The City worked with First Christian Church to lease part of their property at 602 North Orchard Street to develop an emergency micro-shelter site in partnership with the Low-Income Housing Institute (LIHI). This site has been in operation since December of 2020. Families with children and single women are eligible to live at this site.

The Site Provides:

• 40 shelter units, serving up to 60 individuals
• Communal kitchen, laundry, office space for case management, restrooms, showers, community spaces, and trash removal services

 Virtual Community Meeting

• To view the frequently asked questions from the meeting, click here
• A full list of attendee questions and comments can be viewed here
• To watch the video of the virtual community meeting, click here

Questions?

Please contact the site provider if you have a donation or questions about TEMS 3 at 6^th and Orchard Street: John Brown at john.brown@lihi.org or (360) 854-1805.

The City partners with Catholic Community Services (CCS) to operate a low-barrier emergency shelter at 1421 Puyallup Avenue on City owned property. The Stability Site was established in June 2017 in response to the Public Health State of Emergency on Homelessness and growing unauthorized encampments in the surrounding area.

The site provides:

• 58 shelter units, serving up to 100 individuals
• Basic human amenities including restrooms, garbage services, handwashing stations and drinking water
• Case management services
• Access to food and other supportive services including temporary employment

In 2017, set-up of the Stability Site cost $900,000 and ongoing operations cost approximately $248,000 per month for the 2017-2018 biennium.

Initially, the site contained individual tents inside of a larger temperature controlled structure with individual pallet shelters located outside the structure. In spring 2020, the City improved the site by replacing all tents with pallet shelters and moving all shelters into the temperature controlled structure. Streamlining operations has also helped reduce expenses.

For 2021-2022, we expect to spend $3.6 million using General Fund and Mental Health Substance Use Disorder Sales Tax funds.

To volunteer or to donate to the Stability Site, contact Megan Edwin, Volunteer Coordinator. 

The City has partnered with Brotherhood RISE to manage an emergency micro-shelter site (RISE Freedom Project) at 2135 MLK Jr. Way. This site has been in operation since June 2023. Adults 18 years and older, including couples, are eligible to live at this site.

The Site Provides:

• 16 shelter units, serving up to 32 individuals
• Meal services, restrooms, showers, and trash removal services in addition to access to Brotherhood RISE’s main operating office across the street.

Virtual Community Meeting

• Watch the video of the virtual community meeting

Questions?

Please contact the site provider if you have a donation or questions about RISE Freedom Project: Gerald Daniels at gerald@risecenterofhilltop.org.

The City is partnering with The Rescue Mission to operate a low-barrier emergency mitigation site at 3561 Pacific Ave. This site has been in operation since November 2022. Adults 18 years and older, including couples, are eligible to live at this site.

The Site Provides:

• 50 units, serving up to 50 individuals
•  Communal space/kitchen, laundry, office space for case management, restrooms, showers, and trash removal services

Virtual Community Meeting

• Watch the video of the virtual community meeting.
• View a full list of attendee questions and comments.

Questions?

Please contact the site provider if you have a donation or questions about Forging Path Community: Jesse Salgado at JesseS@trm.org or (253) 348-3856.

The City has partnered with Catholic Community Services (CCS) to develop a Safe Parking site at Holy Rosary campus which began operating in April 2023. The site serves families, couples, and single adults. CCS performs extensive background checks during their intake process to ensure the safety of all residents. 

The Site Provides:

• Service for up to 40 individuals or 20 vehicles at a time

• Communal kitchen, laundry, office space for case management, restrooms, showers, community spaces, and trash removal services. The shelter provider and site residents have access to the existing rectory building on site for these services.

In-Person Community Meeting

• A community meeting was held in person on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, from 6-7:30 PM, to listen and discuss the community comments and concerns for this project.

Questions?

Please contact the site provider if you have a donation or questions about Holy Rosary Safe Parking: Nick Leider at nickl@ccsww.org.

Shelter providers hold Community Advisory Committee (CAC) Meetings to discuss and support the site operations, troubleshoot any issues on site or in the neighborhood and provide an opportunity for residents to partner with the site operator and City staff directly. Community members are invited to join the Community Advisory Committees to review operations and progress of the site(s), address questions and concerns, and provide ideas and advisory input. 

All interested in participating in a CAC Meeting are encouraged to complete this survey to receive the meeting details from the shelter provider.

Forging Path Community (S 35^th St and Pacific Ave)

The CAC meets in person on the third floor of the Holy Rosary School (504 S 30th Street) on the third Thursday of every month from 6 PM to 7 PM.

Holy Rosary Safe Parking (424 S 30^th St)

The CAC meets in person in the convent building at Holy Rosary (424 S 30th Street) on the fourth Thursday of every month from 6 PM to 7 PM.

RISE Center (S 23^rd St and MLK Jr. Way)

The CAC meets in person at Brotherhood RISE (2136 MLK Jr Way) on the fourth Monday of every month from 6 PM to 7 PM.

TEMS 3 (6^th Ave and Orchard St)

The CAC meets online (via Google Meet) the second Wednesday of every month from 6 PM to 7:30 PM.

• Join our email listserv to receive updates about City of Tacoma authorized encampments.

• Visit the Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness webpage for more ways to get involved.

Shelter sites tend to need donations such as: blankets, hand/feet warmers, food/drinks, clothes (i.e. new socks/underwear, jackets, etc.), kitchen paper products (i.e. paper plates, napkins, cutlery, etc.), toiletries (i.e. deodorant, shampoo/conditioners, soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc.), among other everyday items and specialized requests.

If you would like to donate to a shelter, please call or email the appropriate point of contact listed under the shelter above that you would like to donate to.