Kilmer Secures Millions in New Federal Funding for Tacoma
Community Project Funding Will Fund Infrastructure, Support for Children and Families
TACOMA, WA – Today, U.S. Representative Derek Kilmer (WA-06), a member of the House Appropriations Committee, announced that he secured more than $4.9 million in new federal funding to support community projects in Pierce County. The funding was passed with bipartisan support in the House and the Senate and signed into law by President Biden. The funding includes:
- $959,757 for the Tacoma Housing Authority’s James Center North (Aviva Crossing) Stormwater Infrastructure and Sustainability Project
- $4 million for the Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center’s Cora Whitley Family Center
Tacoma Housing Authority’s James Center North (Aviva Crossing) Stormwater Infrastructure and Sustainability Project
The Tacoma Housing Authority (THA) will receive $959,757 for its affordable housing project at James Center North (JCN) Aviva Crossing. This project aims to construct a 20,000 sq. ft. park engineered to capture, treat, and either store or safely release stormwater back into the environment and integrate a ‘purple pipe’ water recycling system.
JCN Aviva Crossing is an essential development for Tacoma, a city experiencing a rapid increase in housing costs and a high demand for affordable housing. This project will not only provide 150 deeply affordable housing units near Tacoma Community College and the 19th St. Pierce Transit Transportation Hub but also promote environmental sustainability with a stormwater natural filtration/detention system. The stormwater park will serve as a public amenity, offering green space and recreational facilities for residents and the public.
The stormwater infrastructure will protect the Leach Creek Basin, ensuring that future housing developments do not harm the surrounding environment. With the support of the City of Tacoma, Metro Parks Tacoma, and other partners, JCN Aviva Crossing promises to be a model of innovative and sustainable urban development.
“We all know that we need more housing that folks can afford. But that requires infrastructure to support new housing development. This project demonstrates how we can meet the critical need for affordable housing while embracing environmental sustainability in Tacoma,” said Rep. Kilmer. “By integrating innovative solutions to handle stormwater and a ‘purple pipe’ system to recycle water and lower costs, we’re not only building 150 affordable homes but also enhancing Tacoma’s green spaces while protecting our natural waterways. It’s a win-win for local taxpayers and a win for everyone who wants more affordable housing.”
“The importance of the James Center North/Aviva Crossing redevelopment to the community of West Tacoma cannot be overstated,” said Tacoma Housing Authority Executive Director April Black. “Considering the continued exponential rise in housing costs throughout the region, it’s critically important that we secure the funding necessary to build the stormwater park so that we can bring over 500 new housing units, at least 150 of which will be deeply affordable, and 20,000 square feet of commercial space to West Tacoma to help combat displacement and revitalize the community.”
“The Tacoma-Pierce County Affordable Housing Consortium is thrilled to endorse the James Center North Aviva Crossing Community Project request by the Tacoma Housing Authority,” said Amanda DeShazo, Executive Director, Affordable Housing Consortium. “This innovative development plan will provide up to 600 new housing units, with at least 25% of them affordable to low-income households, that includes a unique green-stormwater infrastructure system that not only protects the Leach Creek basin but also provides a public park open to the entire Aviva Crossing community. This project is an excellent example of how environmentally sustainable affordable housing can also serve as a community amenity.”
Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center’s Cora Whitley Family Center
The Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center will receive $4 million in funding for the construction of the Cora Whitley Family Center. The Center aims to provide comprehensive support for children, families, and the community, including early education programs, family resources, and recreational facilities.
The project aims to address critical issues in Pierce County and Washington State by expanding access to early education and support services for low-income families. Upon completion, the project will create long-term jobs and contribute to workforce mobility in the region by providing high-quality early education programs and vital resources for historically disadvantaged populations.
“The Cora Whitley Family Center is set to be a cornerstone for growth and opportunity in Pierce County, bringing to life a vision of comprehensive support for Tacoma’s children and families,” said Rep. Kilmer. “With its focus on early education, family resources, and recreational facilities, the Cora Whitley Family Center promises not only to transform the landscape of care and support in our region but also to drive significant economic and social returns. It’s been said that kids are one-third of our population and one hundred percent of our future. With projects like this – supported by the federal government – that future will be brighter..”
“'Transformative' is a word that comes to mind when we think about the impact that The Cora Whitley Family Center project will have for our agency – but most importantly, our community,” said Gail Neal, Executive Director of Multicultural Child and Family Hope Center. “As an organization that is relied upon for so much from the disadvantaged communities that we serve in Pierce County, we have been so limited by our current facility for years. Our childcare waitlist is over 36 months, and we are bursting at the seams as a central childcare, family resource center, and basic needs provider. The Cora Whitley Family Center will allow us to expand our human services programming by 50% within 5 years, and by 70% when it comes to childcare. For Pierce County, one of the most childcare-scarce counties in the State of Washington, this marks a new beginning, and a new home, for hundreds of young learners that will be supported from cradle to career. For families throughout Pierce County, the new site will be a neighbor they can rely on, no matter what their circumstances are.”
“In the spirit of Cora Whitley, who was there for countless foster-involved youth and homeless children who were brought to the Multicultural site at any and all hours via proximity to the DSHS building, this new project will similarly be there for its greater communities of color,” said Dr. Tafona Evrin, Executive Director, Graduate Tacoma. “The provision of resources, support, and dignity will take place at the Cora Whitley Family Center will create generational impact for stabilizing families in need, while creating self-sufficiency and later thriving.”
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