Housing is a Human Right and the City of Tacoma has failed to live up to that promise

The city of Tacoma faces a housing crisis. Rents increase, housing prices rise, and displacement and gentrification continues, unchecked by all attempts to right the housing market. Tacomans pay far too much for their housing and get far too little in return. Rent is too much of a burden for too many Tacomans, and the city needs to more aggressively address this issue.

Housing in Tacoma was produced with deeply malign, racist intent. Tacoma’s land was stolen from the Puyallup tribe and Tacoma’s governing class systematically excluded, persecuted, and plundered people of color. Redlining limited the neighborhoods in which people of color could own homes and reside, hampering their ability to build intergenerational wealth and limiting their access to the benefits of the city. These formative injustices persist to this day as people of color face a much more severe housing cost burden and have less access to the city’s livability, economic, and educational opportunities than white residents.

Housing costs fuel gentrification and displacement in the neighborhoods of people of color. Tenants also face the brunt of these changes, at the whim of ever changing market conditions and the greed of their landlords. Housing costs are also responsible for the crisis of homelessness in Tacoma and Pierce County. Missing middle housing is not a panacea, but is one of several methods to address these interlocking crises facing Tacoma.

Housing too offers a solution to Tacoma’s climate crisis. Transportation is around 58% of Tacoma’s emissions (buildings themselves are 40%), so more infill housing can have a large impact on emissions, especially if it is paired with transit. A recent study from Berkeley rated building infill housing as the single most effective action that a city can take to fight the climate crisis. Home in Tacoma plans development along current and future transit corridors, cutting back the emissions from transportation. So this represents an important opportunity to address the series of interlocking crises of climate, affordability, and white supremacy.

"Home In Tacoma" could be a step in undoing these housing injustices.

Take action today and tell the City Council to pass the Home in Tacoma plan before the public hearing on July 13th, 5 pm.

We strongly endorse the following objectives of the plan:

• Reducing rents and increasing housing affordability will provide relief for rent and housing cost burdened Tacomans.

• Inclusionary zoning requirements serve as a means of making sure that the benefits of development are evenly shared with the most vulnerable, and help keep everyone in the city.

• More density along transit lines and more walkability, paired with green buildings, create a more sustainable and more healthy city.

However, we think the following policy fixes are necessary to make the proposal work for all Tacomans:

1. Stronger emphasis on anti-displacement policy to accompany the more liberalized zoning regime.

2. Slash parking mandates.

3. Some clarity on the role of design standards and a commitment that this will not serve as a veto point for housing production.

4. Mandatory rent restricted, income restricted units as part of an inclusionary zoning framework.

5. Use inclusionary zoning or other incentive structures to build out the city’s Housing Trust Fund, so that it can fund affordable and social housing development.

6. Speedy and rapid implementation of this proposal. Slowing down the process will only weaken the ultimate product and justice demands that we move as swiftly as possible.

7. Expand the area where the 12 year Multifamily Property Tax Exemption can be utilized, because it has affordability requirements.

8. Complete elimination of the 8 year Multifamily Property Tax Exemption.