South Tacoma Neighborhood Plan Garners Statewide Acclaim for Deep Community Engagement
Washingtoner/10289641

~ The City of Tacoma's South Tacoma Neighborhood Plan has been recognized for its exceptional community engagement efforts, earning the Community Involvement award from the 2025 Joint American Planning Association/Planning Association of Washington Awards for Excellence in Planning. The plan, which was developed through a deliberate and inclusive strategy, empowers residents to shape the future of their neighborhood.

Led by District 3 Council Member Jamika Scott and District 5 Council Member Joe Bushnell, the South Tacoma Neighborhood Plan stands out for its dedication to outreach, education, and meaningful engagement throughout the planning process. With over 1,300 community interactions, including input from historically underrepresented communities, the plan has fostered broad participation from youth, small business owners, and long-term residents.

"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," said Council Member Scott. "I am especially proud that the City of Tacoma applied a trauma-informed framework to our community engagement, ensuring that everyone's voice could be heard."

More on Washingtoner

• Seecoin Expands Beyond Gaming: A Web3 (r)evolution for All Content Creators
• Barcelona-based Neurosurgical Specialist Awarded Designation of International Center of Excellence for Ehlers Danlos Syndrome
• Historic achievement: FDA approval of Abeona Therapeutics' ZEVASKYN accelerates momentum and expands treatment options for the EB community.
• Pregis Expands Multi-Layer Technology for High-Performance Barrier Films at Anderson Facility
• New Professional Association to Study Principles of Hospitality Applied to the Delivery of Healthcare

The planning journey for the South Tacoma Neighborhood Plan included multilingual surveys, pop-up events, interactive mapping tools, focus groups, steering group meetings, and direct allocation of $50,000 in community booster project funding guided by 400 resident votes. This approach allowed for a diverse range of voices to be heard and reflected in the final plan.

Council Member Bushnell expressed his gratitude towards all those who contributed to the development of the plan. "The South Tacoma Neighborhood Plan is a community-led effort made possible by outstanding and dedicated volunteers who took the time to lead on outreach, navigate difficult conversations, and collaborate to find actionable solutions for the neighborhood," he said.

The plan represents a community-driven vision that prioritizes economic opportunity, health and environmental justice, cultural identity, and neighborhood affordability. It is powered forward by actionable strategies directly reflecting residents' priorities.

More information on the South Tacoma Neighborhood Plan can be found on the City's website. The City Council is expected to consider the final plan for adoption next month. Community members with questions about the plan can contact Alejandra Villeda at avilleda@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 591-5137.

---

Show All News | Report Violation