What’s in store for Tacoma and Green Living Efforts?

A recent Town Hall meeting with Tacoma DSA and Sunshine Tacoma listed plans for the future.

The Tacoma chapter of Democratic Socialists of America paired with Sunshine Tacoma to develop and prioritize their mission going forward for achieving a Tacoma Green New Deal, including affordable social living, in a town hall on Oct. 23rd, 2021.

During the town hall, the mission statement began with the desire for Affordable Housing For All, enough by 2030 to ensure all Tacoma residents long-term housing for no more than 30% income, which they wish to be publicly owned and democratically managed. But housing affordability isn’t all that is involved, as they also wish to hold buildings such housing to the highest efficiency standards, in order to minimize the carbon footprint for the anticipated growth of our region.

Such developments would also be designed with walkability in mind, incorporating public transit and several necessary public facilities, such as childcare, clinics, and grocery stores to minimize diesel based commutes and improve living standards.

Alongside new developments, this proposed plan by the groups would also include retrofitting current homes to fit high efficiency standards and not rely on fossil fuels as much, if at all.

To fulfill the high goals, they wish to establish union-backed labor and new jobs within marginalized communities to develop these new housing buildings and facilities. As for the funding, that would come from the increased taxes on the super-rich and the big businesses that regularly avoid them, and not from the common working class this new deal seeks to benefit.