I attended last night's New Tacoma Neighborhood Council meeting to talk about the TPC Coalition to end Homelessness and heard the update from Linda Stewart, Director and Allison Griffith, (I don't have her NCS title but I think she is Lead on this project) from Neighborhood & Community Services on the plan for relocating people living in People's Park.

Neighborhood & Community Services  will bring a contract with the Low Income Housing Institute, LIHI, which operates several tiny house villages in Seattle to the Nov. 19 City Council Study Session and Meeting.  Council will need to approve the contract before anything can happen.  The City has control of the 3 parcels at 8th & MLK for an eight month period after which Mercy Housing and KOZ Development will begin construction of an affordable housing project.  

From my notes, LIHI will set-up, operate, and tear down an Emergency Micro Housing Shelter at 8th & MLK.  There will be 22 micro units which will house an estimated 35 individuals - the assumption is that some individuals will be couples.  This will be a low barrier shelter and will have a code of conduct.  LIHI will have one month to set-up and one month to tear down so the shelter will operate for six months.  Assuming the contract is approved by Council on Nov. 19 and signed shortly thereafter, and there are no infrastructure glitches for the toilets, etc., I figure this should be up and running by the end of December.  

My understanding is that outreach workers, etc will provide the usual services and that there may be an expectation that the community will provide meals as at the Stability Site.  I don't have any other details but Linda Stewart will be at tomorrow's Coalition to End Homelessness meeting so bring your questions.

There should be a briefing memo and the ordinance/resolution itself on the agendas for the Study Session and the Council meeting.  As soon as I see those, I will send out to the Coalition.

Thank you for your work,

Maureen