I'm proposing the following for your consideration in our Safe Shelter Task Force meetings with the City of Tacoma:

1.  400 additional shelter beds by Dec. 1

2.  If the City cannot identify and bring on-line 400 additional shelter beds by Dec. 1, they should 

     a.  delay implementation of the code change until we can document at least one month's empty shelter beds in shelters for both households without minors and households with minors.

     b.  bring a minimum of 40 beds on-line each month over a 12 month period.  That would give us an additional 480 beds.

          Assume - 250 beds for households without minors - this is approximately the number of beds shelters add during inclement weather.

                          50 units for households with minors, people with special needs...an estimated 230 beds

3.  Revisit the sweeps policy to protect encampments with no criminal activity from sweeps during the winter.

4.  Revisit the encampment policy to support self-organizing by unsheltered people to relocate to warm, dry, safe, permitted shelter including encampments.

5.  Continue to strengthen the relationship between the City and the TPC Coalition to End Homelessness.

6.  Develop a strong relationship between MDC and the TPC Coalition to End Homelessness in support of MDC's new contract to convene stakeholders across the city "to increase emergency shelter capacity and address homelessness in Tacoma."

This is a bit awkward since the Coalition has no decision-making authority, but if these talking points ring true - or if they don't - please let me know.  Please also add others you think we should bring forward.

Thank you for your work,

Maureen