety in our communities. As a foreign-born immigrant, I understand the depths of these feelings and how its permeated throughout our district. I realized the gravity and importance of my position when community members started pulling me aside and whispering their concerns into my ear because they were too afraid to speak up. Everyone in Tacoma deserves to live safely, with dignity, and without fear. Every person who calls our city home is afforded fundamental rights as enshrined in our constitution. These values guide my work.
Last February, I sponsored Resolution 41627 which passed unanimously. It sets a clear city policy, in alignment with the state’s Keep Washington Working Act, that prohibits city resources from being used to assist federal immigration enforcement with civil immigration duties. Tacoma is a city built on diversity, and our strength comes from standing up for our neighbors, no matter their race, religion, immigration status, or national origin.
Tacoma also is faced with the stark reality of the Northwest I.C.E. Processing Center. For years, the City has fiercely advocated for greater regulation and oversight of this facility and increased quality of life for those detained in it. It is heartening to see our federal delegation demanding answers on the facility’s deteriorating conditions. The City has very limited legal authority to regulate this facility – but we are positioned to offer targeted support to detainees. In addition to funding legal aid, the Council also adopted Resolution 41757 last year to allocate $20,000 to Advocates for Immigrants in Detention Northwest (AIDNW) to assist detainees contact family and legal counsel, access critical services, and safely transition after release.
At our last Council meeting, I introduced A Statement from the Tacoma City Council Regarding Community Safety Standards and Law Enforcement but mere words are not enough. That is why I sponsored the companion Resolution 41844 to direct the City Manager to take action by compiling and sharing resources for immigrants in Tacoma. I’m proud to sit on a Council that approved both motions unanimously.
Since I became a council member, I learned firsthand just how much more difficult every single thing we do as a city to address our quality of life is made by the sheer lack of housing in our city. Housing development has not kept up with our population increase for years and so whether it’s police, fire, homelessness response, library services or in our court systems, lack of safe, reliable and consistent housing massively exacerbates problems for our city and for its residents.
We need more housing and we need it at every level which is why I was thrilled last week, to celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony for a development that will bring 80 new affordable housing units to Tacoma. Located at 35th and Pacific, the five-story building will feature a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, designed to serve families who are struggling with rising rents and limited housing options. Beyond housing, the plan includes street-level market space for small businesses and community use — an effort to bring life and activity to one of Tacoma’s most heavily traveled corridors.
This is a tangible result of intentional work to increase housing that started with the City Council starting our Affordable Housing Trust Fund back in 2019 with general fund dollars and then providing a sustainable revenue source through the .1% sales tax in 2021. This project has received $7.25 million from the City of Tacoma’s Affordable Housing Trust fund because it is an innovative solution that addresses current deficiencies.
When I became a Council Member, I also didn’t realize that a major barrier to increasing housing development was single-family exclusive zoning that prevented development even on large lots that could fit multiple homes. That is why the City Council passed Home in Tacoma in February of 2025. In addition to allowing for more units on a lot, I’m proud that I was able to research and sponsor amendments to incentivize building home ownership units for every day Tacomans because owning a home leads to housing cost stability and wealth building.
It’s now been over a year since the City Council passed Home in Tacoma phase 2, and we’re starting to see results! On September 30, our Planning and Development Services Department provided an Early Implementation Update to the City Council. It’s exciting to see all the new development happening in District 4, especially the accessory dwelling units, duplexes, and multiplexes that will increase urban density and housing options.
In 2026, the City is continuing to invest in and support housing development. In January, we’ll launch our Middle Housing Streamlined Permitting Program designed to simplify permitting processes for Home in Tacoma projects. The goal is simple: review permits faster and more efficiently.
I’ll continue to watch the development trends closely, and work with my colleagues on outreach to community members and industry experts to review challenges as they arise to adapt how we support development of housing choices across Tacoma.
If 2025 had a creative highlight reel, Tacoma Creates would be all over it. Last October, the City Council’s readoption of the program served as a moment of recognition—acknowledging the creativity, care, and community connection it continues to support throughout Tacoma.
Over the year, Tacoma Creates helped bring neighborhoods together through performances, exhibitions, workshops, and cultural celebrations that were welcoming and accessible. Artists, organizations, and culture bearers created opportunities for learning, expression, and shared experiences, reaching residents of all ages and backgrounds. From youth-focused programs to events honoring Tacoma’s diverse histories, these efforts reinforced the role of creativity in building belonging.
The Council’s action was less about change and more about affirmation. It recognized arts, culture, heritage, and science as essential to Tacoma’s identity and wellbeing.
In 2025, the City of Tacoma continued bringing community priorities to life through implementation of our participatory budgeting process, a democratic approach where neighbors help decide how public funds are spent. Residents living in District 4 proposed ideas, joined conversations, and voted on the projects they wanted to see move forward, shaping investments based on their own experiences and needs.
It speaks volumes about how we as a community value our diverse culture and heritage. Over 12,000 residents voted for the funding to be used for youth and cultural programming. That came to life this year at events like Golden Bamboo’s Tet event, the City’s first Diwali Festival of Lights, and La Visita de la Catrina and Pinata Workshop.
South Asian Festival of Lights, or Diwali, symbolizes the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. The event included dance performances and classes, games and art for kids, a fashion show, and food. Here I am on stage with Interim Police Chief Patti Jackson, Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello, and Grit City Studio CEO Syed Jamal.
La Visita de la Catrina featured artist Amelia Caballero and included educational activities and crafting, as well as lunch, music and professional pictures. The Pinata Workshop was a huge hit with children and families.
While the projects of 2025 are complete, the excitement and collaboration that made them possible lives on. District 4 residents have set an example of what happens when community members unite to celebrate culture, heritage, and shared creativity.
The Tacoma City Council voted on October 21, 2025, to update Title 8 of the Municipal Code, relating to camping and storage of personal belongings on public property. The update includes new community buffer zones around public schools, public libraries, and public parks where camping and storage of personal belongings on public property will be prohibited. In addition, temporary or emergency shelters will have community buffer zones, ensuring that these locations remain accessible and safe for those seeking their services. Protected waters will also continue to have buffer zones where camping and storage of personal property are prohibited.
This is an issue my community has raised repeatedly. After a lot of thought, introspection and listening to my neighbors, I chose to support this ordinance. I agree with the sentiments of my district that areas near libraries, parks, and schools should be emphasized as places where we focus outreach and connection to services. This decision isn’t happening in a vacuum. We’ve invested in therapeutic courts, affordable housing, mental health services, and alternative response teams and I’ll continue to champion expanding these efforts. This ordinance reflects a balance — pairing enforcement in sensitive areas with continued investment in the compassionate resources needed to address homelessness in a meaningful way.
Last year marked a full-circle moment with the opening of the McKinley Hill Overlook, a project shaped by years of community vision and collaboration. Before joining the Council, I volunteered on the McKinley Hill Neighborhood Plan Steering Committee. Council Member Catherine Ushka was deeply involved in the planning before she passed, and the Overlook’s opening honors her lasting legacy in the neighborhood. This project is a tangible example of the significant impact neighborhood planning can have, turning community ideas into real improvements that benefit residents for years to come. I appreciate County Assessor Treasurer Marty Campbell and County Councilmember Bryan Yambe for joining us to celebrate completion of this project.
The site was identified by the community as a priority and brought to life through grant funding and close collaboration with Public Works, Arts, Spaceworks, Environmental Services, the Business District, and the Puyallup Tribe. Residents contributed to a community-led conceptual design process that balanced safety with activation, and guided the integration of Lushootseed language, interpretive signage, and public art.
A heartfelt thank you goes to the volunteers, community members, and city staff whose dedication brought this project from early ideas to a welcoming space that celebrates heritage, culture, and community connection.
Traffic safety is a top concern for District 4 residents, and as their Council Member I am committed to making streets safer for everyone, whether walking, biking, or driving. Thanks to the Streets Initiative, we were able to make long-overdue improvements that directly impact daily life in our neighborhoods.
You’ll see improvements across the district, with several notable examples standing out. The 34th Street Bridge Deck Repair and Seismic Retrofit strengthened the bridge, repaired sidewalks, and enhanced safety for all users. East 64th Street Phase II rebuilt the roadway, added bike lanes, upgraded sidewalks to ADA standards, and improved stormwater and lighting systems. Construction is now complete on Streets Initiative Package 15, a comprehensive street and utility improvement project on E 34th street between McKinley and East L Street that wrapped up in April 2025.
These investments demonstrate the tangible difference that thoughtful city planning and sustained effort can make. As your Council Member I’ll continue to champion these investments in District 4.
Continuing the tradition of celebrating the holiday season with senior center participants, I joined the Eastside Community Center’s Tacoma Senior Hub for a potluck-style event. The City supported this event by providing donation-funded gifts to senior participants.
I joined community for this year’s Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day at Mann Elementary.
A huge thank you to the East Abes Safe Street Group and event-coordinator Dan Tercero for organizing a SR-7 community clean up in partnership with the Washington State Department of Transportation! Over a dozen volunteers came out in the rain and cleaned up along this highway.
Pothole Palooza was a hit! I want to make sure our community stays informed about what’s happening on our streets and in our neighborhoods. The City of Tacoma’s Public Works team regularly shares updates on road repairs, construction projects, and other important infrastructure improvements through their monthly newsletter. If you’d like to stay up to date, I encourage you to subscribe using this link: Subscribe to the Work Zone
Looking all the way back to fall, my wife and I took our son to Halloween events all around East Tacoma.
As a representative of Tacoma on the Puget Sound Regional Council, I was invited on a SeaTac airport tour to understand the impact of the airport regionally and the needs they have.
I attended the inaugural “Grit City Connect: Construct Your Future” — a networking event co-hosted in East Tacoma by the City of Tacoma, Parks Tacoma, and Tacoma Public Schools to connect subcontractors with prime contractors and public agencies.
A huge shoutout to the Tacoma Rescue Mission for organizing a Thanksgiving meals event at the Tacoma Dome! It was an honor to lend a hand in feeding our community.
Consulate General Prakash Gupta, the Consulate General of India in Seattle, invited me and other local leaders to meet the Ambassador of India to the U.S.A. I joined Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson, King County Executive Girmay Zahilay, and Redmond City Council Member Menka Soni.
I attended the Salishan tree lighting ceremony and caught up with Salishan’s General Manager, Janette Simon.
Light rail is open at Federal Way! My wife and I tried riding light rail to the airport for holiday travel. It was a smooth ride, and a great precursor to the next stop being put it on Portland Avenue.
You never know who you’ll run into over the holidays! I met the grinch at the Eastside Community Center.
