North End Neighborhood Council Meeting –
www.nenc.org or NENC Facebook
Monday September 8, 2025
6:00 p.m.
Cookies & Cider from 5:30 p.m.
****MEETING ROOM LOCATION****
University of Puget Sound
Presentation Room (#102) in the Welcome Center
(N. 15th St. and N. Alder St)
Virtual – Via Zoom
Meeting ID: 882 2046 7648
Passcode: 649767
Homelessness is a problem everywhere but is it a bigger problem for Tacoma than other cities?
Come and listen to your elected City and County Council Members explain the problem, detail what is being done about it and their expectations for finding solutions.
Meeting Agenda:
1) Introductions and welcome—
2) Announcements —
New Board Member appointments.
3) Standard Liaison Reports
Police – Kristen Braziel
Fire – Josh Schlesner
Tacoma Public Utilities – John Gaines
Tacoma Parks – Alisa OHanlon Regala
City Manager’s Office – Christina Caan
4) City Council Member Reports – John Hines – Sarah Rumbaugh
5) Homelessness – the City of Tacoma declared homelessness a public health emergency in 2017. Since then, homelessness has continued to rise and remains one of the top priorities for residents and leaders throughout the city and county. By one measure, between 2017 and 2022, homelessness in Pierce County increased by 40%.
Tacoma City Council Member Sarah Rumbaugh has prioritized building affordable housing in Tacoma and currently serves as the chair of the Council’s Community, Vitality, and Safety Committee (CVS) and as one of three Tacoma representatives on the Unified Regional Approach to Homelessness. She also served on the Select Committee for Homelessness for Pierce County, which preceded the Unified Regional Approach and was on the Associated Ministries Board for 6 years, two years as the chair.
Pierce County Council Member Robyn Denson continues to serve on the Gig Harbor Key Peninsula Housing & Homeless Coalition. She has worked for over 20 years for non-profit organizations (including Community Action Agencies and Habitat for Humanity) and served as a non-partisan policy analyst for the State House of Representatives Office of Program Research for five legislative terms, specializing in Housing Policy. Robyn will be joined by Devon Isakson, Social Services Supervisor for Pierce County’s Homeless Programs.
6) Old Business:
a. Bayside Trails
b. Cushman/Adams Redevelopment
c. Historic Preservation
7) New Business
8) Adjournment
NOTE: Our next meeting will be Monday, October 6 when we have a CANDIDATES FORUM to hear from the candidates for the City of Tacoma Mayor, Council District 2, Council District 6 and Tacoma Parks Commissioner races.
At Large and District Council Members:
https://www.cityoftacoma.org/government/city_council
CM John Hines represents citizens District 1
CM Sarah Rumbaugh represents citizens District 2
Three Council Members represents citizens in At-Large:
Deputy Mayor Kiara Daniels; Kristina Walker and Olgy Diaz
North End Neighborhood Council Board
Direct your questions or comments to: officers@gmail.com
Chair- Peter Bennett, Vice-Chair- Tobi Bet, Treasurer- Jodi Cook, Secretary- Bonnie O’Leary
Joe Tieger, Georgette Reuter, Geoff Corso, Danielle Villegas