The South Tacoma Neighborhood Plan, a blueprint for the area's future shaped by its own residents, has nabbed the prestigious Community Involvement award from the 2025 Joint American Planning Association/Planning Association of Washington Awards for Excellence in Planning. This honor comes as a nod to the plan’s exceptional commitment to incorporating community voice in the development process.
Key to the plan’s success was its all-hands approach, engaging over 1,300 individuals through various outreach methods: multilingual surveys, pop-up events, and interactive mapping tools, among others. District 3 Council Member Jamika Scott praised the collaborative effort. “We worked hard to ensure that the South Tacoma community played an integral role in developing this plan and I’m thrilled to see those efforts recognized and celebrated,” she said in a statement obtained by the city's announcement. Scott particularly lauded the application of a trauma-informed framework to the process, allowing for a more inclusive and sensitive dialogue.
Local volunteers were instrumental in the plan's evolution, helping lead outreach efforts, mediating tough conversations, and shaping actionable outcomes, as District 5 Council Member Joe Bushnell noted. “Thank you to every person who volunteered or contributed their thoughts into setting a vision for our community!” Bushnell added, acknowledging the collective push that fueled the plan’s development.
With community engagement at its core, the plan sets its sights on bolstering economic opportunity, advocating for health and environmental justice, safeguarding cultural identity, and maintaining neighborhood affordability. It’s a community-crafted roadmap, facing forward with strategies deeply rooted in residents’ aspirations and concerns.
The finalized version of the South Tacoma Neighborhood Plan is expected to cross the desk of the City Council soon, with adoption anticipated in the coming month. More details on the plan are available on the City of Tacoma’s website. Community members looking to dig deeper into the details or with questions can reach out to Alejandra Villeda at [email protected] or call (253) 591-5137.
