The City of Tacoma will be establishing a shelter site in the Hilltop neighborhood for people who are experiencing homelessness.
The City Council voted Tuesday night to approve the emergency resolution. It will provide "micro shelter units" next month for people who are currently camped nearby in People's Park.
The vote comes after a recent decision to ban tents and other temporary shelters in Tacoma parks. Council member Keith Blocker responded to criticism about that previous decision — before casting his vote in favor of the shelter site.
“To just allow people to set up tents and camp in our city without providing resources and also holding them accountable at the same time, to me, we’re doing them a disservice and we’re doing our neighborhoods a disservice,” Blocker said.
The council unanimously approved the new shelter site, which will be in place for up to eight months.
