Housing Division
The Housing Division of the Community and Economic Development Department provides service and technical assistance that ultimately result in safer, more attractive neighborhoods, improved rental and owner-occupied affordable housing, elimination of blight, improved household and neighborhood safety, and stimulated economic development. Through the Housing Division, the community has benefited from increased job opportunities, affordable housing stock, reduced blight and crime, and an overall sense of pride in the City’s neighborhoods.
Affordable Housing Provider Loans
If you develop affordable homeownership or rental housing specifically for lower-income individuals and families, your organization may qualify for public funds provided in the form of low-interest loans to help with the purchase, rehabilitation, or construction of affordable housing within the city of Tacoma. The use of these funds in a project requires long-term affordability with income and rent restrictions recorded on the deed for your property. In addition, the use of these funds requires long-term monitoring of the units and projects by City staff. At a minimum, an annual report will be required, along with an ongoing housing quality inspection.
Sources of funding for housing development loans include:
- Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
- HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME)
- Local Affordable Housing Fund (AHF)
Housing Assistance Services
The division works in partnership with the nonprofit housing community and housing developers to provide affordable housing options in Tacoma. The following non-profit organizations currently receive Community Development Block Grant funds to provide health and safety-related housing repair services free of charge to low-income Tacoma homeowners:
Associated Ministries Rebuilding Together South Sound
In addition, the Housing Division, in coordination with the Tacoma Community Redevelopment Authority (TCRA), provides home repair and rehabilitation loans and homebuyer down payment assistance loans.
Federally-Funded Housing Programs
The division administers federally funded housing programs, such as the:
- Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)
- HOME Investment Partnership Program (HOME)
- Neighborhood Stabilization Program II
As part of this administrative responsibility, the City of Tacoma Adopts a Consolidated Plan every five years. The Consolidated Plan provides a framework for how Tacoma will address affordable housing, human services, community and economic development needs in Tacoma.
See opportunitiesRenting in Tacoma
The Landlord Fairness Code Initiative (LFCI) went into effect on December 8, 2023, along with the City’s Rental Housing Code (RHC), which was updated by the City Council in July 2023. These work together to strengthen requirements around notices to increase rent; shared housing standards; standardized tenant screening criteria; standards for fees and deposits; business license, health and safety requirements; rental agreement regulations and more.
Learn more and find tenant / landlord resourcesEconomic Development Services
The Housing Division works to stimulate economic growth by providing Community Development Block grant funds to local organizations that provide small business technical assistance to new and expanding small businesses. The following non-profit organizations currently receive Community Development Block Grant funds to provide technical assistance to Tacoma entrepreneurs:
Spaceworks Tacoma – Incubator ProgramBusiness Loans
The Housing Division, in coordination with the Tacoma Community Redevelopment Authority (TCRA), also offers small business loans to expanding and start-up Tacoma businesses. The funds are provided to the City through federal grants and can be used by a business for purposes such as an acquisition of property, site improvements, working capital, purchase of equipment, machinery, furniture, or fixtures, façade improvements, improvements to a historic building, or fire safety improvements. The City’s loan programs result in job creation and a stronger business community.
Loan ProgramsLoan Subordination and Loan Payoff Requests
Homeowners who have a home repair or rehabilitation loan or a down payment assistance loan through the TCRA and wish to receive a payoff statement should contact Loan Servicing. Homeowners who wish to request that TCRA subordinate its lien position to allow the homeowner to refinance a first lender’s loan should complete a subordination request form and submit it to the Financial Assistant by mail. Mail completed subordination requests to:
Tacoma Community Redevelopment Authority
C/O Loan Servicing
747 Market Street, Room 900
Tacoma, WA 98402
Tax Inentives
The Multifamily Property Tax Exemption Program is one way to encourage the development of multifamily units located in designated Residential Target Areas in Tacoma. The incentive exempts qualifying projects from property taxes on the assessed improvement value for 8, 12, or 20 years based on the level of affordability provided.
Tax IncentivesContact
Felicia Medlen
Housing Division Manager
(253) 591-5238
Fmedlan@tacoma.gov
Carrie Wickstrom
Principal Housing Analyst
(253) 591-5224
cwickstrom@tacoma.gov
Megan Campbell
Senior Housing Analyst
(253) 591-5667
mkcampbell@tacoma.gov
Heidi Burbidge
Principal Housing Analyst
(253) 591-5221
hburbidge@tacoma.gov
Jason Mejia
Senior Housing Analyst
(253) 594-7933
jmejia@tacoma.gov
Holly Hodgson
Senior Housing Analyst
(253) 591-5763
hhodgson@tacoma.gov
Taylor Palmer Jenson
Senior Housing Analyst
(253) 591-5328
tpjenson@tacoma.gov
Tammi Garofalo
Senior Housing Analyst
(253) 591-5605
tgarofalo@tacoma.gov
Olivia Kesinger
Loan Servicing
(253) 281-7356
TCRA@tacoma.gov