Tacoma seeks community input on affordable housing solutions

TACOMA - The City of Tacoma is looking to the community for input on how to address the issue of affordable housing.

Numbers from the city show that 40% of households in Tacoma struggle to afford their homes.

On Wednesday, the Tacoma Planning Commission welcomed members of the community to provide their input.

“I feel like it was important that someone stood up and said something about the cost of living,” said April Thompson.

Thompson is a mother of five who lives in Tacoma. She says she’s experienced homelessness in the past.

She and dozens of others gave public input on the issue of affordable housing.

“The need is growing rapidly, and everyone is feeling it,” said Elliott Barnett.

Barnett is a senior planner with the City of Tacoma. He says the city is already considering a lot of options when it comes to affordable housing.

Barnett says the city is also focused on hearing what the community thinks.

“To actually get it right, takes quite a lot of thought,” he said.

City officials say they will continue to take input until the end of the month.

Barnett says the goal is to take all of the input and information gathered and then present a plan to city council within the next year.