The city’s Home in Tacoma plan is designed to address the region’s growth and rising housing prices, but faces local backlash over density and affordability concerns.
With its population poised to grow by more than 127,000 people in the next two decades, Tacoma, Washington is taking steps to boost affordable housing in the city.
Writing in The Urbanist, Kevin Le outlines the city’s Home in Tacoma (HIT) proposal, which would change zoning rules to permit more ‘missing middle’ and other more affordable housing types. The plan has faced backlash from some residents, organized under the banner “Don’t Seattle My Tacoma,” who worry about the affordability of new housing, the loss of street parking, and other typical concerns.
On the other side of the debate, the Home in Tacoma For All Coalition is working to “expand HIT, strengthen support for low-income folks, and establish policies to protect the health and safety of vulnerable communities.” The city plans to engage the public throughout 2023 with a series of surveys and meetings about the proposal.
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