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Gig Harbor council hears South Sound Military and Communities Partnership briefing on housing and regional resilience
Summary
At a Feb. 26 study session, the Gig Harbor City Council heard a presentation from the South Sound Military and Communities Partnership (SSMCP) outlining regional work on housing, military‑spouse employment, transportation resiliency and climate vulnerabilities affecting Joint Base Lewis–McChord (JBLM) and nearby communities. Council members signaled preliminary support for a $2,500 working‑group membership.
Maria Tobin, program manager for the South Sound Military and Communities Partnership, told the Gig Harbor City Council on Feb. 26 that SSMCP exists to strengthen coordination between Joint Base Lewis–McChord and surrounding jurisdictions and to advance regional resilience and family supports.
"SSMCP built the relationship between JBLM and our surrounding jurisdictions," Tobin said, describing the partnership’s post‑9/11 origins and its goal of aligning local planning with defense‑related needs.
Tobin summarized recent SSMCP work, including a 2024 housing study she said quantified a need for about 212 homes to support the installation’s population, a resiliency review that examined roughly 7,500 critical assets within a 15‑mile radius of the JBLM fence line and produced nine implementation recommendations, and an effort to reduce occupational licensure barriers for military spouses that produced 18 recommendations and dozens of strategies across local, state and federal levels.
She also described SSMCP’s legislative and advocacy record: Tobin said the partnership and its allies helped secure more than $75 million for I‑5 improvements and related projects and that the eventual I‑5 program could reach multibillion‑dollar scale as it proceeds. Tobin said SSMCP operates on an annual budget of about $350,000 funded by member tiers and partner contributions.
Council members asked for local details and next steps. Tobin said more than 42% of Gig Harbor residents have some kind of military affiliation and explained membership options: SSMCP invites jurisdictions to participate in working groups; working‑group participation is commonly available at a $2,500 tier. After discussion, council members expressed support for joining at a working‑group level and asked staff to follow up on budget and staff involvement.
Why it matters: JBLM’s size and traffic patterns affect regional housing demand, infrastructure and emergency planning; SSMCP’s studies and advocacy are intended to shape funding priorities, transportation projects and local policies that could affect development and services in Gig Harbor.
Next steps: Tobin encouraged Gig Harbor officials to attend SSMCP working groups and events; council members asked staff to return with cost and participation details and agreed in principle to pursue a $2,500 working‑group membership as a way to engage with ongoing SSMCP work.
