Here is some updated information:

The participants in the Tacoma-Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness joined this morning by members of the Tacoma-Pierce County Youth Coalition and several youth providers, discussed the proposed code changes and agreed to the following key points that individuals and agencies should feel free to incorporate into their comments.  We remind everyone that the Tacoma-Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness itself cannot take a position as it does not have a decision-making structure for this purpose.  Participants in the Coalition should reach out to Metro Parks Board and City of Tacoma Council Members whom they know or who represent them to discuss these proposed code changes.  Participants in the Coalition should engage in as many public participation opportunities as are available and should be observers in those meetings where there is no public comment.  

Here are some points to consider:

1.  We should comment on the proposed code changes either as individuals or as agencies/organizations.  

     The first two opportunities are the current Metro Parks public survey (link below) until Aug. 28 and the Aug. 22 City Council Community Vitality & Safety Committee.

2.  We do not know if the proposed code changes are legal - whether or not they violate Martin v. Boise or specific Constitutional or Human Rights provisions.  We have alerted the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty and have also alerted the City of Tacoma Human Rights Commission.  

3.  We oppose adoption of the proposed code changes until there is designated safe shelter for all who cannot be accommodated in the existing emergency shelters.  This is daytime shelter as well as nighttime with appropriate services to meet basic human needs - especially toilets.

4.  The reality of unsheltered homeless people is not a City of Tacoma only issue but is a county-wide issue that requires county-wide solutions. 

5.  The Mayor of Tacoma should either convene a Tacoma Task Force of Safe Shelter Stakeholders to come up with solutions or use an existing vehicle, such as the Mayors' Roundtable: Housing Affordability & Impacts on Our Community.  See note below on this group.

Here are the links for both Metro Parks and the City of Tacoma and the timeline for the process from today though the projected adoption date of Oct. 8, 2019:

This group is tentatively scheduled to meet again Aug. 28 from 3-5 pm at the Puyallup City Hall (333 S. Meridian, Puyallup).  The tentative program consists of a panel of non-profit and for-profit housing developers.  I reached out to Melanie Harding, City of Tacoma, Chief Policy Analyst to the Mayor, and received a notice of the last meeting.  Melanie says "These meetings are set up to facilitate deep learning and conversation for Pierce County elected leaders on the issue of affordability. The series is not structured for public participation, but some seats will be available on the periphery of the room for others in attendance."  I suggest that if you want to attend, you contact Melanie directly to be sure there will be room.  Her email is:  Melanie.harding@cityoftacoma.org.  I have found her to be very responsive.