Hilltop Links to Opportunity Program
The Hilltop Links to Opportunity Program is a two-part effort to improve social and economic opportunity through planning for multimodal mobility and economic development in communities along the Tacoma LINK Light Rail Expansion corridor.
The total project budget is $2.5 million, including a $2 million grant from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning and $500,000 of local match from the City of Tacoma. The project timeline is August 2016 through August 2018.
Partnerships
Sound Transit (applicant for the FTA grant) and the City of Tacoma are working with many partners to carry out this work, including:
- Major employers (such as two hospitals in the expansion corridor station areas)
- Private land and business owners
- Housing developers
- Community-based organizations working on housing, social services and other community equity issues
- Neighborhood residents
Hilltop Engagement Committee
The Hilltop Engagement Committee (HEC) was established by the City Council, per Resolution No. 39527, and was adopted on August 23, 2016. It was created to provide an opportunity for residents, organizations and businesses to share their expertise and provide input, recommendations and feedback for the Links to Opportunity Program. The HEC weighs in on project goals and deliverables in the context of the City of Tacoma’s 2025 Strategic Plan, Equity and Empowerment Initiative, Hilltop and North Downtown Subarea Plans, Transportation Master Plan, and Complete Streets Design Guidelines. The committee meets on the first Wednesday of each month at 5 PM in the Clyde Hupp Board Room at Bates Technical College.
For more information, contact Monica Ghosh at monica.ghosh@cityoftacoma.org.
HEC Meeting Notes:
Current HEC Members:
- Ron Langrell, Bates Technical College
- Anthony Powell, Central Neighborhood Council
- Brendan Nelson, Hilltop Action Coalition
- Kevin Grossman, Hilltop Business District Association
- Denny Faker, New Tacoma Neighborhood Council
- Joshua Jorgensen, Tacoma Housing Authority
- William Towey, Tacoma Urban League
- Olga Inlebritson, At-Large
- Hally Bert, At-Large
- Kiara Daniels, At-Large
- Ashley Lipford, At-Large
- Anthony Steele, At-Large
- Lawrence White, At-Large
- Audra Hudson, At-Large, Alternate #1