“Tacoma is a city that cares deeply about all its residents, including those experiencing homelessness. Behind every encampment is a person struggling with challenges that too often feel overwhelming and insurmountable. Our community members want compassionate solutions that honor their dignity while addressing the urgent need for safe and accessible shelter.
What does it truly take to address homelessness in a way that respects the dignity of individuals while also ensuring our public spaces remain safe and accessible to everyone? It requires a balance of compassionate enforcement alongside expanded services such as low-barrier shelters, mental health support, and outreach that meet people where they are. Everyone deserves a safe place to rest, and while encampments often provide some shelter, too often they are not safe or sustainable solutions.
Tacoma continues to invest in services that work. Therapeutic courts are connecting people to treatment instead of jail. Outreach teams are working every day to engage individuals where they are. But we cannot ignore the gap in available shelter options. When the right shelters are available, they not only give people a real alternative to living outside, they also reduce strain on neighborhoods and help move people toward long-term stability.
These challenges are urgent, and we continue to move forward thoughtfully but decisively. Tonight, the Council expanded camping buffer zones to help keep public spaces like schools, parks, and libraries safe and welcoming for everyone. At the same time, we are advancing a regional approach to create more shelter options—especially low-barrier shelters that meet people where they are.
Homelessness is a challenge that crosses city borders. Pierce County’s 2025 Point-in-Time Count identified nearly 3,000 people experiencing homelessness. While about half of those individuals reported being from a Tacoma zip code, at the same time, 76 percent of the county’s available shelter beds were located within Tacoma city limits. Tacoma has stepped up to tackle our regional challenges, but the truth is we can’t do it alone. A regional response is not just ideal, it is necessary.
I applaud Pierce County and the collaborative spirit behind the Unified Regional Approach to Homelessness. This effort brings together multiple cities, agencies, and organizations to coordinate resources, share responsibility, and develop solutions that serve our entire community more effectively. It is imperative that leaders from jurisdictions around Pierce County look for ways large and small to help address this crisis, to include supporting food banks, outreach services and hosting shelter.
If we want to see real change, we need to move forward together. Everyone deserves the chance to live with dignity and stability. That begins with safe places to sleep and continues with access to the support and services that help people rebuild their lives. With regional coordination, shared regional investment, and continued compassion, we can create healthier and safer communities for all of us.”