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Image courtesy of the City of Tacoma
Mountain, city, or sea, you can get all three in Tacoma, Washington. This city ranks third in the United States as one of the best places to live, according to a study from bankrate.com. The study rated cities based on several criteria including the local job market, well-being of citizens, affordability, and diversity. That’s a legacy that longtime resident and current mayor, Victoria Woodards plans to keep throughout her time in office – and for future generations.
Mayor Woodards has had a distinguished career marked by a deep commitment to public service and community advocacy. She began her political journey as a member of the Metro Parks Tacoma board and went on to become an at-large city council member for seven years. In 2017, she became the second African American woman to be elected Mayor of Tacoma. Throughout her tenure, Mayor Woodards has prioritized issues such as affordable housing, economic development, and public safety, working tirelessly to improve the quality of life for Tacoma’s residents. Her leadership has been characterized by a strong dedication to fostering inclusivity, diversity, and equity in her city, making her a respected figure in both local, regional, and national politics.
Mayor Woodards was raised in Tacoma, and when you speak with her, it’s easy to see how much she loves her city. As mayor of her hometown, Woodards has a unique view of the city – both literally and figuratively – from her office window on the 12th floor of the Tacoma Municipal Building. While she may not have set her sights on a career in politics, her love of community and heart for service put her there, as well as her longtime mentor and father figure, the late Harold Moss.
“I was working for the founding president and CEO of the (Tacoma) Urban League and in that job, I had the opportunity to meet prominent African American figures in our community. One of those people was Harold Moss,” said Woodards. “He was Tacoma’s first African American council member, Mayor, and county council member – but he was more than that, you know. We always call Harold Tacoma’s John Lewis or Tacoma’s Martin Luther King.”
As she tells it, Moss saw something in young Victoria and recruited her for a position as his assistant. While she hated to leave her role at the Tacoma Urban League, where she worked closely and built relationships with many of the people she supported in her community, after some prayer and personal consideration, Moss made her an offer she couldn’t refuse, and her political career began.
“I found out very quickly that it is a great job to be the assistant to a politician because when you pick up the phone and call somebody – it gets answered. If I call and say I’m with Harold Moss’s office, they jump just as high for me as if Harold called himself. At that point, I thought my job in life would be to work next to power and take care of powerful people in the community. But then, Harold got to the end of his term and started talking about me running for office,” said Woodards. “And I thought, yeah – no.”
While that may not have been the right fit, it didn’t take long for the right opportunity to present itself. A park commissioner seat was vacant, and the board was looking for a person of color, preferably a woman, to fill it. For Victoria – it was kismet.
“I went for the appointment, got the appointment, and haven’t looked back since,” said Woodards.
Woodards recounts several impactful lessons from her early mentorship with Moss, including how to value and respect people in all positions – not just the CEOs – and the importance of authentically living your values daily, not just saying them. Her passion for service to others as well as Moss’s early guidance and influence on her leadership are evident.
“Now look, here I am, mayor of my hometown, a city where he was the first African American mayor. I’m just honored to be able to carry on that legacy. I am the second biracial African American woman to serve as mayor. When I am done, we will have had 16 years of leadership in this community by African American women. And I don’t think that just speaks to the quality of me as a leader, but it speaks to the community that I am blessed to govern.”
One of the biggest issues facing Mayor Woodards – as well as the entire nation – is the issue of affordable housing. The “Home in Tacoma” plan is a comprehensive initiative to address the housing crisis in Tacoma, Washington. The plan focuses on increasing affordable housing options, preventing homelessness, and improving housing stability for residents.
It includes measures such as investing in affordable housing development, expanding tenant protections, and partnering with organizations to provide supportive services for vulnerable populations. The benefits to the community are significant, as this plan aims to reduce the homeless population, improve living conditions for low-income families, and create more inclusive and equitable neighborhoods. By prioritizing affordable housing, Mayor Woodards seeks to enhance Tacoma’s overall quality of life, fostering a more vibrant and economically resilient city for all its residents.
Now in phase two, Woodards is leading the implementation amid public fear and uncertainty. Residents fear that changing zoning laws from single-family to multi-family units in downtown areas will potentially impact neighborhood character, increase population density, and cause parking shortages and traffic congestion. They worry that it might alter the look and feel of their neighborhoods, disrupt established communities, and potentially reduce property values. Some have apprehensions about the potential for noise, reduced privacy, and a perceived strain on local infrastructure and services as the population density increases. These concerns reflect a broader debate about balancing the need for affordable housing and urban development with the desire to preserve the existing character and quality of life in residential neighborhoods.
“A lot of our residents are very scared when we talk about doing away with single-family housing because they think that means we’re going to put in a six-story apartment building with 200 units right next door, but that doesn’t make sense,” said Woodards. “However, in a business district with a grocery on the corner and access to public transit, post office, and amenities like a bank – it makes perfect sense.”
Woodards, who recently completed a year-long term as president of the National League of Cities (NLC), went on to discuss how she led the conversation about solving affordable housing at the national level.
“The greatest outcome of our work was not another report. If a report would solve it, we would have already fixed it. But what we did do was sit down with national and local organizations in our cities who don’t normally sit across the table from one another. We talked to developers, realtors, people who finance, and rental housing associations. Those are the people often seen as opponents on the ground when, in fact, we all want the same thing… We had some pretty heated conversations about what needed to be fixed. Cities cannot build all the affordable housing we need, so we need developers and rental housing associations, realtors, and financiers – we need partners in this work.”
Image courtesy of the city of Tacoma
Tacoma is considered one of the top places to live in the United States due to its exceptional natural beauty with views of Mount Rainier and proximity to Puget Sound, a vibrant cultural scene, a growing economy with diverse job opportunities, quality educational institutions, strong community engagement, and relatively affordable living costs compared to larger cities. The city’s accessibility, diverse neighborhoods, and commitment to fostering creativity and culture make it an attractive destination for individuals and families seeking a high quality of life in the Pacific Northwest.
“You know, I wish I could say it’s easy (to stay on the top of that list), but we understand as a community and all our partners – whether that’s parks and schools or businesses – understand the uniqueness and special things that make Tacoma great. It’s an all-hands-on-deck approach to help Tacoma remain in the top five cities. We must focus and be innovative in the things we do.”
Innovation and partnership are keys to keeping up the quality of life in an emerging city. According to The Urbanist, by 2040, Tacoma’s population is expected to grow by over 127,000 new residents; that’s a 58% increase.
Leveraging its strategic location within the Puget Sound region, Tacoma is poised to attract increased investment and innovation, particularly in the technology, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors. The city aims to foster a diverse and inclusive economy by supporting small businesses, workforce development programs, and affordable housing initiatives. Sustainable practices and environmental stewardship are integral to this strategy, focusing on clean energy, transit-oriented development, and green infrastructure.
“As we’re engaging businesses to move here, we’re also ensuring we’re able to give them the kind of workforce they need, and at the same time, we’re ensuring the people who live here find a job they’re passionate about and want to do every day,” said Woodards. “We want to get people skilled or even up-skilled to take these jobs. We are really focused on what we’re calling an earn-and-learn model.”
This earn-and-learn model has already been successfully piloted in Tacoma as a healthcare pathway program. These programs provide guidance, coursework, and hands-on experience to prepare students for roles in healthcare, such as nursing, medical assisting, or healthcare administration. Tacoma’s approach to these pathway programs is structured yet flexible and realistic. There are ways for participants to pause and then later re-engage the program if life throws them a curveball.
“I think at the root of affordable housing is a good paying job – and the root of that is getting a good education. And, when I say education, I don’t just mean a four-year degree; I mean tech school, military experience, or on-the-job training,” said Woodards. “People want to take care of themselves, and we have to provide them pathways to be able to – and that starts with a good paying job.”
Of course, a quality education starts before college or technical school. Over the last decade, according to Mayor Woodards, the community has worked together to bring graduation rates at some of Tacoma’s high schools from an estimated 55 percent to over a 90 percent graduation rate in 2023. It’s statistics like this – and Tacoma’s nationally-recognized parks system (NRPA’s gold standard), the city’s natural beauty, including Mount Rainier and Puget Sound, and a bustling art and culture scene (hello, Chihuly!) that keep it rated highly among national rankings.
From early years serving in the army to starting her career in the Tacoma Urban League and then moving into local government through Metro Parks Tacoma, the Tacoma City Council, serving as the mayor, and re-siding as president of the National League of Cities, Mayor Victoria Woodards’ career has been defined by public service. Whether you’re watching her give a state-of-affairs speech at the NLC City Summit or spending an hour with her on Zoom, her heart is discernible. For her, it’s not a job; it’s a calling.
“At every turn, at every office that I’ve run for, there has been something that was revealed to me that said you’re supposed to do this. I haven’t done any of this for myself, but really, I’ve been called to serve my community.”
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