Tacoma Pushes to Reimagine Crash-Prone Portland Avenue
Between safety upgrades and proposed new bus route, one of Tacomaâs most dangerous roads may see a safer future. The changes are a long time in the making.
Tacoma
Sunday Video: Pierce Transit Goes to the Ballot
Pierce Transit's Prop 1 asks voters for a 0.3% sales tax increase to give local bus service a major boost. Tacoma transit advocate Cameron Johnson breaks down what the measure entails and what it could mean for transit riders across Pierce County.
'Keep Pierce Moving' Campaign Touts Major Bus Service Expansion Plan
Pierce County transit advocates are confident that this is the year they can overcome the history of voters not getting on board with adding bus service funding in the South Sound. If Prop 1 is successful, Pierce Transit plans to ramp up service by 49% in the coming years.
After Voters Pass Connect Tacoma Levy, Officials Eye Next Steps
Tacoma officials are queuing up outreach and planning efforts to invest $320 million in transportation funding that voters approved last month. Advocates hope the levy can help the Grit City take a leap forward on safe streets.
UW Tacoma Aspires to Double Enrollment, Become Downtown's Largest Park
The universityâs planned campus design overhaul includes more community-focused green space, space for 5,000 more students, and a residence hall at the heart of campus in downtown Tacoma.
Pierce County Pursues Regional Homelessness Approach, Hoping to Avoid Neighborâs Pitfalls
Many years in the making, Pierce Countyâs coordinated approach to homelessness still faces challenges after being approved by county council in June. With King County partially dismantling its troubled regional authority, Pierce County hopes to avoid the same mistakes.
Pierce Transit Goes to Voters for First Funding Increase Since 2002
The 0.3% sales tax bump going onto the November ballot would increase service by around 40% by the mid-2030s, the biggest expansion of transit service in Pierce County in decades. Since May, the proposal has been tweaked to include free rides for seniors.
Tacoma Sees 62% More Homes Enter Pipeline Following 2025 Zoning Overhaul
In the year since Tacoma adopted new zoning standards last February, the number of housing permits entering the pipeline jumped by 62% compared to the five-year average.
Pierce Transit Rolls Out Expansion Plan and Pitches Funding Measure
Thanks to a 0.3% sales tax increase that voters could consider as soon as November, Pierce Transit is touting a plan that would result in 40% more transit service across South Sound. That increase would be a game-changer for a part of the region that has long lagged behind in transit service.
Tacoma Tries Again for Safer Streets with $200 Million Levy
The Tacoma City Council voted Tuesday to put a new âConnect Tacoma" levy on the ballot. Scaled back from a proposal voters rejected last April, the package still aims to fulfill goals of safer, more pedestrian-friendly streets.
Pierce County May Join Neighbors in Blocking Federal Detention Center Expansion
Pierce County is set to consider an ordinance on March 24 that would prohibit a new ICE detention facility within its unincorporated areas. On March 3, King County passed just such an emergency ordinance. Advocates hope officials can do more to block illegal detentions.
Becoming a â15-Minute Cityâ Could Be Within Reach for Tacoma
Panelists at a recent Tacoma On the Go event laid out ways that the Grit City could break car dependence and become a city of walkable 15-minute neighborhoods.
Op-Ed: Itâs Time to Uproot ICE Penal Colonies Like Tacomaâs GEO
Washington state leaders should take action to force the closure of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement penal colony in Tacoma, which is carrying out the unlawful detention of 1500 people.
Tacoma Turns to Builder Impact Fees to Bolster Transportation Funding
Tacomaâs new impact fee regime, which goes into effect next summer, will charge developers based on expected generation of car trips. Despite work to delicately calibrate the new fees, the proposal still drew criticism when it comes to adding costs to needed housing development.
Pierce County Boosts Affordable Housing Creation, Leveraging New Maureen Howard Fund
The Pierce County Council recently greenlit a set of awards for affordable housing projects using a relatively new funding source: the Maureen Howard Affordable Housing Act. Over its short life, the sales tax has raised more than $31 million, which will contribute to the creation of 1,700 affordable
Ibsen and Palmer Prevail in Tacoma, Pledging Housing, Safe Streets Push
Tacomaâs recent election elevated two urbanist-backed progressives, which could buoy efforts to expand housing, roll out street safety upgrades, and improve transit. The Urbanist chatted with Tacoma Mayor-Elect Anders Ibsen and incoming Councilmember Latasha Palmer about their plans.
Home in Tacoma Rezones Generate Small Permit Bump in First Months
While Tacoma saw a small uptick in housing starts in the first months of Home in Tacoma upzones, the Cityâs goal to add 59,000 homes by 2050 may take additional action by the City, given current trendlines.
Tacoma Faces Pivotal Moment in Crowded Primary Election
Tacoma faces a pivotal August 5 primary in which voters will narrow field for mayor and city council seats. Housing, gun violence, and pedestrian safety have emerged as pressing issues in the Grit City.
Op-Ed: The War Over Tacomaâs Planting Strips
How the City of Tacoma uses planting strips along its streets tells a tale of haves and have-nots, and of our differing standards. The City has gone out of its way to exclude homeless people from this space with $163,000 worth of boulders.
Tacoma Voters Narrowly Reject Levy in Street Safety Setback
Tacoma voters balked at the price tag of the Streets Initiative II levy. That leaves Tacoma officials scrambling to come up with plan B to grapple with street safety and maintenance needs.
Op-Ed: Ferguson Must Get Tough on Trump, Illegal Tacoma ICE Jail
Governor Bob Ferguson should sign HB 1232 into law and immediately make use of the enforcement mechanisms it contains to stop unconstitutional detentions at ICEâs Tacoma Processing Center. The State should also impose fines on the for-profit corporate jailer to discourage the violations.
Tacoma Rezone Offers Housing Diversity and Path to Breaking Car Dependence
In Tacoma, 62% of housing units are detached single family homes. This overabundance has come at a cost in terms of affordability and urban livability. But recent zoning changes could spur a greater variety of housing.
âTransformativeâ Streets Initiative Goes to Tacoma Voters this Spring
The permanent renewal of Tacomaâs Streets Initiative would enable the city to make significant progress on overhauling its most dangerous streets, and significantly expand safe bicycle infrastructure. The ballot measure goes to voters in an April 22 special election.
Tacoma Aims for 325,000 Residents by 2040 with New Comprehensive Plan
Tacoma is striving to pick up its pace of housing growth. The City hopes newly enact multiplex zoning while help it hit 325,000 residents in a few decades time, a population gain of nearly 50%.
Home in Tacoma Rezone Advances, Comment Period Nears End
Home in Tacoma will get a public hearing on Tuesday, which will close the comment period for the Final Environmental Impact Statement. Soon the Tacoma City Council will debate and approve a final zoning plan using the options outlined in the study.
Tacomaâs Lincoln District Gets Tree Planting Boost with Green Blocks Program
Tacomaâs Green Blocks program is expanding into the Lincoln International District in October and looking for residents looking to help plant and care for trees.
Join Us for Tacoma Book Talk with Anna Zivarts, Tom Fucoloro
The Urbanist and Downtown On The Go are excited to co-host a two-part book talk event in Tacoma on Saturday, August 3, featuring Disability Mobility Initiative director Anna Zivarts and Seattle Bike Blog founder Tom Fucoloro. The safe streets summit will kick off with a family-friendly social
Tacomaâs Almost Reality as an Olmsted-Designed Park City
In 1873, Tacomans considered laying out their fledgling city according to a unique Frederick Law Olmsted plan. The city ultimately discarded most of the plan, walking away from a greener, more park-oriented Tacoma.
New Tacoma Waterfront Park Begs for I-705 Freeway Removal
Melanie LaPlant Dressel Park opened on April 11 as a beautiful park far away from the rest of the city. An elevated, wide ribbon of concrete â the roaring I-705 freeway â separates the park from its users. Tacoma should remove this barrier.
Op-Ed: Reclaiming Tacomaâs Extensive Historic Streetcar Network
Greater Tacoma used to have an enormously expansive streetcar network. With just one line, Tacomaâs modern streetcar network has a long way to go to catch up to that rapid transit standard.
Pierce Transit Prepares to Launch âStream Community Lineâ Express Service
April 1 is the launch date for Pierce Transitâs newest offering, the Stream Community Line. A peak-hour service that will shadow existing service on the Route 1 between Tacoma Dome Station and Spanaway, the Community Line will run every 20 minutes from 5:30am to 7:30am and from 4pm to 7pm, only stop
More than Zoning Reform: Home in Tacoma and the Prospect of Real Change
Zoning has created urban forms that are expensive, exclusionary, and unsafe â Tacomaâs attempt to reform zoning stands to create more livable and complete neighborhoods by tackling the many secondary effects of zoning.
Tacomaâs Grand Rezoning Plan Comes into View
If implemented, the new framework would make many of the types of buildings that already exist in abundance in Tacoma neighborhoods like Stadium and Proctor legal again to build across the city, with costly parking requirements in place reduced around current and planned transit.
Op-Ed: Whatâs in a Name? Tacoma Town Center and the Future of Downtown
The stalling out of major downtown redevelopment offers a chance to finetune goals. The Tacoma Town Center, a $300-million project that is to be developed on a 6.4-acre parcel of land near the University of Washington Tacoma campus, is stalled once again. The reasons are typical: Developers
Tacoma Voters Pass Stateâs Strongest Tenant Protections, Inspiring Other Cities to Act
As of December 8th, tenants in Tacoma have more legal recourse against rent increases, landlord retaliation, high late fees, and even some evictions. Tacomaâs Measure No. 1, which passed by a narrow 370-vote margin in November, represents the strongest suite of tenant protections in the state, according to
Two Visions for South Tacomaâs Future and the Pursuit of Environmental Justice
How a proposed (and now permitted) large industrial development intersects with plans to engage South Tacoma Way in community-led planning. Residents of South Tacoma who oppose industrial development in their neighborhood received unwanted news in April of this year when the City of Tacoma announced its decision to approve
Op-Ed: South Tacoma Mega Warehouse Exemplifies Environmental Racism
South Tacoma faces the threat of a warehouse complex that would exacerbate air pollution, extreme heat, and violent crime. Itâs no coincidence that the already overburdened community of South Tacoma is the planned site of a warehouse complex that would pave more than 125 acres of its remaining wetlands.
A Tree Grows in Tacoma, But Will It Be There in 10 Years?
Tacoma has the least tree canopy in the Puget Sound Region. Residents experience this reality in higher average temperatures and poor air quality. On a recent walk through the Hilltop neighborhood, I came across a stretch of sidewalk decorated with polka dots, each about a foot in diameter and spaced
Tacoma Celebrates the Opening of the Hilltop Streetcar Extension
The mood was jubilant during the ribbon cutting, but 12-minute peak frequencies fall short of promises. On Saturday, Tacoma leaders cut the ribbon on the Hilltop extension of Tacomaâs T-Line streetcar, inaugurating service on the long-anticipated and repeatedly delayed project. The 2.4-mile extension will
Pierce Transit Shelves Pacific Avenue BRT, Pivots to Delivering Express Bus in 2024
Scuttling bus rapid transit plans, Pierce Transit is moving ahead with a scaled back express bus shadowing Route 1. Bus rapid transit (BRT) along Pacific Avenue/State Route 7 in Pierce County is no longer feasible, according to Pierce Transit. The agencyâs board met on August 14th and voted
Tacoma Hilltop Streetcar Extension Opening Set with September 16 Celebration
Sound Transit has announced a âcelebrationâ marking the opening of the Tacoma Link Hilltop Extension for September 16th. The agency does not stipulate that the 16th is the official opening of the line, stating only that the extension is opening âvery soon.â Wilbert Santos, a Sound Transit representative, tells The
Finish Pierce Countyâs Light Rail Starter Line
Sound Transit built the last two miles of Pierce Countyâs Link light rail spine decades ago in the downtown core of Tacoma. The rail line along Commerce Street, Pacific Avenue and 25th Street exists as the southern Link terminus of, and starter line to, a growing regional network that
Dueling Tenant Rights Measures Square Off in Tacoma
Tacoma For All is pushing a sweeping tenant bill of rights, and the City is planning a weaker package of changes. Affordable housing and tenantsâ rights have been gaining traction as a hot topic for many American cities especially since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. While eviction bans
Tacoma Should Ditch 19th for a 6th Avenue Streetcar to TCC
The transit system of the Tacoma area is at a critical juncture. As I have documented in previous articles, should long-range plans advance unmodified, ours will become a degraded transit network at a cost rising into the billions. Major transportation investments will either miss our key centers and corridors,
Green Blocks Boosts Tacoma Neighborhoods One Tree at a Time
On February 4th, the Tacoma Tree Foundation (TTF) will host a planting event at Madison Elementary school. The school is one of the only publicly accessible green spaces across the entire Tacoma Mall neighborhood, which is severely lacking in trees. TTF, the City of Tacoma, and Tacoma Public Schools intend
2023 May Be the Year Tacomaâs Housing Policy Grows Up
The City of Tacoma has a number of ongoing projects in 2023 to make its communities more vibrant, accessible, and healthy for residents. This is true of transportation, which will see notable projects like the Sound Transit Hilltop light rail expansion progress ahead in 2023, and it is equally true
Tacoma Linkâs Theater District Station Reaches the End of the Line
Tacoma has a major extension of Sound Transitâs T Line streetcar to look forward to over the coming year: the Hilltop Tacoma Link Extension (HTLE). But this past year saw the loss of a small yet memorable element of the lineâs history. Monday, August 1st, 2022 marked the
Major Transportation Improvements in 2023 to Test Tacomaâs Patience
2023 is looking to be a significant year for transportation in Tacoma. A number of city-led projects are reaching maturity, like the Hilltop Link streetcar extension, while others are struggling to get off the ground, such as the Pacific bus rapid transit route. These projects aim to increase mobility
Leverage South Soundâs Freight Rail Network for Passenger Service
Itâs no secret our region is lacking in heavy rail transit options. Our only existing service, Sounder, is operated in such a manner that it functionally excludes anyone who isnât traveling into Downtown Seattle to work from 9 to 5. This is woefully inadequate to serve the South
How a Forgotten Plaza Can Become Tacomaâs Connected Heart
Tollefson Plaza in downtown Tacoma confounds me. Itâs an attractive space next to a bustling university campus and an art museum. It is adjacent to a pedestrian urban trail, near the cityâs convention center, and it is flanked by well-served multi-modal transit stops. But itâs
Transit Agencies Waive Fares on New Years Eve
Transit systems in the Puget Sound region will once again offer fare-free New Years Eve rides. The exception in Pierce Transit, which is charging fares this New Years Eve. Holiday revelers are encouraged to avoid traffic and intoxicated driving by getting on the bus or light rail. âWhether youâ
Street Cafés Becoming a Permanent Amenity in More Puget Sound Cities
Itâs becoming increasingly difficult to remember, but prior to the onset of the Covid pandemic, street cafĂ©s, sometimes called streateries, were few and far between in most American cities. Now this outdoor dining option has become a fixture in many places, including in Puget Sound, where the City of
Tacomaâs Hilltop Streetcar Extension Delayed Again, Sound Transit Cites Construction Defects
The Hilltop extension of Tacomaâs T Line streetcar will not be opening in the first quarter of 2023 as planned due to construction defects, Sound Transit revealed today. The exact length of the delay is not known and the exact nature of the âquality issuesâ was not revealed, but
Transit Trouble is Brewing in Tacoma
Planned transit bypasses downtown and threatens investments across the city. It is not too late for a reset. By virtually all metrics, a 15-minute stroll from 11th and Pacific in central Tacoma accesses the dominant administrative, economic, cultural, residential, and transportation core of Pierce County. Today, this area is
Tacoma Criminalizes Encampments Near Homeless Shelters and Waterways
In mid-September Urbanist reporter Kevin Le wrote about the Tacoma City Councilâs plan to create 10-block buffer zones around the cityâs nine emergency homeless shelters in which encampments and the storing of belonging by unhoused people would be prohibited on public property. At the time of
Could Tacomaâs Housing Solution Be Hiding in Plain Sight?
According to the City of Tacoma, âthe City must plan for 127,000 additional residents and 97,000 jobs by 2040.â Development of new housing in the City of Tacoma has lagged behind that of Pierce County and other nearby cities. Tacomaâs annual growth rate from 2021 to 2022
Puget Sound Energy Rate Increase Would Fund Harmful Fossil Fuel Infrastructure
Residential Puget Sound Energy (PSE) customers could see electric bills surge by more than 20% and gas bills by almost 17%. Later this month, the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) will hold a public hearing to determine if this for-profit corporation will be allowed to once again raise rates
Tacoma Council Proposes Buffer Zones Around Homeless Shelters, Additional Sweeps
Back in May 2017, the City Council of Tacoma declared a public health emergency related to homeless encampments. The following month, the Council passed a resolution allowing for the creation of temporary shelters throughout the city to get people off the streets and protect them and communities from health risks
Tacomaâs Zoning Changes Mapped: Battlegrounds and Obstacle Courses
Tacomans contend with their streets and roads This is the last of three vignettes depicting possible conversations between imaginary people in Tacoma as the city grapples with growth, densification, and other forms of change. A common topic across all of these stories will be Home in Tacoma, an ambitious plan
Tacomaâs Zoning Changes Mapped: Food Divide
This is the second of three vignettes depicting possible conversations between imaginary people in Tacoma as the city grapples with growth, densification, and other forms of change. A common topic across all of these stories will be Home in Tacoma, an ambitious plan to overhaul Tacomaâs zoning laws to
Pierce County Nearing Final Allocation of 20-Year Growth Targets With Tacoma As Breadwinner
Pierce County is close to allocating its growth targets to local municipalities and unincorporated areas. In total, the county is supposed to accommodate 264,785 more residents and 147,500 jobs by 2044. The growth allocations will then be used by local governments in determining how they update their comprehensive
A Vision for Better Bus Rapid Transit Planning in Tacoma
Pierce Transitâs first bus rapid transit (BRT) line remains in the design phase, the first line of a system in Pierce County called Stream. The agency is aware that one line is not much of a system and has directed consultants to conduct a planning study of the next
Tacomaâs Zoning Changes Mapped: Frequency Is Freedom
This is the first of three vignettes depicting possible conversations between imaginary people in Tacoma as the city grapples with growth, densification, and other forms of change. A common topic across all of these stories will be Home in Tacoma, an ambitious plan to overhaul Tacomaâs zoning laws to
Ways to Support and Engage with Black Urbanism in Seattle and Tacoma
The first Juneteenth may have been celebrated in 1866, but the holiday memorializing the liberation of Americaâs last enslaved people after the end of the Civil War, is finally beginning to rise into the prominence it deserves with the federal government and an increasing number of cities and states
Reopen Tacomaâs Broadway to People
Transforming Broadway into a plaza would create a world-class pedestrian space in the heart of Downtown Tacoma. Urban explorers, or really any attentive pedestrians, are bound to discover glimpses of the past that we tragically destroyed in pursuit of a city designed around automobiles. One such example with an
A Userâs Guide to the Tacoma Line T Hilltop Extension
A lot of transit buzz in the Northwest recently has been about our regional light rail system, Line 1 and Line 2, being expanded and built out. It is an incredible undertaking, with the potential to unify the entire region and make it easier to skip sitting traffic on I-
Home in Tacoma for All Coalition Seeks Greater Equity in Zoning Reforms
Home in Tacoma aims to overhaul Tacomaâs housing rules to allow greater flexibility in building practices. It will allow denser housing to be built to house our cityâs ever growing population. The initial framework passed in December 2021 bringing Tacoma are one step closer to that goal. Though
Home in Tacoma Plan to Revamp Neighborhoods Moves into Implementation
With the official passage of Home in Tacoma in December 2021, the City of Tacoma is finally making moves towards Phase Two: implementation. This phase of the initiative aims to engage the communities of the city more to move off paper and figure out exactly how this plan to increase
Tacoma Town Center to Revitalize Urban Core
Close your eyes for a moment and think of downtown Tacoma. What do you see? Where do you like to go? Chances are, most of us would think of the museums, bars and breweries, or UW Tacoma. Now for a tougher question, where do people gather? Whereâs the life
Tacoma Seeks Input for Vision Zero Safe Streets Action Plan
In 2020, the Tacoma City Council passed a resolution that committed the City to creating a Vision Zero initiative to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injury collisions by 2035. Now it is in the process of developing an action plan to be presented to the City Council for approval this
Democrats Change Gears on Plan to Reduce Tolls on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge
In advance of the legislative session, Sen. Emily Randall (D-Bremerton), whose 26th Legislative District is located on the Kitsap Peninsula, introduced a remarkable bill. SB 5488 proposed to allocate $773 million from the stateâs general fund not to maintain existing infrastructure or complete new improvements, but to pay
Scoping a Light Rail Service Restructure for Downtown Tacoma
This is the first of a two-part series where Iâll review the Downtown Tacoma transit network and evaluate it for potential improvements and efficiencies that could be applied in late 2022 or early 2023 shortly after local light rail service is expanded out of the immediate Downtown Tacoma
The Washington (State) Commanders: Move the NFL to Tacoma
Now that the Washington (D.C.) Football Team has completed its 18 month renaming process, it is time to arrive at the next important decision. The Commanders must decide where to play. Washington D.C., Maryland, and Virginia â The DMV â are about to enter an arms race for constructing a
Tree Canopy Analysis Shows Tacoma Rezone Critics Exaggerate Concerns
Critics of policies that increase urban density often point to negative impacts on tree canopy as reason to oppose zoning changes. Some opponents to Home in Tacoma, an affordable housing initiative, made the claim that introducing more housing types into single-family zoned areas would reduce the cityâs tree
Equity Analysis Favors Broader Home in Tacoma Rezone
Note: This article was updated on 1/4/22 to insert the correct map for City Council District 2. Tacomaâs affordable housing initiative, Home in Tacoma, officially passed on December 7th, and now its next phase of work can begin. This work will center on nailing down the specific
With Cuts and Changes, City Council Passes Home in Tacoma
Home in Tacoma finally reached a milestone this week that was months in the making. Unfortunately, by the time the affordable housing initiative was passed by the City Council, it had been significantly pared down in comparison to earlier plans. Letâs take a closer look at where Home in
Alternative Light Rail Alignments Into Downtown Tacoma: A Mapped Review
My initial Central Tacoma Link Extension (CTLE) surface alignment proposal stirred a large debate regarding how Link light rail should properly serve Tacoma over a decade from now. Among commentators, there was broad agreement that terminating light rail service at Tacoma Dome Station was deeply unsatisfactory, with most agreeing that
Latest Tacoma Growth Map Scales Back Density
Tacoma had considered allowing low-rise apartments in 40% of residential parcels, but the latest proposal has pared that back to 17.5%. Tacoma is in a dire housing situation. According to a WalletHub report from this summer, among 180 rental markets, Tacoma is ranked 155 in rental affordability. Additionally,
Speedier Bus Service in 2022 and New Public Art, Among Pierce Transit Updates
Pierce Transit has had a rough patch recently with operator shortages forcing the agency to temporarily cutback bus service, but the agency has made some progress in other areas. A bus stop balancing project has been approved for implementation next year â which will improve bus service â as well as a
Tacoma Needs a Better Sounder and Streetcar Expansion
As a regular reader who lives in Downtown Tacoma, Iâm always excited to see articles that address the challenges and opportunities in our city. The recent article proposing a Central Tacoma Link Extension (CTLE) to improve transit service into Downtown Tacoma was no different. However, Iâd like to
Build Link Light Rail Right: Send Trains into Tacomaâs City Center
Letâs consider the lunacy of the journey foisted on public transit users: after riding at least 80 minutes from Capitol Hill or Downtown Seattle in order to reach Tacoma, riders must disembark Link light rail and await an untimed transfer with the T streetcar line â for an additional 15
Sound Transit Plans to Introduce Tacoma Link Fares In 2022
Sound Transit is pursuing introduction of Tacoma Link fares. The 1.6-mile streetcar line has operated fare-free since 2003 when it opened. But an extension of the line is set to open next year to the Hilltop Neighborhood, leading the agency to come up with a sustainable way
Tacoma Chinese Reconciliation Park Grapples with History of Expulsion
In the shadow of Asian Americans and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month and the midst of a dramatic rise in anti-Asian violence, I stumbled upon Tacomaâs Chinese Reconciliation Park. For me, parks are a place to exercise, sightsee, play, and come into contact with nature and sometimes history.
Tacoma Issues Housing Permits Three Times Faster than Seattle, Builders Report
Seattle has been taking the lionâs share of the regionâs housing growth for the last decade, but developers are starting to look to Tacoma in greater numbers. One big reason why is that Tacomaâs permitting and approval process is simple and quick, while Seattleâs has increasingly
Zoomers Flock to Tacoma over Pricey Seattle
You would have to be quite old to remember when it was cheaper to live in the city than the countryside. Itâs been a long time since that second-floor bachelor pad in Chinatown was more bargain basement than that cottage up the hill, and by now weâd
Home in Tacoma Project Chugs toward Citywide Zoning Overhaul
Tacoma has embarked on a sweeping plan to reform residential zoning in the city. The Home in Tacoma project could transform single-family and multifamily zones by allowing more Missing Middle Housing. The plan envisions the usual suspects of accessory dwelling units, duplexes, triplexes, quadplexes, and townhouses as well as
Tacomaâs Missing Middle Housing: Planning for Access, Affordability, and Mobility
In recent years, cities in the Northwest have responded affirmatively to calls to make housing more available and attainable through zoning reform. Portland, Oregon, adopted wide reforms in August 2020 that are meant to promote infill by making it easier to build âmiddle housing,â a category that includes smaller and
On the Prospect of an Urbanism of the Poor
Recently, I was asked for my definition of an urbanist. In reaching for a definition, I realized that I actually donât have oneâcertainly not one that captures the contradictions and nuances that most interest me most about urban life and experiences. A Google search revealed to me that
Tacoma Quietly Rezoned Residential Areas in Latest Comp Plan Update
In late September, the Tacoma City Council approved a large slate of areawide rezones and future land use map designation changes, which primarily affected residential properties. The rezones and land use designation changes were included as part of the annual Comprehensive Plan update process for minor amendments, which were proposed
What Kind of City do We Want to Be? Tacoma and the Arguments Cities Make
My summer reading list this year included a debut novel by Seth Fried titled The Municipalists, which CityLab described as âthe urban planning Sci-Fi novel youâve been waiting for.â There are many things to say about this novel, but rather than offer a pseudo-review (other than to
If You Build It, They Will Come (Even if You Donât Include Parking)
The McMenamins Elks Temple in Tacoma has been open for two weeks. With its five eateries and bars, ballroom, and 45 hotel rooms, this new addition to downtown destination is drawing and will draw hundreds of people from throughout the city and the region. McMenamins has been lauded for the
Tacomaâs Pacific Avenue Hybrid Bus Rapid Transit Advances
Pierce Transit is moving ahead with a hybrid design for 14 miles of bus rapid transit (BRT) on Pacific Avenue, including 3.6 miles of center-running dedicated lanes. The Pierce Transit board of commissioners voted 7-0 to back the option, which was painted as the more pedestrian-friendly
Tacoma Says âYesâ to Cottages in its Backyard, Part 2
Backyard cottages are officially a go in Tacoma but whatâs next? The City of Tacoma has officially adopted new rules which make it much easier to add accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on existing single-home lots. While it is true that Tacoma, like other cities in Washington, already permit
Tacoma Says âYesâ to Cottages in its Backyard
Residents of Tacoma largely support a change to the municipal code that would make it easier for home owners to add a secondary living space on their property. The idea to allow more greater numbers of âDetached Accessory Dwelling Units,â or DADUs, was first taken up by the city in
Wonkabout Washington: Tacoma Adopts Affordable Housing Action Strategy
Tacoma has adopted a new affordable housing action strategy that aims to reach 10,500 households over 10 yearsâ-a plan that will mean a $70 million housing investment, paid for from a mix of public, private and philanthropic resources. The strategy tackles four main areas: production of new homes,
Of Libraries, Parks, Book Stores, and Cinemas: Tacomaâs Social Infrastructre
In a previous installment, I wrote about the strain put on sidewalks when cities privatize, sell off, fail to maintain, or donât care to provide proper public spaces in the first place. I argued that the reductions in public space we observe in cities across the U.S. undermines
2018 Endorsement Questionnaire: Melanie Morgan
As part of our endorsement process at The Urbanist, we ask candidates to complete a standard questionnaire to better understand and evaluate their positions on housing, land use, transportation, and other important issues. We then share this information with our readers to help inform their own voting decisions. This year
Tacoma on the Move: Pierce Transitâs Vision for a Growing City
Tacoma is growing. City, county, and regional leaders and planners are working to meet this growth with transportation options aligned with state mandates and community needs. The three biggest transit projects looming on the horizon are the Link light rail extension from Federal Way to Tacoma, the extension of Tacoma
Tacoma: Public Space and Public Life
In my last installment, I pointed out the importance of sidewalksâthat they exist and that they are continuousâboth because they provide an opportunity for residents and visitors alike to get to know a city, and because they ensure that people who donât or canât drive get
Tacoma: Getting To Know My New City Through Walking
I moved to Tacoma the last weekend of July. Even as I got keys to my apartment the day after I arrived, my stuff wasnât scheduled to arrive until later in the week. I spent my first weekend in the city in a hotel. These in-between-places days