Tacoma, Wash. First City to Become a Certified STAR Community

Mayor Strickland and her sustainability team to be recognized during NLC's Congress of Cities 

SEATTLE, Nov. 16, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today STAR Communities is announcing that the City of Tacoma, Wash. has received a 4-STAR Community Rating in the STAR Community Rating System. They also have the distinct honor of becoming the first U.S. community to become certified.

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Released last fall, the STAR Community Rating System (STAR) is an active roadmap and measuring system for community sustainability. Local leaders use STAR to assess their city's sustainability, set targets for moving forward and measure progress along the way.

"The STAR Community Rating System has been a powerful and valuable tool for our city to assess the progress of our sustainability efforts," noted Tacoma Mayor Marilyn Strickland. "It will also help us identify gaps and hold us accountable for improving the quality of life for our residents in a variety of areas ranging from civic engagement to transportation and access to family-wage jobs to name a few. We are thrilled to be the first STAR-certified community in the nation and we will continue to improve the livability of Tacoma."

Tacoma was one of more than 30 cities and counties that participated in a yearlong pilot program with STAR Communities. The pilots tested and evaluated the Rating System's Technical Guide, Online Reporting Tool and associated products and services designed to support communities on the path to certification. Since the public release of these tools in September 2013, another 35 communities across the country have subscribed to STAR.

Since the program's beginning, the National League of Cities has been a core partner of the STAR Community Rating System. NLC and STAR Communities are both dedicated to improving America's cities.

"NLC is proud to partner with STAR Communities to work with cities across the country to help them become more healthy, inclusive and prosperous," said Clarence Anthony, Executive Director of the National League of Cities. "When city leaders like Mayor Strickland take advantage of important sustainability tools such as the STAR Community Rating System, they are helping to improve the quality of life for their residents, protect the natural environment and strengthen their local economy."

To register your local government and begin using STAR's tools today, visit the "Get Started" section of the STAR website at www.STARcommunities.org.

About NLC
The National League of Cities is dedicated to helping city leaders build better communities. NLC is a resource and advocate for 19,000 cities, towns and villages, representing more than 218 million Americans.

About STAR Communities
STAR Communities helps cities and counties achieve meaningful sustainability through the first national framework for local community efforts. Incorporated in Washington, DC, our mission is to advance a national framework for sustainable communities through the delivery of standards and tools built by and for local governments and the communities they serve. 

The STAR Community Rating System was initiated by founding partners ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability USA, the U.S. Green Building Council, National League of Cities and Center for American Progress.

SOURCE National League of Cities