Happy May, District 1!

Like many of you, I’m glad to see our April showers fading and our May flowers starting to show. It’s always nice to return to this time of year when the days get brighter, we spend more time outside, and I can leave my rain jacket at home for at least a few soccer games. It’s also great to have the Rainiers back in town. 

Home in Tacoma: A Year of Real Progress 

As many of you know, housing and homelessness have been major areas of focus during my time on the City Council, and we have had many conversations on these topics. I’ve worked on everything from tax exemptions that help build more homes to efforts like the ADU Accelerator Program, which makes it easier for homeowners to add accessory dwelling units. One of the biggest projects I’ve been involved in is Home in Tacoma. 

The City recently released its Year One review of Home in Tacoma, and it’s encouraging to see real progress. The Year One report shows a 39 percent increase in permit applications and a 62 percent increase in proposed housing units in areas covered by Home in Tacoma. And it’s not all large apartment buildings in one part of the city--we’re seeing more ADUs, duplexes, townhomes, and other “missing middle” housing types spread across many neighborhoods. 

Creating a variety of housing matters. Not everyone wants to live in the same kind of home, and having more options means more people, including seniors, young families, renters, first-time buyers, can find a place that fits their needs. Our new Urban Residential zones are helping create more flexible, neighborhood-friendly housing while still supporting the character of our community. 

Of course, there’s more work ahead. We’ll continue refining our Affordable Housing Action Strategy and looking at how we can keep adding homes, especially those that are affordable for Tacoma residents. I’m proud of the progress we’re seeing and the direction we’re headed. Opening the door to more types of housing is one of the most important steps we can take to keep Tacoma welcoming and accessible. 

Later this year, the City will launch a public online dashboard where you can track Home in Tacoma housing data as it’s updated. For now, to learn more about Home in Tacoma, you can visit: tacoma.gov/homeintacoma. 

Pothole Palooza Is Back! 

Pothole Palooza is back for its third year! This has been one of my favorite projects to work on as part of the Tacoma Streets Initiative, and I’m proud of how it has grown into a nationally recognized program. Every spring, it gives us a fun and visible way to shine a light on the hard work our Public Works Street Operations crews do all year long to keep Tacoma’s roads safe and easy to travel. 

From May 4 to May 15, crews will be out across all five City Council districts, taking on ten major roadway locations and tackling many of the potholes residents tell us are the biggest concerns. While Pothole Palooza is a special event, it also reminds us that maintaining our streets is an ongoing effort and that our teams are out there rain or shine, throughout the year. 

I’ve said it before, and it’s worth repeating: potholes aren’t a sign of neglect. They’re something we constantly have to manage, especially with our Pacific Northwest weather. And we can’t do it alone. If you spot (or feel) a pothole, during Pothole Palooza or any other time, please report it through Tacoma FIRST 311. Be sure to join the team and become a Phil (the Pothole) fighter today because your reports really do help direct our crews to the areas that need attention. 

If you’re curious about where the crews will be working this year or want to learn more about how the process works, check out the details at tacoma.gov/potholes. If you see our teams out on the road, I hope you'll give them a wave to support them in the great work they are doing.  

Animal Welfare Updates and the Return of the Pet Mayor Contest 

Many of you know I’ve unofficially become the “animal council member” on the Tacoma City Council. If it barks, meows, snorts, or oinks, chances are it eventually lands on my desk and this year is no different as I’ve been working on updates to our animal control code in Title 17. 

These changes focus on something simple but important: making sure animals in Tacoma are treated safely and humanely. Residents and Animal Control officers have shared concerns about pets being left in vehicles for prolonged periods of time during extreme weather or tethered in unsafe conditions. Our current rules don’t clearly spell out what “adequate care,” “proper shelter,” or “adverse environmental conditions” really mean, which makes it hard for Animal Control to respond consistently. 

The ordinance I’m bringing forward adds more comprehensive definitions, sets clearer rules about how animals can be tethered, and limits how long pets can be confined in a stationary vehicle. These updates help protect animals’ physical and mental wellbeing and give our Animal Control team clearer direction. Thank you to everyone who reached out and helped shape this work. The ordinance comes up for its final reading on May 5. 

On a lighter note, one of my favorite projects from last year is also making a return: the Pet Mayor competition! Last December, we swore in Nacho the orange tabby cat as Tacoma’s first-ever Pet Mayor. It was a moment that included official photos, a pawclamation, and a very proud cat mom and grandma. 

This year, the contest runs from June 1 to June 12, and it once again supports the spay and neuter programs undertaken by the Humane Society for Tacoma and Pierce County. Last year’s contest raised more than $14,000 and our honorary Mayor Nacho even got attention from an international animal welfare magazine.  

If your pet has big ideas for more pet-friendly spaces, better access to treats, or simply a desire to bring good cheer to our community, I hope you will consider nominating them. It’s fun, it supports an important cause, and one lucky dog, cat, or other critter will become Tacoma’s next honorary Pet Mayor. 

Learn more and get ready to vote by visiting the Tacoma Humane website or following @TacomaHumane on social media. 

Beyond the Bin and the Return of Styrofoam Recycling 

Last month I shared an update about the return of Beyond the Bin, and I want to give you a quick reminder about this great program. Beyond the Bin is running all spring and summer, offering weekly dropoff events where you can bring gently used household items that might still have life left in them. These items are collected by local nonprofits and reused in our community instead of being dumped into the landfill. If you haven’t checked it out yet, take a look at the schedule online and see when the next event is happening. 

For those of you who are like me and have been saving piles of Styrofoam waiting for the day we can recycle it—I have good news. Styrofoam recycling is officially back at the Tacoma Recycle Center. The City has installed a new densifier machine that compresses block Styrofoam so it can be turned into new products. That means you can now drop off clean, rigid Styrofoam packaging, coolers, and sheets for free. 

A quick reminder of what’s accepted: only clean block Styrofoam—no packing peanuts or food containers. After it’s dropped off, the material is compressed on site and then sent to a facility that turns it into things like insulation, planters, decking, and even bicycle helmets. This service keeps a bulky material out of the landfill and gives it a second life. 

The Hines household will definitely be taking advantage of this, and I hope you will too. 

We went on the Dam Tour 

Over spring break, my family and I spent some time up at Lake Cushman on the Olympic Peninsula, and we took the chance to visit Cushman Dam No. 1. This dam was built in 1926, which means it’s coming up on its 100th anniversary and a full century of bringing electricity from Lake Cushman all the way to the Cushman Substation in North Tacoma. It’s a pretty incredible connection between where our power comes from and a historic facility located right in the heart of District 1. 

We’ve visited the area before, but this time we were able to take a closer look at both the dam itself and the fish restoration work happening there. Tacoma Power and our Public Utilities team are helping rebuild the salmon run on the North Fork of the Skokomish River and seeing that effort up close was impressive. It’s a reminder that even with a structure built nearly a century ago, we’re still finding new ways to support our environment and honor our natural resources. 

Learning and Growing Through the Abundance Fellowship