Tacoma ADU & Other Multifamily Units Coming soon: The City of Tacoma Passes Phase 1 of the Much Debated, “Home in Tacoma” Plan
On December 7th, 2021 the Tacoma City Council approved the much debated Phase 1 of the “Home in Tacoma” plan.
This plan will focus on changing zoning standards throughout the city. If this is the first you’ve heard about it you might be thinking things like, “Okay cool, but what’s zoning? Why should I care? And how does this affect me as a person looking to buy a home in Tacoma?” Well, great questions… The purpose of zoning in general is to allow the authorities of an area to control what different sections of land and properties can be used for, for example, residential zoning for homes versus commercial zoning for businesses. It’s why there aren’t a bunch of houses in the middle of Nalley Valley, and why there isn’t a Walmart in the middle of Fircrest. Ideally zoning helps the growth of a community in a thoughtful and well planned way. Some examples of what zoning laws can do are:
Restrict the amount of construction permitted
Drive or divert more vehicular or walking traffic
Enhance property values
Determine where commercial and industrial buildings can be located
Increase the amount of housing allowed in a certain area
If you’re going to buy a home in Tacoma, it’s important to know what the “Home in Tacoma” plan is, and how it effects the neighborhoods you’re shopping in.
The basic idea of the plan is to increase the amount of residential property in our city. To accomplish this a large portion of the city that is currently zoned as single-family will be transformed into multifamily neighborhoods. This means that more duplexes, multiunit properties, condos, townhouses, and DADU’s (Detached Accessory Dwelling Units) will begin to be built throughout Tacoma’s neighborhoods.
This plan has divided Tacomans across the board.
Many people are for it and many people are against it. Both sides have strong points, for example: parking is beginning to be more and more of an issue in certain neighborhoods. As big apartment complexes are being built, they often don’t supply the amount of parking for everyone in the building to have a vehicle, so that tends to spill out into the surrounding neighborhoods, which isn’t ideal for anyone. One of the main arguments for the opposing side is that Tacoma just really doesn’t have enough housing. Home prices have skyrocketed since the crash and continue to rise with no end in sight. Rentals are extremely expensive because there isn’t enough housing, and there are many people that end up on the streets when rents become too high to afford. All in all, the city has voted and Phase 1 of the plan has passed. Phase 2 of the plan will begin to be worked on starting in early 2022. It’s up to you to decide what is the best neighborhood in Tacoma for you, but before you move, check out the designations of each area to decide what works best for you! Click HERE to check out the interactive plan.
Written by Koleman Spitler, a Tacoma local writer.
Downtown Tacoma Neighborhood