South Tacoma Neighborhood Plan Garners Statewide Acclaim for Deep Community Engagement
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~ 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. This prestigious award celebrates the plan's dedication to outreach, education, and meaningful engagement throughout the planning process.

Led by District 3 Council Member Jamika Scott and District 5 Council Member Joe Bushnell, the South Tacoma Neighborhood Plan stands out for its inclusive and deliberate approach to involving residents in shaping the future of their neighborhood. With over 1,300 community interactions, including input from historically underrepresented communities, the planning journey fostered broad participation from youth, small business owners, and long-term residents.

Through multilingual surveys, pop-up events, interactive mapping tools, focus groups, steering group meetings, and a direct allocation of $50,000 in community booster project funding guided by 400 resident votes, the plan ensured that all voices were heard. Council Member Scott expressed her excitement at seeing these efforts recognized and celebrated: "We worked hard to ensure that the South Tacoma community played an integral role in developing this plan."

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One key aspect of the plan's success was its use of a trauma-informed framework for community engagement. This approach ensured that everyone's voice could be heard and considered. Council Member Bushnell praised the dedicated volunteers who led on outreach and navigated difficult conversations to find actionable solutions for the neighborhood: "Thank you to every person who volunteered or contributed their thoughts into setting a vision for our community!"

The South Tacoma Neighborhood Plan is 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 plan can be found on the City's website.

The City Council is expected to consider adopting the final plan next month. Community members with questions about the South Tacoma Neighborhood Plan can contact Alejandra Villeda at avilleda@cityoftacoma.org or (253) 591-5137. The plan's success is a testament to the power of community engagement and collaboration in shaping a better future for all.

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