Homelessness Services
The City of Tacoma partners with local organizations that provide a variety of shelter and support services. Households experiencing homelessness can access Coordinated Entry through Associated Ministries.
City Authorized Emergency Shelters
City Authorized Emergency Shelters provide a safer alternative to unauthorized encampments. We contract with experienced providers to operate the sites, which, at a minimum, include fencing, hand washing stations, garbage services, bathroom facilities, electricity, and potable water. Site offerings and requirements vary by location and operator.
All shelters:
- allow pets
- have 24-hour on-site staffing, security, and perimeter fencing
- provide on-site case management and supportive services
- require residents to follow a code of conduct
- encourage residents to work towards obtaining permanent housing
Micro-Shelter Sites
Micro-shelter sites offer private spaces for individuals or family units for the duration of their stay. These sites provide 24-hour staffing and have case management and supportive services available on-site.
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The City works with First Christian Church to lease part of their property as an emergency micro-shelter site in partnership with the Low-Income Housing Institute (LIHI). Families with children and single women are eligible to live at this site.
This site provides:
- 40 shelter units for up to 60 people
- Communal kitchen, laundry, restroom, shower, and community spaces
- Case management services
- Trash removal services
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The City partners with  Catholic Community Services (CCS) to operate a low-barrier emergency shelter at 1421 Puyallup Avenue on City-owned property.
This site provides:
- 58 shelter units for up to 60 people
- Restrooms, handwashing stations, and drinking water
- Trash removal services
- Access to food and other supportive services including temporary employment
Safe Parking
Safe Parking sites are locations that provide 24/7 on-site management and access to wrap-around services. At these sites, people stay in their cars in a parking lot setting with hygiene facilities while working on more sustainable housing goals.
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The City partners with Catholic Community Services (CCS) on a Safe Parking site at the Holy Rosary campus. CCS performs extensive background checks during their intake process to ensure the safety of all residents.
This site provides:
- Service for up to 40 individuals or 20 vehicles at a time
- Communal kitchen, laundry, restroom, shower, and community spaces
- Case management services
- Trash removal services
Community Advisory Meetings
Shelter providers hold Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Meetings to discuss and support site operations, troubleshoot issues on-site or in the neighborhood, and provide an opportunity for residents to partner with the site operator and City staff directly. Community members are invited to join the Community Advisory Committees to review operations and progress, ask questions, and provide advisory input.
If you are interested in attending a CAC Meeting, please contact:
TEMS 3 (602 North Orchard)
John Brown john.brown@lihi.org
Holy Rosary Safe Parking
Nick Leider nickl@ccsww.org
Homeless Engagement and Alternatives Liaison (HEAL) Team
The HEAL Team helps unhoused people with referrals to supportive services and shelters throughout Tacoma. Through this work, they gather information on the causes of homelessness and effective solutions, which in turn helps inform the City’s strategy. The HEAL Team also monitors the cleanup of encampments in collaboration with other City departments and contracted vendors.
From January to September 2025, the HEAL Team made over 1,370 contacts with homeless people. Of those contacts, 861 (63%) expressed interest in services, and 193 (14%) were placed in shelter.
Explore the HEAL Team Online Performance DashboardThe HEAL Team has been fully staffed since September 2023 with eight civilian outreach specialists who respond to requests for contact at encampment locations throughout Tacoma. The HEAL team conducts its work cooperatively with law enforcement partners from the Tacoma Police Department and is part of the City’s Alternative Response strategy.
Request HEAL Team OutreachWhat does the HEAL Team’s daily work consist of?
A variety of critical planning and services! But the Team’s daily work consists of:
- Conducting outreach to unauthorized encampments throughout the City of Tacoma. Outreach includes referrals to supportive services and shelters in Tacoma.
- Triaging homeless-related service requests through 311 and tracking and recording all homeless-related responses in the 311 system.
- Monitoring cleanups of homeless encampments in collaboration with other City departments and contracted vendors.
- Collecting and reporting data on cleanups and providing updated information on all personal belongings that have been collected and stored from encampment cleanups.
- Serving as liaisons to homeless service providers throughout the City.
You can watch the HEAL Team in action in the video below: