Hard-hit Tacoma businesses could soon get financial relief

TACOMA, Wash. — Business owners across Tacoma say they are being hurt by vandalism. It’s leaving them with big bills for windows that are repeatedly broken.

Now the city is considering using tens of thousands of federal dollars to help.

These business owners have been complaining about this for months and the owners are finally being heard.

Because no matter whether they are in Tacoma’s Stadium District or some two miles away near Interstate 705, these owners say they are being hit hard.

“We’ve had quite a bit of vandalism,” said Dave Carreau, Eagle Tire & Automotive’s shop manager. “This just happened a couple of days ago. We’ve got the glass company come out, give us a bid.”

Carreau shows the latest example of costly damage to the business where he works. Other windows here have fallen victim to vandals, too.

“So this one, they’ll get a bid up front,” said Carreau. “It’ll cost $2,300 to replace this window right here. And this will be the second time we’ve replaced it in three months this particular window.”

The business owners’ plight has gotten the attention of Tacoma City Hall.

On Feb. 1, Mayor Victoria Woodards unveiled a proposal to use American Rescue Plan dollars to help businesses struggling with extra costs during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Two-hundred and fifty-thousand dollars would go toward private security, $300,000 toward fixing broken windows and $100,000 to support businesses that require vaccine verification for customers.

“Every single one of these have been broken into,” said Yu Nanakornphanom, standing outside Indo Asian Street Eatery. “Every single one.”

The owner of this Asian fusion restaurant in the Stadium District says he has had to replace his windows nine times in the last three months.

This surveillance video shows thieves breaking in last December.

He welcomes any help the city can offer because even this beautiful artwork is hurting business.

“You know with the window closing,” Nanakornphanom said. “You know people think we are closed.”

There’s also another issue owners say they are facing. When the window is broken but the business is not breached, if Tacoma police come, that is considered a false alarm call. The company is dinged $100 each time.

There are a lot of issues here in Tacoma.

The City Council is planning to discuss these issues at another work session Tuesday at noon.

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