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The Manitou neighborhood, a landlocked “island” sandwiched between Tacoma and University Place but not a part of either city, is now in Tacoma.

The City Council-approved annexation of Manitou took effect April 1, adding to the Tacoma’s west side the 37-acre area that is bounded by Lakewood Drive West, 65th Street West, 70th Street West, and the city-Pierce County border to the east of 52nd Avenue W.

Officials said information about the annexation was provided to Manitou residents and businesses well ahead of the neighborhood’s transfer of control from Pierce County to the city.
Mayor Victoria Woodards said the new addition will have the same access to city services ad the rest of Tacoma.

The Senior Scene by — June 25, 2024 in News
Will Ryan House stay or go?

(Pictured: The Ryan House in better days, before it was declared unsafe by Sumner city officials and scheduled for demolition).

Demolition of a historic former residence in Sumner is on hold while the city’s plans receive a court-ordered review.

On March 13, Pierce County Superior Court judge ruled in favor of citizens who filed a land-use petition against the proposed demolition of Ryan House. The judge rescinded the demolition permit and directed the city for additional public notice on the project through the its  Comprehensive Plan amendment process, which is scheduled to end later this year with a City Council decision on land-use, growth, and development policies. An eventual ruling on whether the demolition can proceed is pending.

Officials said the city will follow the court order but noted the reason for demolishing the building hasn’t changed: That it can only be saved if money is available to repair “significant structural issues” that are necessary to make it safe and meet current building codes.

The council voted last September the building house and convert the property to a city park. A group of citizens called Save the Ryan House fought the decision in court and is part of an effort to obtain funding and backing to preserve the house. So far, about about $1 million from local and countywide tax revenue has been generated, but city officials maintain the repairs are too expensive and house is beyond saving.

The Sumner Historical Society has called Ryan House, which dates to the 1870s in one form or another, possibly the oldest structure in the city. It was home for one of the city’s pioneer families and has served at various times as a post office, a store, a public library, and most recently as a museum run by the Historical Society. 

The Senior Scene by — June 19, 2024 in News
Senior housing for LGBTQIA is a first for King County

(Pictured: Laney, one of the residents, talks about Pride Place during a grand-opening of the Seattle apartment building for LGBTQIA+ seniors.)

Six words—“Pride Place is my happy place”—might best summarize how Laney feels about where she lives.

The Seattle musician and theater artist is among the residents of Pride Place, an affordable housing complex focused on housing seniors who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, questioning, intersex, asexual, and other identities (LGBTQIA+). Located in the heart of Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood, it’s the first housing project of its kind for King County, using transit-oriented development funds with the senior LGBTQIA+ community in mind.

The development is a collaboration since 2017 of Community Roots Housing, an affordable-housing provider founded in 1976 by Capitol Hill community activists concerned about redlining, and GenPride, the first LGBTQIA+ senior-focused organization in Washington.

“Our partnership is determined to put a stake in the ground to stop displacement of the LGBTQIA+ community from their historic neighborhood,” said Christopher Persons, Community Roots Housing’s chief executive officer.

With deep connections to Seattle’s Lesbian and Gay Chorus and other artist collectives with roots in Capitol Hill, Laney is excited about her return to the neighborhood she calls home.

Pride Place “is the kind of home that my friends and I talked about in our 40s and could only dream about,” she said..“After being in the closet for a long while in my last residence, and now that I’m here at Pride Place, I can feel my heart opening up again. Being able to be who I am and continuing to serve my community means everything to me.”

Laney and dozens of others moved into Pride Place . As of May 1, applications are still being accepted at prideplaceseattle.org for the 118-unit building that also features the Pacific Northwest’s first community center for “rainbow elders” and allies. The building is eco-friendly with solar panels, a green roof with bioretention planters, triple-paned windows, and ventilation for energy efficient fresh air circulation.

Largely inspired by a 2018 study from the University of Washington entitled, “Aging in Community: Addressing LGBTQ Inequities in Housing and Senior Services,” Pride Place addresses the housing and service-related needs of LGBTQIA+ older adults (people aged 50-87).  A third of the 419 surveyed reported experiencing discrimination based on their sexual orientation in the sale or rental of an apartment or home. Half of respondents experienced homelessness and felt aging information and referral services were not LGBTQ-affirming, and a third experienced eviction.

“Pride Place is about belonging. Pride Place is not only providing people a place to live, but also providing a welcoming home and safe space for our LGBTQIA+ elders to be their authentic selves without fear or shame,” said Simon Foster, Division Director of Housing, Homelessness and Community Development in King County’s Department of Community and Human Services.

“In the spirit of liberation and opportunity, we celebrate Pride Place and all the people involved in this very important work. We honor your efforts and the legacy being built in Capitol Hill,” Foster said.

Source: King County Community and Human Services’ “Cultivating Connections” blog.

The Senior Scene by — June 5, 2024 in News

Wildfire smoke has become an unwelcome and unhealthy part of summers in the Puget Sound region in recent years. Health effects can vary greatly from person to person. The smoke’s tiny particles are bad for lungs, hearts, and sinuses, and people with underlying medical conditions such as asthma suffer the most.

Health authorities say people can make their homes as safe as possible from wildfire smoke by creating a clean-air room. This should be a room large enough for everyone in the household and comfortable for extended periods while windows and doors in the room are closed, keeping its air isolated from the rest of the house. And if you have an HVAC system, the Environmental Protection Agency recommends using a high-efficiency filter—MERV 13 or higher. You can also make an air cleaner by attaching a filter to the back (air-intake side) of a standard box fan.

Smoke from wildfires can particularly harm people with heart or lung disease, the elderly, children, and pregnant women and the elderly. Other groups at higher risk include people who are obese, who smoke, have diabetes or COVID-19, or have prior history of heart attacks or strokes.

Counties declare burn bans to reduce the likelihood of wildfires when conditions make them most possible.

 Counties declare burn bans to reduce the likelihood of wildfires when conditions make them most possible. For instance, a ban for all of Pierce County except cities and towns took effect June 1 and was to continue until further notice. It was ordered by the county fire marshal.
A similar ban in Pierce County in 2023 lasted from June 6 to Oct. 3.
There are two types of burn bans:
  • Air-quality burn bans are issued and enforced by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency when air pollution is at unhealthy levels. The bans typically occur during fall and winter to address smoke from residential burning for heat.  
  • Fire-safety burn bans are issued by fire marshals when dry weather heighten the potential for wildfires, mainly during summer months.
The Senior Scene by — June 5, 2024 in News