Local

11 stories highlight Pierce County’s approach to address homelessness

Stories by Tacoma News Tribune journalists, with AI summarization

Pierce County is working on many fronts to address homelessness, with efforts ranging from shelter funding, new affordable housing projects and eviction prevention programs. This list of stories illustrates the need to maintain shelter beds in Tacoma and the challenges of launching support programs like the street medicine team.

Investments have gone into projects such as the Shiloh New Life Apartments and preserving housing at Hidden Firs, while eviction prevention and diversion funds remain in high demand. Large encampments and a shortage of shelter space show ongoing challenges, and new regional initiatives, like the national Counties for Housing Solutions program, aim to boost affordable housing for the future.

Arial view of Hidden Firs affordable housing community in Parkland

NO. 1: 56 UNITS OF HOUSING TO REMAIN AFFORDABLE THANKS TO PIERCE COUNTY INVESTMENT

The “readiness” of the project was an incentive for the county to invest in its preservation, an official told The News Tribune. | Published April 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by Cameron Sheppard

Two protesters walk past security guards at the groundbreaking ceremonies at the site of the new Good Neighbor Village in Spanaway, Washington, on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. The women left the property on their own a few minutes later. By Tony Overman

NO. 2: CONTROVERSIAL HOMELESS VILLAGE NEAR SPANAWAY LAKE CLEARS ANOTHER LEGAL CHALLENGE

After losing a Pierce County land use hearing against the Good Neighbor Village, Spanaway Concerned Citizens have lost yet another appeal. | Published April 10, 2025 | Read Full Story by Cameron Sheppard

No image found

NO. 3: PIERCE COUNTY ONE OF A FEW SELECTED FOR NATIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM. WHAT WILL IT DO?

Pierce County is one of six counties in the nation selected to take part in a national program to create a plan to build more housing in the region. | Published April 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Cameron Sheppard

No image found

NO. 4: PIERCE COUNTY ANNOUNCES $6 MILLION EVICTION PREVENTION PROGRAM. IS IT ENOUGH?

The announcement comes after the county recently recording one of the highest eviction rates in the state. | Published April 16, 2025 | Read Full Story by Cameron Sheppard

Participants at Pierce County’s April 28 community listening event discuss priorities for the region’s updated response to housing and homelessness. By Kari Moore

NO. 5: CALLS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY AS PIERCE COUNTY AMENDS HOMELESSNESS PLAN

“Its pretty embarrassing when we are out in the field and homeless people are asking where the $17 million [in affordable housing investments] went,” one advocate said. | Published April 30, 2025 | Read Full Story by Cameron Sheppard

Omar Rashid, right, an outreach worker with Community Youth Services, and volunteer Linda Rick help set up about 40 cots for a cold-weather shelter at Beacon Senior Center in Tacoma on Monday, Dec. 14, 2015, for people ages 18-24 who experiencing homelessness. By Drew Perine

NO. 6: SHOULD WA EXPAND ‘COST-EFFECTIVE’ PROGRAM TO MITIGATE YOUTH HOMELESSNESS?

A Washington program helped over 1,700 youth avoid homelessness using cost-effective, flexible funding. | Published May 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Cameron Sheppard

People enter an open unit of the Lily V. Brazill New Life Apartments for a tour during a ribbon-cutting event for new affordable housing complexes on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, in Tacoma, Wash. By Liesbeth Powers

NO. 7: TACOMA CHURCH OPENS 60 AFFORDABLE-HOUSING UNITS TO COMPLETE DECADES-LONG VISION

The apartments will help low-income families and veterans find stable housing. | Published May 13, 2025 | Read Full Story by Cameron Sheppard

A homeless encampment partially blocks the sidewalk along 96th Street east of Hosmer Street in Tacoma, Washington, on Thursday, Sept. 24, 2024. By Tony Overman

NO. 8: IT’S SUPPOSED TO BRING MEDICAL CARE TO THE HOMELESS. WHY ISN’T IT OPERATIONAL?

At least one advocate worries about the direction the $1 million program is headed. | Published May 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by Cameron Sheppard

Workers cleanup trash from the encampment underneath Interstate 705 in downtown Tacoma on Friday, Feb. 4, 2022. By Pete Caster

NO. 9: ENCAMPMENTS REMOVED IN TACOMA WERE ‘NOTABLY LARGER’ IN FIRST QUARTER OF 2025

With nearly 400 shelter beds at risk, Tacoma saw larger encampments cleared in the first quarter of 2025 amid increasing homelessness challenges. | Published May 8, 2025 | Read Full Story by Cameron Sheppard

Omar Rashid, right, an outreach worker with Community Youth Services, and volunteer Linda Rick help set up about 40 cots for a cold-weather shelter at Beacon Senior Center in Tacoma on Monday, Dec. 14, 2015, for people ages 18-24 who experiencing homelessness. By Drew Perine

NO. 10: THE CLOCK IS TICKING. WILL TACOMA GET MONEY TO KEEP HOMELESS SHELTERS OPEN?

Facing a serious funding gap, Tacoma officials hope state grants will keep critical emergency homeless shelter services running through 2025 and beyond. | Published May 14, 2025 | Read Full Story by Cameron Sheppard

Heat map of Tacoma’s 311 reports related to homeless activity for the first quarter of 2025. By City of Tacoma

NO. 11: ‘IT’S EVERYWHERE.’ HEAT MAP SHOWS HOMELESS-ACTIVITY HOT SPOTS IN TACOMA

The map indicates over 3,000 calls related to homelessness throughout the city over the first quarter of 2025. | Published May 16, 2025 | Read Full Story by Cameron Sheppard

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.