Elect LaTrisha Suggs

Issues

There are many big issues facing our community.
Increasing affordable housing; ensuring a healthy future for our sole water source; improving city permitting processes; promoting environmental resiliency; and enhancing transportation options and infrastructure are just a few of the issues LaTrisha has worked on over the past five years and will continue to address during her next term.

Affordable housing

In Port Angeles in 2019, the average person spent 39% of their income on housing and utilities. In 2022, that number was 43%. Meanwhile, Federal guidelines state that each household should only be paying 30% of their income on housing and utility costs.

To combat our local housing crisis, LaTrisha has advocated for meaningful local changes to make increase housing opportunities in Port Angeles including reducing building fees for affordable housing development, allowing duplexes and throughout Port Angeles, promoting ADUs and permit-ready ADUs citywide, and supporting the Title 17 Housing For All municipal code update. These improvements have let Port Angeles be a leader statewide in housing, including through receiving a recent award to recognize this fact.

improving city permitting processes

LaTrisha knows how important it is to have positive and quick response times from City Staff. LaTrisha has consistently advocated for improved permitting processes and timelines.

Earlier this year, LaTrisha was excited to see improved permitting timelines, including same-day permitting for Type 0 permits, modernization of permitting processes, and the ability to track permitting workflows.

LaTrisha knows that the City works best when the we are responsive to the needs of the community. She will continue to help improve other City processes, including supporting finance system upgrades and modernizing utility payment processes.

Climate RESILIENCY

As someone who has generational ties to Port Angeles, was raised here, and has lived here for over 50 years, LaTrisha has seen firsthand the ways that our climate has changed, including through increasing atmospheric rivers causing floods and landslides, unhealthy levels of smoke due to wildfires in other areas, sea level rise, and drought conditions on the Elwha each year.

LaTrisha also served on the City Council Climate Resiliency Subcommittee and was involved in discussions that lead to the 2022 passage of the City of Port Angeles’ first ever Climate Resiliency Plan. LaTrisha supported the City Shade street tree program, the City’s new permeable parking lot LID project to reduce storm water runoff, advocated for a natural resources/grant writer position (which was approved), and the installation of new HVAC, solar, and EV charging stations.

Protecting the City’s Sole Water Source

LaTrisha has been a strong advocate for sustainable forestry on the Elwha to protect Port Angeles’ only source of drinking water and maintain our area’s recreational opportunities.

LaTrisha has continued to advocate on the State level, through discussions with DNR, to ensure the continued protection of the City’s sole water source on the Elwha River. Having worked on Elwha River Restoration efforts for many years, LaTrisha knows how important having strong, consistent leadership is to ensure that our City’s only source of drinking water remains intact. As a utility provider to over 20,000 residents, LaTrisha will continue to advocate for common-sense solutions to ensuring an adequate supply of drinking water for many years to come.

transportation infrastructure & options

Port Angeles faces immense infrastructure challenges, including deferred maintenance and necessary future maintenance needs. There are many important projects that have already been accomplished or are ongoing, such as the paving of Marine Drive, ADA upgrades Citywide, 8th Street paving, and the replacement of the Pier Tower and railing.

But there are many other critical pieces of infrastructure that need to be addressed, including the fountain stairway replacement, zig-zag upgrades, sewer upgrades and replacements, street and alley improvements, and improvements to HWY 101, many of which require partnerships with local businesses, residents, and the State. LaTrisha supports our downtown being more walkable, and in looking at options to reroute trucks out of downtown to increase a better experience for residents and tourists alike.