All right.

I'd like to call to order the city council meeting of December 2nd, 2025.

Clerk, will you please call the roll?

Councilmember Bushnell.

Present.

Deputy Mayor Daniels.

Here.

Councilmember Diaz.

Here.

Councilmember Hines.

Councilmember Rumba here.

Councilmember Sidalgay?

Here.

Councilmember Scott.

Here.

Councilmember Walker.

Here.

Mayor Woodards.

Here.

Please join me in listening to the land acknowledgement and flag salute led by Councilmember Hines, followed by a moment of silence for our dear Matisse Hoyt.

Matisse Hoyt was the proud owner of Matisse Beauty Supply.

The only black woman and veteran-owned beauty supply store in Tacoma.

And she was a beacon of light in our community.

Matisse passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, November 12th, stunning our community and leaving many of us at a loss for words.

I remember when Matisse would roll into these council meetings.

Um when she first started showing up, she showed up every week.

But as the mayor of Tacoma, tonight I make her the official mayor of Tacoma.

She so deserved that honor, was such an advocate for this community and for the rights of people in this community.

Tacoma won't be the same without her.

But Tacoma is better for having her been a part of our community.

Matisse, we will miss you.

I don't know where I'm gonna get my beauty supply stuff from or the great advice that you gave.

But grateful that she was a member of this community.

Um that so many of us got to spend time with her and advocate with her.

And I'm gonna turn to uh councilmember Scott, who has a few words to share as well.

Thank you, Mayor.

I really appreciate that.

Um I there's a whole lot I could say.

Um, but I'll try to keep it brief.

I know we have a lot to talk about tonight, but I just feel like uh I can't I've been waiting for this moment because I I knew that we were gonna uh take some time uh to honor Matisse, and so I just didn't want to miss that opportunity.

And I I'm I'm sure a lot of you know um one of my favorite things to do um was when I went into Matisse's shop, is just she, you know, one of the she would always just be like, I saw you, I saw you at the last council meeting, and I I appreciate she's like, You gotta she was like, You're the best advertisement for um my shop because anytime I got my hair done, well I anytime I would do my hair, I always purchase my stuff from from her beauty supply store.

And so it was always one of those things where um do it, I don't know, some of you might not know when you get your hair braided, or you when you braid your own hair, it is a multi-day process sometimes if you're doing it yourself.

Um and so when you think about that, like whether you're getting it done by somebody else and the hours that takes, or you're doing yourself and the days that can take, um, I would always have to factor that in.

If I knew we had something coming up, I had to schedule it a few days in advance and get things ready.

But the other thing I had to make time for is that I knew any time I walked into Matisse's shop, I was gonna be there for at least a couple of hours.

Um, and so but it was always one of those times that I really cherished, just in the sense that um, you know, like Mayor said, it was always there was always good conversation, there was always good advice.

Um, I would not be honoring her memory and excuse my language if I didn't say there's a lot of talking shit.

Um, but the one thing that she and I really have had in common is that um we both just really cared about the community, and so seeing that reflected in somebody who um had a lot of you know, a lot of reasons to not be happy with the community that she existed in, uh, still finding that passion and the love and the care to advocate, to bring people together, to create space for people to come together and dream up ideas and be creative and learn about um whether it was learning about hair supplies and um what might be best for their hair journey or just coming together and learning about what was going on in the city, uh what was happening in her shop, what was happening in her life, what was happening in their life.

Uh there is not a single person I have met that also had an experience with Matisse that didn't have positive things to say about her, uh about a gym she dropped or a rhyme she rapped.

Um just every time I went in, and there's plenty of people that in the times that I would be spending in the shop uh talking with her, that there are plenty of people that I met and in the weeks uh has it been weeks in the couple weeks since her passing that I've run into some of those folks just out in the community, and um it just you know it's one of those things where you know that there's a place that brought you together with people that you might not have met before, but it's even more apparent when that person is gone.

And so just every time I went in, then there's plenty of people that in the times that I would be spending in the shop uh talking with her, that there are plenty of people that I met and in the weeks uh has it been weeks in the couple weeks since her passing that I've run into some of those folks just out in the community, and um it just you know it's one of those things where you know that there's a place that brought you together with people that you might not have met before, but it's even more apparent when that person is gone.

Um so I just I'm just really really appreciative that Matisse is somebody that I've gotten to know over the past few years, and that I had uh time to just whether it was intentionally getting together, going to her shop, or uh oftentimes we just ran into each other on the street and we'd end up in a conversation.

Uh there was one day one of our the favorite stories that we would always kind of bring back up with each other was there was one time we were sitting in Red Elm, and um they called an order for a chai latte with lavender and oat milk, and I went and I got it, and I was like, Oh, that was really fast.

Like I just ordered this.

Uh and she was sitting there like, why haven't I gotten my drink yet?

Um, and it turned out that we ordered the same drink.

We dubbed it the official black girl drink of Tacoma.

And um, and so I think since then we've maybe both have changed, we had both changed our our drink order, but uh it was just little moments like that, and then also the big moments of sitting in her store and really talking about um policy and uh all the various.

I know I said I was gonna keep this short, but how can I?

But um talking about policy and things that were going well and things that we'd like to see change and um I would just say to all the people who loved her, especially her friends and her family, um, that as best we can we are sitting with you in the sloss, and um I just appreciate that I was able to spend that time with her and get to know her, and that you all loaned her out to the community in the way that you did because um, and I think mayor says this often um about the work that people do when they serve the city in any capacity that you know you all made the sacrifice of sharing her with us because you supported her and her passion of working for a better city.

So I just appreciate um getting to know her.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Councilmember Scott, and I don't have to say anything else, you said it all.

All right, um, with that, I will um turn to uh council member Hines.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Uh we gratefully acknowledge honor we uh we gratefully honor and acknowledge that we rest in the traditional lands that people where they make their home and speak she speak this Lashutzi language.

Excuse me.

Please stand for the flag salute and remain standing for a moment of silence.

Oh the United States of America and which is one nation for all justice for all the um I I want to apologize very quickly.

I did not turn to the second page of my comments, and so I do just want to um acknowledge her husband Chris um and their family and a close community of friends and acquaintances.

A celebrate a celebration of life for Matisse will be held this Friday.

Again, that's this Friday at the Tacoma Armory.

Visitation begins at 12:30, and the program begins at 2 p.m.

Again, that's this Friday.

Visitation begins at 12:30, and the programs begin the program begins at two.

For anyone who's interested in supporting Matisse's family and her business, you can find her GoFundMe page or reach out to Matisse Beauty Supply.

Um, I had a note here to also call in Councilmember Diaz.

Councilmember Diaz, I understand that you are on your way here, but did you want to make remarks?

She just disappeared.

Yeah, I'm like, I'm waiting for that door to open.

Ask her she's coming right out, give her just a second.

Okay.

All right, she will save her remarks.

All right.

With that, we are going to move on to agenda modifications.

Are there any agenda modifications?

Seeing none, we'll move on to the consent agenda.

I move to adopt the consent agenda, including resolutions numbers 41801 and 40802.

Second.

All right, are there any council questions, comments, or corrections?

Seeing none, all those in favor of adopting the consent agenda, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, the consent agenda is declared adopted.

Moving on to proclamations, recognitions, presentations, and announcements.

We have two ceremonials tonight.

And for the Consul General, I'd like to ask for the Consul General, Consul General Young's recognition.

He is the People Republic of China, People's Republic of China in San Francisco.

He is the Consul General, and I'd like to invite Ron Chow, who is the co-chairman of the U.S.

China Youth, co-chairman of the U.S.

China Youth and Student Exchange Association.

That is a mouthful, Ron, to the podium as I read this recognition.

Ron, did you want to come first and then introduce the general counsel to come with you?

The Council General.

From the City of Destiny, it's my great pleasure to introduce you to Honorable Chiang Jammin, Consul General from Chinese Council and General's office in San Francisco, people, Republics of China.

All right, and I will I will read this proclamation.

Whereas the City of Tacoma values its longstanding international relationships and is proud of its sister city partnerships that foster cultural understanding, educational exchange, and economic cooperation across the globe.

And whereas Council General Council General Yang of the People's Republic of China in San Francisco has been a valued partner to the city of Tacoma in strengthening these international ties, particularly through his support of Tacoma's sister city relationships with Fuzhou and cities across China.

And whereas through his diplomatic leadership and commitment to friendship between our peoples, Consul General Young has helped to advance opportunities for exchanges in business, education, cultural, and the arts, deepening mutual understanding and goodwill.

And whereas the City of Tacoma extends its gratitude for his dedication to the partnership and collaboration and for his enduring contributions to the bridge of friendship between Tacoma and the people of China.

Now, therefore, I, Victoria R.

Woodards, mayor of the City of Tacoma, on behalf of the City Council, do hereby recognize Consul General Young and for his distinguished service, commitment to international friendship, and support of Tacoma's sister city partnerships with China.

I just want to say, Consul General Young from Zheng, from the moment that I got here, you came to visit me three and a half years ago, and you stayed in touch since then, and we have built an incredible relationship.

I am especially grateful for the opportunities that our young people have had to be able to visit China for the very first time.

Earlier this year, some of you may recall that we honored the Lincoln High School girls' football flag football team who got to go to China and play all across China.

And I am proud to say, no offense, Consul General, but they won every single game.

Even even though, and they're all girls' team, they even won against the co-ed team.

That's just how good they are.

But then that doesn't surprise me.

They're from Lincoln.

But in addition to that, um, I myself have had an opportunity to either say goodbye to or welcome to China when I was there.

Um, at least three student groups of over of close to a hundred students or over between 50 and 100 students every year that have an opportunity to go through the partnership with Ron and his partner David Chong, um, who is in China.

But it's just been a great relationship, and it's offered opportunities to our students that they might not have ever been able to um experience.

And I can tell you, I ran into one of the girls from the Lincoln High School foot flag football team who's going off to college, and she said she was so grateful for the opportunity because she would have never imagined in her life that she would have had it, and that it really did change how she thinks about people who live in other countries.

So I want to thank you so much for your leadership and for your partnership, and just so grateful to be able to honor you this evening, and I will turn it over to you for remarks.

Thank you, dear Mayor Woods, dear council members, dear people of uh Tacoma, thank you for your friendship and thank you for recognizing what I modestly contribute to this uh strong friendship.

I first of all want to express on behalf of the Chinese consulate our best wishes to the city of Tacoma.

The recognition is not just my personal honor.

I think it's also the vote of confidence, actually, our shared vote of confidence in the value of friendship and partnership between China and Tacoma, between the peoples of the two sides.

The special relationship Tacoma enjoys with China can be traced back to 1993, when the current Chinese President Xi Jinping play a visit to Tacoma in his then capacity at the party secretary of Futou.

Ever since then, Tacoma has been at way at the forefront in growing mutual understanding and friendship between Tacoma and the Chinese cities.

And we've, as you said earlier, we've had lots of engagements and collaboration in business, education, student exchange, and many other areas.

I want to particularly thank you, Madam Mayor, for your contribution and dedication to the growth of exchanges between our two sides.

Since you became mayor, Tacoma has been very active in exploring opportunities for its children in particular.

And most recently, you've been to China attending the sister city conferences.

You've also encouraged students to visit China.

I just uh before coming to this council meeting, I uh paid a visit, actually dropped by at Lincoln High School and had very good chat with uh the principal, Kao.

And uh I think we need to do even more to give uh the kids on both sides opportunities to learn from each other.

I'm not surprised at all that uh the girls from Lincoln High School won all the games.

And I think uh if we uh if if you send your ping pong team.

So I'm sure the outcome would be completely different.

So I think uh there's really uh ample scope where both sides will benefit from learning from each other and growing together.

And I think this applies to our overall relationship, how we can you know enable our students to learn from each other, to help each other succeed and benefit from this kind of exchanges.

So uh you've left with a strong legacy of interaction and cooperation between Tacoma and Chinese cities.

You've uh signed MOU between Tacoma and Purtua district of Shanghai, and uh the Nintendo District of Shenzhen, Shenzhen is the city that is going to host next year's APAC meeting.

And it's also a window to see how China has reformed and progressed in the past decades.

So uh I hope and I definitely believe that going forward, this uh friendship and collaboration between Tacoma and China would only go from strength to strength.

And uh on our side, the Chinese uh council uh is uh fully ready to work together with all of you, uh the council members, people of the beautiful city of Tacoma, to continue this bond of friendship and partnership so that people on both sides will prosper.

And uh, since it's a council meeting, I want to say a few words to the council members.

Before I came here, I did my homework and I watched the interview uh all of you give, you know, on your website.

And I do encourage all of you to find time to visit China because uh although our two sides are very different in political system, in culture, yet people's needs are the same.

And from your remarks, I noted that many of your top priorities are exactly the top priorities of your Chinese counterparts.

Education, community, housing, well-being of children and students, urban planning, uh, pet, even pet production, etc.

Same same thing.

So I think we will have a lot in common to explore together.

And uh so there's a lot we can do, and uh I also count on your support so that I can do my job and continue to make contribution to strengthening friendship and collaboration between our two sides.

Thank you for the all on there.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Now, Council General, wait a second.

I'm gonna ask you to come forward, um, and I'm gonna ask Ron to join us.

I'm also gonna ask Claire Petrich, who is here this evening, um, who is the chairperson of our sister city committee.

I'm gonna ask Claire to come forward and join us as we take um this photo.

Yes.

Thank you.

He's tall, I know.

No, no, no, we're gonna stand up to the side.

All right, everybody.

Smile.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, thank you.

All right, um, for our it's it's Sister City Day um in the chambers.

Um the next recognition is for our Tacoma Daval Sister City Committee, and I would like to invite Rhea Johnson, Mayor Crest Castro, and I'm gonna I'm gonna going to ask Claire Petrich to join them as well.

Um they are members of Rhea and Mari Cress are members of the Davao Sister City Committee, um, and I'm going to read this recognition.

Whereas the City of Tacoma recognizes the importance of fostering global understanding, cooperation, and goodwill through cultural exchanges and international partnership.

And whereas City Sisters International, founded by President Dwight D.

Eisenhower in 1956, advances these goals by building enduring friendships between communities across the world.

And whereas Tacoma Sister City relationship with Daval City in the Philippines was established in 1994 under Mayor Harold Moss and strengthened under Mayor Victoria Woodards, it reflects the city's long commitment to the people-to-people diplomacy.

And whereas this partnership thrives, thanks to the dedication of volunteers and civic leaders, including Rhea J.

Uh Jamawan Johnson, Mayor Cris Valdez Castro, and Tacoma Sister City's International Chair, Claire Petrich.

And whereas the city expresses gratitude to the leaders and the people of Davao City, including their mayo, mayor, and the Deval and the Daval City Investment Promotion Center and the organizers of Global Connect 2025 for their hospitality and celebration of cultural heritage.

And whereas Tacoma honors the contributions of its delegation and looks forward to welcoming representatives from Daval City to Tacoma in 2027 to further strengthen cultural, educational, and economic ties and advance a shared vision of peace and prosperity.

Now, therefore, I, Victoria R.

Woodards, mayor of the City of Tacoma, on behalf of the City Council and the over 220,000 residents who call Tacoma home.

Do hereby recognize the Tacoma DeVoo's Sister City Committee for their commitment to the people-to-people diplomacy and leading a delegation to Daval City to strengthen our partnership with our sister city in August of 2025.

I will now turn it over to the committee to say a few words.

Mayor, Councilmember, and esteemed members of the community.

It is especially an honor and bittersweet to stand here today, Mayor Victoria.

I thank you.

We thank you.

We thank you for your empathetic ear, compassionate heart, and love for Tacoma.

We, especially me, love you.

My name is Rhea J, and I have the pleasure and privilege to accept this proclamation and experience the impact Tacoma makes as the city of Destiny.

I hope to serve as a reminder to love our neighbors and to inspire and increase human civility.

This proclamation is more than just words on the page.

It's a powerful affirmation of Tacoma's commitment to community.

For 70 years, Presidents Eisenhower's vision for Sister Cities International is building peace, one relationship at a time.

And it's evident in within Tacoma Sister Cities and the relationship with our sister city, Davao City, Philippines.

Tacoma Sister Cities began in 1959 and is growing to over 14 sister cities to date.

Many are here in person and virtually.

Claire and Mary Chris, to the dedicated volunteers, supporters, and civic leaders.

Your passion for community diplomacy is the very engine of this success.

Thank you for the countless hours you dedicate to building these bridges.

We also express our deepest gratitude to the leaders and the people of Philippines, Davao City, Mayor Sebastian Diderte, the Davao City Investment Promotion Center, the generosity and hospitality shown during to our delegation embodies the spirit of friendship and kinship.

Donghang Salamat.

This proclamation looks forward to a shared future.

We eagerly anticipate welcoming the representatives from Davao City and other fellow sister cities across the world to Tacoma in 2027 to continue strengthening our ties in culture, education, and commerce.

To start, please join us with a whole lot of popcorn, chocolate, and conversations in March for the Sister Cities International Film Festival as we celebrate 70 years of people to people diplomacy.

Visit Tacoma Sister Cities for details and passes.

The City of Destiny, Tacoma is richer and more vibrant, a more vibrant city because of the local and international partnerships.

There's a lot to fight for, but this is a celebration of friendship, history, and shared visit vision for peace that extends beyond our sacred shores.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve.

Thank you very much.

I do want to just take a moment and thank Rhea and Mary Crest for being here tonight, especially.

But as I said at the end of the proclamation, they were actually in Daval City in August representing the city of Tacoma and strengthen our relationships.

Building new relationships with cities across the Philippines.

And as I said, they they led a significant delegation in August.

So that our staff could be available for economic development activities and exchanges.

So thank you so much for carrying that message to Daval, and I appreciate you all for um for taking time out of your schedule to do this.

And Claire, I always appreciate the work you do as the chair of our sister city committee.

If there aren't any other comments, I will ask you to come forward to accept your proclamation.

And will the other members of the sister city committee, if you're a member of Sister Cities, or you have please come forward.

That means you, you'll Yulia.

Oh, that's so sweet.

That's so cute.

She knows I love two looks.

I'll get to the Mayor Crest.

This one is for you.

I didn't take the same.

All right.

One, two, three.

One, two, three.

Thank you.

All right.

All right, we are now moving on to public comment.

On tonight's agenda, there is one opportunity for people to comment.

Under the public comment period, you can speak about motions, resolutions, and ordinances on tonight's agenda.

This forum is intended to give speakers an opportunity to share their viewpoints and feedback with the city council to aid in our decision making and is not meant to be a back and forth dialogue.

Your remarks should be directed to the city council and not to individual staff members.

If you wish to speak under the public comment period, please press the raise your hand button near the bottom of your Zoom window or star nine on your phone now, so we can see the number of people wishing to testify this evening.

If you are speaking in person, please sign up at the back of the room if you have not done so already.

Your name or the last four digits will of your phone number will be called out when it is your turn to speak.

Clerk, will you please read?

This is a time set aside for public comments.

Speakers are asked to identify the specific legislation they wish to address.

All right, I would like to remind everyone to please keep your comments respectful, relevant, focused, and on topic.

We strive to provide a comment period where people can feel respected while sharing a wide variety of viewpoints and acknowledge that we may hear comments that conflict with our values.

To ensure all speakers can express their First Amendment and constitutional rights, we ask that you refrain from clapping, cheering, booing, or otherwise being disruptive.

You will have 90 seconds to make your remarks.

Please be mindful of the time frame.

And as always, you are not required to use all of your time to make your point.

If you cannot remain on topic, you will be given two warnings.

If you remain off topic, we will have to move on and will end your time.

Clerk, have we received any written public comment for the for this evening?

We've received 160 emails, one regarding the ordinance for tide flats, three regarding ordinance 29082, and 156 for ordinance 29086.

Great.

Thank you.

Thank you very much for that.

All right, I just want to we have lots of people raising their hands online, and I just want to remind everybody in the chamber tonight.

There are we have an unprecedented number of people who have signed up to speak.

Um, as a matter of fact, at this point, we're at almost 90 people.

Um but what that means is that there are going to be 90 people who speak who share a variety of opinions on any subject they're talking about.

And I and I and I want to just I want to say this up front for those of you who this is your first time, hear me.

For those of you who have been here often enough, please hear me now.

No clapping, no cheering, no booing.

Everyone who steps up to this mic has a First Amendment right to express their opinion.

And you all know, um, if you haven't been up here before, but if you have, you know, it's not the easiest thing to do, and it's certainly not the easiest thing to do when you may have an opinion that's different than the majority of the room.

So it's not about respect for me, it's about respecting everybody else who is in the chambers.

The other thing, since there are so many people speaking tonight, when the timer goes off, finish your sentence and wrap up.

Remember, if you all continue, if if if we get out of line here tonight or we talk over the time or we continue to clap and we end public comment, you will be cutting off other people's right to speak.

So I'm just asking you tonight, please abide by.

I know these rules don't seem important, but they're how we try to maintain um uh maintains some decorum, but also to make sure that we're respecting everybody who takes their time to show up here tonight.

Everything you share with us, and each one of you who has an opinion is about that that opinion, and you are valuable, and we need to make sure that everyone feels that way.

So I'm gonna start with um calling on executive Ryan Mello, who is here this evening.

Um, and then I'm gonna I'm gonna start.

I'm gonna call you up in groups of five, and then just have you line up behind the podium.

I don't see, I don't see, I don't have my tie flat sign-in sheet, and I don't know that there is there anybody else here for Tacoma Tide Flats.

Okay.

Executive Mello, thank you so much for taking your time to be at our council meeting this evening.

Well, thank you.

Uh good evening, Madam Mayor, and Council members.

Um, it's really great to see you and all of our partners tonight.

Uh today is quite a meaningful day, uh, an opportunity to speak not only as the Pierce County executive and as a member of the Tide Flats Sub-area Plan Steering Committee, but also as someone who at the time as a Tacoma City Council member helped lead the effort to start this long planning process.

So, uh Mayor, you have me to blame for the countless hours you and your staff and colleagues have spent uh laboring over the future of this great region.

To stand here now at the final reading of this plan underscores how far we've come and how much perseverance it has taken to get here.

Mayor, I want to particularly recognize you in particular, and also the great leadership of Councilmember Christina Walker.

Your steadfast leadership has been absolutely essential to keeping our government at the table, guiding the steering committee through complex issues, and never, never losing sight of the need for a unified plan forward.

This was not an easy journey, but because of your persistence, your diplomacy, and deep commitment to public service, we are here with a plan shaped by collaboration rather than conflict.

Thank you for your steady hand and your belief that this region deserves an innovative, sustainable, and economically thriving tide flats.

We urge your adoption of the plan, and thank you for allowing Pierce County and the other governments to be at the table to help craft it alongside you.

Thank you, Mayor.

Thank you very much, Executive Mellow.

All right.

Um the next group of people I'm going to call up are Mike Chambers, Kyle Quinn.

Or I'm sorry, Kyle, I've probably said that that last name wrong.

Umie Adams and Rodney Rhymes.

Oh, the are they out are there?

They're they're outside.

Clerk, can we please go get Willie Adams and Rodney Rhymes?

I signed up for relationships.

I think you're out of order.

Um how was the second one to sign up?

Uh lady back here with the no, no, you are you are absolutely I should have said I'm gonna take things a little bit out of order, just for there are a few people to speak to one to the first resolution and a few people to speak to another, and then everybody else is speaking about the same resolution.

So I was grouping people together by by their resolution since there are so many people here tonight to talk about the same resolution.

So if it so I I just took a little liberty as as as chair to just move some things around.

So I I'm not trying to put anybody before anybody else, just because there's so many comments about one, I wanted all those comments to come together.

Thank you so much for understanding.

Well, all the not all these people didn't sign up to speak.

I only have five people who signed up to speak.

I won't put all that many people in front of y'all.

You all everybody come forward from ILW.

But just the five people who signed up to speak to speak.

So again, that is that is Mike Chambers, um, Kyle.

Kyle, is it Gwynn or Gunn?

Gwyn.

Gwynn, okay, Kyle Gwynn.

Oh, Scott, um, Scott Laley, Willie Adams and Rodney Rhimes.

Those are the five people I have signed up to speak.

So I'll let you start.

Thank you, Madam Mayor.

Uh hello.

Uh, my name is Jared Faker, president of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Local 23.

Tonight, on behalf of the over 1,500 workers represented by the ILW Local 23, I rise in support of item number eight, the renaming of East Alexander Avenue with the honorary street name, Willie Adams Way.

Willie was a longtime member of Local 23, beginning his career on the Tacoma Waterfront in 1978, and recently retiring on January 1st, 2025.

In his time as a rank and file member, Willie coordinated many community events in the 1990s and early 2000s, titled A Celebration of Black History and Labor.

These events gained national attention and reminded us here in Tacoma that important work was still needed in the drive for civil rights.

In 2003, Willie became Secretary of Treasurer of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, and in 2008, was elected as just the eighth international president in our union's history and its first black president.

In his role as at the international, President Adams oversaw the union's activities, representing over 45,000 workers in the states of Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Hawaii, and British Columbia, Canada.

President Adams increased the union's political and international presence and guided us through COVID, supply chain issues, litigation, contract bargaining.

His work helped to increase the working conditions of tens of thousands of workers, and he left ILW in a better place than he found it.

He led with dignity, grace, patience, and strength.

And through it all, he remained just a worker from Tacoma.

Thank you for your consideration.

To say I hate to cut off the union leader, but gotta keep it fair for everybody.

Hello, everybody.

Yes.

Hello, everybody.

My name is Mike Chambers.

I just want to thank the city, city of Tacoma for this opportunity to make this happen.

I just wanted to let everybody know Willie and I have been friends with 30, you know, almost 46 years.

We've been active in the community for a long time.

I want to go back 30, I want to go back 30 years when Willie and I got together, and we seen that the need at Tacoma, you know, Thanksgiving that needed that needed help.

So Willie and I decided to go out and buy a hundred turkeys, went to went to three different churches, gave out turkeys, so forth and so on to help the community.

Anything that they anything that we can do, we did.

And this is just one of the many gestures, the goodwill that my friend Willie Adams, we have done for the community of the city of Tacoma.

And I just want to say thank you again for this opportunity to make this happen.

Kyle.

I'm a union officer, and I want to say that I am in support of this as I've known Willie's pretty much since the day I was born.

My father started with Willie down on the docks, and Willie has always been a staple in my family and a good friend to me.

My name is Rodney Rhimes.

Thank you, Mayor, City Council, and everyone in the room for this opportunity.

I've known Willie for close to over 40 years.

But one thing you you don't realize until you think it's the end.

I'm retired.

I'm a pensioneer out of local 23.

And the thing is is that I had the opportunity to start working with a guy who came from Kansas City.

A lot of people don't know he was a boxer at one time.

He was one shot away from going to the Olympics in 1977.

And so one of your hometown Olympic gold medalists, Leo Randolph Sr.

He moved out here, brought him out here.

Willie worked his way up the ranks.

Became a longshoreman, casual, did it all.

And what he did, he never forgot where he came from.

He's always been a giving person, even the black history programs he did.

But the most that I am touched by by is what he did is that I never thought that my first pension check would be signed by him.

Wow.

President of our union.

So I'm in favor of this motion.

It is a name that will always be remembered and the street never forgotten.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Now, some of you, you know, when we do, it used to be in the past when we did namings after after people, um, that they had to be deceased.

Um, and several years ago, we changed that policy to, as I like to say, or as we say in my community, give people their flowers while they yet live.

Um, and standing before us tonight is Willie Adams.

Um, and so Willie, I offer the floor to you, and again, and grateful that you could be here this evening.

Madam Mayor and uh City Council members, it's an honor to be here.

I moved here in 1978 from Kansas City, Missouri, and Tacoma, the city of Destiny clearly changed my path.

But first of all, I want to thank my family, the members of the mighty IOW, because it's the working class, and if it wasn't for the IOW, I wouldn't be standing here.

And all around the world, the name, the IOW is synonymous with unions and shipping companies and people throughout the world because it resonates and it talks about what the working class and they built this port, they built the city, and they built this great country of ours.

Um I left, as you know, in 2003, and for the last 22 years I've been living in San Francisco.

I retired this year, January 1st.

I continue to sit on the port commission in the beautiful city of San Francisco to city by the bay.

But my heart will always be here in Tacoma, Washington.

Tacoma glows.

It's something special about Tacoma.

And I have seen this place grow, and things have changed since I've been gone these 22 years.

I've seen a lot of the city council members come and go.

Victoria, I remember when you started when you used to do your thing, down your celebration in rights part.

Whether it was Harold Moss, Tom Dixon, Jim Walton, I know all those historians that came before, and I will tell you this city makes me proud, and I couldn't be prouder today as a rank and file member from the IOW.

And this award in this street is not for me.

It's for the working men and women of the IOW, the young workers, and those that have come before.

We got one of our pension presidents here, Bob Brown.

And I have my family.

It's because of them.

And that's what makes this city glow.

And everyone looks, and Victoria, you remember I saw you at the White House.

We were there.

We know how important infrastructure, we know how much it is to build and progress.

And I'm a part of an organization whether it's protecting those that don't have anything, LBGT rights.

So thank you.

And it's an honor to be here today.

Thank you.

Thank you so much.

Um we are going to I know I wanted to clap too, but I said no clapping, cheering, booing, and you all broke the rule.

I couldn't even do it.

Well, I just I just want to say this to you, Willie.

I have lots of remarks to say, but this is public comment.

Um, it's gonna be a couple hours before we actually get to the resolution.

Um, and and and and I sense that um you flew up here early this morning and wasn't gonna keep you here till eight o'clock for that, but wanted to give you an opportunity to speak and know that please tune in if you don't stay here till eight o'clock.

Please tune in tomorrow um to hear the remarks from all of us who have more to say about your leadership.

Um, and Mike, you tune in too, because I'm gonna say something about you later as well.

But thank you all so much for being here, Jared.

Thank you for submitting that.

And I'm gonna get to calling everybody else who signed up this evening.

Thank you all so much.

All right.

Um we've got one more person who's gonna go out of order and then we're done.

Claire Petrich.

And then John, will you start?

Thank you, Mayor Woodards and members of the council.

Claire Petrich, the president of the Tacoma Sister Cities Council.

So happy to be here tonight celebrating so much.

Um we are proud.

We are proud because in 1959, Tacoma was one of the earliest cities in America that connected with Kitakushu, Japan, to become a sister city.

We're also proud because over the past 66 years, we have grown greatly, 14 sister cities and two friendship cities here, and we see a very unique relationship between the mayor's office of the city of Tacoma and scores of volunteers who are constantly working in committees to make our sister city relationship strong.

We're also proud because sister cities is the way Tacoma shows the world that it is a welcoming city here at home.

So it works together.

And we are grateful because I'm here to speak to number 12 on the agenda, which is the minute it is uh.

I want to say first of all, sometimes people say that to come a sister cities is one of our best kept secrets.

And I'm here tonight because I don't want it to stay a secret.

And we're here to ask for your support to create a signage sign that shows all of our sister cities throughout the world that will be located in Talif and Plaza.

So I'm here in support of that, and grateful that you are putting it on the agenda, and that it will we hope that it will be up next year.

All right.

Thank you so much.

Thank you, Claire.

Okay.

So this point in time, uh, we'll move on to the items are the people who have signed up in order based on the piece of paper in front of me.

So you can line up with the mayor said we would call five in a row.

So Laura Swan Zeric will be number first, Gloria Car Gloria Carpincho, number two, Tim Farrelly, number three, Amanda DeChazzo, number four, and Michelle Reich, number five.

Ninety seconds apiece.

There you go.

All right.

Hello, council.

Um, Laura Swansera, executive director at Tacoma on the go, here to speak in support of transportation impact fees.

Uh Tacoma has a budget problem.

I think we all know that.

We need new revenue sources if we want to make progress on our streets.

That's routine road maintenance, but that's also necessary safety projects and projects that keep us in line with projected growth that is already happening.

Um, and according to our CAP and our transportation and mobility plans.

Impact fees would provide necessary funding to keep us moving towards our goals.

Pierce County has transportation impact fees.

They have not stopped development, but they have funded necessary capacity projects in those jurisdictions.

I know we're all concerned about housing costs, but the affordability cutouts in this plan are very generous, in my opinion.

Impact fees are not a tax, so affordability impacts are much more dispersed as a revenue mechanism than other opportunities we might pursue in the future.

Earlier this year, the council debated about parking minimums in Tacoma, and I heard a lot about well, do we have the infrastructure to support more walking and biking in the city?

Well, this is how we fund that infrastructure that we need to meet our goals and to have infrastructure like a real grown-up city like Tacoma deserves.

So I'm urging you to adopt impact fees.

Thank you.

Thank you, Laura.

Gloria.

Hello, my name is Gloria Carpincho.

I rise to speak against ordinance 29086.

Currently in Tacoma, we have an ordinance that prohibits us from allowing our pets to be outside at night when it's below 45 degrees.

And if we're caught, we can be charged with animal abuse, animal neglect.

I think we should have the same policy towards humans.

Um these little carvings out of where you can be and where you can't be, we had a lot more beds available than we do right now.

Um because of the feds, we've had a lot of cuts.

Now the thing the problem with the feds is that things can change completely by the time we get to spring.

Somebody could be dead, somebody else could be taking over.

Congress, you know, there's so many things that can happen.

And I don't see the rush in having in in pushing this through in the beginning of December when you can actually wait to approach this issue in the spring, like in like in the March meeting.

And then in the March meeting, you you can have ready for us a list of all the beds that are available in what facilities, how many, and then that would justify whatever you want to do with the with uh you know how you're gonna carve spaces out.

But we're it this is just blind at this point, and people are gonna suffer, they're gonna die, they're gonna freeze to death.

So I really encourage all of you to vote no against this.

Thank you.

Thank you, Gloria.

Good afternoon.

Tim Fairley, I'm here today, even though I have multiple things.

I represent them here as Tacoma volunteer outreach and resources.

Um I was something was brought to my attention, and I'm gonna potentially help you from getting sued again.

And this is regards to ordinance number two nine zero eight six to the rental housing code landlord fairness code initiative.

The key legal and ethics considerations.

This is a state violation if you proceed with this.

Just wanted to give you a heads up on that.

Um, there's lots of conflicts of interest in here.

So I'll just give to the point.

I gave you an email of what was given to me.

And you should take a little consideration on the conflict of interest laws of Washington state law, RCW 4223, and the Tacoma municipal code prohibit a missile municipal officer from having a direct or indirect financial interest in any contract or official action made by through or under the supervision.

Family members' interest or intermittent family members' financial interest and consideration.

I'm gonna skip right on down.

It does mention the housing authority in here specifically.

Also, I'll mention down here disclosure and refusal.

If a council member has potential conflict of interest, they're generally required to disclose the interest publicly.

And the summary, the council member can participate in general discussion about the tenant law.

However, if a vote specifically benefits a financial impact or housing authority and a financial benefit to the family member beyond the general public, a conflict of interest may arise requiring disclosure and potential refusal to comply with the state and federal laws.

Just give me a heads up on that.

Thank you, Tim.

You really need to look into it because the person that came to me has a lot of money and they like they like to sue.

And then they're not in this room.

Thank you.

Amanda and then Michelle.

Hi, I'm Amanda DeCaiso here on behalf of the affordable housing consortium to express our support for the proposed ordinance changes to the landlord fairness code.

I would like to thank Council Member Rumbaugh for working with AHC and its members in responding to our needs.

I'd also like to thank the council members that took the time to discuss these issues with us.

Our members offer the most affordable rents in the area, and we do so willingly.

Still, it comes with the challenges of high operating costs, restrictions on rents, and the difficulty of housing our city's most vulnerable population.

We're committed to this work because we believe everyone deserves access to housing.

With thousands of households on waiting lists, minimal profit margins, and insufficient funding for supportive services, we need relief.

The costs associated with unpaid rent and extensive damages are forcing our providers to cut already limited services, deplete reserves, or face the reality of selling their properties.

We work closely with each of our clients to support them, but some situations go beyond our capacity, and we need to address these issues as soon as possible.

The proposed changes will enable us to do that and offer those who've been waiting years for the chance to have a roof over their heads.

We urge council to pass the ordinance as soon as possible.

Thank you.

Thank you, Amanda.

Michelle Reich.

Michelle Raj.

I speak in on 1058 PRC.

The people of China aside.

Having a representative of the PRC here is an insult to every veteran of the Korean War or the Vietnam War.

We lost 40,000 people to Chinese aggression.

70,000 in Vietnam.

And one thing that wasn't said too is uh their Tibet is being occupied by China.

The Dalai Amy had to flee under fire from the Chinese PRC.

PRC today is still the one of 1949.

We're having a uh dress rehearsal right now for the invasion of Taiwan.

Uh and our military is working to counter that along with the Taiwan military pre-China.

And the people of Free China still want to live as free Chinese.

They don't want to be invaded by the PRC.

And to have a representative is an insult to veterans who died in the Korean Wars in the Vietnam War, and some of you are veterans.

Uh the 80 million people killed under the genocide of Mao Seitang.

Uh that's the biggest genocide more than uh Hitler and Po Pa combined and all the other genocides.

Uh so uh to have a representative from China and allowing them to speak here, not having a Taiwan representative of free China is an insult to all veterans.

Thank you for your comments, Michelle.

All right, the next five Anita Latch, Kyle Jolly Boys, Michael Agnew, April Black, and Jim Henderson.

Am I first ma'am?

You're after you're after Anita, Kyle.

Good evening.

Um for those of you who don't know me.

My name is Anita Latch, and I live in 2748 precinct.

Um I'm here to speak, uh address mostly ordinance 29086, but uh a couple of other matters that are on your agenda have piqued my interest.

I feel very strongly that it is not appropriate to claw back on issues relating to tenant rights, not at this time.

The people of Tacoma voted, and some of you will be leaving the council.

It is not appropriate to make this decision on your way out the door.

The citizens have spoken, and the council should respect your constituents.

Kowtowing to landlords will be remembered during future elections.

Don't betray your electorate.

We will remember.

Additionally, um, I for one am glad to see civility, albeit that we have um not always acted in a civil manner towards uh people who are now our friends.

Um, and I definitely applaud the recognition of Willie Adams.

Thank you all.

Thank you, Anita.

Kyle Kyle Jolly Boys.

Livon Broadway down here.

A little bit of history.

I ran for the office one time.

And Anita Latch beat me.

But I didn't have any recognition in Tacoma then.

I want to talk about rent.

I get 1,220 a month.

My rent's 1220.

I think my landlord's watches this meeting.

I don't know how I'm gonna survive.

I'm I'm close to homelessness and Tacoma.

But I also want to talk about another topic real quick, Mayor, that's on the agenda.

I still have an 8 million gallon bomb in my backyard.

And I just watched a video of 2015 when Chris.

Brandon.

The sonic guy was here.

And I followed him.

And we brought down the House, Mayor.

This whole place was standing clapping for Chris and I.

We used to have three minutes.

We get 90 seconds now.

To come here and tell tell you that I'm homeless or could be.

I'm on Social Security, and the Republican Party wants to take that away from me.

What am I going to do then, Mayor?

I know where you live.

Maybe you have an extra room for me.

It's been an honor to be in front of you for the last 10 years.

Thank you, Kyle.

If you knock on the door, I'll open it.

Michael.

Uh 29086.

I've been a landlord since 2001, and I currently have six rental uh single family rentals in the city of Tacoma.

All of my properties rent below market value, as my wife and I are trying to prevent homelessness ourselves.

Before this measure, we also had the discussion of the fact that rents were runaway and they need something needed to be done.

Before this measure, I had no evictions for 20 plus years.

I've now just recently done my first.

The tenant had a union job paying $45 an hour, but couldn't manage to pay $16.50 a month for a three-bedroom, two-bath house with a corner lot.

Tacoma Public Utilities would also not have put it in their name as they had a previous balance.

So I had to pay the utilities for the 13 months that they were there.

Overall, I was out over 25,000.

How would you like it if I took 25,000 out of your bank account simply because the law said I could?

You're offering a federal agency with deep pockets my tax money for an exemption.

But what about the small landlord who may be local and invested in the community as my wife and I are.

At the end of the day, legal fees and frequency increase notices do little to pay the mortgage.

The bank will take the house, and they don't care whether it's January or July.

This measure went too far too fast.

Thank you.

April.

Hi, I'm April Black, and I'm the executive director of the Tacoma Housing Authority and the Vice President of the Affordable Housing Consortium.

I'm here to support 29086.

Also here to thank the council for considering an exemption to affordable housing providers on the eviction moratorium.

We're advocating for changes to the eviction moratorium because of the unintended consequences for both renters and property owners.

We're advocating for an exemption from the moratorium not to increase evictions, but to decrease the evictions and increase the likelihood of long-term housing stability.

Specifically, since the eviction moratorium went into effect, rent delinquency rate rates raised from 16% to 40% within THA's portfolio.

In the past, we could have resolved non-payment of rent issues within the first couple of months of delinquency.

Now renters are going delinquent for a year or more, and it's impossible that for them to resolve their debts and to avoid eviction.

When the tenant moves out after an eviction for long-term unpaid rent, that's also show on credit and rental histories, and will keep them from being housed in the future.

While tenants have trouble finding future housing, THA has also left having to cover these debts with funds that could otherwise be used to serve the 10,000 households on our waiting lists and are impacting our agency's sustainability.

These consequences likely don't just impact low-income renters and affordable housing providers.

And I encourage you to contemplate further changes in the future as more private market rent data becomes available.

Thank you.

Thank you, April Jim Henderson.

Good evening, Madam Mayor and Councilmembers.

I'm Jim Henderson.

I'm here representing the National Association of Residential Property Managers.

We represent more than 2,500 homes in Tacoma.

I'm here to speak about ordinance 29086.

First, I want to thank uh representative or excuse me, Councilmember Rumba for her leadership and support in bringing this difficult topic and bringing us all together to have this conversation and the amount of work that she did, stakeholdering with us on this issue.

And I apologize, and I'm disappointed for the personal attacks that you've had to take for for that courage.

Ordinance 29086 makes some major changes.

Of those, I appreciate the 1.5% change in the late fee as an improvement to encourage timely payment and hopefully reduce delinquency.

Also, getting down to one notice is gonna simplify the process and make sure that we're that everybody's getting it right.

And thirdly, the thing that we think brings clarity to this is the hardship defense.

What's not gonna work in practice is the AMI.

That that threshold isn't gonna work when a resident stands up in court and says that they don't have a job, so therefore the AMI is not gonna apply to them because they don't have an income to base that on.

Currently, tenants can tell the court that they can't pay rent simply because they don't have an income, meaning that someone who's lost their income in July can avoid paying rent up to 12 months.

Even if they regain an income during that period, the housing provider cannot get possession.

Thank you.

Thank you.

And if for anybody who has written notes, if you don't get through your whole written notes and you want to share them with the clerks, she'll be sure to share them with all of us.

All right, the next five people.

Mike Lee, John Dieter, Chris Carnes, Anne Dorn.

They're not going to come up to the top.

Are you Mike?

I am your Mike?

I am.

Are you John?

Yeah.

Okay.

Come on up, Mike.

Mike comes first, John comes second.

I am here on behalf of the landlords of the city of Tacoma.

If you don't pay your rent, you get evicted.

I've lived by this rule all of my life.

I've owned three houses, I've made payments on them.

I lived there, I sold them.

I moved to Tacoma.

I rent.

The rules still stand.

If you don't pay the rent, you have to move.

Thank you.

Thank you for your comments tonight.

John.

Yeah, my name is John Dieter, and I'm here on behalf of Mercy Housing.

And Mercy Housing is for people that are 55 and older.

And I'm actually a tenant, and I'm actually in favor of the landlord because of the issues that they have.

Because a lot of times you move in next door to someone, and uh it might not be the tenant that you want.

And that the case for me is I was uh across from a lady that was there.

Uh she was there before I moved in, and I was in that unit for eight years, and she was extremely difficult.

And I was in a particular uh program that uh there was only six units that I can move to.

And uh part of that program was that our rent was a lot less than anybody else.

So those other five people certainly are not gonna move on my behalf.

And so I just finally got HUD, and uh I just think it uh you know you got to look at the other person's uh point of view as a landlord.

And uh it's very difficult for them too.

So I'm just glad that I'm in that program, and and hopefully that you guys will be able to work it out for everybody.

Okay, thank you.

Thank you very much for your comments tonight, John.

Chris Carnes, good evening, Mayor Woodards and Council.

Uh my name is Chris Carnes.

I live in District 3.

Um I'm here to speak um on two ordinances.

One is 29082 regarding transportation impact fees.

Uh, these will require the developers pay their fair share towards improving transportation infrastructure to accommodate growth so the taxpayers are not uh unfairly burdened.

I encourage the council to approve this ordinance, which makes several provisions to incentivize affordable housing and construction of housing where there are existing um nearby transit options.

Uh speaking in regards to ordinance two nine zero eight six concerning the landlord uh fairness code.

Uh the city's own studies indicate that uh the substantial portion of working people are rent-burdened.

That is that they are spending more than one-third of their income on housing or more.

Much research shows that as rents increase faster than wages, the likelihood of missing housing payments and becoming unhoused also increases.

Preventing that yawning gap between wages and rents is the entire point of the landlord fairness code.

The comprehensive plan adopted by the this council earlier this year included policy H 2.6, which indicates that Tacoma will quote expand tenant protections by providing resources for households experiencing a crisis, increasing community organizing capacity, and supporting existing code that requires residential landlords to provide sufficient notice of rent increases, informs tenants of their rights under the law, and provides relocation assistance if rent increases exceed a defined limit.

I encourage this council to respect policy and the comprehensive plan and to engage the tenants in a meaningful way to build trust with the community.

Thank you.

Come on up, Ann.

Thank you, Chris.

Good evening, Mayor, members of council.

My name is Ann Dorn.

I serve as chair of Tacoma for All.

Council members, last month at your October 28th meeting, you heard powerful, heartbreaking testimony directly from tenants facing the exploitation of a very displacement.

The landlord fairness code was designed to prevent.

Tonight you will hear from the unified coalition those tenants belong to.

We are a coalition of faith leaders, labor unions, community organizers, and tenants.

And you will hear from over 20 of us tonight.

We are all united in urging you to stop this destructive rush to repeal.

Our message is clear.

And tonight you will hear three primary themes.

First, we demand you reject the proposal to means test our cold weather eviction protection, which creates a bureaucratic maze to deny tenants rights they are eligible for.

Second, we will demand you close the relocation assistance loophole, which some landlords are exploiting to avoid paying relocation assistance while stacking multiple rent increases each year.

And third, we ask you to reject sweeping exemptions of for-profit landlords that would strip protections from thousands of tenants in uh corporate-owned affordable housing as well as landlords with a smaller footprint in our city.

These issues and others are being debated on council, and I want to thank council members Scott, Diaz, Walker, and Mayor Woodards for making your positions clear at today's study session.

We are here to defend the will of Tacoma voters.

We urge you to choose a responsible path forward for a city.

Stop this rush to repeal voter-approved tenant rights.

We ask for genuine negotiations with tenants at the table.

Thank you, Anne.

Okay.

Julie.

Julian Gieski, speaking for Indivisible Tacoma, and there are a number of us.

I'm starting with a personal story.

I went to court to support a friend on the day he was scheduled for eviction.

The lawyer and the property manager started the proceedings by lying about the amount of money that he still owed, claiming it was over $6,000.

My friend was able to document that all this money had been paid.

Both the manager and her attorney were extremely condescending to the tenant throughout the hearing.

It was clear they fully expected to evict him that day.

Only because my friend had been a paralegal was he able to drop the legal papers the court requires to finalize a decision.

Very few tenants would be able to do this.

The court commissioner finally ruled to reinstate my friend's tenancy.

At that point, the attorney advised the property manager that she better put everything back if she had removed anything.

It became clear to us that they were already inside his apartment while we were in court.

It was so tense, my friend broke down in the courtroom when the decision was made.

When he returned home, he found that the property manager had removed his dog.

It took several hours to get the dog returned, and only after paying a fee.

As the hearing ended, the attorney exchanged friendly conversation with the commissioner, saying, We'll see you again soon.

Later, the article came out in the TNT about how evictions are increasing in Pierce County.

No wonder this system is completely stacked against tenants.

Thank you.

All right, the next group of five, Ellen Floyd, Liz Scott, Vicky Stanick, Lori Lee, and Barb Church.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

My name is Ellen Floyd.

I am co-chair of Indivisible Tacoma and a resident in District 2.

Several of us will be reading from a letter we sent to the council on December 1st regarding the amendments to the landlord fairness code.

The mission of Indivisible Tacoma includes helping to elect progressive candidates to public office, monitoring the actions and positions of elected officials, and working with elected officials, particularly those who demonstrate a commitment to serving the public interest rather than private interests.

We consider safeguarding the rights and welfare of the most vulnerable in our community.

We consider housing to be a human right.

Thank you.

My name is Liz Scott, and I'm speaking for Indivisible.

Councilmember Rumbaugh proposed amendments to the Landlord Fairness Code, which were originally presented to the Council at its November 18th study session.

And they were full of problems.

They also were prepared without meaningful input from both fellow council members and a cross section of housing stakeholders and other community members, including significantly Tacoma for All, which represented thousands of Tacoma residents in the successful 2023 Citizens Initiative to pass the current ordinance.

Council Member Rumbaugh's revised proposed amendments, which are linked to the in the December 2nd Council agenda, still raise grave concerns.

We believe any material rollback of the 2023 voter approved tenant protections will sharply increase the likelihood of another ballot initiative spearheaded by Tacoma for All.

We strongly urge you not to push through any amendments this year.

The newly sworn council, housing stakeholders, and interested community members must have the opportunity to come together in early 2026 to consider amendments to the landlord fairness code.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello, my name is Vicky Stanich, and I'm speaking on behalf of Indivisible Tacoma.

We have the fall, we have the following specific concerns and positions regarding Councilmember Rumbaugh's key proposals.

One proposed amendment would permit evictions year-round based on means testing results.

The proposal does not clarify who administers the means test, who pays for it, how long the process takes, and to what extent tenant privacy rights may be jeopardized.

Further, it does not address issues that arise from tenants not understanding what data they are required to submit or how to obtain such data.

Otherwise, eligible tenants unable to provide the required information will be at risk of eviction.

Our position, we oppose any means testing and support member Jamika Scott's proposal made during the 1118 study session to keep cold weather protection for all tenants, regardless of income.

Thank you.

Another amendment would reduce the current five-month November 1st through April 1st moratorium to four months, November 15th through March 15th for evictions.

Our concern we have had rainy, stormy, very cold, sometimes freezing nights for the past month.

This is typical Tacoma weather.

Some evicted tenants will end up houses and living in cars or on the streets during our cold weather months.

But the expanded camping ban now in effect in fewer shelter beds available than in recent years.

Many of these former tenants now houses will suffer poor mental and physical health outcomes, lose vital papers and personal belongings, and or have difficulty staying employed or finding work, and some of them will die from exposure.

Our position.

Good evening, Mayor and Council.

Barb Church, Northeast Tacoma is speaking for Indivisible Tacoma.

Councilmember Rumbah also has proposed exempting deed-restricted units, including over 5,600 units owned by nonprofit and public landlords and large for-profit companies, all using federal low-income housing tax credits.

Indivisible's concern is that neither Councilmember Rumba nor the city has publicly provided an itemized list of properties potentially eligible for this proposed exemption or details about how such an expansion expansive exemption would be monitored and enforced.

This is far too expansion, expansive.

Indivisible's position is that we oppose any exemptions for deed restricted units operated by large for-profit landlords, including those using low-income tax credits.

We acknowledge Councilmember Scott's compromise proposal to exempt only deed-restricted nonprofit, public and owner-occupied landlords, but do not support even this limited exemption without far more detail provided.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

The next you guys are already in order.

Go ahead.

Come on up, just state your name for the record.

I don't have to say everybody's name two times, go right ahead.

You might have mispronounced it anyway.

Onita Arnold, uh continuing with the letter, another proposal would exempt landlords with four or fewer units in Tacoma from comply complying with the landlord fairness code.

It allows such landlords who also operate larger properties outside of Tacoma to use this exemption.

Our concern allowing those landlords who operate four or fewer unit buildings in Tacoma, but larger rentals outside city lemmas to take advantage of this provision would undermine the purpose of providing exemptions for truly local small landlords within the city of Tacoma.

Allowing so many exemptions risk invalidating the rule.

Our position, Councilmember Scott has proposed the alternative of limiting this exemption to owner-occupied buildings with four or fewer units in Tacoma.

While Councilmember Scott's alternative proposal is more reasonable than the proposed amendment on your agenda tonight, we oppose the blanket ex blanket exemptions from landlord fairness code requirements for buildings of any size.

Madam Mayor, Council.

My name is John Alessio.

I'm speaking to 29086.

Apparently, it has been proposed to increase the late PCAP from $10 to 1.5% of the monthly rent.

What may seem like a small increase in mere inconvenience to some landlords and the landlord lobby can actually be a budget breaker for many tenants surviving from paycheck to paycheck.

People who may have considerable child care, transportation, health care, and other expenses, and especially people on a fixed disability income.

Given how high rents are in Tacoma, a 1.5% of rent late fee will virtually always exceed $10 and impose a financial burden on too many tenants.

Indivisible Tacoma strongly opposes increasing the current cap.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor and City Council.

I'm also a Tacoma resident in District 2.

Another key proposal is to reduce the current dual requirement of a six-month notice and a three-month notice of rent increase to a single six-month notice.

For example, they might cut back on expenditures or take a second job or find cheaper housing.

This all takes time.

Sometimes notices are missed or lost, and a second notice at the three months is vital for their efforts to stay housed.

One notice at four months might suffice for some renters, but for many others, it will not be enough.

Thank you.

Good evening, Rebecca Stith, District 2, speaking to ordinance 29086 and in the cleanup position for an indivisible Tacoma.

And I want to speak first to the relocation assistance loophole.

As the law is written, it says that if a landlord gives notice of a 5% or greater increase, it triggers the relocation assistance for the tenant.

Should the tenant decide they can't stay and meet other requirements under the law.

This has been missinterpreted and exploited by many landlords to do multiple increases of something, for instance, like four or nine 4.9% in a single year, two or three times.

That adds up to almost 15%.

So this loophole needs to be closed.

And I'm happy to see that uh Olki Daz Um has raised this issue.

She raised it a couple of weeks ago at study session.

She raised it again today, and I saw a lot of support among you to close this loophole.

We urge you to do so.

In addition, echoing my fellow members of Indivisible Tacoma, we would ask that you defer that you table this ordinance for this year, that you defer any amendments till next year when the new council is seated, and you can bring together stakeholders.

I also want to add on a personal note that I met with uh Councilmember Ramba a few weeks ago, and we talked about this, and I really appreciated her hard work and investment of time in this.

And one of I asked her why do you need to do this this year?

What's motivating you?

And I hope I remember this correctly if I can finish.

She said, I feel I have a responsibility, and I feel it would be lazy if I didn't.

And I just want to tell you, no one would ever say you're lazy.

You work really hard.

But to be responsible, I think the responsible thing to do, and many people here agree, is to put this off until next year, and certainly get rid of the means testing requirement and close the loophole.

Thank you.

Thank you, Rebecca.

Well, okay.

Yeah, no, gosh, I don't even.

We're organized.

Um, my name is Tyron Moore, co-director of Tacoma for All.

And I speak here tonight actually with cautious optimism.

I think the outpouring of tenant and community voices is clearly having an impact on this debate.

The ordinance before unite is already somewhat improved from the rollback proposals that we saw in late October.

And I was further encouraged today by the comments at the study session, and I want to acknowledge Councilmember Scott Diaz Walker and Mayor Woodards for signaling support for uh ending the means testing provision and closing the relocation assistance loophole, both very big uh ticket items, I think, for tenants in the city.

I also want to acknowledge Council Member Rumba's latest draft narrows the uh for-profit landlord exemptions, which is something we've been asking for.

And I I still want to fully understand it.

I think there was some confusion at the study session today, but you know, if it points in the direction that it appears to point, we we really acknowledge that and um are appreciative.

I'm also heartened by this movement uh on council because in recent weeks, Tacoma for All has been discussing the potential if critical tenant protections are gutted of giving voters the opportunity to take back tenant protections that were taken from them next October as part of a wider ballot initiative around enforcement.

This is not our preferred outcome.

But our view is that um we want this council to step back from the brink, stop this rush to repeal, and bring any controversial rollbacks uh back to the table with full stakeholders present.

Thank you.

Thank you, Ty.

Hello, community members, council members, Madam Mayor, and neighbors.

I am Zaid Velasco, staff director with UFCW Local 367, representing just under 8,000 grocery retail pharmacy and cannabis workers.

Thank you for the opportunity to speak today.

Voters made their voices loud and clear when they voted the tenant rights.

They saw through scare tactics, the unprecedented spending from outside landlord real estate entrants, uh, and they chose fairness, stability, dignity for renters in our communities that voted just wasn't just a policy decision, it was a declaration that every person deserves a safe, stable place to call home.

Tenant protections are not radical, they are common sense safeguards that ensure families aren't pushed out of their homes unfairly.

That working people can afford to stay in communities and help build and that landlords cannot intimidate or squeeze more from those who already have the lease.

At U of CW367, we represent thousands of workers who struggle every day with skyrocketing rents and shrinking options.

We know firsthand that housing is a worker issue.

When rent goes up, groceries get cut.

When families are displaced, jobs become unstable.

Affordable housing and strong renter protections aren't just social priorities.

They are essential to healthy workforce and a vibrant local economy.

We stand strong with tenants, with workers and every community member fighting to keep housing accessible and affordable.

Protecting rental rights isn't just the right thing to do.

It's what voters demanded, and it's what our community deserves.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Dez.

Hello, my name is Dez, and I am a member of UFC Double, uh UFCW, local 367, and a grocery worker for Safeway.

Strong renter protections keep our children in schools, keep workers close to their jobs, and keep our communities together.

They make it possible for people like me to keep giving back to the city that raised us.

And people do not see classism as a legitimate form of violence because they still believe that being poor is indicative of people's character rather than it being systemic oppression.

Poverty is traumatic.

That in order for rich people to thrive a whole lot more barely survive.

And Voltaire said the comfort of the rich depends upon the abundant supply of the poor.

So tonight I urge you do not repeal renter protections, uphold the right to housing, uphold dignity, and show that Tacoma stands where it's working people because a just stable city starts with a place to call home and a city government who considers the needs of all their constituents.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yep, Matthew?

Matthew Gordon.

Yep.

Hi.

You got it.

Uh hi.

Uh I'm a small local landlord uh with eight units.

Um I actually fall into that category of uh four in Tacoma and four out.

Um, but I'm I'm not asking for a carve out on that.

Uh I believe in the in the the tenant's bill of rights.

Um I've had absolutely uh no negative impact um by the tenants' bill of rights uh in the last couple of years.

Um if anything, the last few years, Tacoma's overheated real estate market has leveled off after previous decade where more than doubled.

Uh stability in property valuations and taxes allows me to maintain rent prices, which leads to long-term tenants.

Um that's a good thing, actually.

Uh, I may be a landlord, but I'm also a human being.

And when I drove into town during COVID, I could see the cost of my success living under the 705 overpass.

We are facing an unprecedented affordability crisis in this country from inflation, tariffs, snap cuts, the premium rises that are coming later this year.

And our focus should be on building more affordable houses and not piling more burden onto the working class neighbors.

And just as an aside, uh for landlords looking to offset uh money from uh, you know, small amount of money from evictions.

I would say use the hundreds of thousands of dollars that you've accrued in equity over the last 10 years, owning your properties doing nothing, okay, to offset that.

Huge upside in just owning a house.

That's all it is.

Sorry, thank you.

That's okay, thank you, Matthew.

I I I heard the apology, so I'm gonna let that one slide.

That was that was good good good self-awareness.

All right, Tyrell.

Uh hello, city council.

My name is Tyrrell Stalworth, and I am the city liaison for the associate students of the University of Washington, Tacoma.

Uh, as you know, housing is a very important issue to students, and we believe that the current proposals to the landlord fairness code do not contribute towards bettering the housing situation uh in Tacoma.

Many of our students are tenants, and like many Tacoma residents, um they have witnessed harsh renting situations.

Uh more specifically, we believe that means testing uh means testing as a way to access benefits is reductive and will only become a barrier for tenants who would qualify for the eviction exemptions anyway.

Uh many student tenants are balancing schoolwork along with working a job, and in some cases, um are taking care of family members as well.

For those renters, means testing is a system getting in the way of protections that should already be provided by law.

Uh finally, we also believe that maintaining the two rent increased notices, one at a hundred and eighty days and another at 90 days is ideal.

Uh the tenants most vulnerable to rent increases are often the same tenants who are overwhelmed by multiple jobs and other responsibilities.

I personally know students who live within margins of homelessness.

Uh, even a slight increase in rent would be castro catastrophic for them.

Uh, making sure those individuals have the proper notice and time to prepare is crucial.

Uh, providing a second notice is best practice that ensures these tenants have a clear timely reminder and a fair opportunity to prepare.

Uh, the associate students of the University of Washington Tacoma strongly recommend reconsidering these proposals and leaning more towards the changes offered by Councilmember Scott.

Uh, stop the stress to repeal voter approved tenant rights.

We demand genuine negotiations with tenants at the table.

Thank you.

Are we just coming up?

Look, I'm like, are you Martell?

No.

No.

Okay.

Okay.

So I was letting them go because they had they they were all in order and in line, but I think that line has ended.

So I am going to I do I normally go back and forth between who's in the chambers and who's online, and we have 14 people who are online.

But I'm gonna take the next five people in the chambers.

And Lua, were you in that line?

Mark, so Martel Hall, uh Karina Bro Boykin, Ash Meer.

Jen Barfield, and Shalom.

Shalom, I don't want to mess up your last name.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Martel.

Council members.

Mayor.

Yes, sure.

Has entered the bill.

Council members, my name is Martel Hall.

I'm a Tacoma tendant and resident at Bryn Mar.

A father and a black man fighting every day to give his kids a safe and stable home.

Our landlord, PCMI, has been exploiting a loophole raising rent, just under 5%.

Multiple times a year to Dodge relocation assistance.

Let me tell you, this isn't technicality.

This is predatory greed.

Hitting families like mine.

Every raise, steal stability, shatters, routines, and many makes my kids wonder where the home is really home.

Any and all rent increases over 5% must be triggered.

Relocation assistance.

No loopholes, no excuses.

The selective enforcement, strong armed tactics, bullying and demands of rent, repossessions of vehicle, affecting the livelihood of unfavored tenants with the lack of empathy and compassion.

While favoring the sealed and covered mouths of those who sold their souls and humanity just for an unpromising place to lay their heads.

And a house, their family, and children, which should never come to any situation at all.

If you let this continue, you're saying it's okay for children to pay the price for the loopholes.

That's not Tacoma.

That's not justice.

Protect the families.

Protect our kids.

Close this loophole today.

Councilmember Scott.

Councilmember Diaz.

Mayor Woodrow's.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening, Council.

My name is Karina, and I'm here as a steering committee member of Tacoma for All.

And I've been a longtime tenant in the city of Tacoma.

I'm speaking to the Landlord Fairness Code and Councilmember Rumba's proposal to impose means testing tenants before we can access eviction protections, which is one of the central pillars of the landlord's fairness code.

This proposal transforms a practical life-saving protection into a bureaucratic maze that few tenants will be able to successfully navigate.

It's critical whether we keep this protection universal.

I want to thank you to to send thanks to any of the council members who might be working to bring forth amendments against these dangerous rollbacks to ensure tenants in Tacoma to include your constituents and most importantly, your community members continue to be protected.

We are in a class war, and any plans to roll back any of the to keep tenant protection should be rejected by anyone who sits on council.

Housing is a human right.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening, Council.

Good evening, Mayor.

My name is Ash Mir.

I am an attorney at Tacoma Pro Bono, but I am speaking on my own behalf.

I am also speaking as a member of Tacoma DSA.

Um I am an attorney at Tacoma Pro Bono and I represent tenants facing eviction.

Since I started in 2022, I've represented over 100 tenants in Pierce County who are facing eviction.

I support Councilmember Scott's proposal to delay any changes to the code until all parties, including our new mayor, tenants and their advocates can be at the table.

I do not support any exemptions for landlords from the landlord fairness code.

Affordable housing for anyone who doesn't have experience with it is defined as affordable by the landlord and the government, not the tenants.

If your income is less than the rent, they can call it what they want, but it still isn't affordable for you.

These landlords are not low income.

They just want to be able to evict people more easily.

Evictions may save them money, but are but their burden on our city and our taxpayers with all the costs that the unhoused generate, both financial and social.

In my work, I've seen that the Tacoma Housing Authority is actually one of the most aggressive landlords in seeking to evict its tenants.

This is done by for-profit property management companies that are subcontractors and have no mission beyond delivering rental income.

These are rarely small landlords struggling to pay their mortgages.

They are mostly for-profit corporations and government-funded organizations.

Organizations who are not following their own mandate to keep people housed.

Thank you for the opportunity.

Thank you.

My name is Jen Barfield, and I'm a steering committee member with Tacoma for All.

I've spoken with dozens of tenants while canvassing in Westside Estates, including Cassandra, who couldn't be here today because of health issues.

She's one of many residents in Tacoma who feels strongly that slumlords, uh like the owners of Westside, should not be exempted from tenant protections.

West Side is one of the biggest slumlords in Tacoma, but Councilmember Rumbaugh's proposal would exempt them from the LFC.

I hear there is positive movement on this, but I want to make clear slumlords should not be exempted from the landlord fairness code.

Tenants at Westside are exactly the ones who need the landlord fairness code the most.

Westside is owned by a Mercer Island-based company that owns thousands of units and has already wasted taxpayer money by suing the city to overturn the LFC.

To approve a sweeping exemption is to prioritize corporate slumlords over Tacoma renters.

The proposal is far too broad, lacks transparency, and we don't even have a list of the for-profit landlords who would be exempted, though this clearly will strip protections from thousands of tenants of for-profit landlords.

I understand council members feel urgency over exempting nonprofit landlords.

If that's your motivation, then I would urge you to support Councilmember Scott's proposal to separate nonprofit exemptions from corporate slumlords like Westside.

Do not put them in the same category.

Stop the rush to repeal voter approved tenant rights.

We demand genuine negotiations with tenants at the table.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Shalom.

Good evening.

Reverend Shalom Agderap, speaking to ordinance 29086 as well.

Every day that I am at work, which is just at a United Methodist Church three blocks up the road, we receive calls from tenants who've been given 14-day eviction notices and are asking for support in the form of hotel vouchers and gas cards, which leads me to a very concrete point.

Because this proposal transforms a practical life-saving protection and turns it into a bureaucratic maze that very few will be able to navigate successfully.

Please keep this universal protection.

Now, if the person who calls, because I get about eight to twelve of these a day, and that's only in the few hours that I'm in the office.

If a person who calls my church is still housed but struggling to pay rent, they ask us for rent and utility assistance because they've had fees leveled on them month after month.

You council members who support these changes are hoping for less delinquency, but we are the ones, myself and so many other people of faith and churches who answer these phone calls by so many vulnerable ones.

Therefore, protect tenant stability, no late fees and notices, no increase on late fees.

As a person of faith, it is my call to do no harm and honor human dignity.

Stop this rush to repeal voter-approved tenant rights.

Okay.

Um there was somebody I did not call earlier.

Um Myron Bernard.

Thank you, Myron.

Sorry.

Oh.

That's no problem.

Good evening, everyone.

Uh my name is Myron Bernard, and joining me is Cassandra Crosby Jackson.

We're with the Tacoma Rescue Mission.

And uh, we are actually speaking on resolution 41809.

So uh first off, I want to thank you for uh the city support of people who are experiencing homelessness and those who are often the most vulnerable in our city.

Um we also want to thank you for considering an investment into the youth programming services of the Tacoma Rescue Mission.

So every year we serve thousands of people who are experiencing homelessness, and many of that are families and families who have children, and those young people are experiencing homelessness as well.

We've seen firsthand that the disruption that homelessness causes in a young person's life, unless it's stopped early, unless it's uh met with targeted support, it can have a long-lasting traumatic impact on the life of a young person, which is why we offer youth programming services.

Uh our youth programming offers things like tutoring and academic support, offers uh social care, emotional care, it offers um uh mentoring and trauma-informed activities.

Ultimately, we're creating a safe place for kids to be kids.

So, this uh proposed um investment into young people and programming.

It would go to funding tutoring, it would go to providing transportation and enrichment activities.

Um, it would help parents who are looking to increase their income and find housing.

And uh it leverages volunteers.

Every dollar stretches to maximum effect.

Uh, and we thank you for your consideration.

Thank you.

Thank you all so much.

Okay.

I'm gonna come back.

I'm gonna I'm gonna take the next the next group of speakers on this page, and then we're gonna take a 10-minute bathroom break, and then we'll come back and keep calling people.

Um, we'll start with uh Francis Fay Oak, Devin Rydale Kelly.

Kiss Hona.

No, a after after Devin Rydale Kelly.

No, come on up, Francis.

And then and then Chris and then uh Nathan Blackmere.

Go ahead.

Francis Fay, District 2.

There's no excuse for why we need to be here.

Five weeks ago, I joined dozens of other tenants articulating the wrong headedness of Council Member Rumbaugh's attempts to gut the tenant bill of rights.

A leader would have heard our pleas for dignity, justice, and redress, and immediately turned away from a plan that harms thousands of Tacoma tenants for nothing more than a cynical benefit of a few, small-minded, rich and power-obsessed landlords.

Harming tenants is wrong.

On this point, you've heard us loud and clear.

What your continued actions demonstrate is that you have no plans to listen, but that doesn't mean that you've silenced our voices.

My neighbors and I at the New York Apartments and Stadium District have formed an unbreakable union.

Tacoma's first supermajority tenant union.

We have no intention of accepting compromises to our dignity.

We have every intention of exercising our collective power and catalyzing a citywide movement of community protection.

Frankly, where this lame duck council chooses to go from here is irrelevant because all power is coming back to the people.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Devin Wright El Kelly.

Hi, everybody.

My name is Devin Ride O'Kelly.

I live and work in District 3.

I'm the co-director of Tacoma for All, and I'm honored to speak after my friends and comrades in the New York Apartments Organizing Committee and Tenant Union.

Our months of accordated action, thousands of petitions, emails, letters, and everyone's being here tonight has made it abundantly clear.

We are a powerful growing movement in tenants and workers, and we're dead serious about protecting tenant rights.

You were honest about uh having trouble with meaningful enforcement and requiring a landlord registry and better city funding be one of the only ways you would be able to achieve it.

Several council members mentioned it.

We agree with you.

We need enforcement.

We need a system that with uh teeth, particularly as Donald Trump eviscerates federal housing funding, attacks working renters, and gives his landlord buddies even more leeway every day.

That's why we're building majority tenant unions here in Tacoma, and that's why we need to build enforcement systems based on the people.

This next week you all get to choose which side you're on in the coming year.

Do you want to sign with the landlords and the ruling class and Trumpism, or do you want to sign with Tacoma's 100,000 plus tenants, renters, and workers?

It goes far beyond the people in this room here tonight.

We want to be allied with allied with you next year to expand enforcement and tenant protections, not at the other side of the table in a fight.

Thank you.

Okay.

I didn't say anything.

Snapping's getting loud.

A clap happened.

I didn't say anything, but I just want to remind everybody I know as the night gets on, gets on.

We kind of start to break the rules, so I'm gonna remind you, please.

No clapping, cheering, or booing.

You're not cheering or booing, but no clapping, no loud snapping.

Um again, be respectful of everybody who's here tonight whose opinion may be different than yours.

Come on up.

And tell me your name.

Yes.

Hello, my name is Kishana Curtis.

Kishana, thank you, Kashana.

I'm sorry.

Hello, my name is Kishana Curtis, and I serve as the vice chair of Tacoma for All.

Council members, you have heard the resounding and unified message of tenants, workers, and community leaders over the past several weeks.

Stop this rush to repeal voter approved tenant protections.

We are asking for genuine negotiations with tenants at the table.

We hope that us raising our voices to speak out against these proposed amendments has inspired many of you to pause and think critically about what you are going to do come December 9th.

To the community members present today, I want to thank you all for coming to share your voices and for being a part of shaping the future of democracy in this city.

One that is transparent, one that is for the people, by the people.

We urge you to come and follow us as we leave these chambers and march to Urban Grace Church, where we will have a rally to discuss how we plan to stay organized during this final week of action and beyond.

This fight is far from over, and it is bigger than this moment.

Real power lies in the hands of the people, and trust and believe it will be built outside of these walls.

We have done our due diligence, and we will be back next week.

Now we continue to build a movement that will someday soon be unstoppable.

If you are worried about missing the meeting, we will have a team staying behind to report back on the rest of the meeting at the rally.

If you believe housing is a human right and want to get organized, join us outside.

We bought the heat.

Now we take it to the streets.

Thank you.

Oh, I I was I was I was gonna call up the rest of the people on this page, but are you guys done?

Are you taking a break?

You're done.

Okay, okay, no problem.

Let me just call.

So, Nathan Lua Pritchard, Josiah Johnson, and Ladonna Robertson.

Can you hear me?

Please be quiet as you leave.

We still have people speaking.

Okay, well, uh, my name's Nathan.

Um, you might remember me, you might not.

I don't know.

I was a social worker out here in Tacoma.

Hold on, hold on just one second.

You all somebody somebody's still speaking.

It's not a break yet.

So please, if you want to have a conversation, take it out in the hall.

If not, use your whisper voice so that this gentleman can speak.

Thank you.

Well, now I feel bad.

Sorry.

No, no, no, no, don't feel bad.

I couldn't, we couldn't hear you, so that's why.

Fair.

Uh, my name is Nathan Blackmar.

I live here in Tacoma.

I'm here to talk about the landlord fairness changes.

Um, and just how like far I think we've come from what spurred these protections in the first place.

Now, I I was the like primary CLR case manager on both the Tiki and Merkel mass evictions.

And when I tell you that these protections are written blood, I mean it.

People suffered in ways that most of you on the council probably can't imagine to get even a modicum of protection.

I'm reminded of a specific person, and I'm not gonna use her name.

I'll call her, oh, I don't know, Rera Sumba.

Let's try that.

And she was kicked out of her house pretty young and needed a place to stay, and found a unit here in the city.

And all it cost her was sex with a landlord, sex with a landlord for four or five years, until suddenly he had gotten sick of her, decided that she owed all that back rent, and evicted her, and then repeated the process at least two other times that I was aware of when I was on the streets.

Until suddenly, he had gotten sick of her, decided that she owed all that back rent and evicted her, and then repeated the process at least two other times that I was aware of when I was on the streets.

This is serious.

These are our protections, and they're written in blood.

Stop messing with them.

Thank you.

Lua.

Honorable mayor.

Respected members of the council.

Good evening.

I'm Lua Pritchard, executive director of Asia Pacific Culture Center.

And also a member, a proud member of the Affordable Housing Consortium of Pierce County.

Asia Pacific Culture Center and Low Income Housing Institute just recently developed a wonderful project of 77 units of apartments called Patsy Sur Place.

Located on G and 38th Street in the Lincoln District.

And in this housing, we house veterans and seniors.

As we are operating permanent supportive housing for people in need.

And do it now, please.

Tenants are already not paying properly.

And it continues to be, and we need your assistance.

Thank you so much.

Thank you very much, Lua.

All right.

Um, Josiah Johnson and then Ladonna Robertson, and then we're going to take just a quick 10-minute break.

And I promise we have um I think 25 more people who are signed up, and I we will come right back and get to you all.

Josiah must have left.

Josiah?

Okay.

Ladonna, you're Ladonna.

Come on up, Ladonna.

As far as I know.

This is for ordinance two nine zero eight six.

As did Mayor Elect Zoran Mamdani in New York City, the Tacoma Mayor elect Anders Ibsen ran on a promise to continue to tackle Tacoma's affordability crisis by following the ballot passed 2023 initiative guidelines backed by the Tacoma for All Organization to provide affordable housing buildings, freeze rents at a three percent increase, and make housing attainable, which was unfortunately overruled by our governor Ferguson and company at a whopping 10% ceiling.

The majority of voters agreed with this as evidenced by their majority votes and the willingness to monitor and fight against unjustifiable evictions and other additional fees, drawing barriers toward true affordability.

We also need the same holistic approach that New York City will use that brings housing safety and long-term community stability under the same entity.

We are continuing to tackle the housing crisis by adding more buildings under low income, but are being rushed to adverse judgment by the city of Tacoma.

Join us in the fight to keep housing affordable.

It is one of our most cherished rights.

We need to retain our Tacoma for all city rights.

Absolutely.

We have some new kids on the block.

Thank you very much for your comments.

All right, if you guys give us just 10 minutes, we're gonna take a quick bathroom break.

We'll be right back.

We stand in recess for 10 minutes.

I'd like to call back to order the city council meeting.

And we're going to go on.

I appreciate those of you who are online.

We have a lot of people who are here in the chambers, and I want to respect the time that they have given to be here.

So I'm going to get to you all online in just a minute here, but I want to call a few more people who are in chambers.

In Southport's 30 years of operation, it's never had a property fall out of affordability.

The updates made in this ordinance and associated exemptions provided provide for this kind of permanently affordable housing provided for this kind of permanently affordable housing will help stabilize Southport's ability to continue making investments in Tacoma's affordable housing future.

Southport certainly wants to continue building affordable housing here in Tacoma and a lot of it to continue providing safe, stable, affordable homes that serve as a backstop for those who are rent burdened and at risk of homelessness.

However, building and maintaining housing at this scale requires significant public and private resources.

And the updates made in this ordinance would help provide the needed certainty for making further investments in this long-term affordable housing stock.

Thank you very much.

Thank you.

Sue.

Good evening, Sue Clemens.

A couple of comments.

Rights equals responsibilities, and that means if you sign the legal document, you should be honoring those agreements.

Equity does not equal money for repairs.

I am a poster, I've been told I'm a poster child for some of these exclusions, like I own one unit.

I'm 80, I'm on Social Security, I have a very small pension, and I need this the rents to in to make my mortgage payment and to pay the water bill.

My mortgage company, if I become late, charges a 5% late charge.

They can foreclose in six months.

Doesn't matter the month of the year, I'd be out, and then the tenant would be out.

Because we're all on that, as I said, that same one tax parcel number.

Um I know I've heard uh on the news that um car repos are up because car lenders are not be receiving payments, and the repo man comes out.

Um I do not have quiet enjoyment of my property right now because somebody is not living up to the uh the terms and conditions of an agreement.

I did not sign up for socialized housing.

That's my understanding.

The government takes care of socialized housing.

If that's true, where do I sign up for getting her payments?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Uh good evening, Mayor and Council members.

My name is Jason Berg, and I'm a first-time homeowner here in Tacoma.

I'm here to speak in support of changes to the Landlord Fairness Code Initiative.

I achieved my dream and bought a home with a small detached ADU in November of 2023, just before the landlord fairness initiative went on the ballot.

I worked for an environmental nonprofit, and rental income was the only way I could qualify for my mortgage.

Before that, I spent 23 years as a renter.

I voted for this initiative because I believe in tenants' rights and protection from predatory landlords and in reasonable limits on rent increases.

But as it stands, this code has unintentionally punished small responsible housing providers like myself.

My first tenants stopped paying rent after seven months, and it took an additional nine months to regain possession of my property.

On top of unpaid rent during that time, they caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage.

New carpet is now covered in human excrement, broken windows, water damage subfloors, destroyed appliances, and a severe cockroach infestation, to name a few.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor Words, uh, Deputy Mayor Daniels and Council members.

My name is Natalie Smith, and I'm here representing the Tacoma Pierce County Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber supports these necessary updates to Chapter 1.100 of the Tacoma and Municipal Code, the Landword Fairness Code.

Without these changes to the LFC, we believe housing and security will continue to increase.

In our discussion with community members since the LFC's implementation, we have repeatedly heard concerns and seen evidence of negative impacts from the LFC.

It is troubling that property owners are now reporting that they plan to reduce the amount of rental properties they own, forfeiting residential supply when we're already not on track to meet housing growth targets.

Rent is continuing to increase when affordability is an existing issue in Tacoma.

And the destabilization of affordable housing hurts the most vulnerable populations.

The ordinance before you proposed by Councilmember Rumbot is not sufficient to reverse these trends, but it is progress.

While some stakeholders are calling for complete repeal of the LFC, the chamber understands that the council is trying to strike a balance between tenant protections and preserving housing availability.

The council must take action now, as this issue is a pressing matter.

But we look forward to and strongly encourage continued code updates in the coming year.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor and Commissioners.

Uh my name is Bill Cook.

I'm the director of housing management with the low-income housing institute, and I'm here to voice support for exempting nonprofit housing providers from the LFC.

The low-income housing institute develops, owns, and operates housing for the benefits of low-income homeless and formerly homeless people in Washington State and administers a range of supportive services programs to assist those we serve in maintaining stable housing and increasing their self-sufficiently sufficiency, excuse me.

We currently own and manage 158 units in Tacoma of elderly and supportive housing.

The fact is that most of our residents are formerly homeless and have been waiting for a unit for months, if not years.

Our goal is to keep tenants stably housed, not to remove them.

Evictions are not something we undertake unless absolutely necessary due to the financial stability of the property and the safety of other residents and the surrounding community.

Our two buildings are currently experiencing rental arrears in the amount of almost 100,000.

Um that's made up of about 40 percent of the residents between the two buildings.

Uh so that challenge is a massive uh problem for us.

Um we also are seeing tenant damages.

We have one resident who did not chose actually chose not to pay rent for about 13 months and was finally evicted and left about $30,000 worth of damages in the unit.

Um Lehigh is simply asking the council to support an exemption for nonprofit housing providers.

Uh this exemption would ensure that Lehigh providers can operate with financial stability and continue to provide good housing.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, the next group, Alex Shipley, Sean Egan, Jason Scales, and Jude Gray.

Good evening.

My name's Axel.

Oh, Axel's, I'm sorry.

It's okay.

I didn't choose it.

Axel, can I please stop Axel's time?

That is the best response I've heard to heard to me messing up someone's name ever.

I've had a lot of practice.

Um so I'm here to uh just speak very quickly.

Uh streamlining the process of eviction only serves to streamline the process of destitution on our streets.

Landlords do not create value within our city, but instead capture existing value that workers build and maintain.

At a time when housing insecurity is rising dramatically, catering to the whims of a landlord class that only serves to extract as much value as they can from Tacoma residents is against the very purpose of the fairness of the fairness code.

We need to have a serious conversation about the expansion of tenants' rights.

Not at the uh not of the expansion of landlords' ability to profit at their expense.

That's all.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you, Axel.

Sean Good evening.

My name is Sean Egan.

I'm here today on behalf of the Port of Tacoma and here on some completely different topics.

Um, first I wish to touch on three different items on your agenda this evening.

Uh, first of all, regarding items 14, 15, and 16 in the adoption of the Tide Flat Sub-area plan.

Time unfortunately is not available for me to think the many, many people who have put in years of effort behind this.

Suffice it to say that the port is looking forward to the council's affirmative vote adopting the plan tonight.

Second, regarding item num 21, the transportation impact fees.

Um, I previously shared with a number of you some concerns we had about earlier versions of the proposal.

I'm happy to report that thanks to the thoughtful and creative work of city staff, specifically Jennifer Camersall from the public works department, our issue has been resolved.

Finally, we still have concerns regarding item 24 imposing stormwater impact fees.

Our concerns are threefold.

One, we want to avoid the prospect of double taxation on specific projects.

Two, we want to ensure that the impact fee is only applied to projects that actually have an impact on the city's stormwater system.

And third, we want to ensure that environmental projects, most notably remediation projects under orders from the Department of Ecology are protected.

We've shared proposed amendment language with several of you that we hope will be included in the final version of the proposal.

The city has anticipated included and included exemptions within the wastewater impact fee proposal, and the port believes that the city council can and should do the same with the stormwater impact fee proposal.

Thank you.

Thank you, Sean.

Jason.

Hello, my name is Jason Scales, and I'm the executive director at Lassa.

At Lhasa, we work to prevent homelessness, providing housing services to chronically homeless families in the Pierce County area.

As a part of that work, we own and operate 15 affordable housing units in the city of Tacoma.

I'm here tonight to talk about exempting nonprofits from the eviction moratorium because we at loss are finding severe unintended consequences of the of the landlord fairness code in this area.

Um all of our families come to our units directly from living on the street or from a local shelter.

Many of our families have been on the waiting list for years to get into these units.

It's one of the reasons why we see some large um housing debt, rental debt, even though we charge only 30% of residents' income for those units.

In the last 12 months, we've had two units fall under this moratorium.

It is cost loss of it's gonna at the end in the end, it's gonna cost loss of close to $50,000 between lost rent from units being vacant during turnover costs, turnover, and um non-paid rent.

That is gonna be about 5% of our annual operating budget on just two units.

So besides that, both units stood empty once eviction happened for over four months as it took us that long to get the units ready to go.

So I'm here to umpe, I'm done.

Thank you.

Please, please feel free to share it, give your comments to the clerk, and she'll make sure we get the rest of them.

Thank you.

Hi, I'm Jude Gray.

Thanks, June.

Uh, you seem to have lied to that kind representative from our sister city.

Those good things he listed have not been shared priorities by many of you since I've been here in 2018.

I'm sadly not surprised you are actively trying to strip the few rights we hard won and voted for as tenants in your districts, me and district one.

You call it a sanctuary city, and then you do extensive suites every winter on top of the usual ones you do, yet nothing gets better.

This does not make me proud of Tacoma.

I haven't been able to afford an apartment here on my own since 2019.

On the brink of houselessness, I was forced to move from homeowner to homeowner who had no interest in allowing me to consider it my home and had to move more times than I care to count to you.

Thanks to the tenant bill, I'm finally secured housed.

However, it took me five years to find five years, which deeply affected my mental and physical health negatively.

Your cheapest affordable units that y'all are talking about are still far higher than my 850 max, which is also the vast majority of my limited income.

Another barrier making this impossible.

Stop coming after us, stop prioritizing landlords with more than five buildings, which that's what qualifies.

Uh, more than four.

Stop targeting the least of us for Christ's sake.

Stop pretending to care when we know you actually don't.

We know this because you routinely sweep on house encampments in winter because of old Karen Heinz over there, and tolerate targets against the desperately barely housed from Sarah right now.

Until you start prioritizing human rights and housing people here, fuck your decorum.

All right, Jessica Witson.

Followed by Corey Jelseth and Zoe Greeter.

Crider.

Is Corey here?

Are you Corey?

Jessica.

Jessica, Corey.

Corey, come on up, Corey.

Oh, did I call?

Oh, Jess, I'm sorry, Car.

Jessica, you're first.

I'm sorry.

That's okay.

It's getting late.

Yes.

Hello.

Uh my name is Jessica Whitson.

I have worked and rented in Tacoma for over 20 years.

And I'm here today to ask you to keep the renter protections through the landlord fairness code.

This bill was voted on by people in Tacoma and it was passed.

Uh since moving to Tacoma in 2003, rent has tripled.

It's often been about 50 to 80% of my income, making it impossible for me to save money for a down payment to buy my own home.

I have paid 358,248 dollars to landlords over my time here.

I've taken very good care of any place that I've lived in the properties that I have been in.

And I have always had a good relationship with all of my landlords.

I have currently been in my apartment that I'm in now for eight years.

Right, after the tenant bill of rights was in place, or the landlord fairness code, I received a notice that my rent would go up by more than five percent in just two months.

We brought the tenant bill of rights of the landlord fairness code to their attention, and they were required to lower the increase and give us a six-month notice.

In June of this year, we received another notice, this time for a 5% increase in a six-month notice.

And this gave me the time that I needed to weigh out my options so that I can make a good decision for myself and my family.

Please vote to keep the renter protections through the landlord fairness code.

Housing is a human right, and a necessity and investment property is not.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor Woodards and Council members.

Thanks for allowing me to speak.

I'm Corey Jolseth, a lifelong resident of Tacoma.

My wife and I have been married for 38 years and bought our first home 37 years ago, a duplex, and instantly became landlords.

We've worked hard these past 37 years to keep the properties we own in good repair and provide our tenants a safe and secure place in which to live.

Two years ago, not a week after measure one was enacted uh into law.

Uh my tenant uh let me know that I couldn't evict him for non-payment of rent.

I never received another nickel from him.

He finally left in mid-April of 24, and he owed me over 4,500 in back rent.

Additionally, he destroyed the unit.

The carpet was ruined, there was whole, there were holes in it nearly every wall, and it was filthy.

I spent over $3,700 fixing it myself.

Had I hired a contractor, it would have been probably double that.

When a tenant doesn't pay rent, I still have to pay my mortgage.

Property taxes, homeowners' insurance, as well as maintenance to be sure the homes are kept safe and in good repair.

As a result of measure one, my wife and I have decided to sell a home that we've owned for over 24 years.

This home has provided a safe and uh place for tenants to live for numerous years.

I'm not a corporate landlord, I'm not rich, I'm not heartless.

I have empathy and I want everyone to survive to to thrive, excuse me, in our in our city.

I want to keep people in their homes, but requiring small housing providers to bear the brunt is unfair.

Thank you.

Thank you, Corey.

Zoe.

Hi, uh Zoe Greeter.

I live in District 4.

Um, I am a homeowner in Tacoma and currently rent to multiple people in my home.

Um I want to speak in um defense of the landlord fairness code.

Um, it is absolutely essential that we keep people housed.

Um I specifically want to speak to the intersection of the tenants bill of rights and the recently passed homeless ban.

Uh I work with volunteer outreach workers throughout the city.

I've been doing this work for the entire time I've lived in Tacoma.

Um, one night recently, someone that I work with informed me that they met 13 people that were new on the street in one night.

They had all recently been evicted.

As you heard when we voted for the camping ban, 70 per there was a 70 percent increase in deaths last Winter.

It's going to be worse this year with the new camping ban.

If you're unaware, the definition of inclement weather has been narrowed, and there is no city or county leadership happening when things do not fall within these parameters.

It this past inclement weather when it was freezing, it was 27 degrees on hilltop the other morning.

There was no inclement weather because it wasn't supposed to be 35 for three whole days.

Um the shelter capacity has been decimated, and getting rid of the winter and fiction protections will literally kill people.

I have seen this happen.

I have been there when they have found people.

If you voted for the camping ban, and if you vote to strike down these protections, you have blood on your hands.

Thank you.

Thank you, Zoe.

All right.

Jen Drake, Chris Van Vecton, Dylan Blossom, Galvin Gus, and Thomas McCarty.

McCarthy, sorry.

Sorry, Tom, I know better.

He had to go home to take care of children.

Did he okay?

Good thing he's not here to hear me mess up his name.

Yes.

Uh, good evening.

My name's Jen, and I'm a Tacoma resident and small landlord, and also run several low-income senior living communities in the area.

And um I I do hope that uh Councilmember Rambaugh's ordinance does go through because it creates rights for tenants, but also responsibility for landlords, too.

So when there's a right for tenants, but only the responsibilities fall on the landlord.

That's not a balance, it's a one-sided mandate.

And tenant rights do matter.

They do deserve protection, but rights without responsibility aren't really rights.

They're unilateral demands.

And that's exactly what the tenant bill of rights has become in practice.

It burdens small landlords like us with complex notice rules, heavy penalties, extended moratoriums, and relocation payment requirements that can be triggered even though we've done nothing wrong.

Meanwhile, the city's findings show that policy has had serious unintended consequences.

It destabilizes small housing providers, increases unit damage, leads to tougher screening, and keeps units vacant longer.

That hurts the very people we all want to help.

We need a housing system where both parties are accountable, where good faith landlords can maintain safe homes without risking financial collapse, and tenants have real protections, not unlimited shields that erode housing supply.

You can protect tenants and keep housing available, but we can't do that with an ordinance that treats one side as a villain and the other as consequence free.

Balance is not optional.

It's essential to stabilize Tacoma's housing market.

Thank you so much.

Thank you.

Evening.

No one has yet explained how the public interest in creating affordable housing is served by keeping non-paying tenants in rentals where others are able and willing to move in, but can't because of these provisions.

No one seems to deny that this has scared a lot of people away from renting a home in Tacoma.

I can tell you it has also made it harder to get housed if you have an imperfect history.

One of my former clients called me today to inform me he was rejected from a rental property here in Tacoma this week because he was accused of theft in 2022.

The landlord acknowledged he was never actually convicted, but the simple fact that he had been accused of stealing once in his life made him too nervous to proceed with my client, given these eviction moratoriums.

More than 40% of Washington families are renters, and yet roughly 99.998% of them weren't accused of not paying rent last year despite a record increase in filings.

For these reasons, I would encourage adoption of this ordinance.

It's not perfect, but it does move us in the right direction.

If we want to be a progressive community, we have to have policies in place that actually improve people's lives, and these eviction moratoriums do not.

Thank you.

Thank you, Chris.

Hello.

Speaking on ordinance uh 29086.

Uh, my name is Dylan Blossom.

I'm a member of the Philippine U.S.

Solidarity Organization and the Defend Migrants Alliance.

As a resident of Tacoma, I am calling on Tacoma City Council members tonight to defend tenant rights and defend migrants and defend all residents of Tacoma.

Tenant protections outlined in the landlord fairness code initiative were fought for and won by migrant worker families and other working class people in Tacoma that benefit all of us.

To repeal them is to attack all working people and residents of Tacoma, and it's just one such attack that is all too common in America right now under the Trump administration.

Instead of waging this attack, I ask you to rise up to defend uh residents and workers of Tacoma, including migrants currently detained at the Northwest uh immigrant ICE Processing Center.

Um Kuyuji, a detained Filipino father and permanent legal permanent resident, has been facing extreme medical violence at the hands of ICNGEO alongside other detainees, including decorated U.S.

veterans.

His condition became so bad that he was taken to St.

Joseph Medical Center where he was treated for ulcerative colitis on the verge of colon cancer and a bone infection that resulted in his toe being amputated.

One of the geo guards at the hospital not only endangered Kuyaji's life, but the lives of all other patients and health care workers there when he left his loaded gun in the bathroom unattended for six to seven hours.

I just now received word that ICE is moving to deport him on the next flight to the Philippines as his condition condition continues to worsen.

I call on you to push for the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department to conduct an investigation into the medical violence and deplorable health conditions at the uh detention center that constitute a public health emergency for all of Tacoma.

Thank you.

Thank you, Dylan Gavin.

All right.

Galvin, and we know Thomas McCarthy is left.

Is it Nicholas?

Coulter.

Okay.

Liddy Austin.

Corey Gelseth.

No, I just called you.

Oh no, sorry, different.

The other Cory Gelder.

The other the other Corey Gelseth.

Oh, this is Junior.

I didn't even recognize senior with all the hair.

Good evening, Council Mayor Woodards.

My name is Corey Jalseth Jr.

and I am here this evening on behalf of the Rental Housing Association of Washington and the 6,000 members we represent across the state.

RHA is thankful to Councilmember Rumbaugh and all the additional sponsors for bringing forward this ordinance.

Two years ago, RHA and other housing groups expressed our deep and ardent concerns with Measure One.

Our concerns and viewpoints grounded in decades of experience with rental housing were shouted down as fear-mongering and untrue.

Well, fast forward to now, many things that we shouted from the rooftops would happen have indeed come to pass.

There is less rental housing, and what is left is less affordable.

If you're looking around tonight, we could look around tonight a little bit.

Uh the room wasn't exactly filled to the brim with concerned housing providers, and it's because they packed up and left.

Many have sold their units, and those are now gone from the rental market.

Tacoma decided to try these failed policies because uh thought it would somehow be different.

Well, we're finding out it's exactly the same.

Couple this with state level rent control, and you have an environment that no longer works for the little guys.

Uh, I have with me, and I'll be happy to leave an executive summary from a multi-year survey with our membership that shows quite clearly why there is less uh local rental housing from local providers.

The eviction moratoriums, the low incentive to pay rent in a timely manner, and increased administrative burden are all very well cited.

Uh, there is a this is a very pragmatic first step, and I thank the council for taking it.

Uh, but there is much more work to be done.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

All right.

Um, followed by Colin Anderson, David Rose, and Matt Estrada.

Hi, Mayor Lord.

Good evening.

Good evening, Council.

Hi, my name is Athena Dunn, and I'm a Tacoma Housing Authority Commissioner.

I'm also a Tacoma renter.

I'm here to testify in support of exempting affordable housing providers from the eviction moratorium continued in the Landlord Fairness Code or item number 290 86.

Most of the people that THA serves are extremely low-income, making less than 30% of the area median income.

About half are disabled, and our largest group of heads of households are 60 to 69 years old.

For THA and many of our housing provider partners, the landlord fairness code has had several unintended consequences.

Higher delinquency, rates and rent collection, difficulty securing needed investments to build and maintain affordable housing, and increase debt and financial insecurity for renters.

We are advocating for an exemption for the mormorium, not to increase evictions, but to increase the likelihood that households can remain stably housed for the long term.

Additionally, the higher delinquency rates that in THA's portfolios are hindering THA from serving the 10,000 plus households on our waiting list.

I appreciate the council's thoughtful consideration of amendments to the code, and I strongly urge you to make these changes immediately.

Thank you.

Thank you, Athena.

Thank you.

Colin Anderson.

David Rose.

Good evening.

My name is David Rose.

Um I am speaking on 29086.

I want to make sure the nature, the context, and the gravity of the question tonight is not lost in the members of the council or the people of Tacoma.

What you are deciding is whether or not to make it easier for a landlord to kick their tenants out of their homes onto the street and into the cold.

When the people of Tacoma voted to pass the tenants' bill of rights, we made it clear that we want our neighbors to be secure in their residences during the time of year when people are most likely to freeze to death.

What this bill is, with its means tests, its conditions, exemptions, and erosions to those rights is a shameful declaration that our city council cares more about process and paperwork than about the well-being of its citizens in their times of most desperate need.

In a time of unprecedented and increasing homelessness and with shelter spaces dwindling as federal funds run dry under this new administration, here we are discussing how to put more people onto the streets in worse weather.

Housing is a human right.

If the people of Tacoma didn't believe that, they wouldn't have voted to approve this measure.

Fix the housing affordability crisis before it gets worse, build social housing, uh address the affordability crisis that we're facing.

But if you have not fixed that in Tacoma, then what we are discussing is giving rights to people who can afford to own more than one home in this economy at the expense of people who can barely afford to rent.

Thank you.

Um, Matt Estrada.

Okay.

David Chandler.

Okay.

Reggie Brown.

Zach Banner.

Kathy Lahan.

Oh, no, no, wait.

Are you guys here?

Are you guys in line because you're I called your name?

Yes.

Okay, oh, wonderful.

Okay, sorry.

Are you Reggie?

And sir, who are you standing right in front of?

Uh, David Chandler.

Oh, David, come on up.

Uh, first person speaking, okay.

David Chandler, yeah.

Sorry, I thought you I thought you weren't here.

Okay.

Step on up, David.

Thank you.

All right.

I'm David Chandler.

I live in District 4, and I'm here to speak on the proposed meddling with the tenant protections passed by voters.

Um, it's pretty disgraceful that some members of council are here at the first allowed opportunity just under the wire for this lame duck council, chomping at the bit to overturn provisions of this direct ballot measure.

Times are getting harder and more precarious for everyone, especially with the tariffs undermining one of our largest employers.

Why are landlords specifically entitled to exemption from the economic conditions the rest of us are experiencing, especially when their financial insulation and comfort comes at the expense of the basic well-being of their tenants?

I'd also like to address some landlords' horror stories of their places getting trash that we've heard tonight.

Let's be clear that's a different matter than what's being proposed.

And if you want to address property destruction, you should address property destruction.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Reggie and then I'll use Zach.

Okay, perfect.

I wish there was AI when I first started how to do speeches.

I would have sounded so smart back then.

Okay.

Uh ordinance 2908 to impact fees.

Impact fees are a pass-through to the end user.

When I complete a home, whether it's for rent or for sale, the renter or buyer starts paying the impact fees as soon as they move in.

Ordinance 29086.

Thank you, Sarah, for having the courage to address this issue.

I know that's very, very hard.

Um, I came to Tacoma in 1990 with nothing.

I bought earnest money and the seller finance it on payment on my first home.

It took me 30 years to finally get stable enough to hold a new construction property.

Thirty years.

I literally build housing because I experienced a lot of moving as a child and I value stability.

My wife and I designed and build arguably the most affordable new construction, energy efficient, low utility bill housing in Tacoma.

My wife personally makes calls for our tenants to help them find rent money, but I can't make the mortgage payment if you continue to give people the right to not pay their rent.

This does need to be addressed now.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

Hi, Mayor, Council members.

Uh, my name is Zach Baker.

I'm here on behalf of Southport Financial Services and Trillium Housing Services.

Together we operate as a housing provider in Tacoma and across the state.

We serve more than 500 households in the city and more than 3,000 in Washington.

All of the housing we operate is deed restricted at or below 60% of the area median income, some of the most necessary housing in the city.

Specifically, we feel that the exemption language for affordable housing providers will help get us back on track toward preserving, maintaining, and creating the desperately needed housing in our city.

In a textbook or maybe a local initiative, the landlord fairness code looks like the right move.

But as you've heard from many other housing providers tonight, in reality, the landlord fairness code has significantly jeopardized our ability to preserve, maintain, and create housing in the city.

Furthermore, it has degraded our relationship with residents and threatens our ability to continue delivering housing in Tacoma.

The landlord fairness code has increased eviction rates, increased housing costs, increased homelessness, and simultaneously decreased the ability to attract lenders and investors to the area.

A real problem considering that we already have an extreme shortage of housing.

The landlord fairness code is well intentioned, but unfortunately it is doing far more harm than good.

Please pass 29086.

It's a strong step in the right direction, but we also encourage you to consider further changes and improvements regarding the way that housing is regulated in our city.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, Zach.

All right, Kathy.

So I have a court date on December 2nd after years of being harassed at um Alberta Canada Apartments.

But they've been either merged or acquired by asset management or asset living.

It's an LLC.

We have very low-income disabled seniors.

They're being harassed, have been harassed for some time now in every way possible.

Because the point is to get us out.

The point is to, you know, make money.

Blackstone, for example, um owns hundreds of thousands of units around the country now.

And hundreds of they're buying up single family homes, so young people can't have a can't even get into the uh housing market.

Um it's outrageous.

I don't know what it is, but I wish somebody would find out because the last time I checked, your name is on the lease.

Your name, even though you own the city, the housing, technique.

One time it said city Tacoma, another time it says housing.

When I pointed out it said city Tacoma, but as far as I know, only one percent is owned by the city.

99% last time I knew I I was aware was owned by a Dutch investment insurance uh asset management insurance corporation.

It's corrupt.

We are being harassed and thrown out.

I'm at least there's at least five people now that have eviction notices.

They are bogus, they are extorting people claiming we owe rent we don't owe.

It has to stop.

Thank you, Kathy.

All right, the next group of people.

Jennifer Wombol, Gary Addy, Marilyn Kimmerling, Justin Racine, and is it Oriana?

All right.

Jennifer.

Okay.

Hello, I'm Jennifer Wombled.

I am a small mom and pop housing provider in the city of Tacoma.

Uh I just want to say that I echo the comments that the Tacoma Housing Authority speaker, April stated earlier.

Those same problems and solutions apply to all housing providers, not just public housing providers, and the same exception should apply as well.

And I also want to echo and support what Jim Henderson said.

For my own words, I will say that I oppose the ordinance as it sits that enables the tenant to stop paying because it's cold outside or because school's in session.

I still have to pay my mortgage.

I still have to pay uh for repairs.

I have to pay these things, and if I don't, that property is no longer available for rent because it will be taken from me.

Um this creates a hardship for me because of those reasons.

Uh, as well as the tenant.

Um, please at least treat all housing providers the same, public and private, and by the way, public entities, it seems should be the ones that are providing the extra resources, not private businesses, not private owners.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Hello, my name's Gary Eddy.

Um I'm gonna go at this a little bit differently.

Affordable housing is needed.

Um, I would ask that all of you do anything and everything that you possibly can to bring down the cost for uh building affordable housing.

Right now it's uh it's a crazy amount of money, uh hundred thousand, hundred and twenty thousand dollars, and it takes months and months for that.

Anything you can do.

There's no reason for that to take so long, and there's no reason to charge so much uh to get housing going.

Uh I am a small business owner uh with a few rentals, and this has uh been quite the challenge for me.

Uh we've lost uh tens of thousands of dollars to unpaid renters.

Uh and um because of that and the taxes that have gone up continually.

I can't raise the rent uh enough to cover that.

It's uh it's gonna be a problem for me.

Uh possibly have to sell off the houses, which will then go to you know, probably a big company instead.

And that's not a good thing.

Uh that's so do what you can to uh follow what the state is doing, at least go there.

Uh and anything that you can do to make affordable housing truly affordable.

It's gotta come from the government.

You can't charge that much money.

You can you can't stop them from building, need to help them.

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

Uh my name is Justin Racine.

I'm just a working class goon who barely makes it by off my SSI and having to acquire the help of my parents just to stay afloat, being autistic and all that.

But I will admit this about landlords just to prove I'm fair and balanced.

If it wasn't for one time when we wouldn't do homelessness ourselves, my mom's friend who after they separated from the old job, became a landlord herself, managed to give us four years of housing.

However, I do not say this in favor of going against the tenants' rights, but and it's an exclusion and not the rule of what happens.

I was lucky.

I know no one else is.

I know there are people who are gonna be out in the cold that don't deserve it, and even more so, not just the cold of the winters, but the summers where wildfires have been increasing.

People have been not only suffering from the cold that that burns their skin, but the very smog flames that are burning the lungs into lives into health, even more so than we already know of already.

If we do not care about the lives of these people, how the heck are we going to care about our own community?

If we don't even see these people who lack a home as one of us, then how the heck are we gonna truly make regulations that are for everyone?

I do not know what this is in you on this council will make, but I ask you only this.

Recognize that as the question I want you to ask yourselves.

Is it ward at?

Thank you.

Thank you.

Marilyn, where'd you go?

I'm right here.

Oh, okay.

I thought I was afterwards.

No, you were before, but I I didn't see you, and I thought maybe you stepped out for a second.

Good evening, counsel.

Hello.

So I'm here actually to speak about two different things, but I'll try to mush them together.

So uh the landlord tenant bill of rights is the first thing.

And I don't understand what the rush is.

Now, today in the new in the Tacoma News Tribune, they had a rather lengthy article on why there wasn't more affordable housing in Tacoma.

We have a problem.

We know that.

We also have a problem with salaries have not gone up, but rents have.

And it becomes less and less affordable.

There was a whole thing in the paper today about utilities going up, both gas and electric.

Rents go up.

People are still working at the same salaries generally.

There is a crunch here.

If somebody destroys a property that they're renting, that is just cause.

That has nothing to do with our regular uh landlord, uh our regular eviction protection.

We're talking about cold weather.

We're talking about just cause evictions for property destruction.

That is different, and there is a clause in there that does do protection.

However, I strongly support this this council waiting until the new council members come in and making a decision at that point.

Now during the cold weather is no time to pass something like this.

And I didn't get to thank you yet for the the drawback on the shoreline protection uh plan that we have in the tide flats, but I'm very pleased to see that the LNG is no longer listed as um a way to mitigate pollution.

So I I applaud you on that, and yes, on that vote for that seven-year-long plan.

That is a huge, huge thing.

Thank you, Marilyn.

Oriana.

Come on.

Hi, my name's Oriana.

Uh I am a lifetime resident of Tacoma.

I'm in District 2, and I am here today.

My first time speaking, so very nervous.

Um to uh on the landlord fairness act.

I ask you to please wait and not rush to changing anything.

Um we've already lost 300 shelter beds in Tacoma since this summer.

Uh if you repeal this, people will be out on the streets.

Myself included, I would absolutely be out on the streets without those protections.

It doesn't stop renters from owing their rent money.

I pay my rent every month, but my last apartment that I lived in for eight years increased by $750 a month in the last two years that I was there, as I was caring for my father dying from lung cancer and attending our the RN program at Tacoma Community College.

I had to have a go find me to help me to get out of that where I could not afford it anymore and into some new housing here.

And without these protections, I would not be there.

I would not have graduated, I would not have a better future for my children, and I would not be able to keep staying and working and caring for people of Tacoma.

So I urge you just please don't rush anything, allow seats at the table for tenants and who this affects.

Thank you.

Thank you.

All right, the next and final group, and then I'm gonna go to those who are online.

So Holden Whitson, Jennifer Toshi, Joe Thompson, Mason Williams, and Ovinaya X.

Hello.

My name is Holden.

I'm a proud member of Malaya Tacoma, a grassroots Filipino anti-fascist organization.

I'm here in solidarity with Tacoma for All because attacks on vulnerable communities are a major characteristic of fascism.

To roll back these housing protections is not just an attack on workers, it's an attack on the most vulnerable hardworking people in our communities.

It is an attack, a direct attack on migrants, the vast majority of which are renters.

Tacoma City Council chooses to spend their salaried time rolling back rent protections, harming the very community they are supposedly here to serve, all while ignoring the human rights abuses and medical violence occurring in the Northwest Attention Center, where right now Kuya G is currently being prepared for deportation after experiencing brutal co brutal medical violence, which resulted in an amputation.

Human rights violations are happening in your city.

And through your inaction, the city of Tacoma is directly responsible for Kuya G losing his toe, losing sense in his thumb.

He said that his thumb felt dead uh for his imminent deportation in the middle of his recovery.

So we demand that the renters' protections, the people of this city fought for stay in place.

We demand the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department investigates human rights abuses at the Northwest Detention Center.

Stop the deportation of Cuyaji.

We demand justice for Cuyaji and all Filipino migrants, whusticia parakai kuyaji, who stisha parasalahat manga migrante Filipino.

Thank you.

Joe Thank you, Madam Mayor and Council members.

So my name is Joe Thompson, and I am the president of Mercy Housing Northwest, and we are a nonprofit affordable housing provider that has been providing affordable housing in Tacoma for about 25 years.

We've got six properties in Tacoma and 285 units in total.

And we're very excited that our uh investment in Tacoma is growing as we're going to have an additional 224 units of affordable housing come online in the next year or so.

And I am here um to ask the council uh to exempt nonprofit affordable housing providers from the landlord fairness code.

So affordable housing providers operate on a razor thin margin and delays in addressing persistent nonpayment of rent and serious lease violations not only jeopardize our operations, but also the safety of the other residents of affordable housing communities.

And just to give a couple examples, um, since the passage of the LFC, we've seen an 88% increase in resident receivables.

That's non-payment.

And to put that in dollars uh today, that's about $300,000 and growing.

Um so it's significant.

Um I just want to really quickly just say one thing.

So uh over the last year we had one issue that uh uh in one of our senior communities that required about $800,000 in repairs and the relocation of four of those senior households.

Um it took about 13 months to to be able to move that tenant along, and that is not sustainable for us.

So thank you.

Thank you, Joe.

Um Jennifer, not here.

Mason Ovinaio, come on up.

Good evening.

Hello, good evening.

Uh so my name is Ovenio X.

Right there is Miss Oneida.

Mayor, you say uh our names wrong often.

Respect strong names, do better.

So uh first things first, keep the LNG dead in Tacoma.

Respect the tribe or step aside.

No LNG in the 253.

So while ICE is kidnapping our neighbors, Tacoma and Pierce County are allowing constant corporate assaults and spending millions empowering the police to harass, brutalize, and kill our houseless neighbors, while refusing to invest in the shelters, safety, and community survival and infrastructure that would save the lives and save money.

There is a real human cost to these policies.

Without protections, our low-income families, disabled neighbors, young adults, veterans are pushed into the streets, criminalized for their own poverty.

You sweep the houseless while every shelter in the city is already full.

You made it illegal to be unhoused, and now you threaten to strip the uh tenants' bill of rights, handing even more power to these inhumane slumlords and absentee profiteers.

This is not governance, this is state-sanctioned dispossession.

Shame on city council members Roomba, Walker, Saldana, Hines, who led this genocidal act, and you mayor Woodards choosing profits over people.

This is not government.

This is a breach of the people's trust.

This is not protection.

This is a traitorous and uh I'm sorry, I can't.

Excuse me, this is not protection.

This is traitorous, this is persecution, oppression, and discrimination.

I only have a few things left to say here.

Uh to quote our 10-point platform.

Point three, we demand an end to the robbery by the capitalists of our black and oppressed communities.

Point four, we demand decent housing fit for shelter of human beings.

We believe that if the landlords will not give decent housing to our community, then the housing and land should be made into cooperatives so that our community with government aid can build and make decent housing for the people.

Point 10.

We demand land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice, and peace.

We demand an end to the sweeps.

We demand indigenous sovereignty, we demand a healthy environment, we demand justice now.

To quote a song by us versus them silencers, you're just a bootlooker every time you praise the rich.

All power to the people by any means necessary.

Thank you.

All right, that is everybody I have signed in.

Is there anybody in the chambers who wanted to sign in or sign up who did not?

That doesn't matter.

Um is there anybody in the chambers who didn't sign up or who wanted to sign up and didn't get an opportunity to speak?

Okay.

Um thank you to everybody online who has been very patient this evening.

Um, I will now start with Heidi G.

S.

Good evening.

My name is Heidi Stevens speaking on the three Tide Flats ordinances.

I would have liked to have spoken one, Ryan Mellow did, but we will hear from the city tonight how long these reviews have taken and the amount of input received.

However, this doesn't mean that correct studies have been done, nor public comments ever fully considered.

I served on the Tide Fats advisory group, but it was the steering committee which led the proposals and determinations for business purposes.

The reversal of the previously promised buffer zones is so tragic.

The DEIS promotes industry through incomplete data as being an overriding one-size-fits-all pre-study, which will then reduce individual reviews and public awareness and lie of speaker approvals.

All without including any projections of the megawarehouse increased traffic, when honestly, there should be no further development in the port area since it's a liquefaction zone, a landslide area, Lahar and Tsunami zone facing emergency level rise and other climate change issues.

And the goal should be restoring the shoreline and the sea life instead of irreparable industrial harm.

So passing this plan is nothing to congratulate yourselves about.

If you haven't read it fully, you shouldn't be voting on it because we'll all suffer from it.

And regarding the tenant rights amendments, council members involved in property management should recuse themselves and not bring forward.

It just seems like a significant conflict of interest.

Thank you.

Thank you, Heidi.

Um, now I'll call on William Schneider.

I don't know.

Uh good evening, Mayor and members of the council.

My name is William Schneider.

I'm speaking on behalf of the Washington Multifamily Housing Association.

We represent on-site staff, maintenance professionals and suppliers across 99 properties and over 13,000 housing units in Tacoma that provide homes for thousands of your residents.

I want to thank the council for the work that has gone into the proposed amendments to this code.

There are meaningful improvements here, and we recognize the effort to address real challenges that have emerged since the original code was adopted.

Well, there is still more work needed here.

These changes are a step in the right direction towards ensuring these codes truly support long-term housing stability.

The current rules are making it harder to maintain workforce housing and are contributing to a loss of affordable options in Tacoma.

I also want to briefly acknowledge the discussion tonight around exemptions for affordable and nonprofit housing.

These exemptions are being introduced because the current requirements are simply not workable for housing providers.

Low-income providers operate on fixed funding streams with strict rent caps that prevent them from raising revenue to absorb additional costs.

Without relief, many units will fall out of their affordability contracts or face serious financial strain, which would ultimately reduce the supply of low-income housing in Tacoma.

The only reason for-profit providers can comply with these requirements is because the cost of doing so is pushed on to current and future residents through higher rents.

So we appreciate the conversation is moving towards a more workable balance, and we urge the council to continue these codes.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Sunny Osink.

Good evening, Mayor, Council members.

My name is Sunny Osink.

Um, I'm here on behalf of SQF, LLC or Verda, and my office is based in Tacoma.

I'm speaking in support of the ordinance uh 29079, agenda item number 18.

Um, the adoption of this ordinance will help enhance the city's connectivity by allowing Verda to responsibly bill and maintain important telecommunications infrastructure.

I would also like to extend an uh sincere thank you to Jeff Leaders for his guidance and assistance throughout the franchise process.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Have a good evening.

You too.

Thank you.

Mark Mel Smith.

Very good.

Very good.

Mark Melzness with Spinnaker Property Management.

I'm also the chair for the Affordable Housing Consortium.

I manage around 300 plus homes.

We manage 300 plus homes in the city of Tacoma with the average rental income around 1,400 a month.

The landlord fairness code is misleading.

It's not fair.

It's one-sided.

Tacoma for all actually created that without any input from anybody but their own hemisphere.

I'm asking you to get the understanding that with the ordinance that passed with the caps on increases, the average rent in Tacoma is $1,700 a month.

5%, just staying the whole number, is $85 a month.

That's $1,020 a year on increase.

But with the relocation assistance, that's $3,400.

Not quite fair.

Right now, Spinnaker property management has 168 homes since November of 23, just before the ordinance came into effect that has not paid $180,000 of unpaid rent that was written off because they were able to stay in housing because of Tacoma Pro Bonos supportive and coaching them to collar them.

Now, who will rent to them?

Would you rent to them owing another landlord?

You wouldn't.

And nobody else would either.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Teresa Evans.

Hi, this is Teresa Evans.

Oh, it's eating some almonds at my sister's.

So sorry, but my mouth is a little cooky.

But um, and and we're helping we're taking care of care of my dad.

So um, anyways, I wanted to uh talk a little bit about your resolution 4184 because uh the that street area, that's where we rode across to get to school, you know, for all those times during during our life.

Um, because we lived in Northeast Tacoma.

And our dad was ILWU because he was um in law and shortman and now retired and all that.

So uh I'm grateful that you're uh naming the honor the street in honor uh Lily Adams way.

I think that's wonderful, the Alexander.

That's all I wanted to say, and thank you so much for your time.

Uh, thank you, Victoria Widers for your service, and thank you, Sandash Sadalke uh District 4.

All right, have a good day.

Thank you, Teresa.

Um, I'd like to now call on Pastor Chavez Young.

Good evening.

Can you hear me?

Sure can, Pastor, go ahead.

Okay, great.

Good evening, uh Mayor and Council members, and thank you for the opportunity to speak.

Uh, of course, I'm senior pastor of Shallow Baptist Church and CEO of a Shallow New Life Housing, Low Income Housing Project.

Uh, and I just want to say that and begin by saying that I deeply appreciate the heart behind Tacoma's winter eviction um moratorium, uh, but also uh tonight with the concern shared by many small landlords, nonprofit providers, and faith-based organizations like ours, uh, the moratorium as currently structured unintentionally places a heavy financial burden on the very uh housing providers, housing providers who are trying to serve this community.

Uh so I want to uh respectfully raise the question.

If the city chooses to continue the winter eviction of moratorium, will the city also consider ways to provide financial relief to housing providers who are carrying the weight of this policy.

Uh, I believe that compassion uh must be a uh two-way street.

And let me also say without financial relief or support uh mechanisms, uh providers like us risk being weakened or forced to scale back.

And when affordable housing providers cannot survive, the entire community loses.

And let me just also say uh mayor uh Woodards, uh, just thank God for you and thank God for your service to God and thank God for uh your service to this community.

Thank you.

Thank you, Pastor Amy Brickley.

Good evening, council members.

I'm here to speak on ordinance number 29086.

I would like to thank Council Member Rumba for your leadership in regards to this difficult and controversial issue.

My name is Amy Bricky, and the company I work for is local and founded in Tacoma.

We own and manage eight apartment complexes in South Tacoma with 1200 units.

Currently, we are carrying 56 months of unpaid rent, totaling almost 200,000.

Our average eviction takes 109 days, but several have been over 300 days due to the school year and winter eviction bans.

We absorb thousands upon thousands of dollars in property damage and legal fees.

I urge you to support the 180-day rent increase notice, the updated late fee structure, and the landlord hardship defense.

I also urge you to reconsider the 5% rent cap and mandatory relocation payments and align Tacoma with the statewide standard.

I also charge you to treat all housing providers the same in regards to the school year and cold weather eviction defenses.

Not all private landlords are bad.

The majority of us want nothing more than to keep people housed while still having the ability to properly maintain the apartments, pay our employees who live and work in Tacoma, and pay the continually rising property taxes and other costs we cannot control.

We want to keep housing affordable and hope to continue to work with you in 2026.

Thank you for your time.

Thank you.

I need glasses really badly.

Yes, hello.

So appreciate you all.

Can you hear me?

Oh, yeah, we can hear you.

Sorry, go right ahead.

Sorry.

Um yes, hi.

I'm a small landlord in the city of Tacoma.

Any rent we charge goes majority into improving property condition.

I'll give you an example.

I bought a property that was had severe rat infestation, uh leaking roof, and sewer backups.

The tenants were forced to live into that.

I bought the property and I raised the rents a lot more than 5%, and I invested everything back into the property.

The tenants were extremely happy, and they gladly paid the increase because they no longer had to deal with those problems.

In the past few years, the inflation has hit us really hard.

While the rent is capped at 5%, property taxes and insurance are not gabbed.

My insurance has gone over 100% ever since the California wildfires.

Lastly, we do have the local economy by circulating the money.

We pay electricians, plumbers, um, you name it.

We employ local people and uh pay them.

So we are not really keeping the money ourselves.

One one thing.

And now, I mean, some people have come up with their sob stories.

I'm not taking a dig at them, but I also came as an immigrant to this country.

I step on the I slept on the floor for the first two years just to save money.

And now I'm here where I can run some rentals.

So please do not break my American dream.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Jonathan Pottle.

Hi, I'm Jonathan Pottle, and I live in district two.

I'm speaking about ordinance two nine two nine zero eight six, so unfortunately not in person tonight.

I'm a renter, a union member, an educator, shouts to that TCC alum, and a man of conscience.

I support as such, I support the points made by my friends from Tacoma for All.

We heard earlier tonight from some good folks at the Tacoma Rescue Mission speaking in favor of council resolution 48109.

Funding the missions work with homeless young people.

Can you not see the connection between your agenda items?

If you roll back tenant protections, you will create more homeless children.

The person who owns a home, they don't need to live in.

A home they can charge someone else rent for is not the vulnerable one.

It's the people paying too much money to live in that home who need their rights protected.

If you are not up there to help those who need it and to represent us in doing so, what are you for?

Or maybe we should ask, who are you for?

We are tenants and we are Tacoma.

You best remember that.

To council members and the mayor, hands off our rights.

To all the landlords with their fives and fifties and five hundreds of homes held hostage, whining about people not sleeping and dying on the street, get a real job.

Thanks.

Thank you, Jonathan.

Ray Watkins.

Hi.

We pay the city to park our own cars on campus and then pay more when we get tickets for staying in the same parking lot for our three-hour class.

We'll pay our bills, we pay our rent.

We spend 40 to 50 hours a week learning, studying, and working our asses off just to be able to afford to scrape by check by check.

For reference, I work for on-campus jobs and one off-campus job, a total weekly work log of 50 plus hours, and I take a full-time curriculum at University of Washington campus.

I pay my rent on time, but if my rent goes up, I can't.

If I'm evicted after an emergency and I come up short on rent, I have nowhere to go.

My hard work doesn't change, my responsibility doesn't change, my student experience doesn't change, but my ability to access housing does.

And I can't move any closer to campus.

We all know why.

Students are often called the future of whatever community they occupy, the future of the workforce, the future of Tacoma.

The future is watching.

Keep people housed.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Stacy Oaks.

Oh no.

Stacy.

Good evening.

My name is Stacy Oaks, and I'm in a community organizer with 350 Tacoma.

Also be speaking about the landlord fairness code.

350 Tacoma works towards climate justice.

And we can't have climate justice without racial justice, without economic justice, without housing justice.

And part of the reason for that is because whenever there is somebody that can be othered or dehumanized, there's a place to put pollution, and there's people that can be determined to be sacrificial or sacrifice zones.

Somebody who spoke earlier tonight, one of the first people, um, they reminded us that there's a law about leaving your dogs out overnight in freezing temperatures and how it's considered cruelty.

And that we don't do the same thing for people.

And I think that really sums up everything that we as 350 Tacoma want to remind you to have on your hearts when you're making any of the decisions about this.

I just want to take a little more time where you focus on that thought.

You wouldn't leave a dog outside overnight.

And you are talking about how to make it easier to put people outside overnight.

We wouldn't be okay if it was several hundred dogs dying every year in the cold.

Why are we okay that it's people?

Thank you, Stacey.

Um Larry Levine.

Good evening.

Can you hear me?

Sure can.

Thank you.

Good evening, Mayor and City Council.

My name is Larry Levine, and I live in District 4.

Tonight I'm speaking in support of the adoption of transportation impact fees.

Before I moved to Tacoma, I lived in Olympia, where I served as a planning commissioner for nine years.

I was stunned when I learned that my new community here did not have transportation impact fees.

They are an indispensable tool for local government infrastructure funding because they're more efficient than CEPA mitigation, which staff must do on a project-by-project negotiation basis.

They provide a more predictable environment for the development communities, and they are a time-tested tool, widely used in Washington, that helps ensure that growth pays for growth.

Adopting impact fees also stewards public trust.

City messaging for an eventual sequel to the Streets Initiative One must not only show past accomplishments and direct future benefits, the city must also be able to show that it is being responsible and using every reasonable tool to avoid taxing existing residents for transportation impacts of growth.

As chair of Pierce County's transportation advisory commission, I couldn't picture trying to address the unincorporated areas infrastructure capacity needs without impact fees and the grant funding they, along with other revenue types help leverage.

I've emailed you some additional thoughts on this issue.

Please adopt transportation impact fees for Tacoma.

Thank you and good night.

Thank you, Larry.

Tracy.

Sure can, Tracy.

Go ahead.

This is Gemini.

I just use a shared Zoom account, so it always shows up as Tracy.

That's okay, Jim, and I thank you.

Yeah.

Um, I just want to speak in uh against change the I want to speak in favor of upholding the tenant bill of rights as was successfully passed democratically by our city.

Um I I want to say that I've seen the landlords out in force today.

Uh and what that tells me is that our tenant bill of rights is working, right?

When I hear, you know, these LCs and and and landlords say, oh, we've lost 300,000, we lost 600,000.

I hear my neighbors gotta stay in their house.

My neighbors' kids gotta keep going to school.

They gotta eat good.

They gotta maybe have you know the birthday present that they wanted to have because they weren't being squeezed and crushed by these landlords, right?

So to me, I hear that this is something worth fighting for and defending.

And so I'm really really grateful and proud to be out here today um with with everybody who's been speaking in favor of this.

Uh, I want to echo what what Jonathan said.

Um, which, you know, if you're a small time landlord, you are not the vulnerable person that this is intending to protect.

Uh you could get a different job.

You could sell your property, you could do something else, right?

Um, we should be defending the people uh who who need who are the most vulnerable so that um they don't get kicked out of their houses and forced to go live, you know, near the dump, near the industrial pollution, uh forced into like uh through environmental racism, uh less safe places to live.

So again, uh I'm Gemini with Climate Alliance of the South Sound, and um yeah, happy to speak tonight.

Thank you.

Oh, and I have my baby.

I was gonna say, Jim, and I was just gonna say, did you have your baby?

Yeah.

And you had a girl.

Yeah, baby baby, baby mirroring.

Baby Miren, congratulations.

You're gonna have to you're you're gonna have to send us a picture.

You're gonna have to try to bring her so we can see her.

Congratulations, Gemini.

I will.

Okay.

All right.

All right.

Um, our next speaker, sorry, you all.

Um our next speaker is Aaron Hallenberg.

Uh thank you, Mayor.

Uh, good evening, mayor and uh city council members.

Appreciate the uh uh can briefly comment here.

Uh for the record, Aaron Hallenberg speaking on behalf of the Master Builders Association of Pierce County and our over 800 members who live and work in Pierce County and uh surrounding cities.

Um wanted to briefly speak about the proposal of the ordinance to implement transportation impact fees um and really kind of tie that to affordable housing um because impact fees are kind of flying in the face of affordable housing in Tacoma at the moment.

And it's not about right, our position is not anti-paying for growth, not against infrastructure that's critically needed.

Uh it's simply a message of uh the affordable housing cannot uh we cannot get more affordable housing by continuing uh to stack fees and burdensome regulation uh onto the onto the local home builders that live and work in in Tacoma.

Um so really I'll keep my comments brief, submitted some written comments.

Uh like to talk with each of you over the next week uh to explain more about how right about how we can look at truly making housing more affordable by uh balancing the fee structure, giving some more predictability, uh, and and really making a difference in housing in Tacoma.

So uh with that, I hope you all enjoy the rest of your night.

Thank you.

All right, and our next speaker is Sid Warinski.

Yeah, that it's good.

That was good enough.

Go ahead, Sid.

Sure.

I didn't have anything kind of prepared.

I just found out about this this evening.

So my name's Sid, uh, I own a couple hundred uh or sorry, I manage a couple hundred property or a couple hundred units um in the area, and I have done brokerage in the multifamily space now for uh just over 10 years.

And I can tell you that being someone that is a professional in this space, um, helping landlords buy and sell real estate.

Uh I can speak to the capital market side where essentially what we see, and I talked to thousands of investors across the United States um on a monthly basis.

And I can tell you that the and you guys probably see it too.

The development pipeline, um, the amount of money that people want to invest in Tacoma is is basically dried up.

Um people don't want to invest in the city and create more housing, and therefore creating this death loop.

And so the more we can say incentivize landlords and housing providers to create, build and provide quality housing, um, the more options renters are gonna have.

So that's number one.

Number two, I'm really really bummed to see uh and hear a lot of people regurgitate what they hear either on the news or just you know, these propaganda words uh with just anything that they can do to grab at straws to try and get their point across.

We all want to protect the good residents.

I just want to make sure that we're providing housing to people that um well, thank you.

Anyways, uh thank you.

Thank you.

All right.

Our next speaker is Jamie.

Hi, council.

This is Jamie with Climate Alliance of the South Sound.

Um, I want to speak on the tenant bill of rights and upholding that tonight.

First of all, thank you to Tacoma for all for your your leadership efforts and for calling this out for what it is, which is class war.

Dignified housing and living conditions are a human right.

People are dying in the streets.

Comparing the quote unquote financial burden of corporations and landlords who can afford to own these extra apartment buildings in comparison to people who cannot even afford their basic necessities, is putting profit over people.

And it's not surprising given that our city consistently prioritizes profit over people, including allowing polluting industries to be grandfathered into the new zoning of the port, making them not beholden to the new regulations.

The city cares more about dogs than people because dogs don't provide labor, which can be exploited.

The people of Tacoma are tired of our labor being exploited, our rent going up, wages staying stagnant, all while the city continues to permit environmentally racist projects that are killing us, including the Northwest Attention Center, where immigrants are being medically neglected and have died.

We have to unite to fight back against the multiple ways oppression attacks of working class and nationally oppressed people.

Justice for Kuyu G uphold the tenant Bill of Rights, Climate Justice and Indigenous Sovereignty now, all power to the people.

All right, that is our final speaker this evening.

Is that Kathy Orlando in the back of the room?

Oh she just doesn't seriously.

Okay, one more person.

John Arbini is our last speaker.

Go, John.

John, you got to take yourself off mute.

Okay, thank you.

Uh the question I have for you is if, in fact, affordable housing and homelessness are public problems.

Why is the private sector, specifically landlords and small landlords, being tasked to solve that?

It doesn't seem to be fair.

Uh my own experience was an individual in Tacoma who stopped paying rent upon the effective date of the landlord's fairness code.

He didn't pay rent for eight months, a total of 12,775 owed.

That's just $1,600 a month.

Well, 1400 square foot, four-bedroom, two-bathroom home.

It took eight months for us to get through the docket for the court for the eviction.

When he left, there was $23,000 in damages, which does not include the fact that he half burned down the garage.

Legal fees were $2175.

Total financial loss was over $38,000.

Small landlords can not afford to absorb these costs.

I can tell you, with the nine properties that I have in Tacoma, depending on what happens with this landlord fairness code revision, I will probably wind up selling them and thereby reducing the amount of affordable housing in Tacoma.

Thank you, John, for your testimony.

Okay, I'm declaring the public comment very close.

And now we will move on to our regular agenda.

Purchase resolutions.

Item seven, clerk, will you please read?

Resolution 41803, a resolution authorizing an increase to and extending the contract with Mercer Health and Benefits LLC and the amount of 727,000 budgeted from the Health Care Trust Fund for employee benefits brokerage and consulting services for an additional two-year period for a projected contract total of $2,747,000 plus applicable taxes.

I move to adopt resolution number 418303.

Second.

Are there any council questions or comments?

Seeing none, all those in favor of adopting signify by saying aye.

All those opposed, the ayes have it.

The resolution stands adopted.

I do want to say this very quickly.

Um that was a three and a half hour public comment period or over three hours.

So I really appreciate those of you who came who stayed, um, or who came and had to leave, and all those who stayed online.

Just thank you so much for sharing your thoughts and views about the issues that are before us tonight.

I especially just want to give a shout out and thank staff who has something to present this evening.

Thank you so much, staff.

I know you you um you get paid to be here, but it still is a sacrifice to you and your family.

So thank you, everyone.

All right, we're gonna now move on to uh item number eight.

This item will have a PowerPoint presentation.

Clerk, will you please read?

Resolution 41804, a resolution conferring the honorary street name Willie Adams Way for East Alexander Avenue West of Alexander Avenue East.

I move to adopt resolution number 41804.

Second.

Brendan, we were all looking for you.

You were you were hidden perfectly.

Thank you.

Good evening, Madam Mayor, uh Deputy Mayor Daniels Online and the rest of the council.

Uh my name is Brennan Kidd.

Uh an assistant division manager in transportation within public works, and I'm also serving as the interim city traffic engineer right now.

Uh, I'm honored to be here tonight to uh present resolution 41804, a proposal to establish the honorary naming of uh Willie Adams Way for a specific segment of East Alexander Avenue.

The resolution before you would confer the honorary name of Willie Adams Way on the only existing block of East Alexander Avenue, which is shown on the map in set.

Honorary renaming does not change the official name of the street, and all existing property addressing will remain the same.

Naming proposals are governed by the city's naming policy, which was adopted by council resolution 41 uh 009 in 2022.

This policy allows applications for naming requests to be submitted to the mayor's office for initial vetting and progression if approved.

Applications progressed from the mayor's office are reviewed by multiple city departments and partner agencies, including public works, historic preservation, the city manager's office, office of equity and human rights, real property services, the city attorney's office, planning and development services, South Sound 911, and Pierce Transit.

In addition to support from that from that ad hoc group of reviewers, um there was additional support from the businesses along the specific street and by the Port of Tacoma, which provided a supporting letter from their executive director.

In accordance with the policy, the cost of manufacturing, installing, and maintaining the sign is paid by the applicant.

A little background about uh Mr.

Adams.

Um he was just the seventh president of the International Long Shore and Warehouse Union, ILWU.

The ILWU is a labor union that was founded in 1937 and represents over 45,000 longshore and warehouse workers, mechanics, hospitality workers, farmers, nurses, minors, bookstore workers, daycare, and veterinary workers, just to name a few.

The union operates in the states of Washington, Oregon, California, Alaska, Hawaii, and British Cumberland British Columbia, Canada.

The ILWU has a long history of advocating for workers' rights and has been at the forefront of the civil rights movement throughout its history.

President Adams' home local is local 23, based in Tacoma.

He started on the waterfront in Tacoma in 1978, and as a rank and file member was active in the community.

In 2018, Mr.

Adams was elected as the International Secretary Treasurer of the ILWU.

And in 2023, he was elected as the international president.

Mr.

Adams served five terms as international secretary treasurer and two terms as president by the time of his retirement on January 1st, 2025.

ILWU's collective advocacy in organizing power has real tangible outcomes in the lives of its members.

It is thanks to Mr.

Adams and the ILWU's persistence through the recent half decade that its members have been able to benefit from the wins achieved through the latest contract negotiations, including improved wages and working conditions and upgrades for pensions or sorry, pensioners and widows.

The history of Tacoma has been and will continue to be connected to the Port of Tacoma.

And Willie Adams, in turn, has left a positive and ongoing influence on the Port of Tacoma and the ILWU.

And that's my end of my presentation.

Great.

Thank you very much for that.

Brennan, um, obviously we saw Willie here earlier.

Uh, first of all, I'm sorry, are there any questions for Brennan?

Councilmember Walker.

Um, no questions, but I just want to thank Brennan for your work on this.

I I can't remember, and you might have said it here.

Is this like our fifth or sixth naming?

I feel like every time it gets smoother, and they're all very exciting because we're honoring really great people, but I just want to appreciate your work because I know that it's it takes a ton.

Um the consolitated version that you bring to us is just a uh bit of the work.

And um also want to thank Annalee who has been supporting this process, but is also our leads onto the IPS committee and helps us get through all these processes and gets just as excited as we all do to um re-name or honorary name all these roads.

So thank you to you both for making these happen and all of your teams behind you too.

Thank you.

Much appreciated.

Thanks, Mayor.

Thank you, Councilmember Walker, Councilmember Heinz.

Uh no, I just want to reiterate what Councilman Walker said in thank you, Brennan, for all this work.

I know we kind of brought this to you all at a last minute to kind of get this thing through because we wanted to honor Willie at his retirement party this summer.

So I just want to thank you and staff for being able to pull that together so we're all honor him back in July.

Um, and then I was really happy that he was able to be here today for the kind of um formal recognition here, and then I guess Madam Mayor will probably talk about when we're actually going to unveil the sign.

Soon.

So thank you, Brennan.

Thank you, Madam Mayor, for helping us get this through.

Um very happy to honor someone who has such a rich labor history and such um part of the rich history in Tacoma.

Thank you.

Are there any other comments?

Well, I just want to say I am I am delighted um that we that we were able to do this.

Um I'm delighted that we could do it in time for his retirement, but I'm really excited that Friday at 10 o'clock after this passes, hopefully, with the due pass record.

Hopefully, we vote yes on this.

Um, that um that we get to hang the sign on Friday at 10 o'clock is the goal.

I've had the opportunity to know um Willie for quite some time, and I was looking back when uh back in the day when he and his good friend, you heard him speak today, Mike Chambers started the Black History Programs here in Tacoma.

Um, and as a young person who grew up in this community to be able to um to see notable figures like Danny Glover and Yolanda King, the daughter of Martin Luther King and Cicely Tyson and Chuck D and baseball great Buck O'Neill, um, to be to actually see them here in Tacoma, a place where I never expected to see icons like this.

And I remember um as they moved around when they got to the Pantagus Theater, and they they just they sold out the I shouldn't say sold out because they never charged anybody.

Um, and and that was of the true commitment of both Mike and Willie.

Um, and though Willie has gone on to do amazing things, I just want to just also take a moment to say to his partner, um Mike Chambers, thank you so much for what you both did for the city of Tacoma Um back in the day.

Um, and then just to to Willie, um what an extraordinary leader.

Um we talk about um African American black leaders who break glass ceilings, and he is certainly one of them.

Um and I am delighted to say that as he said tonight, he may live in San Francisco, but his heart is here in Tacoma always.

He is still a dues-paying member of Local 23, proud to say, and so I'm just grateful um that we get to honor him, honor him in this way.

And and it really is more than this is more than just symbolic.

This really is a living tribute and a daily reminder that our port, our city, and our maritime economy survive and thrive because of people like Willie, who believe that every worker deserves dignity and respect.

So congratulations, Willie.

Um, hopefully, as we take this vote.

Let me just also thank Jared Faker, the president of ILW who brought this idea to us.

Um, and excited that we're gonna be able to complete this and happy that uh, as I said earlier, that Willie will be here to be able to receive his flowers.

So thank you so much for your work on this and for getting this done.

And if there are no more council questions, all those in favor of adopting resolution number 41804, please signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, the ayes have it.

No, I should say it here.

Congratulations.

All right, moving on to item nine.

Clerk, will you please read?

Resolution 41805, a resolution directing the city manager to create a centralized grant tracking system and to require require city council approval for certain grants.

I move to adopt resolution number 41805.

Second.

All right, I'd like to call on councilmember Diaz.

Thank you, Mayor.

Um, and I want to thank everybody in advance for considering this resolution tonight.

Especially like to thank my co-sponsors, Mayor Woodards and Councilmember Hines.

Uh, this policy is a step towards transparency and accountability.

Uh it was brought um sort of into the ether from some decisions uh to apply for different grants at the city and do different contracting decisions that I thought we could use some more oversight from the public on what kinds of grants the city receives.

So it's actually, despite being sort of a resolution that directs the city manager to do some work, there's actually been a lot of work that has gone into it.

It's been in the works for at least six months now.

So staff has done a tremendous amount of work, particularly um my council assistant Linda Foster has worked with a lot of our management and a lot of our teams here within the city to sort of get some good frameworks to get to a lot of the thresholds listed in the resolution.

Um, and so I'll go through a little bit of that here.

Um, this resolution will direct the city manager to create a centralized grant tracking system to monitor all grants applied for and received by the city, and a process to require the city council approval for grants that are either over 100,000 dollars in fund operations or that have the potential to require or create expectation of continued funding after the life of that grant, or are over $500,000 and fund capital projects and as required by the funding agencies.

So, what that means is this is a step towards trying to create more belief and trust with the community as we're at the city applying for grants, receiving grants.

This will be sort of the last piece where the city is actually once we receive any grants to sort of show the public what money we're taking in, and they'll be on ideally the consent agenda.

Um it is the hope that uh this policy, once implemented and created and sort of um worked out by the city manager, will be reviewed as part of the 2027-2028 mid-biannium budget development process.

The city manager would then bring a developed grant approval and tracking process to the GPFC committee for discussion prior to implementation of the policy.

So there's going to likely be a fiscal element to it to get an actual tracking system, but the tracking system is what we need to make sure that we're in compliance with federal requirements, make sure that we're in compliance with trying to track what grants the city um and is is applying for has received, and then where we are at in terms of just making sure that the public knows about those grants.

So it's a good opportunity for the community who does check our weekly packets and make sure that they um are looking for opportunities to weigh in, will have that opportunity when the grants land on the consent agendas in the sometime future.

Thank you, Councilmember.

Thank you, Councilmember Diaz.

Councilmember Ramba.

Thank you, Mayor.

And I want to thank Councilmember Diaz for um bringing this forward.

I as somebody who's done fundraising, I really appreciate that we're looking to like be transparent on the outside.

And I think that we should have like I really appreciate how this is gonna be coordinated and put together.

And I think that you're very smart to bring this forward.

And um I know it's gonna cost some money, but I think it's also the kind of thing that we should be doing anyways.

Um it will provide us some barriers based on what might happen with the federal government.

It just provides it's all right there, and we'll have it available.

And I just thank you so much for bringing this forward.

I I'm gonna vote yes on this.

Thank you.

Thanks.

Oh, yep, go ahead.

Sorry.

I also I guess I can't stress on us how much the threshold actually came out of direct feedback from all the department heads and all the staff that are that Linda was able to connect with.

Um, I was able to connect with the TPU director, Jackie Flowers.

Everyone had a really strong hand in helping us get to what looks very simple on paper, but is actually deeply complicated and making sure that folks who actually do the hard work of applying for grants feel like they still have the flexibility to do that, and then we're not hindering the work of city staff as they're doing that work and some of just the general ongoing grants that we get pass through dollars from the state or from the feds or from different angles that we're we're striking a cord between transparency and not slowing down any future future money that comes in that could be for good.

Great.

Thank you very much.

Um Councilmember Diaz.

I I'm excited about this and support this because it also then gives us an opportunity to show our community how we're leveraging their dollars and people can actually see either how much money is coming in or how much money is not coming in.

So thank you for bringing this forward.

Are there any other questions or comments?

All right, seeing none, all those in favor of adopting resolution number 41805 signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, the ayes have it.

The resolution is declared adopted.

Item 10, Clerk, will you please read?

Resolution 41806 a resolution canceling the authorization of the one-time use of council contingency funds in the amount of $50,000 to support the labor standards task fund or task force as approved by resolution 41735.

I move to adopt resolution number 41806.

Second.

Okay, as a reminder, um, at our August 12th council meeting, we adopted resolution number 41735 authorizing a council contingency fund expenditure in the amount of $50,000 for staffing and facilitation of the labor standards task force.

The task force was intended to review various labor standards, some of which were included in the initiative petition prior to the end of the year.

With changes in the timeline and a shift in how we are dressing labor standards going forward, we no longer need to allocate this funding for a formal task force.

This CCR would return that $50,000 to the council contingency funds so that we can allocate it for other purposes.

Are there any questions or comments?

Seeing none, all those in favor of adopting resolution number 41806 signify by saying aye.

All those opposed the resolution is declared adopted.

Item number 11, Clerk, would you please read?

Resolution 41807, a resolution authorizing the one-time use of council contingency funds in the amount of $35,000 to support holiday on Broadway and downtown revitalization efforts.

I move to adopt resolution number 41807.

Second.

All right, I'm gonna be doing a lot of talking tonight.

Um tonight um I'm excited to bring this resolution um forward um that really um represents the best of what collaboration can achieve for our for our city.

Over the past 18 months, um, we've worked closely with downtown business owners, property owners, and community organizations throughout a facilitated process by Blocks Hub, a Nordic collaborative known for its innovative approach to stabilize to sustainable urbanization.

Their framework, which emphasizes integrated design, activation and partnership strategies, has helped us think more holistically about how to strengthen Tacoma's urban core.

Drawing from the work we brought we brought together the city's traditional marquee holiday events under one unified seasonal identity, celebrate the holiday holidays in downtown Tacoma running November 29th through January 5th.

This cohesive program introduces new elements that enhance downtown's vitality, accessibility, and visual appeal, and sets the foundation for a long-term strategy for future downtown activations.

This year's holiday on Broadway serves as a pilot and an opportunity for us to learn, adapt, and continue building strong alignment with our partners to bring more vibrancy to the heart of our city.

Visitors will notice a few a few festive touches throughout downtown, um, including holiday banners banners, window art along Antique Row, and a new dedicated website, downtown Tacoma Holidays.com, where all events are listed in one place.

We are also debuting a brand new holiday market on theater on theater on the square on December 13th from 1 to 6 p.m.

There is also other activities to look forward to.

December 6th, Ebony and Ivory Christmas Market from 10 to 3.

December 13th, downtown Tacoma Holiday Market from 1 to 6.

December 16th, downtown Minora Lighting from 5:30 to 9.

Um, and the nutcracker, midwinter revels and more.

So that's a lot of activities happening in downtown Tacoma, but those are just the ones I read.

There are even more on the website.

These festivities and continued efforts were made possible through the um through this partnership and shared vision.

I want to thank the downtown Tacoma Partnership, the City of Tacoma team, and Scan Design Foundation for helping to bring this season to life.

Are there any additional comments or questions?

All right.

Seeing none, I would like to thank my co-sponsors, Councilmember Rumba and Councilmember Walker.

Or Bushnell.

It's Walker.

Okay, that that's what I thought.

I'd like to support it.

Thank you.

I'd like to thank I'd like to thank Rumbaugh and Walker for supporting this.

They also were um, they also participated in some of the workshops with scan design.

And I am delighted to say that uh this is Councilmember Rumbaugh's district, and next year she will be taking on this work uh over um and will continue um making sure that downtown remains vibrant.

Um so with that, if there aren't any other questions or comments, all those in favor of adopting resolution number 41807, signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed, this resolution is declared adopted.

Moving on to item 12.

Clerk, will you please read?

Resolution 41808, a resolution authorizing the one-time use of council contingency funds and the amount of $30,000 to support the sister city sign installation near Tullifson Plaza.

I move to adopt resolution number 41808.

Second.

All right, this is me again.

In case you guys can't tell, I have very few council meetings left, and I have a lot of work to get done.

Um you heard from uh from Claire Petridge earlier this evening.

Um, she talked a little bit about um this resolution.

Um the first year I got elected, I went to um the Sister Cities Committee workshop.

And they asked me about getting a sign in Tacoma somewhere around our sister cities.

And if you go into a lot of, if you go into a lot of other cities who have sister cities, you'll see a directional sign either in downtown or you'll see something in the ground, and it points you and acknowledges all the other sister cities.

Um this um is now that opportunity.

We were finally able to get it done.

Um, and I'm excited that we're gonna be able to have a permanent sister city sign um that celebrates and visually represents the city's long-standing international partnerships.

Um, this project will highlight each of Tacoma's sister city relationships through an attractive, durable sign, installation place in a prominent civic location.

Um, they have already worked with their own vendor to get initial designs for the site, and we'll be reaching out to the city council and the and public for feedback on the designs to incorporate into the final design before installation.

Pending final design and installation timelines with the Tacoma Sister Cities Council.

We are looking at an installation next year before summer.

Um, and I am excited to be able to bring this forward.

Are there any other council questions or comments?

All right, seeing none, all those in favor of adopting resolution 41808, signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed.

The resolution is declared adopted, and I think that's council member Bushnell and Councilmember Sidalgay.

Council.

Okay, obviously, I don't go off my memory.

To the two council members who signed on with me, thank you very much.

Item 13.

Clerk, will you please read?

Resolution 41809, a resolution authorizing the one-time use of council contingency funds and the amount of 10,000 to support expanded services at the Tacoma Rescue Missions Youth Program.

I move to adopt resolution number 41809.

Second this is not me.

I'm gonna call on Deputy Mayor Daniels.

I think I'm gonna do it.

Oh, is that thank you, Council Councilmember Scott?

Thank you for stepping in.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh, this council contingency fund request is exciting for me and I'm sure others because it's in support of the Tacoma Rescue Mission and our young people.

Uh I'm bringing forward this along with uh Deputy Mayor Daniels and Mayor Woodards, uh, as well as Councilmember Walker who are all inspiring champions for young people in our community.

This $10,000 request would support expanded services for the Tacoma Rescue Missions Youth Program.

TRM's youth program supports the academic emotional and social development of children experiencing homelessness.

Each year, TRM provides more than 10,000 hours of supported nurturing guidance and educational experiences to more than 350 traumatized and vulnerable homeless children.

Children enroll in TRM's youth program, uh enrolled in TRM's youth program, have shown measurable improvement in their academic performance and social well-being.

Many of the my council colleagues and I have had the opportunity to work closely with the youth program from Pictures of Hope to decorate the dais, which we uh did during Arts Month as well as just recently we had our first hopefully annual reindeer games with uh myself, Councilmember Walker, and Deputy Mayor Daniels.

Um just having some fun with the kids and and giving them some cool prizes and engaging and having a great time.

Um we've seen firsthand the tremendous importance of engaging with children impacted by homelessness.

This funding will help TRM's youth program expand support services such as tutoring, games, sports, and activity nights that help young people build important social skills, engage in teamwork and collaboration and establish positive relationships with adults.

Um, I wanted to also take a moment to thank Myron, who is the deputy director at TRM who spoke earlier along with Cassandra.

Um, and I hope that you all join us in thinking or in supporting a vital program in our city.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Scott.

Um, are there any questions?

Councilmember Scott, I want to thank you and Councilmember Daniels um for continuing not only to for bringing this forward, but from kid for but for continuing to set up opportunities for us to engage with the young people.

I'm so sorry that I missed last night.

Um Deputy Mayor told you there was one kid who was really hoping you're gonna be there, and uh he was like, I'm making this, we decorated cookies as well.

He's like, I'm making this cookie for the mayor.

So I haven't got that cookie.

Yeah, it didn't travel well, so it didn't.

Oh, but the intention was to get it to you.

I have one question.

Is it that it didn't travel well the city hall or it got eaten somewhere between the stuff?

Yeah, yeah, is it traveling in somebody's stomach, and we can't quite put it back together.

Neither confirm nor deny.

Thank you.

Yeah, well, I just I just want to thank you all.

I didn't get a chance to go last night, but I want to get that young man's name so I can go and visit him before Christmas.

Um, but I also want to thank you all for continuing to provide those opportunities.

If you all haven't had a chance to participate, um it's been so much fun uh to hang out with with those kids, and they are just they are just so delightful and excited um for us to show up.

And so I hope that you all will continue to invite me next year.

But it is just a fun opportunity.

I say it's ex I know the council gets invited, extend it to staff if you have an hour or even 30 minutes to give.

Um, these these kids are just so resilient, um, and such a good they just remind you of why you do this work every day.

So thank you, Councilmember Scott and Deputy Mayor Daniels.

All right, seeing no further comments, all those in favor of adopting resolution number 41809 signify by saying aye.

Aye.

All those opposed.

This resolution is declared adopted.

Moving on to final reading, reading of ordinances.

Oh, sorry.

This item was presented on November 12th.

Are there any additional council questions or comments?

Do you want me to go first?

Yes.

Do you want to go first?

No, look what council member okay, council member Walker and I, we can go first.

Now, Madam Mayor, I don't know if you want me to read the title.

I'm happy to not know that I have to, but whoo, Clerk, will you please read?

Ordnance 29075, an ordinance adopting the Tide Flat Sub-area Plan as an element of the one Tacoma Comprehensive Plan by replacing the container port element and revising the future land use map and land use designations as recommended by the Tide Flat Steering Committee and Planning Commission effective January 5th, 2026.

This item was presented at the November 12th, 2025 meeting.

Are there any additional council questions or comments?

Now I want to be really honest.

One for every year it took us to get here.

Um but I don't.

But I I this has been eight years in the making.

And and and I think I'm going to take a point of personal privilege and um buckle up.

Um do you guys want to set a 90-minute timer for me?

A 90-second timer.

No, 90 minutes is what I need.

For those of you who are watching from home, we apologize.

We take all of this very seriously, but when you've been sitting this long, you get a little rummy.

Um, but all those tonight truly is a milestone for Tacoma.

And and these are written because if I went off the cuff, we'd be here even longer.

Um, and I want to be the first person to make comments tonight.

With the Tide Flat Suburbia Plan before us, we are concluding eight years of collaboration, negotiation, community engagement, and very hard work.

This is an unprecedented achievement, the first and only planned of its kind in our region, and it took every part partner at the table to get us here.

I want to begin by recognizing members of the steering committee, our partners across jurisdictions, the city of Tacoma, obviously, the Puallop tribe of Indians, Pierce County, the Port of Tacoma, and the City of Fife.

Many people across these organizations dedicated years of effort to the process, and there is so much appreciation to share tonight.

I want to thank the staff that made our steering committee members that made sure our steering committee members were prepared and engaged at each meeting.

And I want to thank our steering committee members, both past and present.

From the City of Tacoma, I want to thank Councilmember Christina Walker, former Council members Ryan Mello and Lillian Hunter, and our staff team, Stephen Atkinson, Steve Victor, Brian Bodet, and Adam Nolan.

From the Port of Tacoma, Commissioners Deanna Keller, Dick Marzano, John McCarthy, former Commissioner Claire Petridge, and staff members Deedra Wilson and Matt Maurer.

From the Puallop Tribe, Chairman Bill Sterwood, Councilmember Annette Bryan, and staff's Robert Brant.

Robert, I'm gonna mess up your last name, and Andrew Strobel.

From the county, from the county now executive Ryan Mello, former executive Bruce Stanmeyer, former county council member Doug Richardson, and former staff member Sean Gaffney.

From the City of Fife, Mayor Kim Roscoe, former Council members Brian Yambay, and Lisa McClellan, and staff members Chris Lawson and Steve Fritdle.

We were also supported by the perspectives of the TIE Flats advisory group, made up of many individuals and businesses that participated and contributed their expertise and organizations engaged in helping the steering committee create the best plan possible that everyone could accept.

City of Lakewood, City of Sumner, Joint Base Lewis McCord, Northeast Tacoma Neighborhood Council, New Tacoma Neighborhood Council, South Tacoma Neighborhood Council, ILW Local 23, Pierce County Building and Construction Trades, Economic Development Board, Chamber of Commerce, Manufacturing Industrial Council, Communities for a Healthy Bay, and the Climate and Sustainability Commission.

This plan does not reflect the interest of any single party.

It reflects the shared vision and negotiated commitments of all of our partners.

It says a strong baseline for the Tide Flats, one that will continue to evolve as we grow, learn, and adapt in the years ahead.

And I want to acknowledge that this work required difficult conversations and difficult decisions along the way to get it to the finish line.

And none of this was simple, but it was all necessary.

I would be uh wrong if I didn't admit that there were times at the very beginning of this process where I didn't even think we could all vote together to let someone go to the bathroom.

And at the end of eight years, we all voted unanimously to forward this to the Planning Commission.

I also want to thank the Planning Commission for their work to receive this, to plan and do the additional work to review, align with existing city plans and propose amendments in alignment with the steering committee's collaborative efforts.

I also want to thank the many residents and local leaders who engaged with us through public comments, letters, and more, um, and more because they were tired of polluting and dangerous industries coming into the already burdened neighborhoods, and thank you to Barb Church who brought up so many of those names last week at public comment.

Aaron Dilworth, Onita Arnold, Les Poe, the late Les Poe, Claudia Wiedner, Kyle Jolly Boys, John Carlton, Kathy Laharm, Steve Starms, Norma, Callista and Sid, Stacey Oaks and 350 Tacoma, Conversations 253, Advocates for a Cleaner Tacoma, and the list could go on and on.

And if I missed your name, please charge it to my head and not to my heart.

What we have before us demonstrates something incredibly important.

A world-class port can thrive along vibrant urban neighborhoods that too many hands that it that took too many hands to create.

There are so many things that I could call out in the plan, but I'm gonna let Council Member Walker do that and skip a couple of paragraphs.

But I also want to highlight just a couple of things.

And one is that the integration of the indigenous values throughout this plan.

The Tide Flats is deeply connected to the cultural environment and economic life of the Puallop tribe of Indians.

This plan strengthens our standards for cultural and archaeological resource protection and deepens our coordination with the tribe to ensure that future development respects those connected and honors their sovereignty.

At our very last meeting when we all raised our hands and voted yes, Councilmember Annette Bryant took a look at the draft plan, and tears swelled in her eyes.

And she was so proud to say, and I won't be quoting her exactly.

But she was so proud to see the Puallop tribe of Indians represented the way they're represented in the current plan and said she never thought that she would see this in her lifetime.

So tonight, as we prepare to adopt this plan, I want to say thank you.

Thank you to all the partners who stayed at the table.

Thank you to the community members who showed up, asked hard questions, and pushed us to do better.

And thank you to everyone who believed that this work, difficult as it was, could lead us to a better future.

This plan truly represents what Tacoma Kennell accomplished when we stay committed, stay in the conversation, and stay focused on the long term.

It is an important step forward for our port, our neighbors, our workforce, our environment, and for future generations who will depend on the choices we make today.

It is not perfect.

No plan is.

And it's been said before, but this plan, this project would not have happened without you.

When we talk about you key continuing to come back to the table and to bring all the partners back to the table, I mean that in a very literal way.

There were meetings that I think that you probably should have been home in bed, but you were there because it meant so much.

And to the staff who had to schedule all five entities, that was no small feat, just getting it on people's calendars, and you knew that, and you showed up every single time, and it was an honor to work alongside you in those tough decisions.

And some of those really tough decisions happened over Zoom during COVID, and we kept making it happen.

And I I it can't be said enough that this this project, this plan would not have started without you, and it would not have come to completion without you.

And I'm so so glad we were able to do it in 2025.

So congratulations.

Thank you.

Thank you, Councilmember Walker.

And I I they say that they timed me.

I got done in seven minutes and 58 seconds, so I have two seconds left.

A minute for every year.

But I said their names so quickly, but I want to back up and I really just I want to look at them.

And and and I just want to say he's not here tonight, but Steve Victor to Brian Bowday.

And but but most of all the Stephen Atkinson, who really had, I mean, the three of you worked hand in hand, but Steve had the day-to-day, this was Steve's day-to-day job.

And Stephen Atkinson, you are a tremendous, all three of you are tremendous assets to this city.

But Stephen, you really led all of this work.

I think you and I have been the constants for the last eight years.

Um, and and and and to Brian and and to Steve Victor, thank you all as well.

But I I'm sorry, I just have to take this moment and I have to say thank you to you.

All right, Councilmember Rumbah.

Thank you, Mayor, and I want to thank you for your comments, and I want to also thank Councilmember Walker for what she had to say.

Um, I just feel like I have I have to say something because it's so momentous.

Um, the Tide Flat Sub-area Plan has been a momentous undertaking.

There we go.

And as the council member who represents the Port of Tacoma and the residential and commercial neighborhoods surrounding it, I want to celebrate what a benefit this plan is to Tacoma.

I want to thank the mayor who has championed this since the beginning and who stayed committed to collaboration and whose determination and stick to itness was critical to bringing everyone to the table until a decision was reached.

And Councilmember Walker, who has dedicated so much time to the Tide Flat Steering Committee work and has heard me out every time I shared feedback on this work.

Thank you so much.

I also want to thank staff who have lived and breathed this work for years and whose tremendous commitment to transparency and inclusion is exemplary.

When you have a plan this large with so many people engaged in its creation, there will always be compromises between different perspectives.

I'm sorry, Yvonne McCarty.

Even still, the plan accomplishes a lot.

A huge win for all of Tacoma is prohibiting rendering plants in the port.

That is a huge thing for Northeast Tacoma and for the surrounding areas that dealt with the smell and fumes of the rendering plant.

We've all heard concerns from community about the impacts the rendering plants have, and that community feedback was critical to getting us here.

This plan also changes how our industrial industry will interact with surrounding residential areas by incorporating new transitional zoning that um council member Walker mentioned along the borders of the Tide Flats.

The areas between Northeast Tacoma and the port allows for less industrial areas than current zoning.

It also adds conditional use permit requirements as well as requirements to fully enclose facilities to address some of the industrial uses of highest concern to Northeast Tacoma residents.

Throughout the process, we heard Northeast Tacoma advocate for a land use concept more similar to the FOSS Waterway.

The proposed zoning would allow private recreation and entertainment uses, restaurants, cultural institutions, retail, public services, and other water enjoyment activities along the shoreline, similar to the mixed uses of what we have on the Foss Waterway.

Developing these uses would also be required to provide public access to the shoreline.

The plan also includes the seaport conservancy districts to support habitat preservation to protect the long-term function and viability of key wetlands, fish and wildlife habitat and drainage districts.

These enhancements to our land use code set up for a healthier, more sustainable future.

And I'm just so happy that I got to be on council and vote for this.

Thank you.

Thank you very much, uh, Councilmember Rumba.

I'm going to speak in between everybody else.

Um I also forgot to thank Councilmember Walker.

Um, in a relay race, um everybody has to carry their baton in order to get over the finish line.

Um, and I started this relay race with a different partner, but I crossed the finish line with this partner.

And um Councilmember Walker let me say, I know I get a lot of credit, but you were there in the end when it counted, the end being the last four years.

Um but but but but you were there, you're here tonight, and you've been there for the last four years, and I'm so grateful for the partnership that that we got to build together to get this over the finish line.

I didn't make every meeting, and when I couldn't be there, you stepped in.

Um, and and you carried a lot um of this work.

And so let me just say, I if you think you I wouldn't have got you, it wouldn't have gotten over the finish line without me.

I wouldn't have gotten over the finish line without you.

So thank you.

Okay, council member Bush now.

Thank you, Mayor.

Uh yeah, I so I actually was on the tide flat advisory group when I was on the South Dakota Neighborhood Council.

Um, I used to be sitting in this audience listening to the council talk about this, and I uh and so I was at the very, very early, very meetings, and I I just really appreciate um your vision, your leadership, uh, as well as Councilmember Walker through this entire process.

I I don't think we I don't think we would have gotten to this point without you, like literally.

I I think you uh and your ability to bring people together um and to drive for compromise and um a little give and take all across the board and so many competing interests, but the reality is is is we all wanted something that works for all of us, and so that being the the end reality here that we're voting on tonight.

I just I feel almost feel like it's a full circle moment.

Yeah, and I just really um really happy with um you know everyone that helped get this process started in the first place, and I'm just really thankful that I'm here to help uh support this at the very end as well.

So thank you again so much for your leadership and everybody out in the community staff.

Uh it's countless council amount of hours that went into this, and um, you know, no again, no plan is perfect, no policy is perfect, and there's always opportunities for improvement.

I think nothing is perfect.

There's always opportunity for improvement.

And so, um, but I think this is a huge win for Tacoma.

I think this is a huge win for our our communities for for Fife, for the Pulp tribe, for the Port of Tacoma, everybody.

Um, and this is you know, a regional driver and economic driver for our region.

Um, and so we had conversations with partners all across the board.

Um, and that was really important because that creates the buy-in uh to see this plan to fruition as well uh from everybody.

So thank you again so much for your leadership, and I'm really excited to support this tonight.

Thank you, Councilmember Bush.

Now, Councilmember Hines.

Yeah, I'll I'll keep this uh short.

Uh I just wanted to say that um when Councilmember Walker and I first joined the council, so this has been almost six years ago at this point in time.

Her and I looked at each other and said, hey, you know, maybe we could help council kind of push this thing over the finish line and get it done in the first six months while we're here.

Um every six months the non-interim regulation process.

And we went through we threw one and then it was like, okay, we can't do this again.

Let's push it across the finish line, make it happen.

Um we did not achieve that goal, but I do want to thank Madam Mayor and Councilmember Walker for all your work on this, um, kind of getting us to this point.

Um, I think it may have receded into our distant memories, but not only thank you for getting us this point, but getting us through the kind of repeated six-month non-interim regulations process that was definitely um a whole other process upon us to get us to this point to get the parties to the table and to get to an agreement that we have before us.

So I just want to thank you for all your efforts and commitment to that.

I mean, we could still just have been in that six-month uh period over and over again, um, which no one wanted to be in.

They were not anymore.

Thank you.

Let that remind those of you who think you can fix it as soon as you get here.

Takes time.

All right, are there any other comments?

Seeing none, I was trying to think of a question just so I could call Stephen Atkinson up to up to the up and make him answer a question.

But I just can't think of anything, Stephen.

I'm too tired.

So, Clerk, will you please call the roll?

Councilmember Bushnell?

Aye.

Deputy Mayor Daniels, absent, Councilmember Diaz.

Aye.

Councilmember Hines?

Aye.

Councilmember Rumba.

Aye.

Councilmember Sidalgay?

Aye.

Councilmember Scott.

Aye.

Councilmember Walker.

Aye.

Mayor Woodards.

Aye.

The ordinance is declared passed.

I never do that after ordinance is declared passed.

Woohoo!

I'm clapping.

All right.

Yeah, we have two more, but these are that was the main one.

These are just the other two accompanying ordinances.

Item 15, Clerk, will you please read?

Ordinance 29076 and ordinance amending Title 13 of the municipal code relating to land use regulatory regulatory code by amending various chapters to implement the tide flat sub-area plan.

Effective January 5th, 2026.

All right, this item was presented at the November 12th, 2025 meeting.

Are there any additional council questions or comments?

Okay, I only have just okay.

Clerk, will you please call the roll?

Deputy Mayor Daniels, absent councilmember Diaz.

Aye.

Councilmember Hines.

Aye.

Councilmember Rumba.

Aye.

Councilmember Sidalga?

Aye.

Councilmember Scott.

Aye.

Councilmember Walker.

Aye.

Councilmember Bushnell?

Aye.

Mayor Woodards.

Aye.

You know what I just saw online?

Uh Commissioner Deanna Keller and Deirdre Wilson are online from the Port of Tacoma.

And I do want to ask the Commissioner, since she could not be here in person.

I would have called on her.

Commissioner, would you like to say something?

If so, raise your hand.

If you know how.