I'd like to call to order the city council study session of March 3rd, 2026.

Clerk, please call the roll.

Deputy Mayor Bushnell.

Present.

Councilmember Diaz.

Can you repeat that, Councilmember Diaz?

I'm here.

Thank you.

Councilmember Heinz.

Councilmember Palmer.

Here.

Councilmember Rumba.

Here.

Councilmember Sidalgay?

Here.

Councilmember Scott?

Here.

Councilmember Walker.

Here.

Mayor Ibsen.

Here.

All right.

Our first agenda item is our neighborhood and community services department overview.

I'd like to call on interim director of neighborhood and community services, Vicky McLaurin to begin the presentation.

Good afternoon and thank you.

Um, Mayor Ibsen, um Deputy Mayor Bushnell and Council members.

My name is Vicky McLaurin.

I currently serve as the interim director for neighborhood and community services.

Neighborhood and community services works to build healthy and successful neighborhoods and households through leading community problem solving, funding human services, and partnering with community members to facilitate safe, clean, and attractive neighborhoods.

I first would like to thank the staff of Neighborhood and Community Services for their tireless efforts in addressing the most critical issues in our community with compassion.

I would also like to thank our internal partners who are critical to the success of our department.

And last, I want to thank our provider community, with the exception of the homeless engagement alternative services team.

Our department does not do direct services.

We contract with 80 service providers performing 115 programs to address council priorities and to improve the lives of Tacoma residents.

Neighborhood and community services comprised of four distinct units Administration, resource management, HEAL, systems and strategy, where community wellness and homeless strategies services and systems and services are subdivisions.

Some of our most recent accomplishments include participation in the unified regional approach to homelessness.

In 2025, the HEL team helped 231 unhoused individuals in supportive services and sheltered throughout Tacoma, placing seven into detox.

Redesigning violence reduction and prevention priority, launching the building resilience against youth violence and exploitation, known as Brave.

Transition Senior Services formally to light formally from Lighthouse at Lighthouse and Beacon Activity Center to Parks Tacoma.

Redesign and implemented or designed and implemented the street medicine and sustained funding through June of 2027.

An initial work on dashboarding on contract data working towards public facing dashboards in 2026.

We responded quickly to address the impacts of food access system following a delay in federal funding in the fall of 2025.

This was accomplished through rapid deployment of funds as food partners had limited reserves and services and increased services.

You've seen this slide and other department presentations.

Neighborhood and community services priority areas support community safety and homelessness.

During the February 3rd study session, staff presented the homeless strategy.

We also presented the homeless strategy to community vitality and safety committee on February 12th with the intent to highlight objectives and goals set in 2022 and discuss if or what should be updated and how we could we can align with the unified regional approach.

We also presented to community vitality and safety, and we will also be can um presenting to the community vitality and safety the 27 and 28 issue statement for the competitive process and Brave on March 12th.

So council goals are supported in large part through contracted human services.

Each biennium, our department runs a competitive funding process that seeks to fund services that align with council priorities and department goals.

A review panel that includes human service commission is responsible for reviewing and rating the applications and making funding recommendations.

Each applicant is invited to an oral presentation where they can present their priority and answer questions from raiders related to the application.

Funding recommendations are presented to the community vitality and safety on and contracts over half a million are approved at the same time as the city's biennial budget.

Staff will review the recommendations prior to community vitality and safety with the mayor, city manager, and CVS chair.

Neighborhood and community services funds community programs that strengthen our community.

Funded programs support our efforts to community safety and homelessness, civic engagement, equity, and measurable outcomes to advance the Tacoma 2035 strategic plan.

Aging and disability improves the quality of life for seniors and individuals with disabilities throughout senior activities.

Food insecurity provides food access and options through physical food banks and pantries and delivers and delivery options.

Health and health care improves health outcomes and access to coma residents through focus on behavioral health.

Homelessness prioritizes an increase in access to resources through outreach while addressing public health and safety concerns.