After a year of community outreach and discussion, Tacoma City Council’s Community, Vitality and Safety Committee voted to pass an ordinance amending the Rental Housing Act and the Landlord Fairness Act initiative.
The purpose of the ordinance amendment is to “preserve housing opportunities in Tacoma and expand tenant rights,” according to the City Council.
“The review of the Landlord Fair Code Initiative is centered on the goals outlined in the initiative itself: protecting families and reducing homelessness, balancing the needs of landlords, tenants, and Tacoma while building partnerships to ensure safe, healthy, and prosperous rental housing in Tacoma. While the Landlord Fair Code Initiative has good intentions, it has had dire consequences for our city, particularly on low-income housing providers who provide housing to those who need it most,” said District 2 Council Member Sarah Lambeau.
The regulation, approved by voters in 2023, currently protects tenants from evictions during the winter.
It also prevents rent increases and allows tenants to sue landlords who violate the code.
Opponents of the Landlord Fairness Act say landlords are losing tens of thousands of dollars because they can’t evict tenants.
City Council’s amendments to the Landlord Fair Code Initiative strengthen tenant protections by expanding their relocation assistance options.
Going forward, landlords who increase rent by more than 5% within 12 months will be required to pay relocation assistance if requested by the tenant.
Other changes clarify that if a tenant requests relocation assistance and then decides not to move, they will have 10 days to repay their landlord.
Changes to the Landlord Fairness Initiative also aim to address the disproportionate impact eviction restrictions have on individuals who own and rent a small number of units in the city.
The revised regulations will come into effect on January 1.
Updated information on Tacoma’s landlord and tenant policies will be posted soon on the city’s website.