The Tacoma City Council met at 1:00 PM on April 21, 2026, for a regular meeting that included proclamations, public comments, a ballot measure for transportation safety, and a public hearing on the 2026 Annual Action Plan. The council unanimously approved the consent agenda, reconfirmed the Director of Utilities, adopted a revised ballot measure for the August primary, and passed a compensation ordinance.
Good evening. I'd like to call to order the City Council meeting of April 21st, 2026. Clerk, please call the roll. Deputy Mayor Bushnell. Present. Councilmember Diaz. Councilmember Hines. Councilmember Palmer. Councilmember Rumba. Here. Councilmember Sidalgay? Here. Councilmember Scott? Here. Councilmember Walker? Here. Mayor Ibsen? Here. Please join me in listening to the land acknowledgement and flag salute led by Councilmember Diaz, followed by a moment of silence. We greatly honor and acknowledge that we rest on the traditional lands of the Puella people where they speak their where they make their home and speak their Lashutseed language. Please stand for the flag salute and remain standing for a moment of silence. Are there any modifications to the agenda tonight? Seeing none, we're going to move on to the consent agenda. I move to adopt the consent agenda, including resolution number 41892. Moving second, are there any questions, comments, or corrections? Seeing none, all those in favor of adopting the consent agenda, please signify by saying aye. I was supposed to say nay. Consent agenda is declared adopted. We have two ceremonials tonight for the Fair Housing Month proclamation. I'd like to invite Adrian Buchanan, Executive Director of the Fair Housing Center of Washington, and members from the Tacoma Pierce County Association of Realtors to the podium as I read the proclamation. Whereas on April 11th, 1968, the Fair Housing Act was enacted into law and today affirms the right to housing free from discrimination based on aspects like race, color, religion, sex, disability, familial status, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity. And whereas where people live has a direct impact on the quality of their health, education, and access to economic opportunities and discriminatory housing practice practices create racial and economic segregation in communities that can lead to disparate outcomes in overall quality of life. And whereas the City of Tacoma believes that access to fair housing laws have made our communities stronger and more vibrant and is committed to programs that help educate the public about the right to equal housing, and whereas we are committed to promoting housing choices and fostering inclusive communities free from housing discrimination and to partnering with housing industry organizations to further fair housing causes. Now therefore, I Andrews Ibsen, Mayor of the City of Tacoma, on behalf of the City Council, do hereby proclaim April 2026 as Fair Housing Month in the City of Tacoma and recognize the 58th anniversary of the Federal Fair Housing Act and thank the many people and organizations in our communities who have opened the doors of housing opportunity to all. Please say a few words. Thank you. Thank you, Mayor and members of City Council for this proclamation. My name is Adria Buchanan. I've served as the Executive Director of the Fair Housing Center of Washington for the last seven years. Our agency serves 23 counties, providing training, enforcement, and advocacy to limit unlawful housing discrimination and promote inclusive communities. At a time when civil rights are under attack, we have found ourselves busier than ever helping clients navigate a plethora of housing challenges. So far this year in 2026, we've seen a 30% increase in the number of calls we've received. As municipalities work to bring more housing units online, we must stress that not much will change who is living on the street if the same discriminatory practices exist. We must require fair housing education for property management companies taking over new developments for HOA and COA board members, for city councils, and for planning commissions and others who are making important decisions about housing. Our call volume is too high, and our situations and the situations that we hear about on a daily basis are too dire for us to let up now. The federal government's latest budget proposal eliminates funding for the work that we do, but we know our work is essential as the majority of fair housing complaints received throughout Western Washington are processed by our our agency alone. And our clients are overwhelmingly older folks with disabilities. We are fighting discrimination and fighting to exist, and so my ask of you today is to continue to do your part to create a culture of compliance and inclusivity. We urge you to review how the city of Tacoma is building capacity to prevent discriminatory practice before it starts, and we're here to help. So I want to thank you for your work and to our other partners here today for creating more housing opportunity.