Today a big step was made by Pierce County and our partners at the cities of Tacoma and Lakewood and the Low Income Housing Institute: A 94-room hotel was purchased to provide more shelter beds to our region. The need to address our homelessness crisis in a humane and holistic way is a top priority …

Tuesday Council received the results of a months-long independent investigation into the actions and conduct of Pierce County Sheriff Ed Troyer stemming from an interaction he had on Jan. 27, 2021. I read the entirety of the report – all 48 pages – and I find the conclusions serious and disturbing. Read the full report …

Governor Inslee’s moratorium on evictions is set to expire on June 30. While the Governor has indicated he may institute a revised version as a stopgap measure until counties can get their rental assistance programs more fully up and running, the situation remains quite serious with an estimated 11,000+ Pierce County residents behind on rent …

Yesterday’s County Council meeting was a big deal. We allocated $50.5 million of the $175 million we are receiving from the federal stimulus bill known as the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Some highlights of the investments are in the below press release. You can find the detailed list here. This was just the first …

I have heard from so many community members who have lost their job as a result of the pandemic or experienced significantly reduced hours and income. Especially folks who cannot work from home safely, such as our neighbors in the hospitality industry, childcare and other personal and professional services have been hit really hard. This …