TACOMA, Wash. — Another motel in Tacoma is being restructured to help bring more affordable housing to the city.
The Sage Investment group will be converting the Motel 6 on South 76th Street into low-income housing.
According to permits filed by Sage Investment, work on the project could start as soon as late October. Once the renovation is completed, the rent is expected to be around $1,000 a month for some of the 119 units in the building.
Jeremy Buck, who lives in Tacoma, is supportive of the initiative and hopes it helps those who need it most.
“If you get people in there that really want to take care of things, all the power to them. I really wanna see that happen, I wanna see people get the opportunity to be somewhere stable,” Buck said. “The problem becomes, everyone screams 'Not in my backyard,' and I’m sure once this gets out, a lot of people are gonna be complaining here too. But if it can help somebody, and not hinder somebody, I’m all behind that.”
But Kendal Holzman said these projects are too localized.
“It’s continuing gentrification and putting people in a corner and keeping those of low socioeconomic status in one area versus diversifying the area that we live in and opening up the community to all folks,” they said.
This isn’t the first time Sage Investment has announced that one of its properties would be turned into affordable housing.
In September, the group told KING 5 it had similar plans for its EconoLodge property on South Hosmer Street, but couldn’t follow through due to crime in the area.
The News Tribune reported that five former motels on South Hosmer Street have been sold since last year, with the intention of being turned into affordable housing.
Emily Hubbard of Sage Investment said while she understands the concern, this approach helps make the neighborhood more stable, because the people would be more rooted.
“The hotels that are there now, they’re distressed, they’ve had a rough couple of years because of COVID, and there’s a lot of transient people that come with that,” Hubbard said. “They’re not from the area, they don’t care about the area, they’re only there for a night or two."
Hubbard said they are turning it into an area that’s more stable and long-term, with vetted, secured properties with secured tenants that "want to be a part of the community.”
Hubbard said the hope is that this will also help lower crime in the area, and help create a more secure neighborhood.
“For us, our intention is to provide safe, affordable housing for people who would like to be a part of the community and add to that community and not take away from it,” she said.
Tacoma Councilmember Joe Bushnell, who oversees this part of Tacoma, sent KING 5 a statement that read:
“I appreciate that developers are investing in and converting these various motels and hotels on Hosmer to bring some much needed affordable housing to Tacoma. These properties, that were previously temporary accommodations, will bring stability to individuals and families. I am concerned, however, about the concentration of poverty on one street that is already struggling in so many ways and I would like to see more services addressing the needs of our most vulnerable community members established on Hosmer before these conversions take place so that folks will have the support they need to thrive. I am optimistic about the work we are doing on Hosmer, and I’m looking forward to continued and diverse investment on the corridor, both public and private.”